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FOR  AS    FEASA    AR    EIRINN 

Do  réir 

AN  ATHAR  SEATHEUN  CÉlTING,  OLLAMH  RE  DIADHACHTA. 


THE 


HISTORY  OF  IRELAND, 


f  k  earliest  '§tnú  ía  .tlrí  (tnglish  |itíJ(isi0iu 


BY  THE  REVEREND  GEOFFREY  KEATING,  D.D. 


TRANSLATED 

FEOil  THE   ORIGINAL    GAELIC,   AND   CO  PIOUSLY  ANN  OTATED, 

BY     JOHN    O'MAHONY. 

WITH   A    MAP    SHOWIXG    THE    LOCATION    OF    THE  ANCIENT  CLANS,   AND   A 
TOPOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


"Nonimmcrito  hfec  insula  Ogyc/ia,  ii  est,  penntiqnsi  a  Plntarcho  dicti»  fnit;  a  profundissimfi 
enim  antlquatis  memoria  histoiias  suas  auspicantar,  adeo  ut  pra3  illis  omnis  onmiam  gentium 
antiqnitas  sit  novitaa  et  quodaminodo  infantía."— Camdbx,  Bkitannia. 


NEW    YORK:.      ,,    • 
PUBLISHED    BY    P.    M.    RAYZRTY, 

No.   110    F  TJ  L  T  C»  tt .  S  T.&  Ji'^T  , 
1857. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  In  the  year  1857,  by 

P  .    :M  .    II  A  V  E  E  T  Y, 

In  the  Clerk's  office  of  tlie  District  Court  of  the  United  States,  for  the 
Southern  District  of  Sevr  Torlc. 


5^\ 


u 


TO 
WILLIAM    DESMOND    O'BRIEN,    ESQUIRE, 
32  SCHEKMERHORN  STREET,  BROOKLYN, 


f  1]  i  5      §  0  0  It 


IS    AFFECTIONATELY    INSCRIBED, 


BY     HIS      FRIEND, 


THE     TRANSLATOR. 


THE    TRANSLATOR'S  PREFACE. 


It  is  now  nearly  eighteen  months  since  the  translator  of  the 
following  work  was  requested,  by  his  friend,  Mr.  Haverty, 
of  New  York,  to  undertake  the  revision  and  annotation  of 
Dermod  O'Connor's  English  version  of  the  Eeverend  Dr.  Keat- 
ing's  History  of  Ireland,  which  that  spirited  and  patriotic  Irish- 
man was  then  about  to  re-publish,  in  order  to  have  it  in  his 
power  to  satisfy  the  frequent  and  urgent  demands  for  copies  of 
their  ancient  national  historian,  made  upon  him  by  his  country- 
men who  have  been  exiled  to  these  United  States  of  America. 
With  this  request,  he  rather  too  readily  complied,  deeming  that 
the  former  translation,  which  he  had  not  then  read  attentively 
for  several  years,  Avould  be  found  sufficiently  true  to  its  original 
for  a  work  intended  for  popular  use ;  and  trusting  that  some 
knowledge  of  the  language,  antiquities  and  ancient  usages  of  his 
native  land,  which  he  had  acquired  in  studying  ancient  Gaelic 
writings,  to  amuse  his  idle  hours,  whilst  living  at  home  in  Ireland, 
would  have  enabled  him  both  to  rectify  any  mistakes  there  might 
have  been  in  O'Connor's  version,  and  to  explain  any  obscure 
allusions  to  historic  j^ersons  and  events,  and  to  ancient  tribes  and 
obsolete  usages,  now  forgotten  by  the  mass  of  the  Irish  public. 
Upon  these  suppositions  did  he  make  light  of  the  proposed  work, 
and  he  was  thereby  led  to  deceive  himself,  as  well  as  his  pub- 
lisher, both  as  to  the  size  of  the  book  itself,  and  as  to  the  amount 
of  labor  and  length  of  time  that  might  be  consumed  in  its  pre- 
paration for  the  press.  Hence  arose  its  premature  announcement 
in  the  Irish  newspapers  of  New  York — an  announcement  for 
which  the  translator,  not  the  publisher,  is  to  blame.  However, 
upon  comparing  some  manuscript  copies  of  the  Foras  Feasa  Ar 
Eirinn  with  the  previously  published  translation,  Dermod 
O'Connor's  English  was  found  so  unlike  what  Dr.  Keating  ac- 
tually wrote,  that  he  considered  that  he  would  be  rendering  his 
fellow-exiles  a  service  of  very  questionable  utility,  unless  he 
should  give  them  an  entirely  new  version  of  the  entire  history. 
Again,  when  the  work  had  been  already  begun,  it  was  found 
that  in  order  to  make  it  intelligible  to  the  majority  of  the  Irish- 
men of  the  present  clay,  who  unfortunately  can  only  read  the 
history  of  their  country  in  a  foreign  tongue,  it  would  be  neces- 
sarv  to  make  the  explanatory  notes  much  more  copious  than  had 


6  PEEFACE. 

been  originally  contemplated,  for  Dr.  Keating  wrote  in  an  age 
when  Irish  tradition  was  still  alive  amongst  his  readers,  and 
when  it  would  have  been  idle  to  explain  mutters  which  arc  now 
either  forgotten  or  misunderstood.  This  wa.s  another  cause  of 
delay  and  embarrassment.  The  translator  had  not  immediately 
at  his  command  a  sufficient  number  of  reliable  authorities  for  his 
comments  upon  his  author;  and,  as  he  was  resolved  to  de- 
pend as  little  as  possible,  either  upon  his  recollection  of  what  he 
had  formerly  read,  or  upon  his  own  conjectures,  he  was  com- 
pelled to  suspend  his  work  until  he  had  procured  the  books 
which  he  deemed  requisite  for  that  purpose.  In  this  he  has  ex- 
perienced some  difficulties,  but  he  at  length  partially  succeeded, 
through  the  aid  of  Mr.  Ilaverty,  who  sent  to  Ireland  for  several 
valuable  works,  and  through  that  of  some  patriotic  Irishmen 
living  in  Ameiica,  who  lent  him  the  use  of  their  libraries. 

It  may  appear  not  a  little  presumptuous  in  the  present  writer 
to  have  undertaken  a  labor  of  so  much  importance  to  ancient 
Irish  histor}',  as  the  translation  and  annotation  of  Dr.  Keating's 
historic  work — more  especially  as  his  acquaintance  with  the  duties 
of  authorship  is  so  very  slight,  that  he  doubts  whether  he  have 
the  smallest  possible  vocation  or  capacity  for  making  useful  and 
readable  books.  He  must  also  say,  that  though  he  had  once 
taken  a  mournful  pleasure  in  zealously  studying  the  language 
and  history  of  ancient  Eri,  amid  the  glens  of  his  native  Gaulties, 
still  the  remotest  idea  of  ever  seeing  his  name  upon  a  title-])age 
never  once  entered  his  mind,  though  man}'  were  the  vain  day- 
dreams in  which  he  liad  indulged,  whilst  dwelling  under  those 
mist-clad  hills.  Since  then  he  has  pursued  the  study  at  fitful 
intervals,  through  several  changes  of  scene  and  condition,  but 
never  with  any  other  object  than  the  gratification  of  his  filial  love 
towards  his  father-land.  Under  these  circumstances,  some  apol- 
ogy is  necessary  for  his  present  intrusion  upon  the  reading  public. 
lie  trusts  that  the  following  will  be  deemed  sufficient: — He 
knew  that  in  case  he  refused»  to  edit  this  work,  an  American 
reprint  of  the  former  translation  would  have  been  puljlished 
nevertheless ;  and  as  no  one  who  knew  anything  of  Gaelic  liter- 
ary antiquities  seemed  about  to  undertake  its  correction,  thought 
it  "better  that  a  faithful,  though  not  all-perfect  version,  should  be 
edited  by  him,  than  that  the  former  unintelligible  and  useless 
production  should  be  again  imposed  upon  Irishmen,  under  the 
popular  name  of  Dr.  Keating — a  ])ub]ieation  that  has  tended  to 
bring  that  author's  name  into  unmerited  disrepute,  and  to  injure 
the  study  of  Irish  history  amongst  those  who  cannot  read  our 
ancient  documents  in  the  original  Gaelic.  Whilst  conscious, 
then,  of  his  own  incompetence  to  do  full  justice  to  his  subject^ 


PREFACE.  ■  7 

he  tliouglit  tliat  lie  would  be  able  to  give  his  exiled  countrymcu 
something  more  like  what  Dr.  Keating  wrote  than  what  has  been 
so  long  before  the  public  under  his  name ;  and  that,  if  he  failed 
in  presenting  them  with  a  good  book,  he  would,  at  least,  present 
them  with  one  that  might  not  be  positively  mischievous.  Shall 
he  have  succeeded  even  thus  far,  he  will  not  deem  that  his  time 
and  labor  have  been  thrown  away. 

The  chief  design  with  which  this  book  has  been  translated 
and  annotated,  has  been  to  make  the  author's  meaning  per- 
fectly understood  by  the  majority  of  its  readers,  and  to  give  the 
latter  some  insight  into  the  manners  and  customs  of  the  ancient 
times  of  which  he  treats.  Should  this  design  be  accomplished, 
the  translator  and  editor  will  rest  perfectly  content  with  what 
he  has  done.  Throu2;hout  the  work  it  has  also  been  a  desired 
object  with  him,  to  fix  the  minds  of  the  disinherited  sons  of  the 
Clanna  Gaedhail,  wherever  scattered,  upon  that  green  land  which 
is  their  ancestral  birth-right,  so  that  they  may  never  forget  that 
Ireland  is  their  proper  home,  and  that  it  is  they  themselves,  not  the 
land-jobbers  who  now  devour  its  people  and  its  fruits,  that  have 
any  just  claim  to  possess  its  soil.  Their  restoration  to  such  birth- 
right has  been  the  aim  of  his  most  longing  and  fondest  ambition, 
since  first  he  began  seriously  to  consider  their  present  fallen  con- 
dition, and  for  that  end  he  will  strive  until  he  shall  have  ceased 
to  think.  This  he  would  have  the  object  of  the  ambition  of  all 
true  Irishmen.  However  successful  and  honored  either  them- 
selves or  their  children  may  become,  either  in  this  or  in  any 
other  foreign  land,  he  would  have  them  consider  themselves  but 
as  sojourners  therein.  That  sacred  isle  where  their  forefathers 
lie  piled  many  feet  deep  in  hallowed  mould,  side  by  side  with 
the  saints  who  illumined  Ireland  in  the  days  of  her  glory,  and 
with  the  martyrs  who  cast  a  halo  round  her  declining  fortune, 
should  be  ever  regarded  by  them  as  their  promised  land,  or,  as 
an  Irish  saint  of  the  olden  time  has  it,  the  land  of  their  resurrection. 
He  would  have  them  always  consider  themselves  what  a  con- 
temporary bard  described  the  expatriated  Irishmen  of  former 
times, — 

"  Deoraidhthe  siora  gan  sgitli  gan  S03 
Miaoaid  a  d-tir  's  a  n-duthchas." 


In  English — 


'Always  exiled,  restless,  homeless. 
Longing  for  their  fatherland." 


Such  have  been  the  translator's  great  objects,  and  not  either 
literary  fame  or  pecuniary  profit.  Had  the  latter  been  his  object, 
he  might  have  attained  it  long  since,  in  as  far  as  it  is  attainable 
bv  hiin,  witli  not  half  the  labor  or  consumption  of  time.   A  new, 


8  PEEFACE. 

a  literal  translation  of  Keating,  with  but  few  notes,  might  have 
ere  now  commanded  as  ready  a  sale  as  any  the  present  work 
■unll  ever  have.  It  could  have  also  been  got  out  with  half  the 
expense,  and  less  than  half  the  mental  toil.  Neither  has  his 
object  been  literary  fame,  for  if  it  had,  he  would  have  delayed 
the  publication  for,  perhaps,  another  year,  in  order  both  to  render 
his  work  more  perfect,  and  to  finish  oft'  much  of  the  explanatory 
matter  which  is  here  presented  to  his  readers  in  a  rather  crude 
and  unpolished,  though,  he  trusts,  sufficiently  plain  and  intel- 
ligible shape.  ]3ut  his  engagements  with  his  publisher,  and  the 
patrons  of  the  work,  would  not  allow  him  any  further  respite, 
and  he  has  thence  been  forced  to  place  his  book  in  the  hands  of 
the  printer,  in  a  condition  that  does  not  quite  satisfy  himself  in 
a  mere  literary  point  of  view.  This,  however,  costs  him  but 
little  regi'et,  for  of  all  the  descriptions  of  honest  fome,  that  of  a 
literary  man  is,  perhaps,  the  one  he  least  covets,  not  through 
any  want  of  due  appreciation  of  the  higli  mission  of  men  of 
literary  genius  and  talent,  who  can  teach  great  truths  to  their 
fellows  in  appropriate  language,  but  because  his  own  ambition 
does  not  tend  that  way,  and,  perhaps,  because  it  is  the  species 
of  fame  that  is  most  bej'ond  his  reach.  For  this  reason,  were  it 
possible  that  another  name  besides  his  would  have  satisfied  the 
immediate  patrons  of  this  book,  as  well  as  his  own,  he  would 
Avillingly  have  relinquished  all  of  praise  or  of  censure  that  may 
be  attached  to  its  authorship,  to  that  other  man,  while  he  would 
have  nevertheless  labored  with  equal  zeal  and  assiduity  in  the 
work  of  its  production. 

Many  persons  will  no  doubt  feel  disappointed  at  the  style  and 
manner  in  which  the  book  has  been  Avritten  and  edited.  From 
the  premature  praises  which  some  of  his  friends  have  bestowed 
upon  the  literary  and  linguistic  attainments  of  the  editor,  some 
amongst  the  literary  world  may  have  been  led  to  expect  more 
from  his  pen  than  lie  has  had  cither  the  time  or  the  ability  to 
give  them.  Such  persons  will  certainly  find  much  to  condemn 
and  criticise  in  the  following  pages.  But  ujjon  this  point  lie  is 
not  exceedingly  solicitous.  The  book  is  not  specially  d.csigned 
to  pleas  3  literarjr  people.  It  is  more  designed  for  the  purpose 
of  conveying,  in  plain  and  simple  terms,  certain  information 
about  the  country  and  usages  of  their  ancestors,  to  those  of  the 
translator's  own  race  and  kindred  who  have  not  much  time  to 
devote  to  the  perusal  of  books,  and  whose  early  opportunities 
have  not  enabled  them  to  become  critics  in  the  elegancies  of  a 
language  which  has  been  forced  upon  them  by  their  enemies. 
Provided  these  latter  understand  him  thoroughly,  he  cares  little 
for  the  opinion  of  the  critics. 


PREFACE.  9 

There  is  also  anotlier  class  to  whom  this  translation  may  not 
prove  altogether  satisfactory — that  is,  to  students  of  the  Gaelic 
language.  It  will  not  in  every  instance  serve  these  for  the  pur- 
pose of  a  verbatim  glossary  upon  Dr.  Keating's  original  text. 
Such  it  undoubtedly  should  have  been  made,  were  it  found  pos- 
sible in  every  instance  to  have  rendered  the  full  and  exact 
meaning  of  all  Irish  phrases  by  a  Avord-for-word  version  into 
English.  As  it  is  not  always  possible  to  do  this,  and  as  the 
student  class  forms  but  a  very  small  portion  of  those  for  whose 
use  the  work  is  intended,  it  has  been  preferred,  in  every  instance 
where  a  verbatim  version  Avould  cither  obscure  the  meaning  or 
destroy  the  force  of  the  original,  to  render  the  idiomatic  phrases 
of  the  Gaelic  by  equivalent  English  ones.  An  entirely  Avord-for- 
word  translation  from  any  one  language  into  another,  is  scarcely 
ever  perfectly  true  to  its  original.  From  a  language  so  elliptical 
as  the  Gaelic,  into  English,  Avhich  is  so  opposite  to  it  in  this  and 
in  many  of  its  other  peculiarities,  it  is  hardly  practicable.  For 
this  reason,  it  has  seemed  more  desirable  to  translate  the  history 
so  as  to  make  it  easily  understood  by  the  general  reader,  rather 
than  so  as  to  save  the  mere  student  of  language  from  the  trouble 
of  consulting  his  dictionary.  Should  the  latter  need  such  a 
work,  he  will  find  it  in  that  ^^art  of  Keating's  History  which  has 
been  already  published  by  Halliday,  and  in  several  recent  pub- 
lications, where  the  word-for-word  system  has  been  adhered  to, 
but  where  the  full  meaning  and  force  of  the  original  has  not  been 
always  expressed  in  English  of  equivalent  import.  Such  Avorks 
are  invaluable  to  the  scholar,  but  often  unintelligible  to  the 
general  reader.  It  is  chiefly  for  the  latter  that  the  translator 
has  worked  ;  but  in  the  performance  of  his  task  he  has  striven 
to  be  always  as  literal  as  Avas  consistent  Avith  clearness,  and  in 
no  instance  has  he  either  amplified  or  curtailed  the  language  of 
his  original,  without  giving  due  notice  thereof.  To  the  best  of 
his  own  ability  and  comprehension  he  has  made  Dr.  Keating 
speak  as  if  that  Avriter  were  giving  his  narration  in  the  English 
tongue.  He  considers  the  version  here  given  to  be  true  to  his  text, 
and  he  trusts  that  even  the  Irish  student  Avill  find  it  sufficiently 
so.  Many  imperfections  may,  however,  be  found  therein.  For 
some  of  these  the  editor's  inexperience  is  possibly  to  blame : 
others  have  been  the  result  of  the  haste  with  Avhich  it  has  been 
hurried  from  his  desk  to  the  press,  and  of  the  fact  that  he  has 
been  compelled  all  through  it  to  AAaite  against  time — to  consult 
his  various  authorities,  to  correct  proofs,  and  at  the  same  time 
arrange  new  matter  for  the  printers.  Thus  he  has  never  been 
able  to  see  any  large  portion  of  his  Avork  before  him  at  one 
time,  soon  enough  to  remedy  several  of  its  manifest  typographi- 


10  PREFACE. 

cal  and  verbal  errors.  Those  that  are  friendly  disposed  may 
also  allow  him  some  indulgence  from  the  fact  that,  from  the 
commencement  of  his  work  to  its  close,  he  has  not  had  the 
assistance  of  any  one  person  learned  in  the  Gaelic  tongue ;  so 
that,  in  those  instances  where  he  could  not  resolve  his  doubts 
from  written  or  printed  authority,  he  has  been  compelled  to  de- 
pend entirely  upon  his  own  judgment,  and  upon  his  memorj^  of 
■what  he  had  formerl}^  learned  either  orally  or  from  books.  He 
may  also  find  some  excuse  ^i  the  fact  that  he  has  not  had  an  op- 
portunity of  comparing  a  sufficient  number  of  manuscript  copies 
of  the  Foras  Feasa  Ar  Eirinn^  and  that  none  of  those  of  which  he 
has  had  the  use,  were  much  more  than  one  hundred  years  old. 
Being  isolated  from  all  Irish  scholars,  and  unassisted  even  in 
the  most  minor  details  of  his  undertaking,  he  has  found  his 
duties  much  more  onerous  and  perplexing  than  they  could  pos- 
sibly be  to  a  man  living  in  Ireland. 

The  historical  and  topograj^hical  notes  are  drawn  from  many 
sources.  Copious  quotations  have  been  made  from  the  Annals 
of  the  Four  Masters,  and  from  the  learned  commentaries  of  Dr. 
O'Donovan  upon  those  venerable  annalists ;  and  also  from 
several  of  the  other  works  edited  by  that  accurate  and  scrupulous 
antiquarian.  This  he  has  repeatedly  acknowledged  in  the  notes, 
but  should  he  have  anywhere  omitted  such  acknowledgment,  he 
here  states  tliat  he  has  been  almost  everywhere  indebted  to  that 
erudite  author  for  the  location  and  modern  names  of  the  various 
jjlaces  mentioned  in  this  history.  By  him  he  has  also  been  guided 
in  many  of  the  notes  inserted,  relative  to  several  of  the  ancient 
Iri.«h  septs.  Copious  quotations  have  been  also  made  from 
O'Flaherty,  O'llalloran,  Moore  and  others.  AVherever  matter 
deemed  explanator}'  or  confirmatory  of  the  text  was  found  in  any 
published  authority,  it  has  been  fi-eely  inserted.  Some  few  of  the 
pliilological  and  etymological  notes  are  original.  So  are  all  those 
relative  to  the  social  and  jxjlitical  state  of  Ireland  in  past  and 
present  times.  AVhatever  be  the  value  or  the  good  taste  of  the 
translator's  remarks  upon  such  subjects,  he  alone  is  responsible 
therefor. 

Should  this  book  fall  into  the  hands  of  any  of  the  enemies  of 
the  Irish  name  and  race,  or  into  those  of  certain  good  folk  of  the 
Irish  themselves,  who  would  fain  have  us  forget  and  forgive  the 
wrongs  perpetrated  upon  those  from  whom  we  have  drawn  the 
source  of  our  existence,  and  still  daily  inflicted  upon  our  breth- 
ren, they  will  no  douljt  say  that  this  is  the  work  of  a  political 
partizan.  But,  upon  that  subject,  it  is  hoped,  that  there  can  be 
no  second  opinion  possible.  If  it  be  tlie  mark  of  a  partizan  to  be 
thoroughly  Irish  in  heart  and  soul ; — to  love  men  of  Irish  name 


PREFACE.  11 

and  blood  more  than  men  of  any  other ; — to  abhor  the  destroyers 
of  his  nation  and  kinsmen,  who  are  also  the  desolators  of  his 
own  paternal  hearth,  with  a  hatred  that  neither  time  nor  dis- 
tance can  mitigate  ; — then  is  this  the  w^ork  of  a  most  undoubted 
partizan.  And  again,  if  an  ardent  desire  to  perpetuate  like  feel- 
ings amongst  the  men  of  his  nation  be  the  part  of  a  partizan, 
then  has  he  edited  this  book  in  a  spirit  of  thorough  partizanship. 
However,  though  he  docs  hate  the  present  hostile  garrison  that 
holds  his  countiy  in  thraldom  as  heartily  as  if  he  had  lived  in 
the  days  of  Seaghan  O'Neill,  he  still  denies  that  he  has  in  any 
one  instance  allowed  his  partialities  to  cause  him  to  torture 
historic  fact  to  bear  out  his  own  theories  or  opinions — neither 
has  he  in  any  one  particular  swerved  from  the  truth  of  history, 
as  he  has  understood  it.  To  some  well-meaning  friends  of  the 
Irish  people,  and  to  some  good  souls  of  the  Irish  themselves,  he 
deems  it  necessary  to  say  this  much — ^he  begs  that  they  will 
excuse  him  if  he  shall  have  curdled  the  lactine  fluid  in  their 
kindly  breasts,  by  any  occasional  infusion  of  gall  which  he  may 
have  pressed  into  these  pages.  From  the  enemies  of  the  Irish 
nation,  he  asks  no  indulgence  :  he  would  himself  show  none  to 
them.  He  has  spoken  a  few  of  his  real  sentiments  with  regard 
to  them  and  some  of  their  institutions — institutions  which  he 
regards  as  so  many  hideous  abominations,  and  which  he  ardently 
hopes  to  see  one  day  swept  from  oíF  the  face  of  this  earth. 

It  must  not,  however,  be  understood  that  it  is  his  desire  to 
stir  up  any  hostile  feelings  of  nation,  race  or  religious  belief 
amongst  his  readers  by  any  remarks  made  either  here  or  else- 
where throughout  these  pages.  He  is  himself  actuated  by  no 
such  feelings.  Nations  have  been  too  long  made  the  instru- 
ments of  the  enslavement  of  their  neighbors  by  cunning  tyrants, 
who  banded  them  against  one  another  merely  because  they 
chanced  to  dwell  on  different  sides  of  some  sea,  river  or  moun- 
tain, or  because  they  spoke  different  dialects.  He  has,  it  is  true, 
a  strong  partiality  towards  the  natives  of  the  Irish  soil,  and  his 
heart  glows  with  a  more  kindly  heat  towards  men  of  ancient 
Gaelic  names — this  is  part  of  his  instinct ; — but  he  can  also  hold 
out  the  free  hand  of  brotherhood  to  the  Frank  and  the  Saxon. 
It  is  only  when  he  becomes  an  instrument  of  tyranny  that 
hostility  should  be  felt  towards  any  of  one's  fellow  men.  In 
Ireland,  more  especially,  the  foreign  element  has  become  so  ab- 
sorbed in  the  aboriginal,  that  it  would  be  as  just  to  think  of 
avenging  the  wrongs  of  the  Danaan  or  the  Belgian  upon  their 
Spanish  conquerors,  as  it  would  be  those  of  the  latter  upon  the 
followers  of  Earl  Strongbow.  These  have  long  since  merged 
into  the  Gael — so  have  some  of  the  descendants  of  the  more 


12  PREFACE. 

recent  conquerors  of  them  all,  the  Cromwellians  and  William- 
ites  of  later  days.  The  oppressed  natives  of  Ireland,  of  Avhatever 
name,  creed  or  blood,  represent  the  ancient  rights  of  its  aborig- 
inal inhabitants.  Their  village  tyrants,  though  some  of  them 
be  of  Gaelic  name  and  blood,  and  a  few  of  them  even  of  the 
national  faith,  are  now  the  only  foreign  enemy.  They  represent 
William  of  Orange,  Cromwell,  Elizabeth,  and  Strongbow — they 
represent  also  the  pirate  sons  of  Miledh,  and  even  now  they 
"  grind  the  faces  of  the  poor  and  beat  the  people  to  pieces,"  as 
mercilessly  as  ever  did  tyrant  plunderer  of  old.  They  still  walk 
in,  the  blood-stained  track  of  the  robbers  who  preceded  them. 
It  may  be  some  day  theirs  to  make  full  though  tardy  retribu- 
tion, for  those  crimes  that  were  perpetrated  long  ago,  as  well  as 
for  others  of  more  recent  date — for  ruthless  oppressions  still  in 
course  of  daily  perpetration,  as  well  as  for  those  that  have  not 
been  yet  begun. 

In  the  early  part  of  this  undertaking,  it  was  the  editor's  inten- 
tion to  have  devoted  more  space  to  the  annotation  of  the  geneal- 
ogies of  the  Irish  clans  than  circumstances  have  allowed  him  to 
do.  This  he  regrets  much ;  for  it  is  a  subject  of  very  great  in- 
terest to  men  of  Irish  name  and  race,  and  indeed  to  all  readers 
of  Irish  history ;  for  that  history  is  essentially  one  of  tribes, 
who  were  to  a  great  extent  independent  of  one  another,  and  the 
fortunes  and  ramifications  of  each  tribe  of  them  must  be  consid- 
ered separately  before  the  whole  history  of  the  Irish  people  can 
be  well  understood.  It  was,  however,  found  that  no  comprehen- 
sive view  of  those  tribes  could  be  given  in  a  volume  of  any 
moderate  size,  without  suppressing  much  of  the  explanatory 
matter  which  had  been  already  printed.  Besides  this,  no  niatc- 
rials  could  be  found  here  in  America,  for  giving  any  full  infor- 
mation about  all  the  tribes  that  occupy  a  prominent  place  in  the 
annals  of  Ireland.  For  these  reasons,  it  has  been  thought  more 
advisable  in  this  publication,  to  give  the  genealogies  of  whatever 
Gaelic  septs  were  found  in  those  copies  of  Keating,  which  were 
accessible  to  the  translator,  with  but  few  comments  of  his  own 
thereupon,  and  to  add  to  them  as  many  pedigrees  of  the  more 
distinguished  branches  of  each,  as  he  could  find  in  any  reliable 
record  within  his  reach.  Want  of  room,  and  want  of  materials 
for  their  annotation,  has  also  caused  the  suppression  of  the  gen- 
ealogies of  many  of  the  Anglo-Norman  septs — such  as  the  Ger- 
aldincs,  Burlces,  Butlers,  Barries  and  others,  which  are  found  in 
several  maimscript  copies  of  our  author.  Tlicse,  as  "well  as  a 
a  more  full  account  of  those  now  given,  shall  be  jjublished  in 
a  future  edition,  sliould  the  present  one  meet  with  the  approba- 
tion of  the  Irishmen  living  in  America. 


PREFACE.  13 

Many  of  the  notes  written  upon  the  history  itself,  have  also 
been  suppressed.  This  will  be  discovered  by  the  reader  as  he 
gets  into  the  book ;  for  perhaps  one-fourth  of  it  had  not  been 
yet  printed,  when  it  was  discovered  that  if  the  annotations  were 
to  be  continued  as  copiously  as  at  first,  the  work  could  not  be 
published  in  less  than  two  volumes  of  the  present  size.  This 
also  has  been  a  source  of  regret  to  the  translatoi-,  for  though 
he  knows  that  several  of  his  notes  are  unnecessary  to  the  better 
read  of  his  readers,  he  is  still  aware  that  some,  even  of  the 
most  trite  amongst  them,  are  needful  to  those  by  Avliom  he  would 
more  particuLu-ly  make  his  subject  understood,  namely,  to  those 
Irishmen  who  have  had  neither  time  nor  means  to  read  many 
books. 

Amongst  the  suppressed  matter  was  also  a  comparative  vocab- 
ulary of  the  Greek,  Latin,  and  Gaelic  languages,  showing  the 
several  afl&nities,  verbal,  derivational,  and  grammatical,  of  the 
latter  with  the  two  former.  This  was  compiled  a  feAV  years  since 
in  Paris,  at  the  request  of  a  French  savant.  But,  though  it  had 
been  already  referred  to  in  the  notes,  and  might  jiossibly  give 
some  useful  suggestions  to  the  philologist,  it  was  considered  to 
be  of  little  interest  to  popular  readers,  and  for  that  reason  Avas 
made  to  give  place  to  the  Topographical  Appendix,  which  gives 
the  location  of  the  ancient  Irish  clans,  and  in  some  manner 
serves  as  a  guide  to  the  map  that  is  published  herewith. 

The  appendix  just  referred  to  has  been  almost  entirely  taken 
from  the  notes  upon  Connellan's  edition  of  the  Four  Masters. 
The  map  itself  is  the  same  as  the  one  already  published  therewith, 
Mr.  Haverty  having  purchased  the  original  plate  for  the  illustration 
of  the  present  translation,  Neither  the  appendix  nor  the  map  are 
what  should  have  been  chosen,  had  there  been  sufficient  time 
and  sufficient  materials  at  hand  for  making  out  others.  The  ap- 
pendix is  loosely  arranged,  and  not  sufficiently  accurate  in  de- 
tail. The  map  indeed  is  minute,  and  generally  correct  enough 
in  its  location  of  the  various  Irish  and  Anglo-Irish  races ;  it  has 
been  foimd  that  in  all  instances,  Avhere  immediate  investigation 
has  been  possible,  that  those  several  races  did  at  some  pe- 
riod of  Irish  history,  occupy  the  positions  in  which  they  are 
placed  thereon.  But  it  is,  nevertheless,  historically  deceptive 
and  incorrect,  inasmuch  as  it  represents  the  Irish  nation  at  no 
one  period  of  its  existence.  Generally  speaking,  the  septs  set 
down  upon  it  did  not  occupy  the  same  relative  positions  at  any 
special  epoch.  It  is,  however,  perhaps  as  good  a  map  as  could 
be  given,  if  the  object  were  to  represent  at  one  view,  the  places 
possessed  by  the  ancestors  of  the  people  forming  the  vast  ma- 
jority of  the  present  Irish  nation,  from  the  earhest  times  down 


14  PREFACE. 

'o  the  reign  of  the  English  queen,  Elizabeth.  To  do  accurately 
,vhat  is  there  attemjited,  would  have  required  a  series  of  historic 
maps.  As  such  a  series  is  not  immediately  available,  the  pres- 
ent one  is  given  as  the  best  that  could  be  procured  under  the 
circumstances. 

The  next  matter  to  be  alluded  to  is  the  method  which  has 
been  adopted  in  spelling  many  of  the  Irish  personal  and  local 
names.  The  reader  will  find  them  here  written  in  a  manner 
somewhat  different  from  that  in  which  they  are  usually  seen  in 
books  printed  in  ordinary  characters.  This  has  been  chiefly 
caused  by  the  suppression  of  the  adventitious  letter  A,  whereby 
the  variations  which  some  of  the  Irish  consonants  undei'go  in 
the  composition  and  inflection  of  words,  is  most  frequently  ex- 
pressed in  those  modern  publications  which  are  not  in  the  anci- 
ent Irish  character.  The  euphonic  rule  called  Cad  re  cael  agus 
lethan  re  leihan,  which  requires  that  a  vowel  of  the  same  class 
with  that  which  precedes  a  consonant  ending  any  one  syllable 
of  a  word,  should  begin  the  next  succeeding  syllable  of  the 
same.  The  latter  rule  is  perfectly  useless  to  one  who  does  not 
understand  the  eupJionic  sj^stem  of  the  Gaelic  language,  and  it 
is  not  found  always  observed  in  our  older  manuscripts.  In 
English  it  both  stretches  out  the  words  to  an  extravagant  size, 
and  gives  a  wrong  notion  of  the  quantity  of  many  of  their  sev- 
eral syllables.  The  rule  has  also  little  or  nothing  to  do  with 
the  radical  elements  of  which  the  words  are  composed.  The  use 
of  the  adventitious  h,  after  silent  or  aspirated  consonants,  has 
been  considered  much  more  objectionable  still.  It  lias  been  re- 
peatedly found  that  the  insertion  of  this  parasite  character  in 
positions,  where  it  is  not  employed  in  modern  European  lan- 
guages, and  Avhere  in  Irish  the  change  of  sound  is  merely  ex- 
pressed by  a  dot  placed  over  the  consonant  so  affected,  does  but 
prevent  one,  who  can  only  read  English,  from  any  attempt  at 
the  pronunciation  of  those  words  in  which  it  is  found — or  if 
sucli  jiersou  should  make  any  attempt  to  pronounce  them,  the 
result  is  as  unlike  the  real  Irish  sounds  as  it  is  possible  to  con- 
ceive. The  reader  is  disheartened  at  his  attempt,  and  he  soon 
forgets  a  mass  of  characters  that  seem  as  meaningless  to  him  as 
would  Chinese  symljols.  This  is,  perhaps,  one  of  the  chief  rea- 
sons why  modern  Irishmen  of  ordinary  education,  find  so  little 
i pleasure  reading  the  history  and  antiquities  of  their  country, 
.t  gives  one  but  little  pleasure  to  read  about  ])ersons  and  places 
whose  names  one  can  neither  articulate,  nor  remember.  For 
this  reason  those  two  modern  practices  have  been  su]){)ressed  in 
the  following  volume,  and  tlie  names  have  been  therein  present- 
ed to  the  reader  as  nearly  as  possible  in  their  ancient  simplicity 
of  form. 


PREFACE.  15 

Some  friends  of  the  translator  have  suggested  to  him  to  write 
down  those  names  according  to  their  modern  pronunciation,  as 
has  been  ah'cadv  done  by  Halliday,  in  that  part  of  the  Fo)-as 
Feasa  ar  Eirinn  translated  by  him.  But  he  rejected  this  suo^- 
gestion,  because  his  comphance  therewith  Avould  have  destroyed 
the  radical  and  elementary  forms  of  many  of  the  names,  while 
it  could  give  no  standard  of  pronunciation  universal  in  its  ap- 
j)lication,  for,  at  the  present  day,  the  Irish  of  diiforent  provinces, 
and  often  of  different  parishes,  vary  very  much  from  each  otlier 
in  the  sounds  they  give  to  the  same  combinations  of  letters. 
He  holds  also  that  the  component  parts  of  our  ancient 
names  are  certain  historic  and  etlmographic  landmarks  of  his- 
tory, Avhich  should  not  be  destroyed,  as  they  may  one  day  serve 
as  important  guides  to  scientific  inquirers  into  the  origin  of  tlie 
races  that  have  colonized  Ireland.  They  have  then  been  mostly 
written  in  the  oldest  and  simplest  form  in  which  they  have  been 
found — a  form  which  is  generally  that  which  is  most  easily  ar- 
ticulated by  English  organs  of  S23eech — and  all  those  variations 
which  are  considered  by  the  writer  to  have  been  the  conse- 
quences of  more  modern  dialectic  variations,  have  been  mostly 
disregarded.  It  is  also  the  editor's  suggestion  to  the  Irishman 
who  has  not  learned  to  read  his  own  language,  to  pronounce 
such  names  as  if  they  were  English,  giving  their  full  force  to  all 
the  letters.  This  will  be  much  better  than  not  to  pronounce  them 
at  all ;  and  by  doing  so,  one  cannot  perhaps  vary  much  more 
from  their  true  primitive  sounds,  than  do  the  Irish  themselves 
in  the  Gaelic  which  they  now  speak.  The  most  usual  modern 
pronunciation  of  several  of  the  more  important  ones,  will  fre- 
quently be  found  given  in  italics,  either  immediately  after  the 
names  themselves  or  in  the  notes.  It  was,  indeed,  intended  at 
first,  in  order  to  satisfy  all  parties,  to  have  added  a  table  at  the 
end  of  the  book,  confronting  the  ancient  with  the  modern  and 
more  usual'  forms,  and  representing  as  nearly  as  possible  the 
pronunciation  of  the  latter.  But  the  unexpected  size  of  the 
work  has  caused  its  suppression,  with  much  other  matter. 

It  will  also  be  seen  that  the  ancient  diphthong,  ae,  and  triph- 
thong aei^  have  been  introduced  in  place  of  the  modern  ao  and 
aoi.  The  vowel  i  is  also  invariably  used  at  the  end  of  words  in 
place  of  the  now  more  frequent  e.  This  has  been  done  in  or- 
der to  prevent  it  from  being  made  silent,  as  it  usually  is  in  such 
situations  in  English.  It  is  no  innovation,  for  tliey  are  used  in- 
discriminately one  for  the  other,  in  such  positions,  in  our  best 
manuscripts.  The  final  e  has,  however,  been  retained  in  situa- 
tions where  it  is  nearly  silent  in  modern  Irish,  that  is,  after  the 
aspirates  dh  and  gh,  as  in  such  words  as  Osraidhe,  Rudhraidhe^ 


16  PREFACE. 

Oirnighe,  Sc,  pronounced,  Osree  and  Booree,  Oamee,  &c., — tlie 
two  former  being  written,  Osraide,  liudraide,  suppressing  the 
silencing  A  after  the  letter  ci:  the  combination  gh  has  been  re- 
tained ;  for  at  the  end  of  words  and  syllables  it  is  usually  silent  as 
in  English,  The  same  remark  applies  to  dh  wherever  it  is  used 
therein. 

The  letter  c  being  always  pronounced  hard  in  Irish,  has  been 
replaced  by  I;  wherever  it  occurs  before  the  vowels  e  or 
2',  for  in  such  position  its  primitive  sonnd  has  been  so  much 
corrupted  by  the  English,  that  it  now  assumes  the  power  of  s. 
Had  c  been  here  used  in  writing  such  Avords  as  cill,  cell,  Cear- 
luich,  Ceth  and  Cellachcoi,  the  English  reader  would  undoubtedly 
call  them  Sill,  Sell,  Searnacli,  Seth  and  Sellac/han,  instead  of 
Xill,  Kell,  Kearnach,  Kellaghan,  and  Keih.  This  substitution 
is,  however,  scarcely  an  innovation,  for  the  Irish  c  and  the  Eng- 
lish Jc  are  but  different  outward  forms  of  the  same  letter.  It  has 
been  preferred  to  do  this,  rather  than  to  change  the  radical  vowel 
in  such  instances. 

G  also  is  always  sounded  hard  by  the  Irish,  as  in  English  gird, 
gd,  legging,  Gilbertajidgirl,  but  never  as  in  the  words  gem,  ginger, 
George,  and  German.  This  the  reader  will  please  to  bear  in 
mind,  for  the  translator  has  not  felt  at  liberty  to  strengthen 
its  force  by  the  introduction  of  the  vowel  u,  in  such  cases,  as 
is  sometimes  done  in  the  English  and  other  tongues.  In  Irish 
words,  the  combination  ch  always  represents  a  hard  guttural 
sound,  just  as  the  Scotch  joronounce  it  in  the  word  loch,  or  as 
the  Irish  pronounce  gh,  in  their  patois  of  the  language  of  their 
tyrants,  in  the  corrupted  form  lough.  The  rigidity  and  dryness 
of  the  vocal  organs  of  some  persons,  may  prevent  them  from  mas- 
tering this  sound.  Those  that  are  so  unfortunately  tongue-tied, 
may  call  the  ch  of  the  Irish  k,  if  they  will ;  buit  they  should 
never  give  it  that  hybrid  articulation  which  it  has  in  the  words 
church,  chest,  Chichester,  such,  &c. 

Befjre  e  or  i  the  letter  s  is  pronounced  by  the  Irish  like  the 
English  sh  ;  and  sh  sounds  like  a  single  h.  It  may  also  be  here 
remarked  that  no  Gaelic  word  begins  with  an  aspirated  or  silenced 
letter  in  its  primitive  form,  though  the  use  thereof  in  its  com- 
binational and  grammatical  inilcctions. 

Before  concluding  these  ])rcliminary  remarks,  the  editor  begs  to 
return  his  thanks  thus  publicly,  to  the  f<jllowing  gentlemen,  who 
most  kindly  and  generously  lent  him  the  use  of  their  Irish  libra- 
ries, while  engaged  at  his  taslc.  Foremost  amongst  them,  his 
gratitude  is  due  to  his  friend,  William  Desmond  O'Brien,  Esq., 
Civil  Engineer,  now  residing  at  32  Schcrmcrhorn  street,  Brook- 
lyn, whose  library  has  not  only  furnished  him  with  a  copy  of 


PIIEFACE.  17 

Dr.  O'Donovan's  Translation  of  the  Four  Masters,  and  several  rare, 
though  most  necessary,  books  upon  Ireland,  but  without  whose 
genial  encouragement  the  work  might  not  possibly  have  been 
ever  undertaken. 

To  James  'Slevin,  Esq.,  of  Philadelphia,  he  is  likewise  most 
thankful.  This  patriotic  gentleman,  whom  the  editor  has  not 
yet  had  the  j^leasure  of  knowing  personally,  generously  placed 
his  whole  library  at  his  command,  upon  the  first  announcement 
of  his  intended  publication.  To  him  he  has  been  indebted  for 
several  volumes  of  the  valuable  and  expensive  works  published 
by  the  ArchiBological  and  Celtic  Societies  of  Ireland. 

To  Laurence  Yerdon,  Esq.,  of  New  York,  his  thanks  are  also 
due,  for  the  use  of  many  scarce  and  valuable  works  upon  Ireland, 
Avhich  that  gentleman  has  collected  together  with  a  patriotic  and 
most  praiseworthy  zeal. 

The  following  gentlemen  have  furnished  the  editor  with  valu- 
able copies  of  the  Foras  Feasa  ar  Eirinn.,  in  the  original  Gaelic. 
Michael  Sheehan,  Esq.,  now  of  New  York,  but  formerly  of 
Kanturk,  in  the  County  of  Cork,  lent  him  a  very  perfect 
copy  of  his  author,  to  which  reference  is  more  fully  made  in 
one  of  the  notes.  This,  Avith  several  other  Irish  manuscripts, 
compiled  by  his  family  in  former  days,  have  been  brought 
out  by  him  to  this  country  as  memorials  of  his  household 
gods.  This  most  useful  and  seasonable  aid  to  his  undertaking, 
was  received  through  the  agency  of  James  Michael  Sheehan, 
Esq.,  Barrister-at-law,  also  of  New  York,  the  son  of  the  above- 
named  gentleman.  To  them  both  he  thus  publicly  returns  his 
thanks. 

Another  fragmentary,  but  very  correct  manuscript  copy  of 
the  same  work,  was  forwarded  to  him  by  John  H.  Maume,  Esq., 
of  Hyattsville,  Miami  Co.,  Ohio,  without  any  solicitation  on 
the  editor's  part.  Unfortunately  this  copy  wants  many  pages, 
both  in  the  middle  and  end,  a  thing  much  to  be  regretted,  for 
some  entries  have  been  found  therein  which  the  translator  has  not 
met  in  any  other;  especially  one  with  regard  to  the  battle  of 
Magh  Rath.  To  Mr.  Maume  he  feels  very  grateful  for  the  ready 
zeal  with  which  he  forwarded  this  valuable  document. 

To  Mrs.  O'Dwyer,  of  New  York,  he  likewise  feels  singularly 
grateful  for  a  complete,  though  more  modern  copy  of  the 
work — a  copy  in  remarkable  accord  with  Halliday's  edition, 
as  far  as  that  translator  went  with  his  publication — and  for  some 
other  Irish  manuscripts,  which  were  the  property  of  her  deceased 
husband,  John  O'Dwyer,  Esq.,  late  of  this  city,  but  formerly  of 
Feathard,  in  the  county  of  Tipperary,  Ireland. 

Lastly,  though  not  with  least  grateful  feelings,  the  editor 
2 


18  PREFACE. 

returns  his  thanks  to  Patrick  Martin  Havcrty,  Esq.,  No.  110 
Fdton  street,  New  York,  who  has  generously  run  the  somewhat 
serious  risk  of  publishing  this  expensive  and  venturesome,  as 
well  as  first  literaiy  attempt  of  a  writer  hitherto  unknown  to  his 
countrymen  as  such.  In  this  he  has  not  been  actuated  by  the 
ordinary  considerations  of  commercial  speculation.  His  love  of 
Ireland,  and  his  personal  friendship  for  the  author,  have  been 
the  sole  motives  of  the  zeal  which  he  has  displayed,  both  in 
getting  out  the  work,  and  in  preparing  the  way  for  its  success. 
It  is  unnecessary  to  give  further  expression  here  to  his  feelings 
towards  so  valued  a  friend.  But  he  trusts,  whatever  be  the 
merit  or  demerit  of  the  following  translation,  and  whatever  be  its 
fate,  that  the  Irishmen  of  America  will  never  forget  what  they 
already  owe  to  Mr.  Ilaverty  for  those  volumes  of  the  literature 
of  their  country,  with  which  he  has  heretofore  presented  them; 
and  he  hopes  that,  under  his  auspices,  Irish  national  works  will 
find,  at  this  side  of  the  Atlantic,  that  encouragement  which  they 
unfortunately  now  lack  at  home. 

Engrossed  by  the  work  of  translation,  in  examining  original 
documents,  and  in  searching  the  various  authorities  whence  he 
has  drawn  his  notes,  as  well  as  being  pressed  as  to  time,  the 
editor  could  not  possibly  have  devoted  any  adequate  attention, 
either  to  the  drawing  up  of  a  personal  memoir  of  Dr.  Keating, 
or  the  collecting  of  materials  therefor.  On  this  account  he  has 
had  recourse  to  his  talented  friend,  Michael  Doheny,  Esq.,  to 
whose  pen  he  owes  the  following  eloquent  discourse  upon  the 
life  and  times  of  that  historian.  This  gentleman  he  considered 
singularly  qualified  for  that  task,  both  from  his  intimate  acquaint- 
ance with  the  county  of  Tipperary,  of  which  Keating  was  a 
native,  and  from  his  close  connection  with  the  family  from  which 
the  venerable  doctor  had  sprung,  The  memoir  itself  he  has  not 
yet  had  an  opportunity  of  perusing,  but  from  the  zeal  with  which 
it  was  undertaken,  the  pure  patriotism  and  great  talents  of  his 
friend,  he  feels  certain  that  it  will  prove  an  interesting  ornament 
to  the  book,  as  well  as  a  useful  and  faithful  introduction  to  the 
person  and  times  of  its  author.  It  may  thus  make  some  counter- 
poise to  literary  readers  for  whatever  there  is  rough  and  un- 
finished in  the  style  of  what  has  been  written  by  the  restive  and 
unpracticed  hand  of  him  who  has  now  translated  and  edited  the 
FoRAS  Feasa  ar  Eirinn. 

JOHN  O'MAHONY. 

40  Summit  street,  Brooklyn, 
July  the  im,  1857. 


PREFACE.  19 

POSTSGEIPT. 

It  is  to  be  furtlier  observed,  that  Dr.  Keating  introduced  many 
Latin  quotations  into  tbe  body  of  liis  work,  immediatelv  after 
wliich  he  has  given  tlieir  translation  in  tlie  Gaelie,  or  Irish 
tongue.  The  Latin  of  these  quotations  has,  in  the  present  ver- 
sion, been  transferred  to  the  notes,  whilst  their  translation  into 
English  has  alone  been  retained  in  the  text.  Of  the  exactness 
with  which  the  Latin  of  these  extracts  has  been  written  down  by 
Keating's  transcribers,  there  has  been  no  means  of  ascertaining, 
neither  has  it  been  possible  to  point  out  the  particular  parts  of 
the  authors  quoted,  where  they  are  severally  to  be  found.  The 
works  themselves  have  not  been  accessible  to  the  translator. 

It  is  to  be  further  observed,  that  where  the  modern  ]3ronun- 
ciation  of  Irish  names  is  shown,  it  is  usually  given  in  italics  and 
in  brackets,  immediately  after  the  Avord  itself  In  one  or  two 
instances  it  has  been  forgotten  to  italicize  them,  bnt  this  the 
reader  can  easily  perceive. 

J.   O'M. 


]y4:E:Moiii 


REVEREND  GEOFFREY  KEATING,  D.  D. 


The  materials  for  a  memoir  of  Doctor  Keating  are  meagre  and  ur.rcliable. 
No  two  of  the  fragmentary  accounts  of  liis  life,  heretofore  published,  agree  even 
in  the  date  of  his  birth  or  the  place  of  his  education.  This  seems  discreditable 
to  Ireland.  That  so  distinguished  a  scholar  and  eminent  a  divine  has  undoubted 
claims  to  a  high  place  in  the  annals  of  the  country,  and  a  grateful  recognition 
in  the  memory  and  traditions  of  the  people,  admits  of  no  question.  He  has 
done  eminent  service,  and  yet  no  one  can  point  to  where  he  was  born  or  where 
he  lies.  Nor  is  this  apparent  forgetfulness  owing  to  a  want  of  appreciation  in 
his  own  time  or  afterwards.  The  ruthless  hand  of  "  British  civilization,"  laudably 
zealous  to  eradicate  every  vestige  of  "  Irish  barbarism,"  and  especially  the  Celtic 
tongue,  destroyed  with  diligent  haste  every  relic  of  national  literature  it  could 
clutch.  The  remainder  were,  for  the  most  part,  bid,  where  they  were  inacces- 
sible for  generations,  or  buried,  where  they  never  have  been,  and  never  will 
be,  seen.  Long  before  then,  the  "  Statute  of  Kilkenny,"  in  its  wisdom,  pro- 
vided and  enacted,  that  the  Irish  alphabet  was  a  "  felony,"  and  the  teaching 
thereof  "  praemunire."  We  are  not  informed  how  many,  or  whether  any,  in- 
curred the  dreaded  penalty  of  "  prasmunire,"  but  this  may  be  owing  to  the  diffi- 
culty of  finding  "  facile  judges,"  and  "  well  affected  juries,"  for  the  "  Statute  " 
was  long  before  the  time  when  that  notorious  casuist.  Sir  John  Davies,  learned 
the  true  value  of  these  "  institutions."  In  his  day,  it  may  be  safely  inferred,  that 
to  frame  an  indictment  under  the  "  Statute,"  would  baffle  even  his  ingenuity,  for 
no  one  was  left  who  could'»  identify  the  "  felony,"  or  remotely  comprehend  what 
constituted  "  praemunire."  Those  who  cherished  the  Irish  tongue,  taking  with 
them  whatever  literary  treasures  they  possessed,  hid  themselves  in  the  depths  of 
the  forests,  with  wolves  for  their  companions,  where  British  civilization  went 
howling  on  their  track  as  if  they  were  veritable  beasts  of  prey. 

Hence  it  is  that  we  know  so  little  of  Geoffrey  Keating,  who  was  himself 
compelled  to  ciuit  the  haunts  of  men  and  take  refuge  with  the  beasts  of  the 
woods.  Hence  it  is,  too,  that  good  men  of  a  later  day,  unable  to  discover  the 
sources  of  his  information,  have  i-ejected  his  authority.  Even  Moore  discredited 
it,  mainly  on  the  ground,  that  its  early  sources  flow  in  confluence  Avith  tJic  fabu- 
lous and  impossible.  This  objection  is  the  chief  one  urged  against  him ;  and 
yet  it  lies  with  greater  force  against  Livy's  grand  hymn  of  Roman  Story,  against 
Horodotus,  the  father  of  profane  history,  and  against  the  fountain  of  (jrccian 
literature  and  first  source  of  Grecian  history,  the  matchless  song  of  Homer, 
wherein  truth  and  fable,  fact  and  miracle,  wrestle  with  each  other  even  as  men 
wrestle  with  the  Gods  of  Olympus.  It  may  be  urged  against  all  history  of 
ancient  origin.  The  shadows  of  Romance  becoming  instinct  with  tradition  colored 
the  early  literature  of  the  middle  ages  and  imparted  to  it  its  most  attractive 
[lil] 


IV  MEirOIR   OF   DR.    KEATING. 

charm.  Es'en  in  oar  owu  time,  and  in  this  hard  republic,  the  traditions  and 
superstitions  of  the  red  man  begin  to  tinge  our  historic  literature.  Perhaps  this 
topic  is  unsuited  for  discussion  here.  It  is  introduced  to  shew  that  the  objection 
is  untenable.  Doctor  Keating  merely  gives  as  current  traditions  what  modern 
criticism  rejects  as  fabulous ;  and  such  traditions,  fabulous  or  not,  are  indis- 
pensable to  the  true  understanding  of  the  character  and  customs  of  a  people — 
and  the  true  delineation  of  their  history. 

But  the  objection  is  not  of  so  much  importance  in  itself  as  in  its  tendency 
to  discredit  the  historian  when  he  comes  to  deal  with  facts,  Some  of  these 
ficts,  seemingly  improbable,  were  disputed  with  vehament  zeal.  But  the  coa- 
tradictions  have  been  of  late  refuted  by  positive  proof.  Through  the  generous 
efforts  of  the  Archeological  and  other  kindred  sacieties,  Irish  manuscripts,  of 
great  age  and  undisputed  authority,  have  been  brought  to  light  which  prove  in- 
contcstably  many  of  the  disputed  facts  in  Keating's  history.  Modern  Irish 
learning  is  now  so  ripe  in  discernment,  that  it  can  distinguish  the  age  of  a  manu- 
script by  its  style.  Some,  of  these  mentioned,  arc  cotemporaneous  with  occur- 
rences deemed  fabulous  in  Keating,  and  tliey  fully  corrotjoratc  him.  They  not 
only  prove  his  accuracy,  but  attest  his  vast  erudition  and  ap]ilication  ;  for  to 
translate,  to  collate  and  compare,  so  as  to  make  them  a  chain  of  conclusive 
evidence,  has  for  a  quarter  of  a  century  tasked  the  energies,  not  of  one,  but  of 
several  of  our  most  eminent  scholars  and  assiduous  workers.  If  we  further 
consider  tlieir  facilities,  tkeir  leisure,  their  advantages  and  opportunities,  and  the 
circumstances  which  surrounded  Keating,  our  astonishment  at  his  achievement 
must  be  indeed  great.  Those  circumstances,  as  will  appear,  account  for  the 
confusion  that,  in  many  places,  characterises  his  narrative.  It  is  evident  such 
confusion  results  from  a  defect  of  accurate  data.  But  his  sincerity  is  unim- 
peachable, and  so  well  established  is  his  authority  that  in  reconciling  any  slight 
difference  between  the  "  annalists,"  John  O'Donovan.  the  most  gifted  Irish  scholar 
of  our  day,  or  perhaps  any  other,  reconciles  them  by  quoting  Doctor  Keating. 
This  is  especially  so  with  regard  to  the  annals  of  the  four  Masters,  which  were 
concluded  in  Doctor  Keating's  time.  It  is  impossible  he  could  have  seen  them, 
and  yet  nearly  all  their  facts  and  his  are  identical,  and  where  they  are  not,  there 
arc  in  many  instances  higher  authorities  on  his  side.  There  is  no  doubt  then, 
that  when  the  history  of  Ireland  comes  to  be  written  in  its  fullness.  Doctor  Kea- 
ting's authority,  where  he  speaks  positively,  will  be  unquestioned. 

It  is  now  time  wc  should  say  what  we  can  of  the  subject  of  this  memoir  per- 
sonally. Doctor  Keating  himself  traces  his  lineage  to  the  distinguished  lamily 
of  that  name,  whose  various  branches  held  higli  rank  and  large  possessions  in 
the  Counties  of  Wexford,  Kildare,  Carlow,  Waterford,  Tipperary  and  Cork. 
According  to  the  traditions  of  the  family,  adopted  and,  so  to  say,  legalised  by 
the  books  of  Heraldry  in  Ireland,  the  founder  of  the  house,  whose  original  name 
is  now  unknown,  was  one  of  the  pioneers  of  the  Norman  invaders,  who  kindled 
the  beacon  fire  that  lit  the  way  of  Fit^stephens  into  Ciian  and  Bhanilch.  The 
story  goes,  that  as  he  lay  by  his  watchiire.  a  wild  boar  chancing  t;  prowl 
that  way,  was  proceeding  to  attack  him,  until  friglitened  l>y  the  sparkling  of 
the  fire,  when  he  fled  in  dismay.  The  watcher,  thus  providentially  saved,  adopted 
for  his  crest  a  wild  boar  rampant,  rushing  througli  a  brake,  with  the  mo^to, 
"  fortis  ct  fidelis,"  and  his  name  becanis,  wc  are  not  told  how,  Kcatin*'or 
Keting,  from  the  Irish  words,  "Cead  tinnc"  "first  fire." 

As  early  as  the  year  1 1 7i),  only  ten  years  after  the  landing  of  Fitzstcphens,  we 
find  the  name  '•  1  Talis  Keting," "a  subscribing  witness  to  a  grant  to  Dunbrody 
Abbey  by  Henry  do  Moutmorencie.  This  fact,  in  the  absence  of  other  evidence, 
would  be'  sufficiently  conclusive,  against  the  assumption  that  Keating  was  a  cor- 
ruption of  the  Norman  name,  "  Etiennre,"  for  no  such  corruption  had  taken 
£lace  at  that  early  date,  nor  did  the  invaders  hold  familiar  intercourse  with  the 
pish. 


MEMOIR    OF    DR.    KEATING.  V 

As  Djrmid  Mac  Murehad  arrived  in  Ireland,  from  liis  exile,  a  year  before 
tlie  landing  of  Fitzstcphens,  and  was  accompanied  by  Welshmen,  and  as  he  was 
anxiously  expecting  the  arrival  of  his  auxiliaries,  nothing  would  be  more  natural 
than  that  one  of  those  Welshmen  should  be  employed  as  a  watcher  for  their 
coming,  and,  on  his  success,  should  be  rewarded  by  the  perfidious  prince  himself 
with  the  title  and  distinction  of  "  Cead  tinne." 

"  Halis  Keting  "  was  undoubtedly  the  founder  of  the  house.  He  received 
large  grants  of  land.  His  principal  estate  and  residence  was  Baldwinstowu,  in 
AYexford.  His  descendants,  being  in  connection,  if  not  kindred,  with  the  (ieral- 
dines,  extended  their  sway  over  many  counties,  and  were  distinguished  for  hospi- 
tality and  courage.  Narraghmore  in  Kildare,  the  residence  of  one  of  the  family, 
has  remained  famous  to  our  own  day  for  its  "  Cead  mile  failte,"'  which  was 
known  all  over  the  island. 

Kindling  the  fire,  that  lit  the  focman's  way,  was  by  no  means  a  cherished  title 
to  Irish  gratitude.  But,  in  process  of  time,  many  of  the  Xormans,  as  was  pro- 
verbial of  the  Geraldines,  became  nationalized,  and  in  defiance  of  the  "  Statute  of 
Kilkenny ''  London  edicts  and  other  devices  of  "  British  civilization,"  entered  into 
the  honored  relations  of  fosterage  and  gossipred  with  the  Irish.  Nay,  sometimes 
they  went  the  audacious  length  of  intermarrying,  being  so  rude  of  taste  as  to 
prefer  some  "silver  tongued"  Irish  beauty  to  the  haughtiest  Norman  dame. 
Among  these  were  the  Keatings,  who,  on  many  an  occasion,  proved  themselves 
formidable  opponents  to  London  law  and  King  bishops. 

In  the  reign  of  Henry  YIL,  James  Keating,  Prior  of  Kilmainham,  stormed 
Dublin  Castle,  and  held  it  for  months  against  the  Government.  He  was  after- 
wards dislodged  and  attainted,  and  Parliament,  in  furtherance  of  civilization, 
enacted  and  ordained  that  no  person  born  in  Ireland  should  ever  thereafter  be 
Prior  of  Kilmainham ;  a  salutary  enactment  which  became  a  precedent  in 
practice  with  the  English  garrison  in  Ireland  ever  since.  During  the  "  rebel- 
lion "  of  the  great  Earl  of  Desmond,  the  Keatings  of  Carlow  did  such  good  ser- 
vice in  his  cause  that  the  whole  sept,  branch  and  name,  were  attainted.  How 
it  fared  with  the  Tipperary  families,  with  whom  the  Doctor  is  more  immediately 
connected,  we  have  no  record  of.  Possibly  that,  being  under  the  protection  of 
Ormond,  and  holding  their  estates  in  his  palatinate,  they  took  no  part  for  or 
against  their  kinsman  of  Desmond. 

Geoffrey  Keating  was  born  when  Gerald  of  Desmond  held  regal  sway  in  his 
"  Kingdom  of  Kerry,"  and  opened  asylums  for  monk  and  priest  in  his  manifold 
strongholds,  in  open  defiance  of  the  '•  Statutes  in  such  case  made  and  provided," 
and  in  still  more  daring  defiance  of  the  frowns  and  menaces  of  his  "  well  beloved 
and  gracious  mistress."  The  date  of  Keating's  birth  is  fixed  by  some  at  1570 
and  by  some  at  1581,  and  his  birthplace  at  Burgess  and  Tubrid  respectively. 
Both  places  are  in  the  parish  of  Tubrid,  near  Clogheen,  and  not  far  from  Nichols- 
town  or  Shanbally,  the  principal  seats  of  the  Keating  family  in  Tipperary.  The 
exact  locality  is  of  little  importance,  and  the  date  1570,  may  be  assumed  as 
correct,  for  otherwise  he  would  have  been  but  a  mere  child  when  sent  away 
from  Ireland,  and  it  would  be  impossible  for  him  to  have  acquired  a  perfect 
knowledge  of  the  Irish  language.  His  parents,  we  are  told,  were  in  afiQucnt 
circumslauces.  But  the  fact,  that  their  names  have  not  been  preserved,  leads  to 
the  conclusion  that  the  "  reformation  "  extended  its  civilising  influence  to  them 
and  that  they  held  their  possessions  in  a  quasi  incognito. 

GeotFrey  Keating  was  sent  to  school  at  a  very  early  age ;  but  his  proficiency 
at  that  time,  or  what  were  his  particular  studies,  we  are  without  any  account  of. 
As,  however,  the  Irish  and  Latin  were  the  languages  of  the  "  schools,"  it  is  to 
be  presumed  he  first  mastered  the  difficulties  of  his  native  tongue  and  became 
familiar  with  its  complex  construction.  His  works,  too,  considering  that  he 
spent  the  best  vears  of  his  youth  and  manhood  abroad,  abundantly  testify  that 
the  study  of  Irish  engaged  his  earliest  attention.    His  opportunities  for  acquiring 


VI  MEMOIR   OF  DR.    KEATING. 

a  thorough  knowledge,  not  only  of  Irish  but  of  the  classics,  were,  iu  his  part  of 
the  country,  numerous  and  easy  of  access.  Tlic  Irish  schools  yet  flourished  in 
despite  of  the  destructive  tendencies  of  the  "  reformation."  There  was,  at  that 
time,  a  famous  school  at  Cahir,  protected,  perhaps,  by  one  of  the  Ormouds,  who 
had  his  residence  there,  where,  in  all  likelihood,  young  Keating  spent  his  early 
years.  In  the  absence  of  any  testimony,  of  his  progress,  let  us  glance  briefiy  at 
the  Irish  school,  as  an  institution  of  the  country  at  that  day,  and  for  ages  before. 

The  early  literary  history  of  Ireland  stands  out  in  proud  distinction  from  that 
of  any  other  country  in  Europe.  While  the  revel  of  t!ie  Goth  profaned  the  Roman 
forum,  and  he  stabled  his  steeds  in  the  Coliseum,  the  pilgrims  of  learning,  from 
every  darkened  land,  found  shelter,  sustainment,  and  inexhaustible  sources  of  in- 
formation, in  Ireland.  When  this  noted  distinction  of  hospitality  and  learning 
took  its  date,  we  are  not  precisely  informed.  Bede,  the  truest  British  historian, 
does  ample  justice  to  the  superior  claims  of  Ireland  in  that  regard.  Long  before 
his  time,  he  asserts,  such  was  the  fame  of  the  Irish  schools,  that  when  a  i^erson 
of  note  was  missed  from  Great  Britain  or  the  continent,  it  was  concluded,  as  a 
matter  of  course,  that  he  had  '•  gone  to  Ireland  in  search  of  learning."  This 
was  long  anterior  to  the  discovery  of  the  art  of  printing,  when  even  a  limited 
scholarship  bespoke  a  life  of  toil  and  assiduous  devotion. 

Originally,  the  school  was,  in  Ireland,  a  state  institution.  It  had  wide  foun- 
dations and  an  ample  inheritance.  The  teachers  were  held  in  high  estimation 
and  ranked  next  to  royalty.  In  process  of  time  the  Church  lent  its  influence 
to  the  advancement  of  learning.  Every  monastery  was  a  college,  where  pupils, 
from  all  lands,  received  not  only  a  solid  education  but  sumptuous  entertainment. 
It  mattered  not  whence  they  came  or  whither  they  were  bent.  The  college  hall 
and  college  hospitality  were  open  to  all  comers. 

These  institutions  flourished  at  the  time  of  the  invasion.  They  attracted  the 
attention  of  the  most  refined  of  the  Normans,  and,  after  a  while,  commanded  their 
support.  They  endowed  abbeys  and  gave  large  grants  for  the  maintenance  of 
education.  The  secular  clergy  too,  were,  according  to  the  new  system,  obliged 
to  dispense  a  third  of  their  incomes  on  purposes  of  learning.  No  doubt  the 
Norman  monks  and  professors  perverted  their  office  in  many  an  instance,  by 
ignoring  the  Irish  tongue  and  defaming  the  literature  of  Ireland.  But  the 
schools  flourished  ;  and,  when  the  nobles  of  the  Pale  entered  into  relations  of 
gossipred  and  marriage  with  the  natives,  the  schools  once  again  became  national- 
ised. In  the  reign  of  Edward  VI.,  nothing  was  more  conunon  than  monasterie.? 
of  English  foundation,  from  which  the  English  tongue  was  excluded.  Heuce, 
the  Norman  youths  found  it  indispensable  to  learn  the  f(n-mer  language. 

On  this  state  of  things  supervened  the  "  lioformation."  Its  natural  eflfect 
was,  to  make  the  schools  more  Irish.  So  also  did  it  aifect  the  lords  of  the  pale, 
who  remained  faithful  to  the  old  religion.  For  the  old  faith  and  tongue,  at  once 
proscribed  alike,  they  risked  land,  liberty  and  life.  But  when  the  abbeys  wore 
confiscated  and  Queen's  bishops  usurped  the  sees,  the  schools,  though  at  fir.st 
stoutly  defended,  were  in  many  places  driven  from  their  ancient  seats  to  find 
shelter  in  the  desert.  The  bold  Earl  of  Desmond  long  upheld  them  in  their 
integrity.  Ormond,  too,  although  the  inveterate  foe  of  the  Geraldine,  permitted, 
or  at  least  connived  at,  them  in  his  palatinate  ;  not  as  of  yore,  connected  with 
monasteries,  or  as  state  institutions,  but  scattered  over  the  country  in  buil<lings 
erected  by  individual  bounty  on  the  model  'of  the  ancient  College  Hall.  Tiiese 
were  numerous  in  Tipperary  when  Keating  was  a  boy. 

It  did  not  need  then,  or  thereafter,  that  the  student  should  confine  himself  to 
a  school  near  his  home.  He  may  proceed  whither  he  pleased,  where  the  fame 
of  the  teacher,  in  the  science  or  language  he  studied,  invited  him  ;  and  he  was 
sure  to  be,  not  only  the  welcome,  but  the  prized  guest  of  whatever  family  he 
honored  by  accepting  its  hospitality.  Often,  long  thereafter,  when  the  pale  par- 
liament made  and  ordained  it  "  treason,"  was  this  hospitality  religiously  ob- 


MEMOIR  OF  DR.    KEATING,  Vil 

served.  The  Irish  student,  in  the  darkest  days,  found  a  home  and  a  school — were 
it  even  in  the  bowels  of  the  earth — to  fit  him  for  a  ministry,  in  the  fuUUlment  of 
which  he  had  to  brave  death  on  the  scaffold.  France,  Spain,  Italy  and  Ger- 
many, either  opened  and  endowed  colleges,  or  allowed  them  to  be  founded  on 
their  territories  by  Irish  princes  for  the  Irish  ecclesiastical  student,  wherein  bis 
life  was  consecrated  to  a  mission  of  martydom  in  his  native  land. 

Geoffrey  Keating-  liaving  acquired  the  necessary  information  in  the  Irish 
school,  was  at  the  age  of  sixteen  (1586)  sent  to  one  of  these  foreign  colleges — 
we  are  not  with  any  certainty  informed  which — to  complete  his  studies  and  be 
admitted  to  the  priesthood. 

Even  through  the  long  and  desolating  period  of  persecution,  then  begun,  the 
Irish  school  survived.  In  many  counties,  as  late  as  the  end  of  George  Ill's 
i-eign,  there  were  famous  classical  schools  in  which  the  English  tongue  was 
never  heard.  And  down  to  our  own  day,  literary  hospitality  continued  unim- 
paired. The  ablest  masters,  classical  and  scientific,  have  taught  thousands  of 
students,  who  for  yeai's  were  entertained  with  the  most  lavish  kindness  in  the 
houses  of  the  farmers  iu  the  districts  around  the  school,  of  late  a  barn  or  de- 
serted dn-elliug  of  mud  v/all  and  thatched  roof.  In  Tipperary,  Waterford  and 
Limerick,  it  was  usual  to  have  two  of  those  "  scholars,"  living  for  four  and 
five  consecutive  yeai's  with  a  family,  and  treated  with  extreme  courtesy  and  tender- 
ness. Such  was  the  devotion  of  this  class  not  only  to  "  scholars,"  but  scholar- 
ship, that  in  the  first  cycle  of  this  century  there  was  scarcely  a  farmer  of  any 
competency  who  did  not  give  one  son,  and  sometimes  all  his  sons,  a  classical 
education,  without  any  reference  to  their  intended  professions  or  pursuits. 

But  what  nor  persecution,  nor  war,  nor  confiscation,  nor  the  scaifold,  had  been 
able  to  efiect,  has  been  accomplished  by  the  poor  law  of  1812  and  the  famine 
of  1816-7.  The  true  Irish  schools  and  the  honored  custom  of  hospitality  atten- 
dant on  it,  under  the  baneful  influence  of  London  law  and  London  pestilence, 
have  passed  away.  Charity  has  become  mercenary,  and  hospitality  warped, 
under  the  pestilent  influence  of  "  British  protection"  now,  alas !  not  only  endured 
but  begged  for. 

This  is,  perhaps,  digressive ;  and  yet  it  seems  needful  as  illustrative  of  the 
system  of  education  in  which  Keating  took  his  first  lessons,  and  in  the  spirit  of 
which,  his  work  is  conceived.  The  perils  that  beset  the  school  in  his  time,  and 
the  destruction  that  afterwards  swept  over  it,  sufficiently  account  for  the  fact 
that  so  little  is  known  of  his  early  life  and  studies.  Nor  can  he,  his  works,  or 
the  circumstances  of  his  time,  be  thoroughly  understood  or  estimated,  without 
tracing  somewhat  in  detail  the  marked  events  in  the  progress  of"  Reformation," 
giving  color  and  vitality  to  thi  thoughts  and  eS"orts  of  the  era.  They  were 
cotemporancous  with  Keatiug's  youth,  manhood  and  age,  and  must  have  stamped 
their  impress  on  his  feelings  and  aspirations.  No  doubt  he  was  informed  of  the 
more  hideous  atrocities  that  darkened  the  track  of  "  reform  ;"  and  no  dpubt  they 
influenced  his  generous  design  to  preserve  the  monuments  of  Irish  learning  which 
the  besom  of  "'  reformation"  was  so  busy  in  sweeping  from  the  face  of  the  earth. 
Let  us  therefore  leave  the  student  to  his  studies  for  a  time,  to  follow  the  march 
of  "  reformation"  and  •'  British  civilization." 

The  former  owed  its  birth  in  England  to  Henry  VIII.  He  had  been  styled 
and  ordained  '•  defender  of  the  faith,"  for  the  Pope,  who  conferred  the  distinc- 
tion, paid  no  attention  to  the  warning,  "  put  not  your  faith  in  princes."  _  Like 
many  another  guardian,  Henry  betrayed  his  ward  and  abandoned  the  faith  he 
'•  defended,"  for  a  faith  that  defended  his  crimes.  He  was  not,  however,  a  fana- 
tic or  a  bigot.  He  changed  his  religion  to  suit  his  lusts,  with  the  same  indif- 
ference with  which  he  would  change  his  dress.  His  reign,  his  life,  his  death, 
were  one  round  of  licentiousness.  He  did  little  in  Ireland,  save  to  cause  an  act 
to  be  passed,  "  suppressing"  the  monasteries.  But  this  seemed  intended  as  a 
bait  to  the  turbulent  lords  of  the  Pale,  whom  he  hoped  to  conciliate  by  the  pros- 


Vlll  MEMOIR   OF  DR.    KEATING. 

pect  of  a  division  of  the  abbsy  lands,  as  the  monasteries  flourished  even  as 
though  they  never  were  "  suppressed."  TJieretofore,  his  ancestors  held  dominion 
in  Ireland  as  a  fief  of  the  Pope  ;  and  now,  as  the  Pope  refused  to  minister  to 
his  infamies,  he  resolved  to  cast  off,  at  the  same  time,  his  spiritual  authority  and 
the  title  wliich  his  predecessors,  Kings  of  England,  usurped  in  his  name.  Ac- 
cordingly, Ai.s  Parliament  duly  enacted  him  "  King  of  Ii-eland,"  upon  nine-tenths 
of  which  neither  King  nor  Parliament  dared  to  .set  foot. 

There  was  scarcely  anything  done  towards  "  reforming"  the  Irish,  in  the 
reign  of  Edward  VI.  His  counsellors  confined  their  operations  to  '•  reforming" 
the  book  of  Common  Prayer,  the  orthodoxy  of  which  liis  Parliament  duly 
enacted.  Edward  reigned  but  a  few  years,  and  was  a  mere  child ;  and  on 
Mary's  accession  the  acts  affecting  the  Catliolics  were  immediately  repealed. 
Thus,  when  Elizabeth  came  to  the  throne,  which  ev^ent,  so  auspicious  to  Ireland, 
crowned  tlie  glory  of  the  year  1558,  there  were  no  penal  laws  on  the  Irish 
Statute  book. 

Of  all  the  turbulent  times  through  which  "  Reformation"  sped  its  mission,  the 
reign  of  Elizabeth  was  emphatically  the  red  reign.  It  was  the  reign  of  rapine, 
tears  and  Ijlood.  It  trafficked  in  treason  and  generated  the  spy.  It  governed 
by  subornation,  fraud  and  lies.  It  stimulated  "rebellion"  for  the  pleasure 
and  profit  of  crushing  it  in  its  own  blood.  It  sowed  turbulence  to  reap  confis- 
cation. The  spirit  of  Elizabeth  was  dark  and  daring.  She  was  equally  crafty 
and  inexorable.  She,  at  first,  affected  to  conciliate  the  Pope.  The  Po^je  and 
College  of  Cardinals  had  promulgated  a  decree,  pronouncing  the  marriage  of 
Henry  and  her  mother  null.  Her  dearest  object  was  to  procure  the  reversal 
of  this  terrible  judgment,  for  she  knew  that  in  the  minds  of  almost  all  the  sove- 
reigns of  Europe  at  the  time,  the  throne  of  England  was,  in  her  person,  occupied  by 
a  bastard.  Her  overtures  to  the  Pope  were  earnest  a-id  pressing,  but  finding  that 
he  rejected  them,  she  resolved  to  overthrow  an  authority  she  could  not  suborn. 
For  this  project  Ireland  presented  the  fairest  field,  for  while  eradicating 
'•  popery"  she  may  be  able  to  carry  her  conquests  over  the  whole  of  the  island. 
Her  ambition,  capacity  and  daring  were  boundless,  and  were  well  seconded  by 
the  craft  of  her  counselors.  At  the  same  time,  her  acts  were  frequently,  dis- 
tinguished by  queenly  generosity.  She  loaded  with  her  bounty  the  Irish  princes 
who  abdicated  their  chieftancy  and  patrimony  to  take  estates  and  titles  at  her 
hands.  She  pardoned  with  grace  and  distinguished  by  princely  favors  those 
who  had  defied  her  power.  In  granting  titles  and  estates  to  an  Irish  chief,  she 
imposed  no  condition  and  suggested  no  change  of  religion.  These  details  she 
left  to  her  counselors.  If  vengeance  she  entertained,  it  was  for  them  to  execute 
it.  They  were  men  of  no  faith  and  no  scruples.  Tliey  did  the  dirtiest  work 
with  a  relish.  They  sent  the  spy  around  to  suborn  the  petty  chief  and  submit 
to  hiui  the  dazzling  allurements  that  awaited  liis  treachery  to  his  rightful  prince. 
And  sure  was  she  to  receive  him  graciously  and  bestow  on  him  precious  favors 
as  well  as  broad  dominions,  as  the  meed  of  his  treason.  Thus,  while  treachery 
was  the  life-blood  of  her  power  and  the  sole  means  of  extending  her  conquests 
in  Ireland,  she  invested  it  with  munificence  and  a  captivating  generosity. 

Her  success  in  .subornation  was  not  equal  to  lier  ambition.  It  halt(;d  far  in 
rear  of  her  impetuous  desires.  If  a  degenerate  sire  took  a  beggarly  earldom  at 
her  hands,  many  a  time  did  he  right  sorely  rue  it;  for  his  son  or  some  other 
having  good  title  to  the  wand  of  cliioftaincy,  clutched  the  sword  and  truncheon 
to  assert  the  privilege  of  his  clan.  She  therefore  determined  to  try  confiscation. 
Accordingly,  .she  summoned  a  Parliament,  and  Sydney,  the  very  man  who  two 
years  previously  presided  over  the  Parliament  that  cxultingly  repealed  all 
previous  penal  enactments,  presided  also  over  this  one,  that  onact(Ml  laws  f\ir 
more  penal.  Elizabeth's  Parliament,  held  in  Chri.st  Church,  Dublin,  in  1559, 
"provided  "  that  the  "  reformation"  should  be  estal)lished  in  Ireland,  six  coun- 
ties of  which  were  at  the  time  governed  by  the  Queen — that  he  or  she  who 


MEMOIR  OF   DR.    KEATING.  IX 

refused  to  renounce  any  "  foreign  power,"  that  is  the  spiritual  supremacy  of  the 
Pope,  should,  for  the  first  offence,  forfeit  land  and  goods ;  for  the  second,  incur 
the  penalties  of  '•  praemunire  ;"  and,  for  the  third,  those  of  high  treason.  This 
Parliament  was  chiefly  remarkable  for  the  fact,  that  it  proscribed  itself ;  for 
most  of  the  members,  being  Catholics,  had  three  times,  at  least,  asserted  the 
spiritual  supremacy  of  the  Pope,  for  which  crime,  according  to  their  own  law, 
they  should  be  hanged  and  quartered.  The  truth  is,  no  one  supposed  the  law 
would  be  enforced,  and  there  is  reason  to  believe  that  assurance  was  given  to 
that  effect.  However  this  may  be,  as  soon  as  the  policy  of  sul)ornaiiou  Ijsgau 
openly  to  fail,  prosecutions  were  commenced  against  priests  and  priest  harborers, 
which  Gerald  of  Desmond  would  not  brook  in  his  domain.  He  would  shelter, 
save  and  honor,  priest  and  bishop,  at  his  own  good  pleasure,  so  help  him  God 
and  his  trusty  blade.  Vicissitudes  of  a  startling  natui-e  followed,  until  we  find 
Desmond  in  open  revolt  for  the  liberties  and  religion  of  the  pale.  The  fortunes 
of  this  war  we  have  not  space  to  relate.  Enough  to  say,  that  after  various  suc- 
cesses, ruin  overtook  the  champion  of  Catholicity  at  last,  and  the  cause  he 
espoused,  set — at  least  in  the  South — in  blood. 

When  the  banner  of  Desmond  went  down,  and  his  head,  cut  off  by  vulgar 
hands,  was  staked  on  London  bridge — where  it  long  grinned  at  Saxon  churls 
and  upstart  prelates,  who  came  that  way  to  gaze  at  the  ghastly  spectacle— the 
Queen's  minions  ami  '■  undertakers,"  among  whom  wore  parcelled  the  broad 
lands  of  Desmond,  began  to  work  their  wicked  will  in  Ireland  on  priests  and 
people.  Witches  and  priests  were  the  special  objects  of  the  persecution.  The 
former,  Coxe  informs  us,  were  condemned  by  "  the  laws  of  nature  ;"  but  whether 
it  was  by  the  laws  of  nature,  or  man,  or  beast,  the  latter  were  doomed,  he  does  not 
condescend  to  tell.  We  know,  indeed,  that  the  laws  of  the  pale  were  sound  on  such 
business  ;  for  did  they  not  "  make  and  provide  "  that  it  was  high  treason  "  a  third 
time  "  to  deny  the  divine  authority  of  Elizabeth  as  the  head  of  God's  church  on 
earth  ?  But  to  wait  for  the  third  denial  was  work  too  slow  in  these  days,  and 
so  the  executioners  decided  that  the  first  denial  was,  in  "  intendment  of  law,"  the 
third,  and  thus  were  enabled  to  hang,  quarter,  and  disomljowel  for  the  first 
offence.  Patrick  O'Hely,  bishop  of  Mayo,  and  Coriielius  O'Eourke,  a  priest, 
were  put  to  the  rack,  had  their  hands  and  feet  broken  by  hammers,  and  needles 
thrust  under  their  nails,  (though  for  these  more  refined  tortures  the  law  neglected 
to  make  special  provision,)  and  finally  they  were  hanged  and  quartered.  John 
Stephens  met  the  same  fate,  "  for  that  he  said  mass  for  one  Teigue  McHugh." 
The  priests  of  Munster  fled  to  the  mountains,  where  they  ministered  to  their 
flocks  in  caverns,  and  where  ruin  often  overtook  them  at  dead  of  night  and  in  the 
midst  of  the  sacrifice,  for  British  ''Christian it tj"  prowled  round  their  watch-fires 
and  baptised  them  of  the  new  creed  in  their  own  blood.  Dermod  O'Hurly,  of  Cashel, 
having  been  consecrated  by  the  Pope  on  the  apostasy  of  Myler  ilcGrath  of  that 
See,  endeavored  to  fulfil  his  functions  by  secreting  himself  at  the  residences  of  the 
chiefs  and  nobles,  who  whatever  may  be  their  outward  professions  were  true  to 
the  old  creed  and  old  cause.  While  O'Hurly  was  sojourning  with  the  baron  of 
Slane  in  Meath,  he  was  espied,  '•  recognised,"  the  English  books  say,  by  the 
chief  justices  (spies  were  high  functionaries  at  that  time),  who  swiftly  informed 
Adam  Loftus,  then  Chancellor,  of  the  prey  he  had  set  for  him.  Tiie  baron 
hearing  his  guest  was  betrayed,  either  connived  at,  or  effected,  his  escape  ;  but 
receiving  a  message  from  the  Chancellor  to  deliver  the  bishop  to  him  in  irons, 
such  was  his  terror  that  he  pursued  the  fugitive,  and  overtaking  him  at  Oarrick 
on  Suir,  arrested,  and  delivered  him  up  with  his  own  hand.  And  needful  it 
was  for  him  to  do  so,  for  otherwise  his  head  would  give  ghastly  warning  to  all 
"•priest  harborers,"  from  the  summit  of  Dublin  Castle.  Threats,  tortures,  and 
offers  of  rewards,  were  in  turn  tried  on  O'Hurly.  l)ut  tried  in  vain.  After  about 
a  year  of  imprisonment  and  torments  on  the  morn  of  holy  Thursday,  ere  it  was 
yet  dawn,  he  was  hanged  outside  the  city  walls.     Terrible  retribution  for  the 


X  MEMOIR   OF   DR.    KEATING. 

act  of  that  otber  arclibishop  of  the  same  see,  Donchad  or  Donatus,  who  was 
first  to  recognise  the  spurious  title  of  Henry  II.  to  the  unfortunate  Kingdom  of 
Ireland. 

When  the  current  of  murder  ran  the  reddest,  there  pined  in  the  dungeons  of 
Dublin  Castle  a  kidnapped  3-outh — red  Hugh  O'Donnell — who  longed  for  the 
hill  sides  of  Tirconncll  and  the  head  of  those  clans  that  followed  the  banner  of 
his  race.  There  was  a  Queen's  O'Donnell  in  his  stead,  who  exercised  false  sway 
under  a  perjured  title.  But  well  the  young  chief  knew,  that  in  the  first  glance 
of  his  eye,  the  traitor's  hold  would  melt  like  snow  in  the  glance  of  the  summer 
sun.  Before  he  was  twenty  years  of  age  he  made  good  his  escape  through  a 
sewer  to  the  Liffey,  thence  to  the  Wicklow  mountains,  where  one  of  his  com- 
rades perished  of  cold  and  hardship  ;  and  tlionce,  over  flood  and  field,  to  Duugan- 
non  Castle,  where  red  Hugh  O'Neil  was  already  meditating  vengeance  on  the 
accursed  foreigners.  Short  was  the  O'Donnell's  stay  to  recruit  his  wasted 
strength.  He  hied  him  to  Tircounel,  where  high  festival  and  rejoicing  greeted 
the  rightful  cliief,  who  M-as  at  once  invested  with  his  wand  of  chieftaincy.  They 
who  harbored  the  English  and  countenanced  the  "  Queen's  O'Donnell,"  soon  felt 
the  edge  of  his  steel,  and,  in  a  single  campaign,  not  a  traitor  was  left  within  the 
broad  borders  of  Tirconnell.  The  Deputy  and  Council,  then  so  busy  in  murder- 
ing the  priests  of  Munster,  did  not  find  it  an  easy  matter  to  make  shire  laud  of 
Tirowen  and  Tirconnell,  while  the  flags  of  the  "  red  hand  "  and  the  O'Donnell 
waved  above  them  ;  and  many  a  time  did  the  banner  of  lOngland  go  down  by 
the  Blackwater  and  Ijough  Swilly.  After  years  of  raid  and  rout  and  vengeance, 
done  on  disloyal  chieftains  ;  after  a  truce  or  two,  and  battles  fatal  to  the 
Queen,  her  forces,  greatly  augmented  of  late,  under  command  of  Bagnall,  met 
those  of  Tirowen  and  Tirconnell,  led  by  their  princely  chiefs,  at  Beal  an  atha 
buidlie,  near  Portmore.  O'Xeil  had  vengeance  of  iiis  own  to  wreak  that 
day,  and  O'Donnell  burned  to  brand  on  the  Queen's  minions  the  indignity 
her  jailors'  fetters  had  marked  on  his  youthful  limbs.  The  armies  clashed,  and 
fierce  and  hot  was  the  encounter.  Bagnall  fell,  his  host  was  utterly  routed,  and 
left  some  thousands  dead  on  the  field.  Tirowen  and  Tirconnell  now  owned  no 
stranger  lord,  and  their  rightful  chieftains  held  high  festival  in  their  ancient 
halls,  and  their  rightful  clergy  ministered,  in  church  and  abbey,  of  the  ancient 
faith. 

On  O'Donnell's  return  home,  Hugli  of  Tirowen  marched  7,000  men  across  the 
Pale  on  a  pilgrimage  to  the  Holy  Cross  in  Tippcrary.  Small  fear  was  there 
that  any  pimping  chief  justice  would  spy  the  prelates  in  his  train.  At  the 
Holy  Cross  he  met  James  Fitz  Thomas,  whom  he  created  the  Desmond.  The 
real  object  of  O'Neil's  visit  was,  to  inspire  the  Munster  chiefs,  who  were  then 
making  feeble  head  in  the  fastnesses  of  Muskery,  under  the  lead  of  O'Neil's 
Desmond  and  McCarty  More.  But  Tirowen  needed  her  good  swords  to  defend 
her  own  borders,  and  Munster  was  left  to  its  fate  and  the  tender  mercies  of  Sir 
<jCorge  Carew.  Sad  fate  surely,  this  I  for  Sir  George  was  of  the  true  stamp  of 
a  British  civilizer.  When  baflied  on  the  field,  craft  and  falsehood  did  for  him 
instead.  The  "  Sugan  Earl,"  as  he  with  great  unction  stylos  the  Desmond, 
repeatedly  defeated  his  armies  and  burned  his  castles.  Ilaviuir  tried  all  meuns 
to  endeavor  to  persuade  the  Earl's  Irish  followers  to  ))etray  him,  he  had  recourse 
to  this  notable  expedient.  When  the  fortunes  of  the  Earl  waned,  ho  was  in  the 
neighborhood  of  one  Dermond  O'Connor,  who  was  married  to  his  sister.  Carew 
addressed  a  letter  to  the  Earl,  in  Avhich  lie  congratulated  him  on  his  returning 
loyalty  and  besought  him,  that  as  a  proof  of  his  sincerity,  he  would  bring  him 
O'Connor,  cither  living  or  dead.  The  letter,  as  it  was  intendcil,  foil  into  the 
hands  of  O'Connor,  wlio  was  so  enraged  at  what  he  supposed  treason,  that  he 
contrived  to  get  the  Earl  into  his  hands,  and  kept  him  in  one  of  his  strongholds 
in  chains.  Sir  George,  indeed,  says  in  his  "  Pacata  1  iibcrnia,"  that  the  whole  plot 
was  concocted  between  him  and  O'Connor,  through  the  management  of  lá,dy 


MEMOIR   OF   DR.    KEATING.  XI 

Margaret,  O'Connor's  wife.  He  was  afterwards  rescued,  and  O'Connor's  castle 
of  Lyshin  was  sacked.  But  the  fortunes  of  Fitz  Thomas  do  not  concern  the 
subject  of  this  memoir. 

The  Spanish  auxiliaries,  so  long  expected  by  the  northern  chiefs,  and  promised 
by  the  King,  were  novr  at  last  prepared  to  embark.  Unfortunately  for  Spain 
and  Ireland,  the  command  of  this  force  was  conferred  on  Don  Juan  d'A^uila. 
The  Irish  chiefs  urged  the  necessity  of  secrecy  and  despatch,  and  above  all  in- 
sisted upon  the  landing  being  effected  in  the  north,  where  a  junction  could  be 
formed  too  formidal)le  to  be  attacked,  and  where  the  allied  armies  might  l;)econie 
accustomed  to  each  other  and  their  respective  discipline  and  mode  of  warfare. 
These  reasons  would  seem  to  leave  no  choice  to  the  Spanish  commander.  His 
own  safety  and  that  of  his  command,  as  well  as  the  exigencies  of  the  object  in 
view,  alike  demanded  it.  Yet  was  he  not  alone  indifferent  to  these  considera- 
tions, but,  either  through  treachery  or  vanity,  or  perhaps  both  combined,  he  so 
conducted  his  operations  that  it  was  thoroughly  known,  not  only  to  Sir  George 
Carcw,  but  to  the  English  Council,  that  his  destination  was  Kinsale.  So  satis- 
fied were  Ijoth  of  his  intention,  that  they  concentrated  a  force  of  over  four  thou- 
sand men  near  that  town. 

All  this  time  the  northern  chiefs  were  not  informed  of  D'Aguila's  purpose. 
They  were  not  even  aware  that  the  expedition  was  prepared.  1'hey  heard 
nothing  from  or  of  Don  Juan,  until  he  arrived  at,  and  was  surrounded  in,  Kin- 
sale.  On  his  first  landing  he  took  possession  of  Dunbuy,  the  castle  of  Kinsale, 
and  the  islands  in  the  Bay,  in  tlie  name  of  the  King  of  Spain.  To  this  his  ope- 
rations were  confined.     He  then  suddenly  shut  himself  up  in  the  town. 

When  the  news  reached  the  northern  princes,  although  conscious  of  the 
fatality  of  Don  Juan's  course  and  the  desperate  position  in  which  he  was  placed, 
they  flew  at  once  to  his  assistance.  By  unexampled  marches  in  mid-winter,  they 
made  their  way  south.  The  President  attempted  to  intercept  O'Xeil,  and  sent 
a  large  force  to  opi)Ose  him.  A  sudden  frost  enabled  O'Neil  to  traverse  the 
mountains  in  the  north  of  Tipperarj',  and  both  chiefs  arrived  together  before 
Kinsale,  in  sight  of  the  English  camp.  An  engagement  was  precipitated  by 
misdirection  or  mischance,  only  the  second  day  after  a  forced  march  of  near  three 
hundred  miles.  It  occurred  at  break  of  day,  and  only  half  the  Irish  forces  were 
engaged,  when  a  rout  took  place  in  the  confusion  and  darkness.  O'Donnell  took 
no  part  in  the  action  ;  and  such  was  his  chagrin,  and  indignation  at  Don  Juan's 
conduct  and  inactivity  during  the  combat,  that  he  took  advantage  of  the  presence 
of  a  Spanish  brig  then  in  the  harbor,  to  embark  for  Spain  and  impeach  Don  Juan 
before  the  King.  He  left  his  brother  in  command  and  proceeded  on  his  way, 
never  alas !  to  return. 

Both  armies  reached  the  north  in  safety,  and  such  was  the  terror  inspired  by 
the  name  of  O'Xeil,  that  it  was  left  to  him  to  dictate  the  terms  on  which  he 
would  accept  pardon  and  a  coronet  from  the  English  Queen. 

D'Aguila  at  once  surrendered  not  only  Kinsale  but  the  other  fortifications 
which  he  had  received  from  the  Irish  chiefs.  The  castle  of  Dunbuy  had,  how- 
ever, a  small  garrison  of  Irishmen  who  refused  to  surrender.  The  desperate 
defence  made  by  this  little  band,  and  the  savage  ferocity  that  marked  the  sack 
of  the  place,  are  unexampled  in  history. 

And  here  ended  the  liberty  of  Ireland,  her  nationhood  and  her  name.  But 
ere  the  closing  scene,  indeed  Isefore  his  coronet  was  given  to  O'Neil,  Elizabeth 
was  called  to  her  last  account,  and  James  of  Scotland  had  mounted  her  throne. 

Early  in  James'  reign  (1610),  Geoffrey  Keating  returned  to  Ireland.  War  and 
fagots  had  then  given  place  to  facile  judges  and  suborned  juries,  under  the  guid- 
ance of  that  renowned  casuist,  Sir  John  Davics.  By  this  time  Keating  was  forty 
years  of  age,  twenty-three  of  which  were  spent  in  a  foreign  college,  inost  likely 
Salamanca.  Other  places  are  mentioned,  but  the  great  probability  is,  that  he 
studied,  and,  as  it  is  asserted,  taught,  at  Salamanca  ;  for  the  interconimonication 


xii  MEMOIR   OF   DR.    KEATING. 

■with  Spain  at  that  time  was  more  frequent  than  with  France.  Spain  was,  in 
fact,  the  principal  refuge  for  the  exiicd  Irisli,  and  his  opportunities  for  preserving 
his  practical  kuowledse  of  his  native  tonijue,  were  far  greater  there  tliaii  elsewhere 
out  of  Ireland.  It  is  probable,  too,  that  he  there,  I'roni  time  to  time,  received 
old  manuscripts  from  bards  and  shanuacliies.  who  shared  the  flight  of  the  O'Don- 
uell  or  followed  him  into  exile.  'J'his  would  account  in  some  degree  for  the 
general  accuracy  of  his  history,  for  we  are  told,  that  in  liis  researches  through 
Counaught  and 'Ulster,  the  bards  who  had  stolen  to  the  hills  to  live  with  wild 
beasts,  repulsed  him,  as  owning  a  strange  name  and  belonging  to  the  race  of 
the  hungry  undertakers  who  then  preyed  on  the  green  fields  of  their  inheritance. 

Although  James  had  in  1C07  revived  Elizabeth's  conformity  act,  it  does  not 
appear  that  the  Catholics  of  ^[unster,  at  least  in  that  part  under  the  sway 
of  the  Ormonds,  suffered  any  actual  persecution.  Indeed,  so  far  back  as  1G02, 
Sir  George  Carew  held  an  assize  at  Limerick,  Cashcl  and  ( 'lonmell,  where  he  did 
vengeance  on  the  restive  of  these  parts  whom  he  could  lay  hands  on.  But  he 
found  that  a  great  number  had  fled  to  the  Ormonds,  two  baronies  in  North 
Tipperary ;  and  meeting  the  Earl  of  Ormond  at  Clonmell,  "  he  did  move 
him  "  to  go  with  him  into  these  parts  to  assize  them  at  his  leisure  there.  But 
"  the  Karl  did  entreate  him  to  satisfie  himselfe  concerning  that  busincs,  for  he 
would  undertake  it."  He  did  not  undertake  it,  however,  and  the  great  pacifi- 
cator thus  communes  in  that  regard  :  "which  I  thinke  had  beeue  immediatelie 
performed  had  not  the  immature  deatlie  of  his  most  vertuous  lady  (the  lamenta- 
ble tydings  whereof  were  brought  to  him  at  Clonmell,  oppressing  his  aged  heart 
with  immeasurable  sorrow)  caused  the  same  for  a  time  to  be  deterred." 

Immediately  on  Keating's  return  he  was  appointed  curate  to  the  very  rever- 
end Eugene  Duhy,  in  his  native  parish.  On  the  first  Sunday  of  his  ministry, 
as  he  was  proceeding  to  vest  himself,  the  vicar  requested  him  to  delay  mass. 
After  some  time  he  asked  the  cause,  and  was  informed  it  was  to  accommodate 
a  wealthy  family  who  had  not  yet  arrived.  He  refused  to  sanction  this  practice, 
and  proceeded  with  the  sacrifice.  He  was  glad  to  learn  thereafter,  that  the 
family  were  of  his  own  kindred,  who  took  good  care  to  be  punctual  in  future. 
How  long  he  continued  fulfilling  the  duties  of  the  ministry  in  Tubrid,  we  are  not 
informed.  His  fame  as  a  preacher  extended  far,  and  numerous  and  even  fash- 
ionable audiences  gathercil  to  hear  him.  The  building  of  the  church  at  Tubrid 
engagol  his  care,  and  under  the  circumstances  of  the  time,  this  labor  must  have 
extended  over  years.  He  also  wrote  during  his  mission  a  theological  treatise, 
called  "  eochair  sgiath  an  aifrinn,"  a  Key  to  the  Shield  of  the  Mass,  a  work  it  is 
said  of  rare  merit.  He  wrote  at  the  same  time,  a  treatise  on  practical  piety, 
calli^d  "  Tri  bir  ghaoithe  an  bhais,"  the  Three  Winged  Shalts  of  Death.  These 
works  are  not  translated,  and  we  have  no  doubt  they  would  be  valuable  acces- 
sions to  the  description  of  literature  to  which  they  belong.* 


*  Besides  tli<>.  works  mentioned  in  the  text,  8i,an  i,e  h-Eiiiks — Farfwell  to  Irelaiu}. 
Doctor  Keatin;.'  has  left  ri  Kreat  many  lyrical 

compositions  of  con.'*ider:it)le  merit.    Tlicy  are  Mo  blieanaclit  Icat  a  scribhinn 
distingiiislied  above  llie  productions  of  liis  time  Go  h-iiiis  aolbliinn  ealsa 
by  simplicity  and   purity  of  style.     They  all  Is  truai^li  I  nach  leur  damh  a  bconna 
breathe  of  the  nritcr's  intense  devotion  to  Ire-  Gldh  gnath  a  d-teanna  dearpa. 
land,  her  language,  her  traditions  and  her  histo- 
ry. They  are  scattered  throuirh  the  miscellaneous  Slan  da  h-uisla  a's  d'a  h-olreacht 
manuscripts  which  yet  abound  in  Ireland.    One  Slan  po  ro  blieaclit  d'a  cleirchibh 
is  selected  for  publication  here;  simple,  beauti-  Slan  da  bannvaechtaibh  canine 
ful  and  brimfuU  of  tcndiM-ness,  as  an  example  of  Slan  d'a  eaocthibh  Ic  h-elgslbh. 
the  iJoctor's  powers  and  taste  In  this  species  of 

composition.    It  Is  an  address  to  a  letter  he  had  Mo  shian  d'a  ninfrhaibh  mine 

just  written  to  some  friend  in  Ireland,  from  his  Slan  fa  mhlle  d'a  a  eiiocaibh 

retreat  at  Salamanca.    Here  Is  the  poem.     It  Is  Mo  eliii>ii  d'on  tc  ta  into 

headed —  Slan  da  linnfibh  a  s  d'a  a  lochaibh. 


MEMOIR   OF  DR   KEATING. 


Xlll 


Had  not  liis  missionary  labors  been  iuterriipted,  the  probability  is,  that 
"  Keatiiiii's  History  "  never  would  have  been  written.  The  duties  of  the  priest 
would  nut  allow  the  necessary  leisure  to  the  historian.  The  circumstances  that 
compelled  his  flight  are  variously  related.  One  version  is,  that  in  a  sermon 
fashionably  attended,  he  so  severely  rei)roved  a  certain  vice,  that  a  Mrs.  Moklar, 
a  dashing  beauty,  resented  it  a.s  a  personal  exposure  of  her  criminal  levity. 
Burning  with  rage,  she  flew  to  the  President,  who  was  one  of  her  admirers,  and 
invoked  at  his  hands  the  vengeance  of  the  '■  conformity  act."  Another  version 
is,  that  while  he  was  absent  in  search  of  materials  for  his  history,  a  squire  of  his 
neighborhood  seduced  the  daug-hter  of  a  parishioner,  v\'honi  Keating  denounced 
unsparingly  on  his  return,  and  thus  incurred  the  peril  of  the  law. 

That  which  is  certain  is,  he  fled.  It  is  equally  certain,  he  was  protected  from 
the  blood-hounds  of  the  law.  Fidelity  among  the  Irish  people  is  a  virtue  often 
sorely  tested  and  never  found  wanting.  This  and  this  alone  accounts  for  the 
magnitude  of  the  task  he  accomplished  under  circumstances  of  so  much  peril. 
"  British  civilization,"  though  it  had  then  made  rapid  strides,  did  not  reach  that 
acme  of  perfection  in  espionage  it  has  since  attained.  The  forests  were  large, 
and  in  many  instances  inaccessible,  and  filled  with  bold  outlaws  whom  nothing 


Blan  (Va  coiltibh  fa,  thorthaibh 
Slau  fos  d'a  corraidhaibh  iascach, 
Slan  d"a  niointibh  a"s  d'a  bautaibh 
Slau  fos  d"a  raithaibh  a's  d"a  riasgaibh. 

Slan  o'm  chroidbe  d"a  cuantaibh, 
Slan  fos  d"a  tuarthaibh  troma 
Swaid  d"a  tulchaibh  aonaich* 
Slau  uaim  d'a  craobuaibh  croma. 

Gidb  gnath  a  foirne  fraocbdrha 
Ann  inis  naoinhtba  neamhochd 
Siar  tar  chromchladbuibh  nadilean 
Bier  a  scribinn  mo  Bheanachth. 

Translation. 

My  blessing  with  thee,  letter, 
To  beauty -fretted  Erinn  ; 
Would  I  could  see  her  liighlands 
Though  crimson  dyes  oft  wearing. 

Fond  blessings  to  her  noblfls, 
And  priesthood  holj',  Ibnder, 
Her  maidens  and  her  sages 
Who  o'er  her  pages  ponder. 

Best  wishes  to  lier  truest, 
Her  blue  of  bluest  mountains, 


My  love  to  those  within  her, 
Her  lakes  and  linns  and  fountains. 

Her  woods  with  berries  drooping, 
Her  sparkling  pools  with  fishes, 
Her  moors  and  m<!ado\vs  greenest, 
To  these  my  teeming  wishes. 

My  heart's  host  memories  to  her 
Broad  bays  and  surest  harbors, 
Her  yellow  harvest  bending, 
Her  songs  in  blending  arbors.* 

Though  passionate  the  people 
In  the  saints'  meetest  island. 
Athwart  the  billows  rearing 
My  Messing  bear  to  Ireland. 

The  "farewell"  is  published  in  Hardiman  s 
Minstrelsy,  vol.  2,  with  a  translation  by  Mr. 
Dalton. 

Th3  translation  here  given  Is  literal,  or  at 
least  as  nearly  so  as  is  compatible  withthe  meas- 
ure, rythm,  and  structure  of  the  original,  wliloh 
are  all  preserved.  There  are  In  both  original 
and  translation,  the  exact  same  number  of  lines, 
rhymes,  feet  and  syll.ables,  an  identity  which 
had  for  its  object  to  give  an  idea  of  the  complex 
structure  of  Irish  verse. 


*  "Tulch.aibh  aonaich."' — The  transLiiion  of 
this  line,  "  Her  songs  in  blending  arbor?,"  is  a 
departure  from  the  literalness,  if  the  word  be 
allowable,  otherwise  preserved  throughout,  for 
the  words  mean  "Fair  meetings.''  By  "fair 
meetings,"  as  used  by  the  poet,  we  are  not  to 
understand  the  crowd  of  buyers  and  sellers  and 
idlerfi  congregated  at  a  f.iir,'but  conferences  of 
the  bards,  which  were  usual  at  stated  times,  and 
continued  nearly  to  our  own  time.  The  trans- 
lator has  seen  a  song  of  a  Munster  bard,  of  the 
last  century,  written  to  cornmemor,ate  one  of 
these  poetic  festivities,  held  at  Croom,  in  the 
County  of  Limerick.  The  bards  met,  and  sang 
and  fca'ited  under  summer  foliage,  on  a  wood- 
land slope  overlooking  the  silver'Maig;  and  the 
poet  does  ample  justice  to  the  enchanting  Liveli- 
ness of  the  spot    He  also  describes  the  festivity 


of  the  bards,  who  no  doubt  had  a  right  merry 
carouse,  such  as  Moore  sings  of — 

Delicious  days  of  whim  and  soul 
When  mingling  lore  ami  lau>rh  together, 

We  leaned  the  book  on  pleasure's  bowl 
And  turned  the  le.af  with  folly  s  feather. 

It  was  this  description  of  the  Croom  meeting 
which  suggested  the  tr.insI.ation. 

The  Malg  has  tasked  the  genius  and  tired  the 
enthusi.asm  of  more  than  one  of  the  children  of 
song.  Its  scenery  h.is  been  immortalized  by 
Gefa'.d  GrifBn,  the  truest.  mo.<t  sensitive  and 
tenderest  of  our  later  bards,  whose  pictures  of 
its  loveliness  are  as  glowing  as  his  imagination 
and  as  truthful  as  his  heart. 


XIV  MEMOIR    OF    DK.    KEATING. 

but  an  army  M-ould  dare  to  encounter.  And  notwithstanding  the  devices  of 
'•  artful  Cecil,"  the  country  then  lacked  that  noblest  institution  of  the  nineteenth 
century,  a  rural  police.  In  fact,  therefore,  he  might,  as  is  alleged,  have  written  or 
completed  the  history  in  Aherlow  woods,  now  one  of  the  loveliest  mountain  valleys 
in  Ireland.  The  glen  of  Aherlow,  as  the  place  is  called,  extends  along  the  north- 
ern base  of  the  Galtees,  a  distance  of  twelve  miles  from  the  village  of  Bausha  to 
Galbally.  It  is  sheltered  at  the  north  by  the  low  range  of  the  Clan  "William 
mountains.  It  was  theretofore  the  asylum  of  "  Rebels,"  who  mayhap  had  thrice 
denied  the  spiritual  supremacy  of  Elizabeth,  which,  on  one  occasion,  they  sorely 
rued,  for  they  received  a  friendly  visit  from  Carew  and  his  retinue  of  hangmen, 
the  object  and  achievement  of  which  lie  thus  describes  : 

"  The  president  directed  his  forces  into  cast  Clan  "William,  and  harassing 
the  country,  killed  all  mankind  that  were  found  therein  ;  thence  we  came  into 
Arloghe  woods,  where  we  did  the  like,  not  leaving  behind  us  man  or  beast,  corne 
or  cattle." 

Aherlow  was  accessible  from  the  Tubrid  side  through  the  gorges  of  the  Gal- 
tees, and  no  doubt  a  man  sentineled  as  Keating  must  have  been  by  the  fidelity 
of  his  peojde,  might  live  there  for  years,  not  only  in  safety  but  comparative 
comfort.  Nor  were  its  solitude  and  quiet  unsuited  to  the  labor  of  the  historian. 
There  is  no  good  reason  then  to  cpiestion  the  story  that  hallows  the  scene. 
The  tradition  has  long  survived  the  wood,  and  all  traces  of  the  hiding  place. 
Tlie  rich  sheen  of  the  meadow  and  the  golden  hue  of  the  harvest  gladden  the  Glen 
of  Aherlow  now.  But  those  who  dwell  there,  love  to  recall  the  gloomy  memo- 
ries of  that  gloomy  time,  and  by  many  a  fireside  is  whispered  lowly  in  the  olden 
tongue  the  bloody  raid  of  Carew's  gallows  tree,  and  then,  more  loudly  and  ex- 
ultingly,  the  inviolability  of  Kcating's  retreat.  This  fact  has  become  the 
"  genius  loci "  or  spirit  of  the  spot,  and  even  though  we  could  dissipate  the  spell 
with  which  it  has  invested  that  lovely  vale,  where  so  oft  we  roamed  exulting  iu 
the  strife  and  freedom  wc  had  fondly  hoped  for,  we  would  not  touch  with  dis- 
turbing hand  a  tradition  so  characteristic  of  those  mournful  times.  But  there 
is  no  reason  to  doubt  its  truth,  and  we  hold  that  Doctor  Keating  cither  wrote 
the  M'hole  or  a  great  part  of  the  "  Foras  feasa  ar  J']rinn,"  in  the  woods  of  Aherlow. 
Being  unable  to  fix  the  date  of  Kealing's  separation  from  his  duties  or  that  of 
the  commencement  of  his  history,  or  whether  he  ever  again  returned  to  the 
ministry,  we  shall  glance  briefly  at  the  history  of  his  family  from  his  time 
downward. 

Earlj'in  the  reign  of  Charles  I.,  Sir  Edward  Everard  or  Fethard  was  married  to 
the  daughter  of  John  Keating,  of  Nicholstown.  His  brother  liichard  Kcating's 
daughter  was  married  to  Wall,  of  Coolnamuck,  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Suir,  two 
miles  from  Carrick.  'J'he  sole  male  representative  of  these  Keatings  died  at 
Annapolis,  in  ]\[aryland,  towards  the  close  of  the  last  century.  Cotemporaneous 
with  them  was  Michael  Keating,  of  Shanbally,  who  was  married  to  Lord  l)un- 
boyne's  sister.  John  Keating,  his  son,  was  married  to  !Miss  Kearney,  of  Kap- 
pagh.  He  was  cotemporaneous  with  the  Doctor  and  his  nearest  rchitive.  This 
John  was  called  the  "  baron  "  and  "  knight  of  the  fl(!ece."  He  had  issue  Michael, 
Maurice  and  Bryan.  Michael  married  the  sister  of  I-iidy  Ferraml,  and  left  issue 
one  son,  who  was  Dean  of  St.  l^atrick's,  Dublin  ;  but  whether  he  left  any  issue 
we  cannot  say.  Maurice  married  Miss  Mandevilie  of  Ballydine,  on  the  lelt  bank 
of  the  Suir,  above  Coolnamuck.  The  name  of  Mandevilie  is  on  the  muster  roll 
of  William  of  Normandy  and  that  of  the  barons  of  llunmymede,  and  in  the 
family  Ballydine  Mas  an  inheritance  for  GOO  years.  "Whetlier  JSlaiirice  Keat- 
ing has  left  any  male  issue,  we  cannot  say.  Í5ryan  Keating  was  married  to 
Ann,  the  daughter  or  grand-daughter  of  lioger  Shechy,  of  Dn micohilier.  He 
had  issue  John,  linger,  Henry,  William  and  (Joorge  Sheehy  Keating.  John 
left  no  issue,  Roger  only  one  daughter,  the  late  Mrs.  Nixon,  of  the  county  of 
Mcutb.    Ueury  married  a  Miss  Singer,  sister  of  the  fellow  of  that  name  of 


MEMOIR   OF   DR.    KEATING.  XV 

DublÍQ  College.  He  joined  the  array  and  rose  rapidly.  He  commanded  the 
attack  on  the  Isle  of  Bourbon  ;  and  on  the  news  reaching  England,  was  made 
major-general.  He  was  afterwards  appointed  governor  of  the  Isle  of  France, 
created  baronet,  and  invested  with  the  order  of  the  Bath.  He  died  recent- 
ly, and  left  two  sons,  James  Sheehy  Keating,  captain  in  the  guards,  and  Henry 
Sheehy  Keating,  M.  P.  for  Reading.*  This  gentleman  is  unquestionably  the 
truest  representative  of  the  family  now  living,  for  fame  speaks  him  fair  and 
faithful  to  the  kindly  and  generous  attributes  of  his  race.  George  left  one  son. 
Henry  George,  who  lately  lived  near  Mallow,  and  if  alive  is  perhaps  the  only 
male  representative  of  the  family  in  Ireland.  "William,  the  youngest  of  these 
brothers,  fell  in  a  duel.  Bryan  Keating's  daughters,  Ann,  Jane,  Catharine  and 
Theodosia,  were  married — Jane  to  ^h:  Therry,  whose  eldest  son  is  now  judge  in 
Sidney  ;  C^atharine  to  ilorgan  O'Dwyer,  of  Cullen,  whose  eldest  sou  is  John 
Keating  O'Dwyer,  of  Limerick,  and  Theodosia  to  Edward  Sheehy,  of  Ballin- 
tubber,  whose  eldest  son  is  Roger  Sheehy,  of  Liskennett,  county  Limerick. 

Robert  Keating  of  Garranlea,  claims  a  relationship  with  this  family,  but  what 
it  is,  or  whether  he  has  any,  does  not  appear. 

Thus  there  seems  but  doubtful  conjecture,  that  there  is,  at  least  m  his  proper 
rank  and  position,  one  representative  of  the  male  line  of  the  Keatingsin  Ireland. 
The  Doctor's  History,  after  all,  is  their  noblest  monument.  It  is,  in  truth, 
"perennius  xre." 

But  what  is  stranger,  the  high  families  that  entered  into  alliance  ■with  the 
Keatings  of  old,  are  nearly  extinct.  The  Everards  held  princely  sway  in  their 
feudal  hold  at  Fethard,  whose  walls,  yet  standing,  attest  its  strength  and  their 
grandeur.  The  last  of  this  race  was  the  Archbishop  of  Cashel,  who  died  in  1823. 
The  Mandevilles  are  seen  no  more  at  Ballydine,  and  that  ancient  patrimony  has 
passed  away  from  the  name  for  ever.f  The  last  of  the  Kearuys  fell  in  a  duel  at 
Cashel  nearly  a  century  ago,  and  Coolnamuck  lately  passed  into  the  hands  of 
John  Sadlier,  the  suicide.  The  last  of  the  Duuboynes  was  Bishop  Butler,  who 
abandoned  creed  and  crozier  to  take  a  wife  and  title.  He  is  buried  in  the 
old  Augustiuiau  Abbey,  in  Fethard.  His  monument  is  extremely  simple,  but 
extremely  beautiful.  It  is  a  mournful  record  of  his  times,  for  it  testifies  that  he 
repented  of  his  "  reformation,"  and  renounced  the  new  creed  and  title  on  the  bed 
of  death. 

Of  Doctor  Keating's  later  life  or  death,  no  record  remains,  except  the  inscrip- 
tion on  the  old  ruins  at  Tubrid.  The  date,  as  will  be  seen,  in  the  copy 
given  below,  is  1644.  This  inscription  indicates  that  Doctor  Keating  was  never 
parish  priest,  for  the  designation  "  vicar"  is  added  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Duhy's 
name.     But  we  are  left  to  conjecture  whether  the  date  is  that  of  the  cousecra- 


*  H'inry  Sheehy  Keatins  has,  since  the  .ibove  Another  branch  of  the  familj' is  represented 

vT-as  written,  been  appointed  Solicitor  General  by  the  Eeverend  Nicliolas  Herbert  Mandevillc, 

for  England.  of  Balleyna  Ciistle,  on  the  Anner,  near  Clonmell. 

t  The  flrat  of  this  family  thit  settled  in  Ire-  Thomas  ofOrchardstown,  cousin  of  his  name- 
land,  was  Sir  Philip  de  Mandeville.  lie  obtained  sake,  the  disinheritor  of  Ballydine,  also  married 
large  grants  of  land,  extending  nearly  from  Car-  to  one  of  the  Hacketts,  left  issue  Francis  of  Xew 
rick  to  Cionmell.  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Suir,  Ca-itle,  and  James,  who  adopted  his  mother  s 
froiiiilenry  1[.  The  castle  of  Ballydine,  built  name  and  the  arms  of  her  family.  He  entered 
by  liiiii,  was  the  residence  of  the  head  of  the  the  East  India  service  and  rose  to  hish  rank.  A 
house  for  over  six  hundred  years.  Towards  the  large  family  now  Inherit  his  name  and  fortunes 
close  of  the  last  century,  Thomas  Mandeville.  in  the  East.  Mary  Ilackett,  the  sister  of  Major 
beina:  himself  childless,  and  at  variance  with  his  General  Ilackett  and  F.  Mandeville  of  New  Cas- 
brother  .lames  of  Ycsterland,  sold  Ballydine  to  tie,  whs  married  to  Thomas,  eldest  son  of  the 
John  Scott,  then  Solicitor  General,  and  after-  above  James  Mandeville  of  Ycsterland,  whose 
wards  Earl  of  Clonmell.  To  him  also  he  disposed  issue  were  .John,  the  father  of  James,  jun.,  and 
of  Orchardstown  and  Cahirclough,  estates  held  James  II.  Mandeville  of  Ballyquirkeen.  The 
in  rl^lit  of  his  wife,  daugUter  of  James  Hackett  latter  is  married  to  J,ane,  daughter  of  Daniel 
of  Chibs  Court.  His  representatives  are  James  OMahony  of  Kilbenny,  by  whomhehas  alarge 
Ilackett  Mandeville  of  Ballyquirkeen,  and  his  family, 
nephew,  aUo  James, 


XVI  MEMOIR   OF   DR.    KEATING. 

tion  of  the  church  or  of  the  inscription.  If  the  latter,  then  it  may  be  possible 
that  Doctor  Keating  lived,  as  Mr.  O'Donovan  is  inclined  to  believe,  until  1G50. 
Otherwise  it  is  undoubted  that  he  was  dead  in  1C44,  for  beyond  all  question  he 
was  dead  when  the  inscription  was  written,  although  by  some  incomprehensible 
mode  of  reasoning,  the  author  of  the  life  prefixed  to  Halliday's  translation  con- 
cludes, that  the  request  to  pray  for  his  soul  and  those  of  the  others,  whose  bodies 
lay  buried  in  the  church,  was  conclusive  proof  that  he  was  then  living. 

We  are  informed  that  the  church  was  built  by  '•  leave  of  Parliament,"  and  this 
"  leave"  must  have  been  obtained  in  the  early  part  of  Charles  I.'s  reign  :  and 
assuredly  the  church  must  have  been  finished  before  1G44,  when  Croinwell's 
generals' were  desolating  the  north  with  sword  and  flaine;  and  when  that  desola- 
tion surged  in  blood  over  the  devoted  fields  of  Tippcrary,  it  left  the  church  in 
Tubrid, like  other  churches,  a  blackened  ruin.  For  a  time,  between  44  and  46, 
Cromwell's  banditti  were  checked  by  the  band  of  Owen  Roe  O'Neal.  Once  again 
the  flag  of  the  red  hand  dawned  on  the  gladdened  fields  of  Tirowen  and  the 
flood  of  the  Blackwater.  He  met  Munroe  at  Benburb,  and  with  a  force  inferior 
in  numbers  to  that  general's  veterans,  utterly  routed  him.  Muuroe's  retreat 
was  a  flight,  and  he  left  nearly  four  thousand  of  his  "  roundheads  "  dead  on  the 
field.  O'Neil  was  preparing  to  pursue  him,  Mdion,  fatal  order  !  he  received  the 
Nuncio's  commands  to  repair  to  Kilkenny.  In  1()47  or  8,  he  was  marching  at 
the  head  of  the  confederate  army  in  pursuit  of  Cromwell,  then  on  his  way  to 
Clonmell.  when  at  Tandaragee  the  bowl  of  the  assassin  laid  in  death  this  last 
hope  of  Erin.  Had  Doctor  Keating  lived  in  these  times,  he  would  leave  some 
record  of  the  ruin  that  swept  over  Munster. 

In  his  preface,  he  says  that  he  was  then  an  old  man.  In  the  manuscript  copy 
from  which  the  following  translation  has  been  made,  and  for  which  the  trans- 
lator is  indebted  to  the  kindness  of  Mr.  Michael  tíheehau,  now  of  New  York,  and 
late  of  Kauturk,  Co.  Cork,  Ireland,  a  postscript  is  appended,  dated  1G29.  This 
date  clearly  establishes  1570  as  that  of  his  birth,  which  would  leave  him  then 
nearly  sixty  years  of  age.  There  is  reason  to  believe,  too,  that  Mr.  Shechan's 
manuscript  is  very  old,  and  is  a  copy  of  the  original,  and  was  very  carefully  com- 
pared with  it.  It  has  been  traced  to  the  possession  of  the  Rev'd  Mr.  O'Kecfe, 
nearly  contemporary  with  the  historian. 

In  closing  this  brief  and  uncertain  memoir,  let  us  be  permitted  to  hope,  that 
those  who  may  be  in  possession  of  authentic  records  relative  to  Doctor  Keating, 
■will  communicate  the  same  to  some  person  who  can  use  it,  so  as  that  they  may 
fix  such  facts  and  dates  in  reference  to  the  great  historian  as  can  be  known. 

We  subjoin  the  Tubrid  inscription,  most  fervently  joining  in  the  prayer  it 
invokes. 

New  York,  July  Ath,  1857. 


INSCRIPTION. 


Orate  pro  animabus  Rev.  Pjctris  Eiigenii  Duhuy,  vicarii  de  Tubrid,  et  D. 
Doctoris  Keating,  hujuscesac  elli  fundatorum  iiec  non  et  pro  omnibus  aliis  taai 
sacerdotibus  quam  laicis,.cujus  corpora  in  eodeni  jaceut. 

A.  D.  1644. 


Pray  for  the  souls  of  the  Reverend  Father  Eugene  Duhy,  vicar  of  Tubrid, 
and  the  learned  Doctor  Keating,  the  founders  of  this  church ;  and  also  for 
those  of  all  others,  whether  lay  or  clerical,  whose  bodies  arc  therein  interred. 

A.  D.  1644. 


THE    "D  I  ON-BHROLLACH;" 

OR, 

PREFACE    OF    DR.    KEATING.* 


Whoever  sets  before  him  the  task  of  inquiring  into  and  inves- 
tigating the  history  and  antiquities  of  any  country,  ought  to  adopt 
the  mode  that  most  clearly  explains  its  true  state,  and  gives  the 
most  correct  account  of  its  inhabitants.  And,  because  I  have  un- 
dertaken to  write  and  publish  a  History  of  Ireland,  I  deem  my- 
self obliged  to  complain  previously  of  some  of  the  wrongs  and 
acts  of  injustice  practiced  towards  its  inhabitants,  as  well  towards 
the  Old  Gauls  ^  (Anglo-Irish),  who  have  been  in  possession  of  the 
country  for  more  than  four  centuries  since  the  English  invasion, 
as  towards  the  Gaels,'  who  have  owned  it  for  nearly  three  thou- 


'  Dr.  Keatixo  styles  his  prelimi- 
nary discourse  "  Dion  -  bhrollach," 
(Deen-vrollagh,)  a  compound  term, 
meaning,  literally,  "  a  guard  for  the 
breast."  It  may  be  here  translated 
either  "  van-guard''  or  "  breast-work." 
Our  author  was  fond  of  such  compound 
titles.  Thus  he  styles  his  history 
"  Foras-Feasa  ar  Erinn,"  i.e.,  "a  historic 
knowledge  of  Eri,"  a  term  compound- 
ed of  Foras,  history,  and  Fios,  linowl- 
edge.  His  cleverest  and  most  care- 
fuUy-written  work,  which  he  composed 
in  defence  of  his  national  religion,  he 
called  the  "  Eochair-Sciath  an  Aifrinn," 
{Oghir-Skeeah  an  Affrhm,)  i.  e.,  "  The 
key-shield  of  the  Mass  ;"  meaning  there- 
by, an  explanatory  defence  of  the  Holy 
Sacrifice. 

"  Gauls. — The  Irish  designated  the 
earlier  Anglo  Norman  and  British 
invaders  that  had  settled  amongst 
"  Sen-Ghaill,"  {Shan-Glioill),  i.  e.  "  Old 
Gauls"  or  "  strangers."  Taese  settlers 
were  also  called  "  Strongbowniaus," 
from  their  leader,  Richard  de  Clare, 
Earl  of  Pembroke,  and  Strigul,  who 
had  received  the  nickname  of  "  Strong- 
bow,"  from  his  expertness  in  archery. 
These  early  colonists  soon  adopted  the 


manners  and  habits  of  the  Irish,  with 
whom  they  quickly  amalgamated,  and 
they  became,  as  the  English  writers  of 
the  day  said  of  them,  "  ipsis  Hibernis 
Hiberniores,"  i.e.,  more  Irish  than  the 
Irish  themselves.  A  marked  distinction 
was  therefore  made  between  them  and 
the  "  Nuadh-Ghaill"  {No-ghoill),  or 
later  invaders.  They  never  called 
themselves  "  Sasanaigh,"  or  Saxons, 
nor  was  that  hated  term  ever  applied 
to  them  by  the  natives.  They  are  al- 
ways styled  either  "  Brethnaigh"  {Breh- 
nigh),  i.  e.,  Britons  or  Gauls,  as  here. 
The  term  "Gall"  or '  'Gaul"  was  not  given 
to  them  as  a  generic  name,  though  the 
vast  majority  of  them  were,  in  truth, 
Gallo-Normans  by  descent.  They  were 
so-called,  merely,  because  they  were 
"  strangers."  Thus  we  shall  see  the 
Irish  calling  the  Scandinavian  sea- 
rovers,  "  Finn-Ghaill"  and  "  Dubh- 
Ghaill,"  {Doo-ghoill),  i.  e., "  Fair  and 
Black  Strangers,"  though  they,  cer- 
tainly, were  not  of  the  Gallic  nation. 

'  Gael. — In  more  ancient  Irish 
manuscripts,  this  word  is  found  writ- 
ten ''  Gaeilal,"  or,  with  the  aspiration, 
"  Gaedhal."  It  is  now  universally  spell- 
ed "  Gaodhal,"  for  the  moderns,  by  a 
[l'] 


DR.    KEATING  S  PREFACE. 


tíand  years.  For  there  is  no  historian  that  has  written  upon  Ire- 
land, since  the  event  just  mentioned,  who  does  not  strive  to  vilifj 
and  calumniate  both  the  Anglo-Irish  colonists  and  the  Gaelic 


corrupt  innovation,  always  replace  the 
••  ae"  of  the  ancients  by  '-ao."  Through- 
out this  work,  the  form  "  Gael,"  shall  be 
used  in  translating  the  word,  wherever 
it  is  used  in  a  national  or  generic  sense. 
It  has  been  received  into  the  English 
language  under  tliis  latter  form,  which 
represents  pretty  nearly  its  modern 
pronunciation.  The  editor  rejects  the 
form  "  Gadelian,"  because  it  disguises 
the  diphthong  '•  ae,"  which  he  considers 
an  essentially  radical  element  of  the 
word,  while  it  does  not  at  all  add  to  the 
facility  of  its  pronunciation  in  English. 
He  thinks  the  name  of  kindred  origin 
with  "  Oaotulus,"  or  "  Gaetuli,"  a  name 
by  which  a  nation  of  northern  Africa 
was  designated  by  the  Romans. 

This  is  the  true  national  or  generic 
name  of  that  portion  of  the  great  Celtic 
family,  which  inhabits  both  the  Scottish 
highlands  and  Ireland.  The  manner  in 
which  it  has  been  introduced  into  English 
has  misled  many  learned  inquirers  into 
comparative  etymology,  leading  them 
to  fancy  that  it  had  some  relationship 
with  the  word,  "  Gallus,"  or  "  Gaul," 
other  tiian  that  of  most  total  opposition. 
To  add  to  the  errors  already  broached 
upon  the  subject,  Dr.  O'Brien,  in  re- 
marking on  the  letter  "  a,"  in  his  Irish 
Dictionary,  has  devoted  a  large  space  to 
proving  that  these  two  most  antagonis- 
tic words,  "  Gaedhal"  or  Gael,  and 
•'  Gall,""  or  Gaul,  were  originally  de- 
rived from  the  same  source,  and  had 
been  in  llie  beginning  applied  to  one 
people.  Ilis  oV^ject  in  this  forced,  and,  I 
am  sorry  to  think,  wilfully  deceitful  at-- 
tempf ,  was.  ajiparenfly,  to  support  some 
of  the  wild  etj'mological  fantasies  of 
General  Vallancey,  and  antiquarians  of 
his  school.  Though  the  Doctor's  reasons 
are  beneath  criticism,  and  perfectly 
ridiculous  to  any  one  who  knows  even 
a  little  of  the  Gaelic  language,  in  which 
the  words  are  as  hostile  to  each 
other  as  friend  is  to  foe.,  or  as  black  is 
to  white,  or  as  any  two  terms  can  possi- 
bly be  ;  still,  I  am  induced  to  notice, 
his  imposition  here,  by  the  fact  that  he 


has  thereby  misled  some  really  learned 
and  truth-seeking  writers,  both  at 
home  and  on  the  Continent.  Moore 
quotes  him  as  an  authority  upon  what 
he  calls  the  adventitious  letters  interpo- 
lated by  the  Irish  Jiards.  The  learned 
Thierry  has  been  led  by  him  to  suppose 
that  "  Gallus,"  '•  Celta."  '•  Gaul,"  &c., 
and  '•  Gaedhal"  or  "  Gael,"  were  but  dia- 
lectic variations  of  the  same  original 
appellation.  As  a  basis  for  his  assump- 
tion, Dr.  O'Brien  makes  the  following 
assertion,  which,  after  his  own  etymo- 
logical researches,  he  must  have  known 
to  be  unfounded.  Having  remarked 
upon  that  property  of  the  Gaelic  tongue, 
by  which  no  two  or  more  vowels  coming 
together  can  form  distinct  syllables,  he 
goes  on  to  say  :  "  For  which  reason  our 
bards  or  versificators,  who  frequently 
wanted  to  stretch  out  words,  by  mul- 
tiplying their  syllables,  according  to 
the  exigency  of  their  rhymes,  devised 
the  method  of  throwing  in  between 
the  two  vowels  an  adventitious  conso- 
nant (generally  a  '  d'  or  '  g'  aspirated 
by  'h'j,  in  order  to  stretch  and  di- 
vide the  two  vowels  into  two  different 
syllables.  As  this  consonant  was  "  quite 
foreign  to  the  natural  frame  of  the 
word,  so  it  entirely  corrupted  and  dis- 
guised its  radical  form  and  structure." 
Now,  I  d(iny  that  our  bards  did  do- 
vise  any  such  method  for  "  stretching 
out  their  rhymes,''  and  I  challenge  ex- 
amples, from  any  correctly-written 
manuscript,  that  will  show  that  the 
letters  he  would  style  adventitious  do 
not  belong  cither  to  the  radical  frame 
of  the  word,  or  to  its  regular  <rram- 
matical  injlcdion.  The  proof  that  the 
letters  arc  not  adventitious  may  easily 
be  had,  by  comparing  the  words  in 
which  they  occur  witii  their  coirnate 
terms  in  other  Indo-JMiropean  dialects; 
in  some  one  of  which  the  letters,  mor- 
tified or  silenced  in  Irish,  will  ever  be 
found  fully  sounded.  'J'lie  truth  seems 
to  l)e,  that  these  aspirations  or  silcnc- 
ings  of  medial  and  final  letters,  were 
tlie    peculiar    mode   of  corruption  by 


DR.    KEATING  S   PREFACE. 


XIX 


natives.  We  have  proofs  of  tliis  in  the  accounts  given  by  Cam- 
brensis,  Spenser,  Stanehurst,  Hannier,  Camden,  Barchij,  Aiorri- 
son,   Davis,   Campion  and  all   the  writers  of   the  New  Gauls 


which  the  Gaels  dissimilated  their 
tongue  from  the  "  Lingua  prisca,"  or 
primitive  language  of  the  Japetian 
tribes  of  Europe  and  Asia.  Whether 
that  essential  difference  and  one  or  two 
other  minor  ones,  was  caused  by  either 
Semitic,  Uralian,  or  Finnish  admix- 
ture, is  a  question  that  well  merits 
the  investigation  of  the  comparative 
philologist.  It  would  favor  our  Phe- 
nician  theories,  did  these  peculiarities 
belong  altogether  to  the  Gaelic,  but 
they  pervade  the  whole  family  of  the 
tongues  called  Celtic. 

To  the  candid  etymologist,  the  reten- 
tion of  such  silent  letters,  in  the  written 
and  in  the  poetic  language,  will  not  seem 
to  be  innovations.  He  will  rather  consid- 
er it  a  proof  of  the  resistance  given,  by  the 
Irish  ollamhs  and  hards  to  the  linguistic 
corrxiptions  of  the  vuls:ar.  For,  if  these 
ollamhs  and  bards  did  innovate,  how 
is  it  that,  isolated,  as  they  undoubtedly 
were,  from  the  learned  of  the  world, 
they  always  chanced  to  hit  upon  the 
proper  radical  letter  that  should  be 
inserted  in  order  to  make  the  toritten 
word  correspond  in  outward  appear- 
ance with  its  Greek,  Latin,  or  San- 
scrit cogener  ?  Are  we  to  suppose 
that  these  ollamhs  and  bards,  whose 
education  was  purely  local  and  profes- 
sional, were  skilled  in  the  very  recent 
science  of  comparative  philology  ?  Are 
we  to  believe  all  that  the  venerable 
Keating  has  transcribed  for  us  of 
the  royal  schoolmaster,  Fenius  Farsa, 
and  of  that  universal  savant,  Gaedal, 
son  of  Etlior  ?  And  yet  we  must 
either  do  that,  and  allow  a  knowledge 
of  comparative  philology  to  our  bards 
and  shanachies,  of  lohich  the  most 
learned  amongst  modern  philologists 
might  feel  proud,  or  we  must  allow  that 
these  silent  and  aspirated  letters,  which 
pervade  the  whole  frame-work  of  the 
Gaelic  tongue,  are  not  adventitious. 
But,  it  is  much  easier  to  allow  that  these 
letters  were  pronounced  at  the  time, 
when  the  words  in  which  they  occur 
were  first  committed  to  writing,  and  that 


the  Ollamhs,  Druids  and  Bards  preserv- 
ed their  orthography  thus  unaltered, 
notwithstanding  the  changes  which  the 
spoken  language  underwent  from  popu- 
lar corruption.  This  is  no  place  to 
cite  many  examples  of  the  class  of 
words  I  mean  ;  for  such  I  refer  the 
reader  to  the  erudite  work  of  M.  Pictet, 
upon  the  Analogies  of  the  Sanscrit 
with  the  Celtic  tongues. 

Unluckily  for  Dr.  O'Brien's  assump- 
tion, the  cogener  of  the  word  we  spell 
"Gaedal,"  but  pronounce  "  Gael,"  is  still 
preserved  in  a  neighboring  Indo-Euro- 
pean language.  In  the  Cimbric  or  Kim- 
ric,  i.  e.  the  Welsh,the  Irish  or  Gaels,  are 
called  "Guydhill,"  with  the  "dh"  as  fully 
pronounced  as  the  "  th"  in  the  English 
word  "  whither."  Now,  our  Cimbric 
neighbors  were  not  first  taught  our 
name  from  books.  They  must  have 
heard  our  forefathers,  when  first 
brought  into  contact  with  them,  call 
themselves  Gaedail  or  Guydhill,  sound- 
ing the  radical  "  d"  fully.  Otherwise, 
they  would  not  have  known  that  such 
a  letter  existed  in  writing.  Their  own 
language  is  subject  to  all  the  aspira- 
tions and  mortifications  of  letters  that 
ours  is,  but  they  write  their  words  as 
pronounced,heedIess  of  radicals.  Hence, 
without  abiding  too  closely  to  the  date 
which  the  bards  give  as  the  time,  when 

' '  Miledh"s  sons  first  heard  dread  f^cean 
His  music  beat  on  Eri's  shores," 

we  must  still  put  back  the  epoch,  when 
Gael  and  Cimber  met  in  western  Eu- 
rope, to  an  extremely  remote  period, 
that  is,  to  some  period  when  the  "  d" 
was  fully  sounded  in  Gaedal.  That  it 
Avas  not  so  sounded,  when  our  Scottish 
kinsmen  of  Alba  left  us,  some  fourteen 
hundred  years  aa'o,  we  have  living  testi- 
mony. The  Highlander  aspirates  or 
silences  the  same  letters,  in  the  same 
words,  as  the  Munster-man.  It  has 
taken  somo  thousand  years  and  odd 
centuries,  to  make  a  slight  dialectic  and 
euphonic  difference  between  Scotch  and 
Irish  Gaelic.  It  must  have  taken  an- 
other, at  least,  equal  period  to  make  the 


XX 


DR.    KEATING's    preface. 


(Engli^ih),  who  have  treated  of  this  country.     So  that,  when  they 
speak  of  the  Irish,  one  would  imagine  that  these  men  were  actuated 

wi(l3  difference  that  cxista  Ijetwcen  the,  ral  signification,  and  it  U  now  forced  as 

nevertheless,  closc'y-allied  languages  of  a  national  name  upon  the  Ciinbri,  whc- 

Wales  and  Ireland      This  one  example  ther  they  will  have  it  themselves  or  not. 

is,  in  itself,  irrefragable  evidence    that  The  editor  here  instances  a  few  of 

Gajdal  is  no  corruption  of  (Jallus.even  the  host  of  words  aff(!cted  by  the  same 

were  our  own  oliainlis  silent  on  the  sub-  deliquescent   or   vulti-'g   influence    to 

iect.     If  the   natives  of  the   country,  which  this  radical  word  "  gaedal,"  which 

called  Gallia  by  the  Latins,  were  the  was.7?e?Aa/is  more  anciently  "Uaidalus," 

same  as  the   Gael,   their   relationship  "Gaetulus,"  VaLTvXoc;  and  VaiOuXoi;^ 


muH  be  proved  by  something  better 
founded  than  the  accident  by  which 
Gaedil  has  been  corrupted,  so  as  to  have 
a  faint  resemblance  in  sound  to  Gaul. 
In  t'.ie  common  Irish  this  day  spoken, 
"  Gael"  means  a  '•  kin?man,'  while 
"  Ga'l"  means  a  "  foreigner."  In  the 
Welsh  and  the  ArniDric  Breton,  also, 
"  Ga'.l"  or  "  Gal '  means  foreign.  In  the 
old  Anglo-Saxon,  its  kindred  terra 
"  Wallisc"  meant,  stranger ;  hence 
"  Welsh"  or  "  Wallisc*'  came  to  be  ap- 
plied to  the  B.-itish  inhabitants  of  Cam- 
bria. The  German  form  of  the  word 
"  AVelsch"  me.uH  foreign  also— Italy  is 
their  "  Welschland"  or  "  Foreigners' 
land."  The  word  is  seen  less  disguised 
in  the  name  of  t!ie  "  Walloon"  guanls,  so 
famous  on  the  Oontin 'ut,  and  in  thalof 
the  pj)p"e  called  '•  Walli."  But  why 
multiply  examples  ? 

Finiing  thus  that  the  word  means 
forn-^ii  in  all  the  languages  where 
any  form  of  it  occurs,  the  editor  holds, 
until  further  proof  be  adduced  in  sup- 
port of  the  common  opinion,  t'lat  the 
ancient  Celtic  inhabitants  of  modern 
France  and  of  n  )rt'iern  Italy — the 
"Ga,Hia"or  '•  Welschland"  of  ancient 
'SLomi— did  never  all  t'lcmsdves  Gilli 
at  all,  but  that"  Gallus"  perhaps  mean- 
ing in  old  Latin  what  "Gall"  means  in 
Gaelic,  and  what  the  word,  though  in 
more  disguised  costume,  means  in  every 
Eur:)pean  tongue  where  it  is  found,  the 
old  Itali  called  their  invaders  from  be- 
yond the  Alps  "  Galli,"  because  they 
were  "  Strangers  ;"  and  that  the  name 
continued  to  be  applied  to  the  people 
to  whom  it  had  been  m;rst  particularly 
given,  after  it  had  lost  its  primitive  and 
more  extended  m  ianing.  So  of  the 
Anglo-Saxon  '•  Wallisc  ;"  its  English 
form,  "  Welsh,"  has  lost  its  more  gene- 


has  been  subjected,  viz  :  "Aniha"  and 
"  amhain,"  i.  ■-.,  a  river,  pronounced  vul- 
garly ow  and  owin,  but  poetically  avva 
una.  avwin;  in  Latin,  "amnis."  "Aed- 
bar,"  i.  e.,  the  upper  air,  vulgarly  pro- 
nounced a/r,  poetically  a/g/ia?v  in  Latin, 
"  aether  ;"  and  Greek  AiO?]p.  "  Aeim- 
hinn,"  i.  e.,  pkamnt ;  vulgarly  pro- 
nounced eeng,  poetically  ecvinn;  in 
Latui,  "amoenus."  "  Bodhar,"  i.  e.  deaf, 
vulgarly  pronounced  bowr,  poetically 
bdgkZr;  in  Welsh,  "  byddar  ;"  and  in 
English  "  bother."  "  Cladhamh,"  i.  e.  a 
sword,  vulgarly  pronounced  cloive,  poetr 
ically  cl'.gh'.v;  in  Latin,  "gladium;" 
and  in  English,  "  glaive."  "  Cumhar," 
i.  c.foam  or  a  tí;'íi>e,vulgarly  pronounced 
cnor,  poetically  cuv'r  ;  in  Latin,  "  spu- 
ma  ;"  and  in  Greek,  ^u/za.  "  Feighil," 
i.  e.  to  watch  or  guard,  vulgarly  pro- 
nounced file,  poetically  fti/il ;  Latin, 
"vigilo."  "Gabhar,"  i.  e.  a  goat,  vulgar- 
ly pronounced  gowr,  poetically  g'vúr; 
Latin,  "  caper.  "  Medhon,"  i.  e.  the 
middle,  vulgarly  pronounced  meonc, 
poetically  megkdn  ;  Latin,  "  medium  ;" 
and  English,  "  middle."  Oghar,  i.  c. 
pallid,  vulgarly  pronounced  our,  poet- 
ically oghar ;  Greek,  uy'^por.  "  Saeg- 
hal,"  i.  e.  an  age,  life,  vulgarly  pro- 
nounced so ///.poetically  siig'ial ;  Latin, 
"  Saeculnm."  "Samhail"  and  "amhail," 
i.e.  like,  vulgarly  pronounced  .?  wil  and 
ow  /, poetica'Iy  n'mnil  and  .'.virV ;  Lat- 
in, "  similis  ;"  Greek,  ajLa  and  Ojio<^ ', 
and  English,  "  same ;"  and  the  sufTix, 
"some."  "Uablian"  and  "uanihan,"  i.  e. 
fear,  vulgarly  pronounced  oon,  poeti- 
cally ooua»  ;  Greek,  (pnftov.  "  Umhai," 
i.  e.  humble,  vulgai-Iy  pronounced  opt, 
poetically  ooval.  Uadhach,  ?'.  e.  an 
udder,  vulgarly  pronounced  ongh,  po- 
etically oohagh  ;  in  Greek,  ovdap. 


DR.    KEATING  S    PREFACE. 


XXI 


by  the  instinct  of  the  beetle;'  for  it  is  thenatureof  this  animal,  when 
it  rais3s  its  head  in  the  summer,  to  flutter  about  without  stooping 
to  the  fair  flowers  of  the  meadow,  or  to  the  blossoms  of  the  gar- 
den, though  they  were  all  roses  and  lilies ;  it  bustles  hurriedly 
round,  until  it  meets  with  some  loathsome  ordure,  and  it  buries 
itself  therein  ;  so  with  the  above-named  writers,  they  never  allude 
to  the  virtues  and  the  good  customs  of  the  old  Anglo-Irish  and 
Gaelic  nobility,  who  dwelt  in  Ireland  in  their  time;  they  write 
not  of  their  piety  or  of  their  valor,  of  what  monasteries  they 
founded — what  lands  and  endowments  they  gave  to  the  Church 
— what  immunities  they  gTanted  to  the  ollamlps,^  or  learned  doc- 


In  fine,  this  list  might  be  extended 
to  a  much  greater  length,  did  space  al- 
low. Did  I  quote  monosyllabic  words, 
where  the  final  letters  are  silent  or 
mortified,  it  might  be  swelled  to  from 
six  hundred  to  a  thousand  radical 
words.  It  is  this  peculiar  tendency  of 
the  Celtic  vocal  organs  to  mortify  or 
silence  certain  letters,  that  caused  the 
great  number  of  silent  letters  found  in 
the  Celto-Latin  of  France,  that  is,  the 
modern  French — a  much  less  portion 
of  which  is  derived  directly  from  the 
Romans  than  is  generally  supposed. 

The  editor  has  dwelt  longer  upon 
this  subject  than  is  usual  in- a  note,  but 
he  deems  its  importance  to  be  au  am- 
ple excuse  ;  for,  not  only  does  a  good 
deal  relating  to  the  filiation  of  the 
Irish  and  Scottish  Gaels  depend  upon 
the  retention  or  rejection  of  the  rad- 
ical "  d  "  in  this  particular  case,  but 
the,  perhajis,  much  more  important, 
question  of  the  possession  of  a  knowl- 
edge of  letters  by  the  Irish  Druids  and 
Bards  from  the  very  earliest  times,  can, 
in  his  opinion,  be  incontrovertibly 
proved  by  the  existence  of  those  very  si- 
lent letters,  of  which  he  has  given  exam- 
ples, when  supported  hy  strd  propriety 
and  close  analogy  with  other,  often  far 
distant  languages  (such  as  the  San- 
scrit, for  instance),  with  which  they 
are  invariably  used.  The  maintainers 
of  the  truth  of  the  ancient  tradition, 
that  tells  us  of  the  uninterrupted  use 
of  letters  among  our  ancestors,  should 
rest  that  much  disputed  question  upon 
the  irdernal  structure  of  our  artcictH 
written  language  alone.  "With  the  mod- 
ern Irish  and  Albau  Scotch  on  the  one 


side,  and  the  Sanscrit,  that  had  per- 
haps ceased  to  be  a  vulgar  tongue  be- 
fore Homer  composed  his  Iliad,  and 
consequently  the  purest  and  most  per- 
fect specimen  of  the  ancient  Jajietian 
tongue,  on  the  other ;  with  the  Greek, 
Latin,  Gothic,  Slavic,  Cimbro-Celtic  or 
Welsh,  and  the  various  dialects  of  our 
own  Ibero-Celtic,  as  connecting  links  be- 
tween the  two  extremes,  such  evidence 
can  be  brought  in  support  of  the  tra- 
dition of  our  own  bards  on  the  subject, 
as  must  convince  any  really  learned  and 
candid  philologist  of  its  being  founded 
upon  reality.  By  the  silent,  aspirated 
or  mortified  letters,  and  certain  other 
accidents,  what  I  may  call  the  strati- 
fied history  of  the  Irish  tongue,  written 
upon  its  very  c  re  by  Nature  s  own  hand, 
and  its  successive  stages  of  formation, 
can  be  traced  up  to  its  primitive  parent 
or  parents  in  the  East,  with  scarcely 
less  certainty  than  the  history  of  the 
earth's  formation  can  be  traced  from 
the  varied  strata  that  compose  its  shell. 

*  The  Beetle.  This  idea  is  also  found 
in  Lope  de  Vega,  the  Spanish  dramatist 
and  poet.  An  ancient  Latin  naturalist 
has  said  of  this  insect,  "  periit  odore 
rosas,"  i.  e.,  "  the  odor  of  the  rose 
kills  it." 

'  TIte  Ollamhs  {Ollaves),  or  learn- 
ed doctors,  were  the  members  of  the 
literary  and  scientific  professions.  lu 
pagan  times,  they  were  presided  over  by 
the  Arch-Druid.  They  comprised  the 
Druids  Brethemhs  {Breh'ive),  i.  e.  Bre- 
hons  or  Judges,  the  Bards,  Historians, 
Physicians,  and  Musicians.  Each  order 
of  these  was  presided  over  by  an  Ard- 
Ollamh,  or  chief  doctor. 


/ 


XXll  DR.    KEATING  S    PliEFACE. 

tors  of  Ireland — their  })ounty  to  the  ecclesiastics  and  prelates  of 
the  Church — the  relief  they  afforded  to  orphans  and  to  the  ]~>oor — 
their  munificence  to  men  of  learning,  and  their  hospitality  to 
strangers :  insomuch  that  it  may  be  said  with  truth,  that  they 
were  not  at  any  time  surpassed  by  any  nation  of  Europe,  in 
generosity  and  hospitality,  in  proportion  to  the  abilities  thej^  pos- 
sessed. Witness  the  meetings  of  the  learned  which  they  convened 
(a  custom  unheard  of  amongst  the  other  nations  of  Europe);  so 
that  such  was  the  force  of  generosity  and  liberality  amongst  the 
old  Anglo-Irish  and  Gaels  of  Ireland,  that  they  were  not  satis- 
fied with  distributing  their  bounties  to  those  that  claimed  them, 
but  they  also  gave  jjublic  invitations  to  all  persons  to  come  and 
partake  of  their  favors,  in  order  to  find  a  wider  scope  for  their 
desire  of  bestowing  treasures  and  presents.  And  yet  nothing 
of  all  this  can  be  found  in  the  English  writers  of  the  time ;  but 
they  dwell  upon  the  customs  of  the  vulgar,  and  ujDon  the  stories 
of  ignorant  old  women,  neglecting  the  illustrious  actions  of  the 
nobility,  and  all  that  relates  to  the  ancient  Gaels  that  inhabited 
this  island,  before  the  invasion  of  the  Anglo-Normans. 

Let  us  see  did  any  nation  in  Europe  oj^pose  the  Eomans  witli 
more  valor  than  they  did  in  their  defence  of  Alba  or  Scotland. 
They  forced  tlie  Britons  to  build  a  wall  between  Britain  and  Scot- 
land, in  order  to  protect  themselves  from  the  incursions  of  the 
Gaels;  and,  although  there  was  constantly  an  army  of  Eomans, 
amounting  to  52,000  foot  and  200  horse,  kept  to,  defend  that 
wall,  together  with  30,000  foot,  and  1,300  horse  for  guarding 
the  coasts  and  harbors  of  the  country  against  the  Scots  and 
Picts,  nevertheless,  according  to  the  Chronicle  of  Samuel  Daniel, 
the  Gaels  used  to  pass  over  the  wall  and  ravage  the  country, 
in  spite  of  that  large  army.  Cormac  MacCulinan^  also  tells  us, 
in  his  Psalter,  that,  in  consequence  of  the  ravages  committed 
in  Britain  by  the  Gaels,  and  the  "  Cruithnigh,"  called  also 
Picts,  the  Britons  murdered  their  Poman  governors  three  times, 
as  a  peace-offering  to  those  plunderers.  We  can  also  under- 
stand, from  Geoii'ry  of  Monmouth,  how  great  was  tlie  strait  into 
which  the  Gaels  had  reduced  the  Britons,  in  the  time  of  their 
King  Vortigem,  who  was  forced  thereby  to  take  into  i")ay  the 
Saxon  Ilengist  and  his  German  arm}^  We  also  read,  in  the 
Chronicle  of  Samuel  Daniel,  that  the  Eomans  had  built  fourteen 
fortresses  in  Britain,  in  order  to  resist  the  Scots  and  Picts,  who 
continued  to  disturb  tliat  country,  in  spite  of  the  Eoman  j)Ower, 
from  the  time  of  Julius  Cicsar  to  that  of  Valentiniau  the  Third, 

•  Cormac, sonof  Culinon,  Archbishop  stor  A.  D.  902.  lie  wms  the  compiler 
of  Cashe!,  was  proclaimed  king  of  Muu-     of  the  famous  I'salter  of  Cashel. 


DR.    KEATING'S   PREFACE.  XXlH 

namely,  for  a  space  of  500  years ;  for  it  "vvas  in  the  year  of  our 
Lord  447,  that  the  Eomans  deserted  their  British  province.  A 
contest  arose  before  that  time  between  Theodosius  and  ^laximus, 
which  obliged  the  latter  to  bring  a  great  body  of  Britons  with 
him  to  Armorica/  which  is  now  called  Little  Britain  (Bretagne), 
in  France ;  and,  he  having  expelled  the  former  inhabitants,  gave 
that  country  to  his  British  soldiers,  whose  posterity  retain  it  to 
the  present  day. 

Thei'e  are  some  authors  among  the  ancients,  that  make  false 
statements  with  respect  to  the  Irish,  particularly  Strabo,^  who 
asserts  in  his  third  book,  that  the  Irish  live  upon  human  flesh. 
My  answer  to  this  charge  is,  that  Strabo  has  lied,  in  thus  assert- 
ing the  Irish  to  be  cannibals.  For,  nowhere  in  our  ancient  records 
do  we  read  of  any  person,  that  eat  human  flesh,  except  Ethni 
Uathach,^  daughter  of  Crimthann.  son  of  Enna  Kinnsellach,  king 
of  Leinstcr,  who  was  nursed  in  the  Desies  of  Munster,  where  she 
was  fed  on  the  flesh  of  infants,  in  hopes  of  her  arriving  the  sooner 
at  maturity ;  for  it  had  been  prophesied,  that  the  fosterers  of  this 
lady  should  receive  land  from  the  man,  to  whom  she  should  be 
married  ;  and  she  was  married  to  Aengus,  son  of  Nadfraech, 
king  of  Munster,  as  shall  be  noticed  hereafter  in  the  body  of  the 
history.  The  reader  must  understand,  when  our  Shanachies 
would  not  conceal  this  shameful  fact,  so  disgraceful  to  a  daughter 
of  a  king  of  Leinster,  and  wife  of  a  king  of  Munster,  that  they 
would  not  fail  to  expose  it  in  people  of  inferior  rank,  if  such  a 
practice  ever  prevailed  in  this  country ;  therefore  Strabo  is  false, 
in  asserting  it  to  be  a  custom  in  Ireland  to  eat  human  flesh,  when 

'  Armorica  is  now  called  Bretagne.  ions  speaking  Celtic  dialects.  But  from 

It  lies  on  the  northwestern  coast  of  this  must  be  deducted  the  Basque  or 

France.      The  rural   inhabitants  still  Guipuscoan,whichisnot  nowheld  tobe 

almost  universally,  speak  a  dialect  of  Celtic.    Bretagne  has  given  many  dis- 

the  Celtic  tongue,  closely  akin  to  the  tinguished  men  to  Franco,  among  whom 

Welsh  or  Cimbric.     They  are  a  brave,  was  the  celebrated  poet,  Chateaubriand, 

simple  people,  obstinately  attached  to  *  .Si/ra6o,  a  geographer,  who  flourished 

their   old   habits  and  customs.     They  in  the  days  of  Augustus  and  Tiberius. 

are  moral  and  devoutly  Catholic,  and.  His  geography,  written  in   Greek,  to 

mostly,  fervid  royalists.     The  invasion,  which  our  author  here  alludes,  is  much 

here  referred  to,  was  not  one  of  extermi-  celebrated. 

nation,  as  might  be  here  understood;  the  "  Ethni. — In  admitting  the  possible 

old  Armoricans  were  the  same  people  truth  of  this  disgusting  and  improbable 

as  themselves,  and  the  exiled  Bretons  did  siory.  Dr.  Keating  shows  how  rigidly  he 

but  amalgamate  with  their  own  kins-  interpreted  the  canon,  he  quotes  a  little 

folk.      The   Bretons   are   supposed  to  below,  defining  the  historian's  duties, 

represent  the  ancient  Belg®  of  Gaul.  It  is,   however,  most    likely,   an   idle 

In  1800  there  were  said  to  be  some  three  slander  thrown  at  the  Munster  tribes  by 

millions  speaking  the  Breton  language,  their  enemies,  and  taken   hold  of  by 

In  all  France  and  Spain,  it  was  then  some  strolling  story-toller.    Dr.  Keating 

supposed  that  there  were  some  ten  mill-  did  not  sufiBciently  remember  the  fact. 


á 


XXIV  DR.    KEATING  8    PREFACE. 

we  can  find  but  one  solitary  instance  of  it  in  oui'  traditions,  and 
even  that  occurred  in  the  days  of  Paganism,  !^^y  answer  to  St. 
Jerome/"  who  makes  tlie  same  assertion,  in  writing  against  Jovi- 
nian,  is,  that  he  must  have  had  his  information  from  some  vender 
of  lies,  and  that  it  should  not  be  credited  to  the  prejudice  of  the 
Irish.  Solinus,"  in  his  twenty-first  chapter,  tells  us  that  there  arc 
no  bees  in  Ireland;  and  goes  on  to  state,  that  the  male  children, 
for  the  first  month  after  birth,  receive  their  food  from  the  point 
of  a  sword.  He  also  says  that  the  Irish,  when  they  have  killed 
an  enemy,  are  wont  to  bathe  themselves  in  his  blood  ;  but  it  is 
evident  from  our  own  history  that  every  word  of  this  is  false.  Pom- 
ponius  Mela,^^  speaking  of  the  Irish,  in  his  third  book,  calls 
them  "  a  people^'^  ignorant  of  every  virtue."  Many  other  ancient 
foreign  writers  have  spoken  of  Ireland  in  the  same  rash,  dis- 
paraging manner,  on  the  authority  of  lying  rumors ;  but,  no 
credit  should  be  given  to  their  statements,  for  they  were  them- 
selves utterly  ignorant  on  the  subject ;  wherefore  Camden,  when 
giving  down  the  testimonies  of  these  men  with  regard  to  Ireland, 
makes  use  of  the  following  remark  :  "  We  have,"  says  he,  "  no 
witnesses  upon  these  matters,  who  are  worthy  of  credit.""  It  is  evi- 
dent from  the  same  Camden,  that  it  was  false  to  assert  that  there 
were  no  bees  in  Ireland ;  for  in  describing  this  country,  he  says, 
himself,  that  "  such  is  the  quantity  of  bees,  that  they  are  found 
not  only  in  hives,  but  also  in  the  trunks  of  trees  and  in  holes 
in  the  ground.'"^ 

We  shall  now  give  a  few  of  the  falsehoods  of  the  English 
authors,  who  have  written  upon  Ireland.  As  these  men  have 
followed  in  the  footsteps  of  Cambrensis,^'  we  shall  begin  by 

that  critical  discrimination,  also,  was  non  solum    alvcaribus,    sod    ctiam  ar- 

one  of  the  historian's  duties.  boruni  et  terrte  cavornis  reperuintur. 

'"  St.  Jerome,  or  Ilieronyraus,  a  na-         '"  Giraldiis  Camhrensis,  i.  e.  (jorald 

live  of  Panuonia,  was  distiuj^uished  for  the   Wcislmian,   or    Cambrian.      'I'iiis 

his   zeal   against   heretics.     lie  wrote  first  British  calunmiatur  of  the  Irish 

with  great  eloquence  and  defiance  of  nation  was  an  Aii<iio-Norinan  ecclesi- 

style.     In  the  instance  here  referred  to,  astic,  who  came  over  to  Ireland  A.I), 

be  doe,s  not  seem  U)  have  much  regard-  1185,  in  the  train  of  King  .foiin,  whose 

ed  tiie  armory  wiience  he  took  the  wea-  tutor  he  liad  previouaiy  been.     Jle  was 

pon    wherewith    he   felled    his    enemy,  the  brother  of  I'liilij)  de  Barri,  one  of 

He  died  A.I).  420,  aged  91.  the  earliest  of  the  Anglo-Norman  invad- 

"  C.  Julius  Solimcs  wrote  in  the  1st  ers    of    Ireland,   and   founder   of    the 

century.   His  work  is  called  Polyhistor.  Anglo-Irish  sept  of  the  Barries.    (Jiral- 

"  Fompnnius  Mela  was  a  native  of  dus  was  the  son  of  a  Norman  nobleman 

Spain,     lie  wa.s  the  writer  of  a  geog-  by  a  Welshwoman.     He  wrote  many 

ra[>hy,  and  flourished  about  A.  D.  45.  works,  but  that  entitled  the  (Jonquest 

'^  Omnium  Virtutum  ignari.  and  Topograpiiy  of  Ireland  is  the  one 

'*  Uorum  qua;  commemoramus  dig-  to   which    our    author    alludes.      'i'he 

nos  fide  tastes  non  habeniiis.  falsehoods    of    ("ambrensis    have   been 

"  Apum    est    tauta    multitude,    ut  ably  refuted  by  the   Irish   antiquary, 


DR.    KEATIXG  S    PREFACE.  XXV 

bringing  liis  lies  home  to  Canibrensis  himself.     This  man  asserts, 
that  King  Arthur  received  a  tribute  from  Ireland,  and  that  the 
place  where  he  imposed  that  tribute  was  in  the  city  of  Leon,  in 
the  year  of  our  Loi'd  519.     Campion,  also,  makes  the  same  state- 
ment, in  the  second  chapter  of  the  second  book  of  his  chronicle, 
where  he  adds,  that  one  Gilla-Mara  was  king  of  Ireland  at  that 
time.     But,  notwithstanding  that  both  the  author  of  Polychroni- 
con  and  GcoiFrej  of  Monmouth,  with  some  other  English  writers, 
make  mention  of  a  Gilla-Mara  as  king  of  Ireland,  yet  I  challenge 
any  one  of  them  or  their  followers  to  produce  a  single  poem  or 
passage  in  the  records  or  traditions  of  the  Irish,  in  \vhich  there 
is  any  mention  or  account  of  any  person  named  Gilla-Mara's 
having  been  ever  king  of  this  country,  unless  by  that  name  they 
mean  Murkcrtach  or  Mur tough  Mor  Mac  Erca,  who  was  the 
cotemporaiy  of  King  Arthur,  and  was  very  powerful  both  in 
Ireland  and  Scotland.     This  Murkertach  sent  his  six  brothers 
into  Scotland,  and  one  of  them,  Fergus  Mor  Mac  Erca,  was  the 
first  king  of  the  Scottish  race  in  Alba  (Scotland).     Then,  it  was 
by  the  Scots  and  Picts  that  King  Arthur  himself  was  killed. 
This  Fergus,  wdiom  I  have  just  mentioned,  was,  as  I  state,  the 
first  king  of  Alba  of  the  Scottish  race ;  for  thou^i^h  Hector  Boe- 
thius,"  in  his  histoiy  of  Scotland,  reckons  thirty-nine  kings  of  that 
country  before  him,  still  not  one  of  these  predecessors  of  his  were 
of  the  Scottish  nation.     There  is  also  a  mistake  contained  in  the 
assertion  that  Fergus,  son  of  Fearchar,  king  of  Ireland,  was  the 
first  Scottish  king  of  Scotland ;  for,  there  never  was  a  king  of 
Ireland  named  Fearchar,  and  therefore  no  son  of  such  Fearchar 
could  be  king  of  Scotland,  as  Hector    Boethius  states.     Now, 
though  had  it  pleased  Murkertach  ]\Ior  to  place  his  brother,  Fer- 
gus Mac  Erca,  on  the  throne  of  Scotland,  still  Murkcrtach  is 
himself  styled  "i?ex  >Scotoni?>7,"  meaning  that  he  was  king  of  the 
Scots,  both  in  Eri  and  Alba,  i.  e.  Ireland  and  Scotland.    Hence, 
it  is  not  to  be  supposed,  that  so  powerful  a  monarch  should  pay 
tribute  to  King  Arthur. 

Speed"  says  in  his  Chronicle,  that  the  Irish  king  was  not  trib- 
utary to  King  Arthur ;  but,  that  a  friendly  league  of  mutual  aid 
in  their  wars  subsisted  between  them ;  so  that  if  one  of  them  was 
oppressed  b}^  enemies,  it  was  incumbent  on  the  other  to  help  him 
with  an  allied  force:  this  Speed  calls  ^^jus  belli  socialis,^'  i.  e.  an 
obligation  of  alliance  in  war.     Such  is  the  present  alhance  be- 

Dr.  Lynch,  of  Galway,  who  lived  dur-  Scottish  writer,  who  wote  the  history  of 

ing  the  reigns  of  Charles  I.  and  Charles  his  country  in  Latin.     He  was  boru  at 

II.,  in  an  able  work,  written  in  Latin,  Dundee,  1470,  and  died  about  1_550._ 

and  styled  "  Cambrensis  Eversus,"  i.  e.  "  John  Speed,  an  lOiiglish  historian 

"  Cambrensis  overthrown  "  and   geo<rrai)her,  lived   between   A.D. 

"  Hector  Boece,  or  Boethius,  was  a  1556  and  1629. 


XXVI  DR.    KEATING'S  PREFACE. 

tween  tlie  King  of  Spain  and  the  Emperor;  for  each  is  bound 
to  send  aid  to  the  other,  whenever  his  necessities  require  it ;  yet, 
we  are  not  by  this  to  understand,  that  the  Emperor  pays  any 
tribute  to  the  King  of  Spain,  or  the  King  of  Spain  to  the  Em- 
peror, In  like  manner,  if  there  existed  any  simiLar  treaty  be- 
tween King  Arthur  and  ^lurkertach  Mac  Erca,  King  of  Ireland, 
by  which  they  were  bound  to  assist  each  other  mutually  in  the 
time  of  danger,  it  is  not  thence  to  be  inferred  that  either  was 
tributary  to  the  other.  The  truth  of  this  opinion  is  more  fully 
contirmed  by  what  Nubigcnsis  says,  in  the  twenty -sixth  chapter 
of  the  second  book  of  liis  history:  there,  in  speaking  of  Irehand, 
he  says  that  "Hibernia^^  (Ireland)  never  lay  under  any  foreign 
sway."  Even  Cambrensis  himself  agrees  with  this  opinion  in 
his  twenty-sixth  chapter,  where  he  tells  us  that  "from  the^"  be- 
ginning Ilibernia  remained  free  from  the  incursions  of  foreign 
nations."  From  these  testimonies  it  is  clear,  that  neither  King 
Arthur  nor  any  other  foreign  prince  ever  possessed  the  sovereignty 
of  Ireland,  until  the  English  invasion.  It  is  not  to  be  supposed, 
that  the  Britons  could  have  laid  claim  to  any  authority  in  this 
ishmd,  when  the  Romans  themselves  never  dared  to  set  their 
hands  upon  it:  and  so  far  was  it  from  Ireland's  being  subject  to 
the  Romans  or  to  any  other  stranger,  that  Camden,^^  in  his  book, 
called  Bnianm'a  Cayndeni,  gives  the  following  testimony :  "  When 
the  Romans^  had  extended  their  empire  on  all  sides,  many,  no 
doubt,  came  over  here  (to  Ireland)  from  Spain,  Gaul,  i,  e.  France 
and  Britain,  in  order  to  escape  from  the  intolerable  3^oke  of  the 
Romans."  From  this,  it  may  be  understood  that  the  Romans  not 
only  never  came  to  Ireland,  but,  that  the  people  of  other  countries 
found  there  an  asylum,  and  were  protected  by  the  Irish.  The 
same  Camden  says  again,  in  confuting  the  oj)inion  of  those,  who 
imagine,  that  it  was  likely  that  the  Romans  extended  their  domi- 
nation to  Ireland:  23  "  I  can  scarcely  bring  my  mind  to  believe, 
that  this  country  had,  at  any  time,  fallen  under  the  dominion  of 
tlie  Romans." 

Cambrensis  says,  in  his  ninth  chapter,  that  it  was  customary 
with  Irishmen  to  take  the  widows  of  their  deceased  brcjthcra  in 
marriage.  lie  also  says,  that  it  was  not  the  custom  to  pay  tithes 
in  Ireland,  before  the  arrival  of  Cardinal  Pajnron.     This,  how- 

"  Hibernia  nunrjuam  externa;  sub-  dique  propagasscnt,  multi  proculdubio 

jacnit  (litioni.  ex  Hispaiiia,  (Jallia,  liritaiinia  hie   se 

^  ilibcTiiia  ab  initio  ab  omni  aliena^  rceopeniiit,  nt  iniiiuksimo  liomanorum 

mm  i,''ontiiun  incursu  libera,  pcrmansit.  jugo  colla  aubduccroiit. 

"  William.  Cami/en,  the  celebrated  an-  '^  Ego  aniraum  vix  inducerc  possum, 

ticjuary,    was   born   in   London,   A.D.  ut  hauc  rogioncm  in  Komanorum  po 

IÓÓI.    The  first  edition  of  his  "Brit-  testatem  ullo  concessore  tempore  ere- 

aunia,"  appeared  in  158G.  dam. 

^  Bum  suum  Komani  impcrium  un- 


DR.    KEATINGS    PRKFACE.  XXvil 

ever,  is  false,  as  will  be  seen  hereafter  in  the  body  of  the  history, 
and  as  I  shall  soon  make  appear  in  this  preface.  In  treating  of 
the  natural  curiosities  (wonders)  of  Ireland,  this  writer  sajs  also, 
that  there  is  a  well  in  Munster  wliich  makes  one  gray  upon 
wa-hing  one's  hair  therein,  and  that  there  is  another  well  in 
Ulster,  which  prevents  grayness.  Yet  there  are  no  such  wells 
now  in  Ireland,  nor  do  I  think  that  there  were  any  such  in  the 
country  in  the  days  of  Cambrensis.  He  sets  down  these  Avon- 
ders,  but  to  give  a  color  to  his  other  falsehoods. 

Cambrensis  says  also,  in  his  twenty-second  chapter,  that  when 
the  nobles  of  Ireland  ratify  their  alliances,  in  the  presence  of  a 
bishop,  they  kiss  the  relics  of  the  saints,  and  drink  of  each  other's 
blood,  though,  while  doing  so,  they  are  ready  to  betray  and  mur- 
der one  another.  My  answer  to  him  here  is,  that  there  is  no  poem 
or  passage,  tradition  or  old  writing,  history  or  annals,  that  bears 
him  out  in  this  malicious  statement.  Now,  it  is  a  well-known 
fact,  that  the  antiquaries  were  bound,  on  pain  of  losing  their  de- 
gree of  "  Ollamh"  or  Doctor,  not  only  not  to  conceal  any  such 
evil  custom,  if  it  existed  in  Ireland  in  their  day,  but  also  to  com- 
mit- it  to  writing.  Hence,  it  is  manifest  that  Cambrensis  has  told 
us  a  wilful  lie  in  this  matter.  Again,  in  his  tenth  chapter,  this 
man  saj^s,  that  "the  Gaels  are  an  inhospitahh  race."^^  But  in 
order  to  answer  this  charge,  I  have  only  to  quote  from  the  nar- 
rative of  Stanihurst,  who  speaks  of  the  hospitalit}^  of  the  Irish  in 
the  following  terms :  "  Theij^  are  truly  a  most  hospitable  people^ 
and  you  can  pay  them  no  greater  respect,  nor  can  you  gratify  them 
more  in  anything,  than  in  freely  and  voluntarily  frequenting  their 
housesj^  From  this  statement  we  may  infer,  without  leave  of 
Cambrensis,  that  at  their  tables  at  least,  they  are  a  generous  and 
hospitable  people. 

Cambrensis,  elsewhere,  says  that  it  was  the  wife  of  the  king  of 
Meath,  that  eloped  with  Diarmaid  na  n-GralP  (Dermott  of  the 
English) ;  yet  this  is  not  true,  for,  it  was  the  wife  of  Tighernan 
O'liuairc,  king  of  Brefni,  and  daughter  to  Mureadh  mac  Flainn 
son  of  Maelsechlainn,  king  of  Meath,  that  made  that  elopement. 
The  lady's  name  was  Derborgaill.  He  again  asserts  that  the 
rivers  Suir,  Nore,  and  Barrow  rise  in  the  mountain  called  Slieve- 
Bloom ;  but  this  is  another  misstatement ;  the  Barrow,  it  is  true, 
takes  its  rise  on  the  eastern  point  of  Slieve-Bloom,  but  the  Suix 
and  Nore  flow  from  the  side  of  Slieve  Aldiuin,^'  called  also  Slieve 

^  Est    antem    gens  haec  inhospita.  the  Strangers.    He  was  so  called  from 

i.e.,  "  They  are  au  iahospitable  people."  having  brought  over  the  English. 

^  Sunt  sane  homines   hospitalimini  ^  Sli'tbh  Aldniin  [Slieve  Aldiune),  ia 

ncque  illis  uUa  in  re  magis  gratificare  now  called  Greim  an  Diabhail  [Grime 

potes   quam  vel  ponte    ac    voluntarie  an  Deed)  i.  e.  the  Devil's  Eit.     It  was 

eorum  domus  frequentare.  otherwise  called  Beirnan  Eli,  or  the 

''^  Diarmaid  na  nGall,  or  Dermod  of  Gap  of  Eli. 


XXVUl  Dli.  KEATING  S  PREFACE. 

Beurnan,  {Úie  DeviVs  Bit  Mountain^)  in  the  territory  of  the  Ui-Ca- 
rin-®  {I ken-in). 

He  also  says,  in  this  same  work  upon  Ireland,  tliat  the  king  of 
^Kinel-Conaill,  that  is,  the  O'Donndl,  used  to  be  inaugurated  in 
the  following  manner: — "  All  the  inhabitants  of  his  territory  be- 
ing assembled  on  a  high  hill  in  his  domnius,  a  white  mare  was 
killed  and  put  to  boil  in  a  large  cauldron,  in  the  middle  of  a  field: 
when  it  was  sufficiently  boiled,  the  king  used  to  lap  up  the  broth 
with  his  mouth  like  a  hound  or  dog  and  eat  the  flesh  out  of  his 
hand,  without  using  a  knife  or  any  other  instrument  to  cut  it; 
he  then  divided  the  rest  of  the  flesh  amongst  the  assembly  and 
afterwards  bathed  himself  in  the  broth."  This  is  plainly  an  im- 
pudent falsehood  of  Cambrensis,  yb?- íAc  annals  of  Ireland  exiAicitly 
record  the  mode  of  inaugurating  the  kings  of  Kinel-  Conaill.  The 
ceremony  was  performed  thus:  The  king  being  seated  on  a  hill, 
in  the  midst  of  the  nobility  and  gentry  of  his  own  territory,  one 
of  the  chiefs  of  his  nobles  stood  before  him,  bearing  in  his  hand 
a  straight,  white  wand,  which  he  presented  to  the  king,  telling 
him,  at  the  same  time,  "  to  receive  the  sovereignty  of  his  country 
and  to  preserve  equal  and  impartial  justice  between  all  portions 
of  his  dominions."  The  reason  why  the  wand  was  straight  and 
white  was,  to  put  him  in  mind  that  he  should  be  unbiased  in  his 
judgments  and  pui'e  and  upi-ight  in  all  his  actions.  I  wonder 
much  how  Cambrensis  could  have  had  the  hardihood  to  invent 
such  a  lie,  as  that  quoted  above,  and  I  am  confident,  that  it  was 
through  pure  malice  alone,  that  he  set  it  down  in  his  book.  For 
it  is  a  well-known  fact,  that  that  tribe  has  been  distinguished  for 
godliness,  piety  and  religion,  and  that  several  of  its  members  who 
had  taken  orders,  ended  their  days  in  sanctity  and  devotion.  It 
has  also  produced  a  great  number  of  Saints,  amongst  whom  were 
Saints  Columkille,*'Baeithin,  Adainnan  anil  many  others,  too  nu- 
merous to  mention  here.  It  is  also  incredible,  that  the  nobles  of 
Ireland  would  have  allowed  the  king  of  Kinel-Conaill  to  observe 
that  barbaruus  custom,  which  Cambrensis  relates,  at  a  time  when 
the  Catholic  faith  had  already  flourished  amongst  then),  from  the 
time  of  St.  Patrick  to  the  English  invasion,  (about  700  ^-ears.) 

"   Ui    Carin  [ee-carrin)   or  Ikerrin,  Carin  was  tlie   tribe   name  of  the  0 

a  district  of  ancient  Eli,  but  now  a  iMeaciiairs. 

barony  of  North  'J'ippcrary.  It  was,  '■™  Kinil-CnnnUl,  i.  c.  Race  of  Conall 
in  former  times,  llie  tribe-land  of  tlie  and'l'ir  Conaiil,  i.  e.  the  land  of  (Nmall, 
clan  of  0  Meacliair,  now  written  0'-  so  called  from  Conall  (Julban,  the  an- 
Rleagher  and  Malicr,  in  Enjilish.  This  cestor  of  the  O'Dotinells,  O'Doghcirtics, 
sept  as  well  as  the  O  Carrolls  and  the  ami  their  correlative  clans,  was  the  an- 
other Elians,  were  descended  from  ( "ian  cient  name  of  the  county  of  Donegal. 
or  Kian,  the  third  sou  of  Ulild  Olura.  "  For  particulars  relative  to  thcsj 
"  Ui"  is  the  nominative  plural  of  "  O  "  saints,  see  the  body  of  the  history. 
or  "  Ua,"  which  means  descendant.     Ui 


DR.    KEATIjSTG'S   PREFACE.  Xxix 

And,  for  that  reason  also,  I  again    assert,  that  Cambrensis  lias 
broached  liere  a  downright  lie,  as  unwarrantable  as  it  is  ^'malicious. 

Spenser^  says,  in  his  Chronicle,  that  Egfrid,  king  of  the  Nor- 
thumbrians, and  Edgar,  king  of  Britain,  exercised  a  jurisdiction 
over  Ireland,  as  we  read  in  the  thirty-third  page  of  his  history. 
But,  this  assertion  cannot  be  true,  for  the  records  of  Ireland  are 
directly  against  him,  and  besides,  the  British  writers  themselves 
conft'ss,  that  the  Saxons  have  left  them  no  old  writings  or  coins, 
from  wliich  they  could  obtain  a  knowledge  of  the  history  of  those 
times  that  preceded  the  arrival  of  the  last-mentioned  nation ;  thus 
Gildas,^  an  ancient  British  writer,  tells  us  that  the  old  monuments 
and  coins,  and,  consequently,  the  ancient  history  of  the  Britons, 
had  been  destroyed  by  the  Eomans  and  Saxons.  Samuel  DanieP^ . 
agrees  with  Gildas  upon  the  same  point,  in  the  first  part  of  his 
Chronicle,  so  also  does  Rider,  in  his  Latin  Lexicon,  when  treating  of 
the  word  Briiannia.  The  latter  writer  says,  moreover,  tliat  Bri- 
tain has  not  been  called  Britannia  irom.  Brutus,  for,  if  it  were,  the 
name  should  be  Brutia  or  Brutica.  And  it  is  more  than  probable, 
if  the  name  were  derived  from  Brutus,  that  Julius  Caisar,  Corne- 
lius Tacitus,  Diodorus  Siculus,  Beda^^  or  some  other  old  writer, 
would  have  mentioned  the  derivation.  Thus,  as  the  British  au- 
thors knew  not  whence  came  the  name  of  their  own  country,  it 
is  no  wonder  that  they  should  be  ignorant  of  many  things  in  its  cL. , 
ancient  history.    We  should  not,  then,  be  surprised  to  find  Spen-  ' 

ser  equally  destitute  of  knowledge  upon  these  same  subjects. 

But,  it  is  a  matter  of  surprise,  that  this  writer  should  undertake 
to  trace  the  genealogies  of  some  Irish  noble  families,  and  take 

"  Dr.  Keating  is  particularly  indig-  of  his  upon  which  our  autlior  animad- 

nant  that  Cambrensis,  himself  in  holy  verts,  is  one  entitled  "  A  View  of  the 

orders,  should  malign  a  house  that  had  State  of  Ireland,"  which  Spenser  pre- 

given  so  many  ornaments  to  the  Catho-  sented  to  Queen  Elizabeth, 

lie  faith,  and  such  valiant  champions  to  ^  Gildas  was  a  British  or  Welsh  ec- 

the  Cross,  as  that  of  Kinel-Couaill.  clesiastic,  who  wrote  a  history  of  his 

^  Spenser.     This   was    the    famous  nation  in  Latin,  in  the  first  half  of  the 

English  poet,  who  wrote  the  "  Fairie  sixth  century. 

Queen."      lie  was  sent  to  Ireland  in  ^*   Samuel    Daniel  was    an   English 

1580,  as  Secretary  to  Lord  Wilton  de  poet  and  historian,  born  A.D.  1562.  He 

Grey.    There,  he  obtained  the  Castle  of  was  appointed   Poet   Laureat  at  the 

Kilcolemau,  on  the  Blackwater,  in  the  death  of  Spenser, 

county  of   Cork,  with  3,000  acres  of  ^  Bede,  usually  styled  the  Venerable 

land,  as  the  reward   of  his  services.  Bede,  was  an  Anglo-Saxon  monk.     He 

These  formed  a  portion  of  the  estates  lived  a  quiet,  studious  life,  and  died  at 

of  the  vanquished  Earl  of  Desmond,  the  monastery  of  Wearmouth,  in  A.D. 

Spenser  enjoyed  his  share  of  the  spoils  735.    He  wrote  several  works,  amongst 

of  that  ruined  nobleman,  for  a  while,  which  his  Anglo-Saxon  history  is  now 

in  tranquillity  ;  but  the  war  of  Tyrone  the  most  valuable.     He  is  considered 

caused  him  to  fly,  in  haste  to  Loudon,  one  of  the  most  respectable  of  Saxon 

where  ho  died  in  1598,  without  having  authorities. 
recovered  his  Irish  plunder.    The  work 


XXX 


DR.    KEATING's   preface. 


upon  him  to  assert  that  they  are  of  English  extraction.  lie 
Bpeoially  points  out  seven  noble  surnames  of  the  Gaelic  nobility, 
as  of  foreign  origin  :  these  are  the  Mac^Mahon's  (of  Ulster),  tlie 
clans  of  Sweeny,  Sheehy,  Macnamara,  Cavanagh,  Toole  and 
Byrne.  He  says  that  the  name  MacMahon  has  come  either  from 
Ursa  (Fitz-Urse),  or  Bear,  English  surnames ;  and,  as  the  words 
"  ursa"  "  Z/ea/-"  and  Mahon  are  of  the  same  signification,  that, 
consequently,  it  is  from  the  English  house  of  Bear  or  Ursa  (Fitz- 
Urse),  that  the  MacMahons  of  Ulster  are  derived.  My  answer 
to  this  assertion  is,  that  it  is  just  as  reasonable,  from  the  etj^mology 
of  the  word,  to  conclude  that  the  MacMahons^  of  Thomond,  or 
the  O'Mahonics^^  of  Carbery,  should  descend  from  the  English 
Fitz-Urscs,  Ursas  or  Bears,  as  the  MacMahons  of  Ulster;  and, 
since  the  former  do  not  draw  their  origin  from  any  Eng- 
lish source,  neither  do  the  latter.  But  the  fact  is,  the  MacMa- 
hons^ of  Ulster  are  descended  from  Colla  Da  Crioch,  son  of 


"  T}ie  Mac  Mahom,  in  Irish  Mac 
Mathghamhna,  [Maltowna)  of  Tho- 
mond, were  princes  of  Corca-Bassinn, 
now  the  baronies  of  Moyarta  and  Clon- 
deralaw,  in  the  county  of  ('lare.  They 
are  the  older  representatives  of  Brian 
Boromha  or  Boru.  lifini?  descended  from 
Mathghamhain  [M •hhrom),  son  of 
ilurkertach  Mor,  Kins  of  Ireland,  from 
A.D.  1110  to  A.D.  ll'30.  Murkertach 
was  the  son  of  Tordelhach,  pon  of  Tadhg 
( Tigue),  son  of  Brian  the  victor  of  Clon- 
tarf.  Diarmaid,  the  unfle  of  Mahon, 
succeeded  his  elder  brother  Murkertach, 
as  chieftain  of  the  l)al-íí-Ca,s  tribe,  and 
as  Kwj;  of  Munster,  but  not  as  sover- 
eign of  I r. 'land.  From  that  time  the 
O'Briens,  wiio  arc  descended  from  Diar- 
maid, held  the  sovereign  power  in  North 
Munster,  and  the  children  of  his  elder 
brother,  the  monarch  Murkertach,  had 
to  content  themselves  with  the  princi- 
pality of  Corca-Iiasginn. 

^  The  O'Ma/innies  of  Carbery  were 
anciently  cliicftains  of  the  lOugenian 
tribe,  call<,Hj  the  "ibh  Kchach  Mum- 
han,"  {Eev-Ah'i(rh  3iooti,)  and  kings  of 
Rathlenn,  a  district  lying  along  the 
rivers  Bandon  and  T/ie,  in  the  county 
of  Cork,  extending  from  the  sea  to  tlie 
bounds  of  the  county  of  Kerry.  They, 
also,  derive  tlieir  family  name,  O'Math- 
garahna.  from  a  person  named  Math- 
ghamhain or  Mahon.  This  .Mahon  was 
King  of  Desmond,  A.D.  1015.    He  was 


son  of  Kian,  son  of  Maelmuadh,who  had 
been  also  king  of  Desmond  and  son-in- 
law  to  Brian  Boru.  It  was  this  Kian 
that  commanded  the  i^ugenians  of 
Desmond  at  C'lontarf.  The  tribe  of 
the  Ibh  Echach,  (consisting  of  the  0'- 
Mahonys  and  O'Donoghoos,)  branched 
off  from  their  correlatives,  the  Mac 
Carthies,  0  SuUivans,  &c.,  at  Cas  son 
of  Core.  Core  was  King  of  Munster 
in  A.D.  380,  and  was  the  rival  of  Niall 
of  the  nine  hostages,  for  the  mon- 
archy. 

=*  T/ie  Mac  Mahons  of  Ulster  derive 
their  name  from  a  similar  personal  ap- 
pellation, namely,  from  Mathgamhain, 
son  of  I/aidgnen,  a  chieftain  of  Fcrn- 
inagli,  who  was  killed,  according  to  the 
Four  Masters,  A.D.  1022.  These  Mac 
Mahons  were  formerly  chieftains  of  the 
present  county  of  Monaglian,  and  some- 
times kings  of  Oirghialla  and  Ulldia. 
The  name  is  often  found  with  the  prefix 
"0"  instead  of  "Mac"  in  our  ancient  an- 
nals. 'Iliey  were  amongst  the  bravest  and 
most  distinguished  of  the  northern  tribes. 
Our  annals  speak  of  their  chieftains  so 
frequently,  Ihat,  what  Spencer  has  said 
of  their  foreign  extraction,  is  utterly 
absurd.  Our  bards  and  shanachies 
never  could  lose  sight  of  chieftains,  so 
distinguished  as  they  were, amongst  the 
princely  clans  of  Colla. 

The  very  usual  Irish  name,  ^lath- 
ghamhain  or  Mahowin,  from  which  the 


DR.    KEATING  S   PREFACE. 


XXXI 


Eocaidh  Duiblon,  son  of  Carbri  Lifficar,  of  the  line  of  Erimon 
or  lieremon.  Of  the  second  family,  the  "Clann  Suibhni,"  (called 
Sweenies,  or  MacSweenies,**  in  English)  he  says,  that  they  are  of 
an  English  house,  called  Swyne ;  but  " Suihhm''  (of  which 
Sweeny  is  but  a  recent  corruption)  and  "Swyne,"  are  totally 
distinct  words,  and,  consequently,  the  MacSweenies  cannot  be  a 
branch  of  that  English  family.  They  are  in  reality  descended 
from  the  O'Neills.  He  says,  also,  that  the  MaeSheehics'"  are  of 
Anglo-Norman  extraction ;  but  in  this,  too,  he  eri's  egregiously, 
for  it  is  well  known  they  are  of  the  line  of  Colla  Uais,  and  that 
they  owe  their  name  to  Sithach,  pronounced  Sheehagh,  son  of 
Ecdon.  son  of  Alasdran,  son  of  Domnald  or  Donald,  from  whom 
the  Clan  Donald  {i.  e.,  the  MacDonalds)  of  Ireland  and  Scotland 
take  their  name.  He  makes  a  similar  assertion  with  regard  to 
the  Macnamaras,*^  and  says,  that  the}-  are  Anglo-Normans,  and 


above  three  familie?,  so  widely  distinct 
in  their  genealogies,  derive  their  sur- 
names (wliich  all  three  mean  the  same 
thing),  is  said  to  be  an  old  Irish  term 
for  the  animal  called  a  "  bear."  The 
editor,  however,  has  never  heard  or  seen 
it  used  in  that  sense,  and  he,  therefore, 
doubts  it.  The  Saxon  name  '-Bear''  and 
the  Norman  one  '•  Fitz  Urse,"  being 
similar  in  signification,  led  Spenser  to 
make  his  unfounded  imputation  of  Sax- 
onism  upon  the  Mac  Mahons  of  Ulster. 
^  The  Mac  Su-eenies  settled  early 
in  Tirconnel,  and  there  branched  into 
three  great  families,  namely :  '•  Mac 
Suibni  Fanaid,"  who  dwelt  at  Bath- 
mullah  Castle,  ea?t  of  Lough  Swilly  ; 
"  Mac  Suibni  of  Boghanech,"  now  tlie 
barony  of  Banagh,  and  '"Mac  Suibni  na 
Tuath,"  or  of  the  Battle-axes,  Lord  of 
Tuatha  Toraighe  {Tool/a  Torec),  a  ter- 
ritory near  Tory  Island,  off  the  north- 
west point  of  Donegal  County.  The 
Mac  Sweenies  were  standard-bearers 
and  marshals  to  the  O'Donnells.  They 
were  famous  throughout  Ireland  as 
leaders  of  those  heavy-armed  infimtry 
soldiers,  culled  (ialloglasscs.  A  branch 
of  the  family  settled  in  the  County  of 
Cork  in  the  Thirteeuth  century,  as  com- 
manders of  these  soldiers,  under  the  Mac 
Carthies  of  Desmond.  This  branch  of 
the  family  had  castles  at  Clodagh, 
near  Macroom,  and  at  Castlemore,  in 
Parish  of  Moviddy.  They  were  famous 
for  their  hospitality,  and  one  of  them 


erected  a  large  stone  near  the  Castle 
of  Clodagh,  with  an  Irish  inscription, 
inviting  travellers  to  repair  to  the 
house  of  Edmond  Mac  Sweeny  for  free 
entertainment.  Some  of  this  family 
have  taken  the  conjecture  of  Spenser  for 
truth,  and  have  actually  chosen  to  revel 
in  the  smoothly  Saxon,  but  rather  por- 
cine patronjTnic  of  '•  Swyne."  Others, 
with  a  better  taste,  modify  the  name  to 
Swayne ;  but  all  the  old  and  respectable 
branches  of  the  Sept  write  the  name 
•'  Mac  Sweeny,"  or  simply,  "  Sweeny." 

*'  The  Mac  Slieehies  of  Antrim  were 
also  famous  as  Chieftains  of  Galloglas- 
sess,  and  obtained  possessions  in  various 
parts  of  Ireland,  as  sword-lands  from  the 
powerful  toparchs  into  whose  service 
they  entered.  A  branch  of  them  became 
captains  to  the  Earls  of  Desmond,  in 
the  Fifteenth  century.  They  formed 
the  body-guard  of  these  powerful  no- 
blemen. Several  descendants  of  the 
sept  have  changed  their  name  to  "Joy." 
Siothach  {Sheehagh),  comes  from 
"  Sith"  (Slieeh),  which  means  "peace" 
or  "  quietness." 

"  Macnamara.  The  powerful  Dalcas- 
sian  sept  of  ".Mac  Connmra."  i.e.,  sou  of 
Cumara.  takes  its  name  from  a  descend- 
ant of  Conall,  of  the  Swift  Steeds,  who 
was  King  of  Munster  in  the  Fourth 
century  Their  tribe-land  was  called 
Tricha-kcad-ui-casin  ( Trilia-kaid-cc-ca- 
slicen),  and  forms  the  present  barony 
of  Tullagh,  and  part  of  that  of  Bun- 


XXXii  DR.    KEATING's    PREFACE. 

that  they  came  from  the  family  of  "  ISIortimer,"  in  Normandy. 
But  in  this,  also,  he  makes  an  unfounded  assertion,  for  it  is 
clearly  known  that  the  family  of  Macnamara  (in  Irish,  Mac-Con- 
mara)  takes  its  name  from  a  progenitor,  whose  name  was 
''Cumara."  The  proper  surname,  or  rather  tribe-name,  of  this 
clan  is  "  Sil-Aedha"  (Sheel  naya\  and  they  are  of  the  descend- 
ants of  Casin  {Casheen\  son  of  Cas,  son  of  Conall  of  the  Swift 
Steeds,  and  of  the  line  of  Eber.  He  says,  that  the  following  sur- 
names, likewise,  are  derived  from  Great  Britain,  namely :  the 
«"  Sil  Brainn"  {Sheel  Brinn),  i.  e.  the  Byrnes,  the  "  Tuathalaigh" 
{Toohalaigh),  i.  e.  the  Tooles,  and  the  ^Víxemhanságh.''\Kaivaumgh), 
i.  e.  the  Kavanaghs ;  but,  the  evidence  he  brings  forward  in  sup- 
port of  this  conjecture  is  entirely  fallacious,  for  he  merely  strives 
to  derive  these  three  names  from  words  in  the  British  language. 
In  the  first  place,  he  says,  that  bi^in  means  woody ;  now,  admitting 
that  the  word  hrin  does  mean  looody^  still  the  name  of  the  "  Bran- 
naigh,"  i.  e.  the  O'Brainns  or  Byrnes,  is  not  derived  from  that  word 
hrin^  but  from  a  warrior,  whose  name  was  "Brann"  or  ''Brand." 
Secondh',  he  says,  that  the  word  tol  is  the  same  as  Mlly^  and  that 
it  is  from  that  word  the  "Tooles"  are  called,  but  Toole  merely  is  an 
English  corruption  of  0'Tuathail«  {O'Toohill),  which  these  Tua- 
thalaigh have  had  from  one  of  their  progenitors,  a  chieftain 
named  "  Tuathal "  (Toohal.)  Thirdly,  he  tells  us,  that  in  British, 
Kaevdn  means  strong,  and  that  it  was  from  this  word  Kaevan, 
tliat  the  "Kavanaghs"  hiive  had  their  surname.  My  answer  to 
him  here  is,  that,  in  Irish,  the  word  "Caemhan"  {Kaevaun),  means  a 
person  that  is  "  Caemh  "  (Kaeve),  i.  c.  genile,  or  handsorae.  •^■^The  0'- 
Cavanaghs,  however,  have  taken  their  name  fromDomnald  Kaem- 


ratty,  in  the  County  of  Clare.     Their  mal  territory  was  called   Ui  Faelain, 

tribe-name  was  "  Clann  Cullcin."  Their  which  comprised  the  northern  Jialf  of 

origin   is   the   same   as    that    of   the  the  present  County  of  Kildare.    Driven 

O'Briens  and -Mac  Mahons  of  Thomond,  thence   Vjy  the   Anglo-Normans,  they 

of  which  kingdom  they  were  the  lieredi-  fixed  themselves  in  the  mountains  of 

tary  grand-marshals.   "  Cumara"  means  Wicklow,  and  continued  with  their  cor- 

a  "  hound,"  or  rather,  a  "  wolf-dog  "  of  relatives  the  0 'Tooles,  to  be  long  the 

the  sea,  and  metapliorically,  a  sea-cliam-  terror  of  the  invaders  of  their  ancestral 

pion.     The    wolf-dog    was    the    most  homes.  'J'he  word  •' ]irann"  or "  Brand," 

noble  animal  of  prey  that  Ireland  pro-  whence  comes  O'Brainn,  means  "raven" 

duced.     Hjncc,  "  Cu  "  came  to  signify  in  Gaelic. 

a  hero,  just  as   "lion"  did   in   more        "O'Tuathail — The  O'Toolcs  were  also 

Bouthern  latitudes.  anciently  seated  in  Kildare,  where  their 

*'SU  Brainn — The  O'Brinns,  or  Byr-  territory  was  called   Ui  Muiredhaigh 

pes,  have  th'.'ir  name  from  Brann  Dubh,  (Ee  Murratj).  J)riven  thence  by  Walter 

i.  e.  "the  dark  Brann,"  who  was  king  of  de  Jliddlesford,  they  settled  in  Ui  Mail, 

of   Leinster   in   the   seventh   century,  in  tlie  country  of  Wicklow,  the  territory 

Their  origin   is  the  same   as  tliat  of  in  wliirh  (jlondalogh  is  situated.  "  Tuat- 

the  two  Septs  that  follow.     Their  orig-  hal,"  the  name  of  thtiir  immediate  an- 


DR.    KEATING'S   preface.  XXXÍÍÍ 

l)ánac]i,  or  Donald  Kavanagli,  son  of  Diarmaid  na  n-Gall,  and  that 
Donald  himself  received  the  soubriquet  Caemhanach  from  his  hav- 
ing been  educated  at  Cill-Caemhain  {Kili-Kaivcmin),  or  Kaevan's 
Church,  in  the  lower  part  of  Leiuster.  According  to  its  pedigree, 
this  clan  is  a  branch  of  the  O'Kinselaghs.  Moreover,  these  three 
tribes  are  of  Gaelic  extraction,  acoording  to  our  ancient  history. 
They  are  all  three  of  the  posterity  of  Cathaeir  Mor  {Caheer  More\ 
king  of  Ireland.  It  is  a  wonder  to  rae,  how  Spenser  could  have 
had  the  presumption  to  handle  subjects  of  which  he  was  in  such 
utter  ignorance,  unless,  as  he  was  a  poet,  he  allowed  himself  a 
poet's  license,  composing  fictions,  as  was  usual  with  him  and 
other  men  of  his  class,  inventing  unreal  talcs,  and  adorning  them 
with  elegant  language,  in  order  to  amuse  and  deceive  his  readers. 

Stanihurst*"  tells  us  that  Meath  was  the  portion  of  Ireland  that 
belonged  to  Slangi,*^  son  of  Dela,  son  of  Loch,  but  this  is  not 
true;  for,  according  to  the  "  Book  of  Conquests,"  Meath  contained 
in  the  time  of  Slangi,  but  one  canton,  or  "  tuath,"  in  the  neigh- 
borhood, Uisnech  ( ÍJshna/jh),  and  so  it  continued  until  the  time 
of  Tuathal,  the  Welcome.  And  where  he  asserts  that  it  was 
from  the  above-named  Slangi  that  the  town  of  Slane  had  its  name, 
inferring  thence  that  Meath  was  the  portion  he  obtained  from , 
his  brothers,  he  might  with  more  justice  have  stated  that  the 
province  of  Leinster  was  his ,  share,  and  that  the  river  Slany, 
which  flows  through  the  middle  of  that  province  to  Loch-Gar- 
man  or  Wexford,  was  called  after  him ;  and  he  might  have  said, 
also,  that  it  was  from  him  that  Dumha-Slángi^  received  its  name 
— this  fort  is  also  called  Dinn-Eigh  {Deen-Ree) ;  it  is  situated  on 
the  western  bank  of  the  Barrow,  between  Carlow  and  Leighlin. 
He  might  have  further  informed  us,  that  this  was  his  fortified 
residence,  and  that  it  was  there  that  he  died. 

It  is  no  wonder  that  Stanihurst  was  ignorant  of  these  matters, 
for  he  had  never  seen  those  Irish  records,  whence  he  might  have 
obtained  a  knowledge  of  the  ancient  history  of  the  country.     I 


cestor,  means  "lord."    It  is  pronounced,  etc.,  were  branches  of  the  Ui  Feilmed- 

"Toohal."  The  O'Tuatbails  were  among  ha. 

the  most  noble  of  the  Leinster  septs.  ■"   Stanihurst  was    the  son   of    an 

Some  of  this  race  now  write  the  name  Anglo-Irish    lawyer  of   Dublin.     He 

Toole,  others  Toohill,  and  others  again  entered  as  student  at  Oxford  in  1563. 

Tuthill.  Some  time  after  he  married,  but  his 

"  The  O'Cavanaghs  and  O'Kinshel-  wife  having  died,  he  entered  holy  orders 

laghs  were  called  the  Ui  Feilmedha  {Ee  in  after  life.     He  died  in  1579. 

Feilmaa).  Their  territory  comprised  the  "  Slangi  vf as  the  first  king  of  the 

present  counties  of  Carlow  and  Wex-  Fir-Bolgs.     He  was  also,  according  to 

ford.    The  Mac  Davy  More,  or  Mac  our  annals,  the  first  king  of  Ireland. 

Damore,  the  Mac  Uadog,  now  Mad-  '^  Dumha  Sliin^,  i.  c.  "  The  Mound 

dock  and   Vaddock,   the  O'Murphies,  of  Slangi."     Fr.  Vuwa  Sllingi. 


XXXIV  DR.   KEATING'S  PREFACE. 

am  also  of  opinion,  that  he  did  not  take  much  trouble  in  inquir- 
ing after  them ;  for  he  appears  so  utterly  ignorant  of  Irish  alfairs 
as  to  assert,  that  Ros-Mac-Triuin^  lies  in  Munster,  and  that  Meath 
was  one  of  the  five  provinces,  or  "  fifths" — an  assertion  in  oppo- 
sition both  to  Cambrensis  himself,  who  does  not  reckon  Meath 
one  of  the  provinces,  and  to  the  "  Book  of  Conquests  of  Ireland." 
In  his  apportionment  of  Ireland,  he  says,  that  the  English  pos- 
sessed the  one-half,  and  that  the  other  was  divided  between  the 
Anglo-Irish  and  the  Gaels.  He  also  asserts,  that  the  meanest 
peasant  of  the  English  pale  would  not  condescend  to  form  a 
matrimonial  alliance  with  the  noblest  Gaelic  family  in  Ireland ; 
the  words  he  uses  in  his  Chronicle  are  these — '■'•  Thé^  meanest 
peasant^  that  lives  in  the  English  province,  would  not  give  his 
daughter  in  marriage  to  the  most  noble  prince  amongst  the  Irish." 
K ow,  I  would  ask  Stanihurst  here,  if  the  peasants  of  the  Eng- 
lish pale  be  more  noble,  more  honorable  or  more  loyal  to  the 
crown  than  the  illustrious  Anglo-Norman  carls  of  Ireland,  than 
the  earls  of  Kildare,"^  for  instance,  who  married  into  the  families 
of  MacCarthy-Reagh,^^  O'Neil,  and  other  noble  Gaelic  septs ;  or 
than  the  earls  of  Ormond,^  who  are  allied  to  the  O'Brien's,  the 
MacGilla- Patricks'^  (Fitz-Patricks),  and  the  O'Carrolls  f  or  than 
'the  earls  of  Desmond,  who  are  related  to  the  MacCarthy-Mores;'"' 
or  than  the  earls  of  Connaught,^^  Avho  are  closely  connected  with 
the  O'Kuaircs.  I  shall  not  here  cite  the  many  viscounts  and 
barons,  who  are  thus  connected  with  the  Gaels ;  they  are  each 
man  of  them  of,  at  least,  as  noble  an  extraction  as  any  peasant 

*'  Ros  Mk  Triuin  was  the  ancient  tensive  with  the  present  diocese  of  that 

name  of  Old  Ross,  in  AVex ford.  name. 

'^  Colonorum  omnium  nltimus  qui  in  "  The  O'Carrolls,  in  Irish  O'Cerbhail 

Anglica  provinf'iii  ha])ltat,  filiam  suam  {O'Kerwill),  descended   from  _  the  Ibo- 

vel  nobilissimo  Jlibernorum  priucipi  in  rian  stocli  of  Kian,  son  of  Olild  Ohim, 

matrimonium  uon  darct.  were  the  chief  sept  of  the  ancient  prin- 

''  The  Earh  of  Kildare  and  the 'Earh  cipality  of  Eli,  which   comprised   the 

of  Desmond  were  the  cliicfs  of  tlic  noble  north  of  the  present  county  of  Tippcrary, 

sept  of  the  Geraldines  or  Fitz-Ceralds.  and  the  south  of  the  King  and  Queen's 

"'  Mac  Carthy  iirai^/i.  in  Irish,  "Mac  counties. 

Carthaigh  Riabliach"(il/ac  C«u?7ta  y^ec-  "'The  Mac  Carthy  Glare's  chief  seat 

t>ijg-/t)  i.e.  ]\Iac  Carthy  the  (Jroy.    Mac  was   in   Kerry,  to  which   the   ancient 

(earthy  Reagh  had  his  chief  residence  kingdom  of  Desmond   or  Dos-Muniha 

in  Carbery.     This  was  one  of  tlie  great  liad  in  later  times  been  reduced.     The 

septs  into  which  the  Clan  Carthaigh  kingdom  of  Desmond,  thus  reduced, held 

split  up  after  the  Knglish  invasion.  together  until  the  reign  of  Elizabeth, 

"   Tfie  Earls  o/  Ormond  were  chiefs  when  Mac  Carthy  More  exchanged  his 

of  the  Butlers  or  Lc  Botilers,  one  of  kingly  title  for  the  Earldom  of  Clan 

the  most  nobly  descended  amongst  the  Carthy. 

Anglo-Norman  septs  of  Ireland.  "   The  Earls  of  Connaught.     By  tho 

'-'  The  Mac  Gilla  Patricks,  now  Fitz  Earls  of  Conmught  arc  here  meant  the 

Patricks,  were  the  ancient  princes  of  Os-  De  Jhirgos,  or  Burkes,  Earls  of  Clan- 

8ory,  a  district  in  Kilkenny  nearly  cocx-  rickard. 


DR.    KEATING's  preface. 


XXXV 


colonist  that  ever  dwelt  within  the  English  pale.  For''*  mj  part 
I  can  see  no  reason  why  these  nobleman  should  not  contract 
marriage  alliances  with  the  Gaelic  nobility  of  Ireland,  unlci^sthat, 
througJi  an  humble  opinion  of  their  own  blood,  they  did  not 
deem  themselves  worthy  of  forming  connection  with  so  noble 
and  so  ancient  a  race. 

From  the  injustice  of  the  account  which  Stanihurst  gives  of 
the  Irish,  I  think  that  the  man's  testimony  should  be  rejected 
altogether.  Besides  this,  it  was  at  the  instances  and  suggestion 
of  other  persons,"^  Avho  hated  the  Irish  people,  that  he  misrepre- 
sented this  nation  so  calumniously.  I  do  likewise,  verily  be- 
lieve that  the  hatred  of  everything  Irish  was  the  first  nourish- 
meut°°  he  eat,  immediately  on  liis  arrival  in  England,  and  that 
he  kept  digesting  it  till  his  return  to  Ireland,  when  he  cast  it 
forth  upon  his  country  in  his   writings.     It  is  instance  enough 


**  The  venerable  Doctor  seems  to 
have  been  here  actuated  by  the  same 
enthusiastic  admiration  for  antiquity 
and  purity  of  race,  that  animated  one 
of  our  modern  bards,  when  singing  the 
glories  of  the  noble  ti  ibe  whence  he  has 
himself  sprung  : 

"Heroes  of  history,  phantoms  of  fable, 
Charlemagne's  champions  and  Arthur's  Eound 

Table— 
O,  tut  thp}-  all  a  new  lustre  might  borrow, 
From  the  glory  that  hangs  round  the  name  of 
Mac  Caurha  1" 

Montmorency,  Jledina,  unheard  was  your  rank, 

ay  <!arkeil-eyed  Dierian  and  lisht-hearted  Frank; 

And  your  aucestors  wandered,  obscure  and  un- 
known, 

By  the  smooth  Guadalquiver  and  sunny 
Garonne  : 

Ere  Venice  had  wedded  the  sea,  or  enrolled 

The  name  of  a  Doge  in  her  proud  Book  of  Gold ; 

When  her  glory  was  all  to  come  on  like  the  mor- 
row, 

There  were  chieftains  and  kings  of  the  clan  of 
Mac  Caurha  !''—Z>.  F.  McCarthy. 

'^  By  other  persons  are  meant  the 
English  officials,  and  the  greedy  plun- 
derers in  their  train.  Stanihurst,  Cam- 
brensis,  Spenser,  and  the  still  viler  herd 
which  Keating  lashes  in  his  preface, 
were  the  Castle-hacks  of  their  day,  then 
employed  to  apologize  and  find  lying 
pretexts  for  the  direct  robbery  'and 
murder  of  the  Irish  nobility  and  people, 
just  as  a  like  Jierd  is  actually  employed, 
now  that  the  Irish  nobility  is  nearly  all 
cither  extinct  or  reduced  to  poverty,  in 
finding  excuses  for  the  indirect  robbery 
of  the  landless  nation — for  cheating 
the  poor  out  of  their  last  penny,  and 


for  killing  by  famine,  as  the  sword  and 
the  gibbet  can  no  longer  be  used  indis- 
criminately. The  trade  in  official  cal- 
umny, likewise,  still  flourishes,  as  of  old, 
in  Dublin  Castle.  Lies  are  still  th» 
most  efficacious  bullets  that  can  be  cast 
against  those  that  would  compel  the 
heirs  of  the  upstart  adventurers,  that 
usurped  the  places  of  our  patriarclial 
chieftains,  to  disgorge  the  plunde  rthcy 
have  fed  on  too  long,  and  to  restore 
their  own  tribe-lands  to  the  clans  of  the 
Gael  and  the  Shan-Gaul.  Dr.  Keating 
is  mild  with  the  suborners,  though  suf- 
ficiently severe  upon  the  suborned.  He 
was  a  rigid  royalist,  this  venerable  old 
Gaul,  and  came  of  a  loyal  race.  The 
House  of  Stuart,  too,  now  sat  upon  the 
English  throne,  and  the  Irish  Catholics 
flattered  themselves  with  the  delusive 
hope,  that  their  revered  old  faith — that 
of  St.  Patrick  and  St.  Columkille — 
would  be  restored  by  the  descendants 
of  the  martyred  Mary  of  Scotland. 
There  was,  then  some  reason  for  our 
author's  not  wishing  to  aim  his  blows  at 
those  who  stood  too  near,  what  he  con- 
sidered, the  sacred  person  of  his  sover- 
eign. We  must  bear  with  him  for  the 
weakness.  He  belonged  to  an  age  differ- 
ent from  ours,  and  to  a  difierent  school. 
™  Nourishment.  The  original  is  some- 
what more  figurative.  It  has  it,"  was 
the  first  breast,"  or,  rather,  "nipple  he 
sucked,"  alluding  to  his  "  alma  mater," 
Oxford. 


XXX  VI 


DR.    KEATING'S   preface. 


of  the  hatred  he  bore  to  Ireland,  to  point  out  the  fact  that  he 
blames  the  English  colonists  for  not  having  expelled  the  Gaelic 
language  from  the  country,  at  the  time  when  they  had  driven 
out  the°  people,  that  had  owned  the  land  before  themselves,  to 
which  he  adds  the  "remark  that,  "  however  excellent  a  language 
the  Gaelic  may  be,  whoi^oever  acquires  a  taste  for  it,  acquires  at 
the  same  time  a  taste  for  the  evil  habits  of  those  who  speak  it." 
What  must  we  understand  from  this,  but  that  this  Stanihurst 
bore  so  much  malice  to  the  Irish  natives,  that  he  was  sorry  that 
the  Anglo-Normans,  in  their  conquests  from  the  Gaels,  had  pre- 
ferred to  act  the  part  of  Christians,^'^  rather  than  of  heathens. 


"  In  making  this  suggestion,  Stani- 
hurst meant  both  to  signalize  the 
proneness  of  the  Anglo-Normans  to 
adopt  Celtic  habits  and  customs,  and  to 
afford  an  excuse  for  plundering  what  the 
newly-imported  !Sa.\ons  called  the  de- 
generate English,  as  well  as  the  native 
Irish. 

^■'Thc  line  of  distinction  here  attempt- 
ed to  be  drawn,  between  the  extent  of 
guilt  in  national  spoliation  and  murder 
by  wholesale,  as  practised  by  Christians 
and  as  practised  by  Heathens,  will 
scarcely  stand  the  test  of  sound  logical 
morality.  There  can  be  no  doubt  but 
that  William,  tlie  Bastard  of  Norman- 
dy, was  as  great  and  as  ruthless  a  mon- 
ster of  crime,  as  any  llengist  or  Altila 
could  be.  and,  though  professing  Chris- 
tianity, as  anti-Christian  in  his  acts  as 
Pontius  Pilate  or  as  Herod.  The  dif- 
ference between  the  conduct  of  the  nom- 
inally Christian,  and  that  of  the  avow- 
edly Pagan  conrjueror  of  lOngland  was 
not  caused  by  their  difference  of  belief. 
It  sprung  from  their  diflÍTent  necessities. 
Hcngist  was  followed  by  a  whole  na- 
tion, with  their  wives  and  children.  He 
had  to  providi'  .settlements  for  the  serfs, 
as  well  as  for  the  masters — fi;r  the 
clowns,  as  well  as  for  the  nobles;  and,  for 
tliis  reason,  he  had  to  expel  the  poor 
man  from  his  humiilc  homestead,  as 
well  as  the  rich  man  from  his  castle  and 
domain.  William,  on  the  other  hand, 
was  followed  by  a  fÍMidal  army,  mosily 
unencuml)ered  with  children  or  with 
wives.  Of  that  army  he  had  to  provide 
but  for  his  nobles,  knights,  and  men-at- 
arms.  'I  he  soldiers  of  inferior  rank 
were  little  inclined  to  settle  down  in  the 


homesteads  of  the  Saxon  churls  ;  and, 
besides,  there  were  no  more  of  them  in 
his  army,  than  were  wanted  to  guard  the 
persons  and  man  the  castles  of  the  in- 
coming nobility.  This  nobility  wanted 
tenants  and  serfs  to  till  the  lands  they 
had  won  by  the  sword,  and  who  could 
be  found  fitter  for  this  duty  than  the 
ssris  of  the  Saxon  nobility  that  preced- 
ed it?  It  was  not,  then,  Williams  in- 
terest, or  that  of  his  followers,  to  extir- 
pate all  the  vanquished  Saxons.  He 
would  thereby,  in  mercantile  phrase, 
destroy  the  value  of  his  new  acquisition. 
He  then  spared  the  vanciuished,  as  far 
as  lie  found  it  needful  for  his  own  and 
his  fJli.wcrs'  interest — the  very  reason 
for  which  llengist  is  said  to  have  ex- 
terminated the  Celtic  Britons. 

In  Ireland  the  very  same  thing  oc- 
curred, and  for  a  lilte  reason.  The 
early  Norman  settlers  (Dr.  Keating's 
kinsmen,  for  whom  he  iicre  indirectly 
apolof^izes) ,  did  nor  find  it  their  interest 
to  exterminate  the  (jae's.  'Jhey  were, 
therefore,  satislied  with  their  submis- 
sion. 'I'he  lovely  daughters  of  the  Jberi 
and  the  (ycltie  soon  captivated  their 
hearts,  and  the  children  of  those  steel- 
clad  warriors  became  thoroughly  Irish 
in  a  single  century.  Had  our  author 
written  a  few  years  later,  he  need»  d  not 
to  have  gone  up  to  the  pagan  Jlengist 
for  a  contrast.  He  would  have  seen 
the  part  of  Hcngist  attem})ted  to  be 
])layed  over  again  by  that  soi-disaiit 
("hristian  saint,  Oliver  Cromwell,  ii) 
favor  of  the  cnnnil/e  of  plebeian  canters, 
whom  h(i  was  forced  to  get  rid  of  by 
ijuartering  in  the  homes  of  thr;  Iri.sh, 
boih  people  and  gentry.     Though  he, 


DR.    KEATING  S   PREFACE.  XXXVÍÍ 

For,  whoever  conquers  a  coiintrj  in  a  Christian  manner,  is  satis- 
fied with  the  submission  and  allegiance  of  the  vanquished  in- 
habitants, and  with  sending  colonists  of  his  own  people  to  dwell 
in  the  land  amongst  them  ;  but  it  is  the  practice  of  a  man,  who 
subdues  a  country  after  the  manner  of  a  heathen,  to  exterminate 
the  conquered  natives,  and  to  send  a  new  race  in  their  stead,  to 
dwell  in  the  land  that  has  yielded  to  his  force.  The  man,  in- 
deed, tliat  makes  a  Christian-like  conquest,  never  extirpates  the 
language  of  the  country  he  reduces  to  his  sway.  Thus,  the 
Norman  William  did  not  extinguish  the  Anglo-Saxon  tongue, 
when  he  had  subdued  the  Anglo-Saxon  nation,  for  he  allowed 
the  people  who  spoke  the  language  to  remain  on  their  native 
soil,  and  hence  it  is  that  the  Saxon  tongue  is  spoken  by  the  in- 
habitants of  England  to  this  day.  But  Ilengist,  the  Saxon 
chieftain,  conquered  the  Britons  after  a  heathen  manner,  for  he 
swept  them^  from  off'  the  face  of  the  land  of  their  birth,  and 
planted  colonists  of  his  own  nation  in  their  places ;  thus  he 
completely  eradicated  the  British  dialect,  by  banishing  all  those 
by  \vi:om  it  was  spoken.  It  is  a  conquest  exactly  like  this  latter, 
that  Stanihui'st  wished  to  see  perpetrated  upon  the  Irish ;  for  it 
is  impossible  to  destroy  any  language,  without  extirpating  those 
whose  language  it  is.  Now,  finding  how  anxious  he  was  to  ex- 
pel the  Gaelic  speech,  we  may  well  infer  that  he  desired  the  ex- 
termination of  the  Gaels  themselves,  and  that  consequently  he 
held  them  in  hatred,  for  which  reason,  all  that  he  asserts  with 
regard  to  Ireland  is  utterly  unworthy  of  belief. 

too,  was  merciless  as  Hengist  or  as  numbers  of  words,  both  in  the  old 
William,  and  anti-Christian  as  Nero  or  Saxon,  and,  consequently,  in  the  modern 
as  Maximin,  yet  it  was  not  a  difference  English,  that  bear  a  close  resemblance 
of  religion,  that  caused  his  conquest  to  to  the  British  and  Irish.  Many  English 
differ  so  much  from  those  made  by  the  words  also,  supposed  to  be  derived  from 
Geraldine,  the  Butler,  the  I)e  Courcy,  the  Latin  and  Norman  Frencli,  may 
or  the  De  Burgo;  it  was  entirely  caused  have  come  from  the  British.  Ingram- 
by  the  different  class  of  soldiers,  for  matical  structure,  with  the  exception 
whom  he  and  they  had  respectively  to  of  that  want  of  the  future  tenses  of 
provide.  They  had  but  to  provide  for  verbs,  which  is  the  great  charadcr- 
professional  warriors  and  for  gemlemen  istic  of  all  Teutonic  tongues,  as  well  as 
— for  men,  in  fine,  who  did  not  want  to  of  the  modern  English,  and  of  that  frce- 
cultivate  their  conquered  lands  them-  dom  from  that  dilapidation  of  the  radical 
selves.  Cromwell  had  to  provide  for  a  consonants — the  Celtic  characteristic — 
ruíBan  mob,  swept  from  the  purlieus  of  which  both  the  old  and  the  new  Saxon 
the  English  towns,  to  whom  the  owner-  enjoy,  and  to  which  the  British  is  sub- 
ship  of  even  a  small  patch  of  land  was  ject,  it  is  questionable  whether  the 
a  god-send  of  which,  until  then,  they  other  syntactic  forms  of  the  old  Saxon 
had  never  dared  to  dream.  have  not  a  nearer  resemblance  to  those 
_  *^  This  fact  is  very  much  to  be  qucs-  of  the  modern  Welsh,  than  to  those  of  its 
tioned.  Any  evidence,  drawn  from  the  own  English  progeny  It  is  possible, 
extinction  of  the  Celtic  language  in  Eng-  then,  that  the  two  peoples  may  have 
land,  must  be  fallacious.  There  are  great  amalgamated. 


XXXV  111 


DR.    KEATING  S   PREFACE 


This  Stanihurst  likewise  finds  fault  with  the  district  brelions,^ 
i.  e.  the  judges,  and  with  the  physicians'^  of  Ireland  ;  but,  it  is  a 
matter  of  surprise  to  me,  how  he  could  presume  to  censure  them, 
for  he  was  acquainted  neither  with  the  men  themselves,  nor  with 
the  language  in  which  their  scientific  works  were  written ;  for, 
he  was  utterly  ignorant  of  Gaelic,  in  which  tongue  their  treatises 
upon  the  Brehou  law,  and  upon  physic,  were  written.  He  was, 
therefore,  incapable  of  reading  these  works,  whether  upon  law 
or  phj^sic,  in  the  original  dialect  in  which  they  were  written, 
neither  could  he  understand  them,  if  read  to  him  b}^  another ; 
for  this  reason,  I  think,  when  he  abuses  these  two  professions, 
that  he  is  exactly  in  the  position  of  a  blind  man,  wlio  would  i)re- 
tend  to  give  a  preference  to  the  color  of  one  piece  of  cloth  beyond 
that  of  another.  Then,  as  it  is  impossible  for  a  blind  man  to  form 
any  judgment  between  the  colors  of  two  pieces  of  cloth,  not 
being  able  to  see  either,  so  it  was  also  impossible  for  him  to  form 
any  opinion  upon  the  two  sciences  above  mentioned,  for  he 
never  understood  tlie  books  in  which  they  were  written,  neither 
could  he  understand  the  ollamhs  or  doctors  who  professed  them, 
for  they  spoke  only  in  Gaelic,  which  was  their  natural  tongue, 
and  of  that  he  was  most  thoroughly  ignorant. 

He  likewise  censures  the  harpers^'  of  Ireland,  of  whom  he 


•"  Brehon.  This  word  is  called  in 
Irish  "  Breithenili,"  [brehav ;)  it  makes 
"Breithcmhaiii,"  [Brehavwin  ai)d  Bre- 
hooin,)  whence  comes  the  English  form 
"  brehon."  Upon  this  order,  to  which 
whole  septs  were  attached,  the  reader 
will  find  fuller  information,  when  our 
author  comes  to  treat  of  tliem  more  es- 
pecially. The  root  of  "  Hreithemh  "  is 
"breth"  (breh),  i.  c.  "a  judicial  sentence," 
whence  also  come  "Breithemhnas,"  {bre- 
hownas,)  i.e.  "judpiment."  Numerous 
manuscript  compilations  of  the  "  lircith- 
emhnas  "  or  Brehon  T>aw  still  exist.  The 
erudite  Dr.  O'Douovan,  and  his  learned 
colleague,  Mr.  Eugene  Curry,  arc  now 
said  to  be  jireparing  a  translation  of 
these  laws,  to  be  published  by  the  Irish 
Archaeological  Society. 

"  A  phijiicinn  is  called  "  liagh " 
{leeah)  in  Iri.-h,  and  the  healing  art  was 
thence  named  "leighcs  "  (/i/a.s).  'J'licrc 
are  many  tracts  upon  the  m'Mlical  art, 
still  extant  in  (iaelic  manuscript.  Di- 
ancccht  {deean-kai'^ht)  was  the  Irish  god 
.^.■jculapius  or  god  of  ])hysic.  Each 
great  tribe  hail  its  particular  sept  of 
physicians,generally  of  noble  extraction, 


and  of  the  same  blood  with  the  chief- 
tain. The  O'Callanans  were  the  most 
distinguislied  medical  sept  among  the 
Desmond  clans,  and  it  is  remarkable, 
that,  even  to  the  present  day,  this  sept 
has  never  been  known  to  be  without 
having  physicians  amongst  its  members. 
"  Ollamh  re  leighes "  {ollave  re  lijas) 
meant  medical  doctor,  among  the  Gaels. 
'"'  'J'lie  Irish  had  two  kinds  of  harp, 
one  of  which  they  called  "clairsech" 
(r.lau'rshap:h)  and  the  other  "  emit " 
{kri/th).  The  former  is  supposed  to 
have  been  most  used  for  martial  strains, 
and  for  the  songs  of  triumph  and  of 
joy,  the  latter  for  the  softer  lay  of  love 
and  sadness.  The  man  who  performed 
upon  the  latter  instrument  was  called 
"  cruitiri  "  (r,rijthi<eh),  whilst  the  play- 
er on  the  clairsech,  was  called  "  clair- 
scoir  "  (c/aars/iore).  Oirfidech  (per-fec- 
il(if^h),  was  the  general  name  for  a 
musical  performer,  in  (Jaelic  ;  his  art 
was  called  "  oirfides  "  and  "oirfidecht" 
[ner-fce-daglit)  ;  ceol  [ke-olc),  was  the 
general  name  of  music.  'J'hero  were 
"Ollamhs  re  ceol,"  i-  c-  "Doctors  of 
Music,"   as   well   as  the  "  Ollamhs   re 


DR.   KEATING  S  PREFACE. 


XXXIX 


asserts,  that  they  know  nothing  of  music.  But,  it  is  more  than 
probable,  that  he  was  himself  no  judge  of  any  music™  at  all. 
Certainly,  he  coukl  be  no  judge  of  this  our  Gaelic  music  of  Eri,  for 
he  knew  nothing  of  the  rules  that  appertain  to  it.  One  would 
think  that  this  Stanihurst  never  considered,  that  Ireland  was  a 
region  apart,  forming,  as  it  were,  a  little  world  in  itself,  and  that 
the  nobles  and  ollamhs^  or  learned  professors,  that  dwelt  in  it  of 
old,  had  instituted  systems  of  jurisprudence,  physic,  poetrj'-,  and 
music,  which  were  peculiar  to  themselves,  and  that  these  systems 
were  governed  by  certain  special  rules  of  their  own,  which  have 
always  continued  to  be  observed  in  this  land ;  under  such  cir- 
cumstances, it  was  very  bad  taste  in  the  man  to  give  utterance 
to  the  rash  judgment  above  cited,  and  so  presumptuously  con- 
demn the  Irish  music.  I  wonder  much  that  he  had  not  read 
the  nineteenth  chapiter  of  Cambrensis,  in  which  he  so  praises  the 
music  of  the  Irish — but,  perhaps,  he  wished  to  outdo  even  Cam- 


Leighes,"  aljove  mentioned.  The  "  01- 
lamh  re  Filidhecht "  [filleeaght)  was 
the  "Doctor  of  Poetry;"  the  Doctor 
of  Law  was  styled  "  Ollarnh  re  Dlighe" 
{dice),  and  the  Doctor  of  History  was 
called  "  OUamh  re  Senchas." 

'"  Music.  In  poesy,  history  and  music, 
which  were  closely  allied  amongst  our  an- 
cestors, the  most  distinguished  amongst 
the  professor  castes  were,  in  Ulster,  the 
O'Cleries,  the  Mac  an  Bhairds  (ran/),  or 
"Wards,  the  MacConways,  the  O'Gnives, 
the  O'Slevins,  O'Husseys,  O'Don- 
nellies,  O'Dalies,  O'Mulligans,  O'Farrel- 
lies  and  O'Curneens ;  in  Connaught  and 
Meath,  the  O'Maelconaries,  Mulconries, 
or  Conries,  the  MacFirbisses,  the  O'Dui- 
genaus,  the  O'Dugans,  the  O'Higgins, 
and  O'Coffees.  The  O'Dunns  and 
MacKeoghs,  were  the  chief  bards  of 
Leinster ;  the  MacGraths,  the  O'Di- 
neeus,  the  MacBruodins  or  Brodies, 
the  MacCurtins,  and  MacGowans,  and 
some  of  the  O'Keefes,  in  INLunster. 
The  O'Dalies  were  found  distinguished 
as  poets  in  all  parts  of  Ireland.  "  In 
music  the  ancient  Irish  were  highly 
celebrated.  It  is  stated  in  the  Chroni- 
cle of  Ilanmer,  p.  197,  that  in  the  latter 
end  of  the  eleventh  century,  about 
A.  D  1098,  Griffith  ap  Conan,  Prince 
of  Wales,  who  had  resided  a  long  time 
iu  Ireland,  brought  over  with  him,  to 


Wales,  '  divers  cunning  musicians,  who 
devised  in  manner  all  the  instrumental 
music  upon  the  harp  and  crowth  that 
is  there  used,  and  made  laws  of  minstrel- 
si/  to  retain  the  musicians  in  due  order.' 
Thus  it  appears  that  the  famous  Welsh 
bards  were  indebted  for  their  knowl- 
edge of  the  harp  chiefly  to  the  Irish. 
The  Irish  in  former  ages  were  the  most 
famous  harpers  in  Europe,  and  contin- 
ued eminent  in  the  art  down  to  modern 
times."  Turlough  O'Carrolan,  our  last 
very  eminent  harper  and  composer,  died 
in  the  year  1738.  There  were  many 
other  eminent  bards,  harpers  and  musical 
composers  in  Ireland  in  the  eighteenth 
century,  as  Oormac  Comman,  Thomas 
O'Connellan.  and  his  brother  William. 
Roger  and  Echlin  O'Kane,  Cahir  Mac- 
Cabe,  Miles  O'Kelly,  Charles  Fanning. 
Edward  MacDermod  Roe,  Hugh  O'Hig- 
gin,  Patrick  Kerr,  Patrick  Moyne,  and 
others,  all  in  Ulster  and  Connaught. — 
In  Meath  and  Leinster,  Cruise,  O'Car- 
roU,  Murphy  and  Empson,  were  dis- 
tinguished harpers.  Interesting  ac- 
counts of  the  Irish  minstrels  and  bards 
are  given  in  the  works  of  Walker  [Irish 
hard's),  Boauford,  Miss  Brooke,  Led- 
witch,  Bunting  Hardiman's  Irish  Min- 
strelsy, (a  u'ork  no  reading  Irishman 
should  be  without. — Ed.)  Notes  to  Con- 
nellan's  Tour  Masters. 


Xl  DR.    KEATING's    preface. 

breusis  in  misrepresenting  and  calumniating  everything  Irish. 
For  there  is  nothing  for  whicli  the  latter  writer  so  conmiends  the 
Irish  people,  as  for  the  Gaelic  music;  in  the  chapter,  just  re- 
ferred to,  he  says:  "In  their  musical  instruments^^  alone  do  I 
find  any  laudable  industry  amongst  this  people ;  in  these  they 
are  incomparably  skilful,  beyond  all  other  nations." 

Here  follows  the  description,  winch  he  gives  in  the  same 
chapter,  while  praising  the  (jaelic  music. 

"Its  melody,"  says  he,  "is  filled  up  and  its  harmony  is  pro- 
duced by  a  rapidity  so  sweet,  by  so  unequal  a  parity  of  sound, 
and  by  so  discordant  a  concord."  "''^  From  this  testimony  alone, 
forced  from  the  hostile  Cambrensis,  we  might  conclude  that  it 
was  grossly  untrue  of  Stanihurst,  to  assert  that  there  was  no  har- 
mony in  the  Irish  music.  Neither  is  he  to  be  believed,  when  he 
states,  that  the  Irish  musicians  were  nearly  all  blind  men  ;  for,  it 
is  well  known  that  there  were  more  musicians  in  Ireland  who 
had  their  sight  than  were  blind,  at  the  time  when  he  was  writing 
his  history ;  so  it  has  been  ever  since,  and  so  it  is  at  present,  as  all 
our  coteniporaries  can  bear  witness. 

The  reader  must  remember,  thaf,  when  writing  his  history  of 
Ireland,  Stanihurst  was  laboring  under  three  gTcat  defects,  that 
should  forever  disentitle  him  to  the  respect  due  to  a  competent 
historian.  In  the  first  place,  he  was  too  young  to  have  had  time 
to  examine  the  antiquities  of  the  country,  of  which  he  wrote. 
Secondly,  he  was  utterly  ignorant  of  the  language,  in  which  the 
records  and  ancient  traditions  of  that  country  and  its  inhabitants 
were  preserved  ;  so  that  it  was  not  possible  that  he  could  have 
known  anything  of  the  former  condition  of  Ireland.  The  third 
defect  he  labored  under,  was  his  sordid  ambition ;  he  was  inspired 
by  the  hope  of  obtaining  preferment  from  those  who  had  suborned 
him  to  malign  the  Irish  nation  in  his  writings.  His  writings  on 
this  subject  are  also  unworthy  of  credit,  from  the  fact  that,  after- 
wards, when  he  Avas  about  Ijecoming  a  priest,  he  had  himself 
E remised  a  recantation  of  all  tlie  malignant  falsehoods  which  he 
ad  written  about  this  country,  which  recantation  is,  as  I  can 
learn,  now  jtrinted  and  published  in  Ireland. ^^ 

Stanihurst  tells  us  also  that  the  Irish,  when  engaged  in  battle, 
or  in  any  hostile  encounter^  used  to  cry  out  Pharo,  Pharo,''*  in  a 

"  In  musicis  solum  instnimontis  com-  "'  From  tlii.s  rpmark,  one  miprlit  tliink 

mcndaVjilcm  invonio   gc-ntis   istius  dili-  Dr.  Kcatiiiir  was  not  liimsclf  in  Ireland 

gcntiam,  in  quibus   pre   omni   natione  when  writing  liis  preface.     'J'lic   editor 

quam  vidimus  in  comparabiliter  est  iu-  does  not  know,  whellicr  the  recantation 

Btructa.  here  mentioned  lias  been  over  pul)Iislicd. 

"  Tam  suavi  velocitatc,  tarn  dispari  '*  P/iaro.    The  Irish  war-cry  "farrah," 

paritate,  tarn  discordi   concordia,   con-  may  either  be  the  (íaelic  equivalent  for 

Bona  rcdditur  et  coniplctur  mclodia.  the  Saxon  "  hurrah,"  or  as  Dr.  Keating 


DK.    KEATING's    preface.  xli 

loud  voice.  This  word,  Avliich  he  calls  Pharo^  he  would  derive 
from  "  Pharaoh,"  the  name  of  the  ancient  Egyptian  kings.  But 
the  fact  is  not  so ;  the  ciy  is  "Faire  0"  {Farr^o)  and  it  means  beware, 
thus  telling  the  other  parties  to  defend  themselves,  if  they  can; 
just  so,  th^  Frenchman  says  (/aríiííz,  gardez,  which  means  the  same 
thing  when  he  sees  his  neighbor  in  danger. 

Doctor  Hanmer''^  hands  down  in  his  chronicle  that  Bartholinus 
was  the  leader  of  the  Gaels  on  their  arrival  in  Ireland;  by  this 
Bartholinus,  he,  of  course,  means  Partholan,  Bat,  according  to 
the  history  of  Ireland,  there  were  more  than  seven  hundred 
years  between  the  coming  of  Partholan  to  Ireland  and  the 
invasion  of  the  sons  of  Miledh  (i.  e.  the  Gaels).  For, 
Partholan  landed  in  Ireland  about  three  hundred  years  after 
the  Deluge,  and  it  was  one  thousand  and  eighty  years  after  the 
deluge  when  the  sons  of  Miledh  arrived  therein.  In  this  mat- 
ter, according  to  the  opinion  of  Camden,  more  credence  is  to  be 
given  to  the  ancient  traditions  of  Ireland  than  to  any  conjecture 
of  Hanmer.  The  learned  Camden  speaks  thus  upon  the  sub- 
ject :  "  Ancient™  tradition  must  be  respected  in  all  such  matters ;" 
and  truly,  if  we  are  to  pay  respect  to  any  historic  tradition  on  ac- 
count of  its  antiquity,  then  is  the  history  of  Ii-elaud  worthy  of 
the  most  special  respect."  On  this  subject  Camden  again  says,  in 
his  Britannia  Camdeni,  when  referring  to  Ireland,"  "Tliis  island 
was  not  undeservedly  called  "  Ogygia"  or  "the  most  ancient"  by 
Plutarch.^^  The  reason  he  assigns  for  this  opinion  is  because 
"they"'^  (that  is  the  Irish)  "deduce  their  history  from  memorials 


here  suggests,  it  may  have  meant  "gar-  chroaicie  in  Drogheda,  in  1571.     It 

dez  "  or  •'  beware."     "  Aboo,"   a  word  was  addressed  to  Robert  Dudley,  Earl 

■which  the  Editor  thinks  formed  upon  of  Leicester. 

"  buadh  "   ( booa  ),  i.  e.  "  victory,"  was  "^  In  his  detur  sua  antiquite  venia. 

another  war-cry  of  the  Irish,   thus  the  "  Non  immerito  hcec  insula  Ogy^ria, 

O'Neill  s  had  their  "  Lamh  derg  abu  "  id  est,  perantiqua  a  Plutarcho  dicta 

{laav  darg  aboo),  i.  e.  Red  hand  aboo  :  fuit. 

the  O'Brien's  "  Lamh  laider    [Laudir)  '*  A  profundissima  cnim  antiquitatis 

abu,"  i.  e.  Strong  hand  aboo.  memoria,   historias    suas   auspicantur, 

The  Anglo-Irish  Normans  adopted  adeo  ut  pra;  illis  omnis  omnium  gentium 

the  cry  "  abu,"  with  other  Celticisms  ;  antiquitas  sit  novitas  ant  quodam  mode 

thus  tlic  cry  of  the  great  Earls  of  Des-  infant  ia.              , 

raond   was   "  Crom  aboo,"  from  their  '^  Plutarch  was  a  native  of  Chaer- 

castle  of  Crom,  in  the  County  of  Limer-  onea,  a  city  of  Beotia,  in  Greece,  and 

ick ;  that  of  the  Earls  of  Kildare  was  born    of    a    respectable    family.      He 

"  Shano't   aboo,"  from  their  castle  of  flourished  in  the  reign  of  the  Roman 

Shauct ;  the  Ormouds  shouted  Butleir-  Emperor   Trajan,   by   whom    ho    was 

ech    (BiitJayragh)    aboo,   and   the   Do  made   Consul  and   Governor   of  Illyr- 

Burgos,  or  Burkes,  of  Connaught, "  Gall  icum.     Plutarch  was  distinguished  as 

lliabliach   (Gaiú  Reevngh)  aboo,"  i.  c.  a    philosopher,   as   well   as   a   writer, 

tiie  "  Grey  Stranger  aboo."  The  greatest  and  most  esteemed  of  his 

"  Dr.  Mcredeth  Hanmer  wrote  his  works,  are  his  "  Lives  of  Illustrious 


Xlil  -       DE.    KEATIXG's   preface. 

derived  from  the  most  profound  depths  of  remote  antiquity ;  so 
that,  c;)mp:ired  with  that  of  Ireland,  the  antiquities  of  all  other 
nations  is  but  novelty,  and  their  historj-  is  but  a  kind  of  infancy," 
From  this  learned  authority  also,  it  may  be  judged  how  much 
more  the  ancient  records  of  Ireland  are  to  be  relied  on  than  Doc- 
tor Ilanmer,  who  never  even  saw  them. 

The  same  author  (Hanmcr)  again  asserts  that  a  king  of  Loch- 
lainn,^"  i.  e.  Denmark,  was  the  sovereign  of  Ireland  at  tlie  time  of 
the  birth  of  Christ.  But  for  such  an  assertion  he  had  not  the 
slightest  foundation ;  for,  the  ancient  records  tell  us  that  Christ 
was  born  during  the  reign  of  the  monarch  Crimthann  Niadh- 
Nair.*^  It  is  somewhat  astonishing  that  a  man  like  Ilanmer,  an 
English  Saxon,  who  had  never  seen,  and  who,  if  he  had,  could 
not  comprehend  the  ancient  writings  of  our  country,  sliould  pre- 
tend to  know  what  king  ruled  it  at  the  time  of  the  Saviour's  birth, 
when  it  was  out  of  his  power  to  name  even  the  king  that  ruled 
Great  Britain  itself  at  that  epoch.  For,  Samuel  Daniel,  Gildas, 
Rider,  Kennius,*^  and  many  old  British  authors,  who  have  written 
the  history  of  their  country,  confess  that  they  possess  but  very 
scattered  fi-agments  of  the  ancient  history  of  Great  Britain,  be- 
cause, say  they,  the  Romans  and  the  Saxons  carried  off  and  de- 
stroyed their  old  traditional  writings  ;  thus,  there  now  remains  to 
them  nothing  but  surmise  and  conjecture,  concerning  the  more 
ancient  transactions  of  the  Britons.  This  gave  occasion  even  to 
the  learned  Camden  to  remark,  that  he  knew  not  the  period,  at 
which  the  Picts  settled  in  North-Britain,  and  that  he  did  not  even 
know  whence  the  British  island  had  received  the  name  Britannia : 


Men,"  wliich  are  distiniruislicf]  for  the  lie,  a  tendency  to  make  a  nominative 
■wonderful  skill  and  impartiality  with  of  the  dative  of  some  feminine  nouns, 
which  he  depicts  his  heroes.  I'lutarch  thus,  "Tigh,"  the  dative  of  "Tech,"  a 
died  A.D.  140.  liou^e,  is  now  used  as  nominative.  He 
•"  Loc/i/a/nn  (2Loc//Zm)  was  the  rJaelic  thinks,  that  it  is  owinpr  to  a  like  ten- 
name  fur  all  those  countrit's  called  in-  dency  that  Lochlainn,  and  also  Bretain, 
discriminately  Scandinavia,  that  is,  for  i.  e.  Brilnin,  and  a  few  other  local  ap- 
Denmark,  Norway,  Sweden,  and  Fin-  pelations,  diili-r,  in  their  nominatives, 
land,  <tc.  ]f  the  word  were  pure  from  words  with  which  they  agree  in 
Gaelic,  it  should  moan  tiie  "  Country  all  their  other  cases, 
of  Lakes."  The  nanpe  appears  older  "  Crimlhnnn  Niadh-Nair,  is  pro- 
than  the  Gothic  occupation  of  tlicso  nounced  Criffann  Neeah-no/r. 
countries,  and  resembles  those  names  ''  Nenniiis  was  an  ancient  British 
given  hj  the  TuatJia  De  Dananns  to  writer,  who  wrote  tlie  history  of  his 
the  British  and  adjacent  isles.  Its  no-  nation  in  Latin.  lie  lived  about  the 
minativeis  "Ix)chlaiiin  "  (Lochlin),and  fifth  century.  An  old  translation  of 
its  genitive  Lochlann.  'J'o  correspond  his  work  into  Irish  has  been  recently 
exactly  with'- Eri"  and  "Alba"  (//<?/«»(-/  published,  with  the  original,  by  the 
mid  Scf,tlari(l)  Arc, 'in  declension,  its  Irish  Archeologieal  Society.  Dr.  Keat- 
nominative  should  be  "  Lochia."  But  ing  had  most  probably  a  copy  of  this 
tlie  editor  las  observed,  in  modern  Gae-  translation  by  him, 


mi.  keating's  preface. 


xliii 


hence  he  is  forced  to  give  us  his  conjecture  like  other  less  learned 
writers.  Now,  many  of  the  ancient  transactions  of  his  own  coun- 
tiy  being  thus  uncertain  and  obscure  to  so  learned  a  man,  it  is 
little  wonder  that  tliey  shoukl  be  still  more  so  to  Ilanmer,  who 
must  conscquentl}^  have  been  in  still  greater  ignorance  of  the 
ancient  affairs  of  Ireland ;  wherefore,  his  authority  is  not  to  be 
credited,  when  he  asserts  that  Ireland  was  ruled  by  a  king  of  Den- 
mark at  the  time  of  Christ's  birth. 

He  asserts,  also,  that  St.  Patrick,^  the  Apostle  of  Ireland,  was 


'^  For  information  upon  St.  Patrick, 
the  render  is  referred  to  the  body  of 
this  history,  and  the  notes  thereon.  I 
here  transcribe  a  description  of  Pat- 
rick's Purgatory  and  Loch  Derg,  where 
it  is  situat'ed.  from  Mr.  Owen  Connel- 
la's  notes  to  his  translation  of  the  Four 
Mastei*s. 

'•  The  lake  called  Lough  Derg  is  situ- 
ated in  Donegal,  on  the  borders  of  Fer- 
managh and  Tyrone,  in  the  parish  of 
Templecarne,  sometimes  called  Termon- 
magrath,  part  of  which  forms  the  parish 
of  Pettigo,  in  the  diocese  of  Ologher. 
The  lake  is  very  large  and  beautiful, 
and  contains  many  fine  islands.  This 
lake  was  anciently  called  Fionn  Loch, 
that  is,  the  Fair  or  White  Lake  ;  but  it 
got  the  name  Loch  Dearg,  or  the  Red 
Lake,  from  a  monster  said  to  have  been 
slain  there  by  St.  Patvick,  the  blood  of 
which  tinged  the  lake  of  a  red  color. 
In  the  latter  end  of  the  fifth  cen- 
tury, about  A.D.  490,  St.  Dabeoc 
founded  a  monastery  on  an  island  in 
Lough  Derg,  and  it  became  a  priory  of 
Angustinian  monks.  The  island  was 
called,  in  after  times,  St.  Fintau's  island, 
from  Fiutan  Munnu,  a  celebrated  saint 
in  the  seventh  century,  who  was  of  the 
race  of  the  Connallians,  of  Tirconnell. 
On  the  island  was  formed  a  cave  or  cell, 
called  St.  Patrick's  Purgatory,  which 
became  celebrated  as  a  place  of  penance 
and  pilgrimage.  Various  accounts  are 
given  as  to  the  time  this  place,  called 
the  Purgatory,  was  founded.  Some 
ascribe  its  iastitution  to  St.  Patrick 
himself,  in  the  fifth  century ;  while 
others  are  of  opinion  that  it  was  first 
instituted  in  the  ninth  century,  about 
A.D.  850,  by  a  monk  named  Patrick, 
one  of  the  priors  of  the  island;  but 


Lanigan  considers  it  was  not  established 
till  the  eleventh  or  tw'elfty  century.  St. 
Patrick's  Purgatory  became  famous  as 
a  place  of  pilgrimage,  and  in  former 
ages  was  resorted  to  by  vast  numbers 
of  pilgrims,  not  only  from  all  parts  of 
Ireland  and  Britain,  but  even  from  the 
continent.  It  is  recorded  in  Rymer's 
Fcedera,  that  in  1358,  King  Edward 
III.  granted  to  Malatesta  Ungarus,  a 
Hungarian  knight,  and  to  Nicholas  de 
Beccario,  a  nobleman  of  Ferrara,  in 
Italy,  a  safe  conduct  through  England, 
to  visit  St  Patrick's  Purgatory  ;  and 
in  1397,  King  Richai'd  II.  granted  a 
like  conduct  to  Raymond,  Viscount  de 
Perilleux,  knight  of  Rhodes,  with  a 
train  of  ti\-enty  men  and  thirty  horses. 
The  monastery  of  Termoudabeog,  at 
Lough  Derg,  was  subject  to  the  great 
abbey  of  Armagh,  and  was  dedicated 
to  SS.  Peter  and  Paul ;  three  great 
festivals  were  annually  held  at  the 
abbey,  on  the  1st  of  January,  the  24th 
of  July,  and  the  16th  of  December,  in 
honor  of  the  patron  and  founder,  St. 
D.abeoc,  who  is  buried  there.  The 
abbey  continued  to  be  of  great  note  to 
the  seventeenth  century,  taut  in  A.D. 
1632,  by  order  of  the  lords  justices,  Sir 
Adam  Loftus,  Viscount  of  Ely,  and 
Richard  Royle,  Earl  of  Cork,  the  abbey 
and  other  buildings  on  the  island  of 
Lough  Derg,  were  demolished,  and  the 
friars  expelled,  by  Sir  James  Balfour 
and  Sir  William  Stuart,  who  were  de- 
puted for  that  purpose.  Some  ruins  of 
the  old  abbey  still  remain,  and  it  still  con- 
tinues as  a  place  of  pilgrimage,  but  in 
modern  times  the  place  of  performing 
penance  has  been  removed  from  Saint's 
Island,  to  another  near  it  called  Statin 
Island.     Lough  Derg,  to  the  present 


xliv 


DR.    KEATING'S   PREFACE. 


not  the  first  -who  planted  the  Cathohc  faith  in  Ireland,  and  that 
it  was  not  he  that  discovered  Patrick's  cave  in  the  island,  where 
his  Purgatory  is  situated ;  for,  he  says  that  it  was  another  Pat- 
rick, an  abbot,  who  lived  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  850.  But  there 
is  no  truth  in  what  he  says  on  the  subject,  as  may  be  proved 
from  St.  Cx\sarius,  who  lived  about  six  hundred  years  after  Christ, 
and,  consequentl}'',  two  centuries  and  a  half  before  that  second 
Patrick  lived  in  this  country.  This  holy  writer  says,  in  the 
thirty-eighth  chajiter  of  his  twelfth  book,  entitled  Liber  Dialogo- 
rum,  ^'^ "  Let  whomsoever  has  any  doubt  of  purgatory  go  to  Scotia, 
and  enter  the  Purgatory  of  St.  Patrick,  and,  thenceforth,  he  will 
no  longer  question  the  pains  of  purgatory."  From  tliis  quota- 
tion, it  is  evident  that  St.  Patrick's  Purgatory  was  not  originally 


day,  is  visited  by  vast  numbsrs  of  pil- 
grims. Tlie  time  of  performing  the  pen- 
ance is  from  the  1st  of  June  to  the  15th 
of  August.  The  chieftains  of  tlie  an- 
cient Irish,  amidst  all  their  fierce  feuds 
amongst  themselves,  and  iheir  san- 
guinary conflicts  of  centuries  with  for- 
eign foes,  were  still  a  religious  race,  and 
imbued  with  a  great  love  of  literature  ; 
and  their  kings,  princes,  and  chiefs 
founded  and  amply  endowed  a  \ast 
number  of  ecclesiastical  and  literary 
establishments,  abbtiys,  colleges,  and 
great  Echools  ;  as  those  of  Armagh, 
Downpatrick,  Bangor,  Derry,  Donegal, 
Clogher,  Clones,  Devenish,  Fenagh, 
Boyle,  Cong,  Mayo,  Clonfort,  Louth, 
Monasterboyce,  Mellifout,  Slane,  Kells, 
Ardbraccan,  Trim,  Clonard,  Clonmac- 
noLs,  Rahan,  Fore,  Kildare,  Clononagb, 
Tallaght,  Glendalnugh,  Leighlin,  Ferns, 
Lismore,  Cashel,  Holycross,  Ross,  Ros- 
crea,  Iniscatliay,  Aran  of  the  Saints, 
and  others.  Of  these  famous  seats  of 
piety  and  learning  amoni^st  the  ancient 
Irish,  many  venerable  ruing  still  remain, 
but  of  many  more,  even  their  very  ruins 
have  disappeared,  di'stroyed  by  the  hand 
of  time,  or  the  still  more  destructive 
violence  of  fanaticism  and  war.  The 
most  celebrated  places  of  pilgrimage  in 
Ireland  were  Lough  Derg.  Armaorli, 
Downpatrick,  and  Derry  Colninbkille, 
in  Ulster ;  Croagh  Patrick  mountain, 
in  Mayo ;  Aran  of  the  Saints,  off  the 
coast  of  Galway  ;  the  seven  churches 
of  St.  Kiaran,  at  Clonraacnois.  and  of 
St.  Kevin,  at  Glendaiough  ;  Kildare, 
of  St.  Bridget,  and  Holycross,  in  Tip- 


perary.  Many  of  the  Irish  kings  and 
princes  are  recorded  to  have  gone  on 
pilgrimages  to  the  abbey  founded  by 
their  countryman,  St.  Columbkille,  at 
lona.  in  the  Hebrides."  The  "patrons," 
which  are  still  kept  up,  in  memory  of 
their  ancient  local  saints,  by  the  peas- 
antry of  certain  Irish  parishes,  are  rem- 
nants of  this  pious  custom  of  our  an- 
cestors. They  are  now,  however,  but 
little  frequented  ;  for,  during  the  perse- 
cution of  the  Irish  church,  their  cele- 
bration could  no  longer  be,  with  safety, 
superintended  by  the  people's  clergy. 
They,  thence,  became  scenes  of  much 
disorder,  and  fell  into  disuse,  having 
been,  in  many  instances,  discouraged  by 
the  priesthood.  But  few  attend  them 
noAv,  for  devotion's  sake.  In  some  in- 
stances they  have  even  been  turned  into 
f"i'S  for  the  purpose  of  worldly  traffic 
by  the  ^lammon-worshippers  that  now 
own  the  soil  of  the  isle  of  Saints. 
A  rao.lern  Irish  "  patron  "  can  then  give 
no  picture  of  what  these  celebrations 
weic  in  olden  days,  when  the  clergy  of 
the  parish  presided  thereat,  and  when 
the  patriarcii-chief  of  the  district  kept 
the  eviUlisposcd  within  the  bounds  of 
decorum.  For  some  likeness  of  them, 
one  must  have  recourse  to  those  orderly 
and  decorous /f/fs  that  are  still  held  in 
('alhdlic  countries  on  the  Eumjiean 
continent,  on  the  festival  days  of  the 
saints. 

*'  Qui  de  purgatorio  dubitat  »Scotiam 
pergiit,  vl  aniplius  de  poeuis  purgatorii 
non  dabitabit. 


DR.    KEATING's   preface. 


xlv 


discovered  or  invented  by  tbe  Patrick  of  whom  Hanmer  speaks, 
but  that  it  was  instituted  by  St.  Patrick,  the  Apostle.  P'or,  how 
could  the  second  Patrick  possibly  have  discovered  or  invented 
it,  when  we  find  it  spoken  of  by  St.  Cnesarius,  two  hundred  and 
fifty  years  before  that  second  Patrick  flourished  ?  Besides,  both 
our  ancient  records  and  our  oral  traditions  aver  that  the  purga- 
tory was  originally  instituted  by  St.  Patrick,  the  Apostle  of 
Ireland.  From  these  testimonies,  it  appears  clearly  that  Hanmer 
has  himself  invented  the  above  malignant  falsehood,  hoping 
thereby  to  lessen  the  respect  which  the  Irish  entertain  for  the 
cave  of  the  Purgatory. 

This  man  makes  another  unfounded  assertion  in  his  twenty-fourth 
page,  where  he  states  that  Finn  ^MacComhail  was  descended 


^  Finn  MacComhail—ThÍ5  was  less  au- 
dacious than  the  unscrupulous  attempt, 
made  by  MacPherson  and  the  Scotch 
writers  of  his  day,  to  rob  Ireland  of  this 
hero.     The  mind  of  Ireland  then  lay  so 
prostrate,  that  the  arch  impostor  never 
contemplated   the  publication  of   any 
original  Irish   documents,  that   would 
make  patent  his  base  theft.  As  nobody 
now  believes  in  the  imposition,  but  per- 
sons that  do  not  read  books,  I  shall  not 
waste  space  in  confuting  it  here,  but  refer 
the  reader  to  the  simple  history  of  that 
chieftain  and  his  army,  found  in  the  fol- 
lowing pages — a  history  which,  notwith- 
standing some  exaggerations  of  detail, 
every  successive  inquiry  on  the  subject, 
as  well  as  every  ancient  document  that 
has  been  brought  to  light  from  time  to 
time,  has  proved  to  be  substantially 
correct.     1  here  subjoin  the  following 
quotation  from  the  greatest  and  most 
learned  Irish  antiquarian  of  modern,  or, 
perhaps,  of  ancient  times  :     "  This   is 
the  celebrated    champion   called  Fin- 
gal  by  MacPherson,  and  Fin  Ma  Cam- 
hail  by  the  Irish^  of  whom  Mr.  Moore 
has  the  following  remarks  in  his  His- 
tory of   Ireland  :    '  It  has   been    the 
fate  of  this  popular  hero,  after  a  long 
course  of   traditional    renown  in  his 
countrj',  where  his  name  still  lives,  not 
only  in  legends  and  songs,  but  yet  in  the 
most    indelible   of   scenery  connected 
with  his  memoi-y,  to  have  been  all  at 
once  transferred,  hif  adoption,  to  another 
country  (Scotland),  and  start  under  a 
new  but  false  shape,  in  a  fresh  career  of 
fame.' 


"  This  celebrated  warrior,  who  had 
two  grand  residences  in  Leinster,  one  at 
Almheim,  now  the  hill  of  Allen,  in  the 
county  of  Kildare,  and  the  other  at 
Magh  Ellé,  now  Moyelly,  in  the  King's 
County,  was  son-in-law  of  King  Cor- 
mac,  and  General  of  his  standing  army, 
which,  as  Pinkerton  remarks,  seems  to 
have  been  in  imitation  of  the  Roman 
Legions.  The  words  of  this  critical 
writer  are  worth  quoting  here  : 

"  '  He  seems,'  says  he,  '  to  have  been 
a  man  of  great  talents  for  the  age,  and 
of  celebrity  in  arms.  His  formation  of 
a  I'egular  standing  army,  trained  to  war, 
in  which  all  the  Irish  accounts  agree, 
seems  to  have  a  rude  imitation  of  the 
Roman  legion  in  Britain.  The  idea, 
though  simple  enough,  shows  prudence  ; 
for  such  a  force  alone  could  have  coped 
with  the  Romans,  had  they  invaded  Ire- 
land. But  this  machine,  which  sur- 
prised a  rude  age,  and  seems  the  basis 
of  all  Finn's  fame,  like  some  other  great 
schemes,  only  lived  with  its  author,  and 
expired  soon  after  him.' — Inquiry  into 
the  History  of  Scotland,  vol.  ii.,  p.  77. 

"  The  bands  of  Kerns  and  Gallo- 
glasses,  supported  by  the  Irish  chief- 
tains of  later  ages,  may  have  been  imi- 
tations of  these  more  primitive  Fians, 
who  are  still  so  vividly  remembered, 
while  the  Kerns  and  Galloijlasses  are 
nearly  forgotten." — Dr.  O'Donovan's 
Notefi  to  his  Translation  of  the  Annals  of 
the  Four  blasters. 


Xlvi  DR.    KEATING's   PREFACE. 

from  the  Scandinavians,  of  Dania  or  Denmark ;  but  this  again  is 
altogether  false,  for  the  Irish  annals  explicitly  tell  us,  that  he  is 
descended  from  Nuadath  or  Nuadh  Kect,  king  of  Leinster,  and 
of  the  royal  line  of  Erimon,  son  of  Miledh.  He  further  asserts, 
that  the  person,  Avhom  some  authors  call  Gilla-Mara,  was  son  of 
the  king  of  Thomond,  but  it  is  enough  for  our  purpose,  that  we 
have  already  confuted  this  falsehood.  It  was  through  ridicule,  I 
suppose,  that  Ilannier  gave  down  the  battle  of  Finn-Traigh  or 
Ventry,  malevolently  insinuating  a  traitorous  calumny  against 
our  antiquaries,  and  hoping  thereby  to  persuade  his  readers,  that 
the  histoiic  records  of  Ireland  are  unworthy  of  credit,  as  being 
all  of  the  same  character  as  the  battle  of  Ventry.  Yet,  it  is  well 
understood,  that  our  historians  never  considered  the  talc  called 
the  ^Cath  Fimi-TragJta,  or  the  Battle  of  Ventry,  as  a  true  narration, 
but  they  positively  held  it  to  be  a  fabulous  romance,  or  Fenian 
tale,  which  had  been  composed  merely  for  amusement.  I  give 
the  same  reply  to  everything  which  he  has  related  concerning 
the  Fiann."  It  is  untrue  of  him,  also,  to  say  that  Slangi,  son 
of  Dela.  held  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland  for  thirty  years;  for,  ac- 
cording to  our  historic  accounts,  he  reigned  but  one  single  year. 
It  is  in  like  manner  untrue  of  him,  to  assert  that  the  Archbishop^ 
of  Canterbury  exercised  a  jurisdiction  over  the  clergy  of  Ireland, 
from  the  time  of  St.  Augustine^  downwards.     For,  it  is  also 

*  The  "  Cath    Fiitn-Trnrrha"    {cah-  nee),  i.  c.  a  Fenian  warrior,  may  then 

finn-tratr),  or   Battle  of  Ventry,  is   a  be  synonymoiw  Avith  the  more  common 

homba-slic  and  totally  ridiculous  tale,  term   "  Fiadliaidhe  "    {Fceap;huec),  the 

that  is  luvor  referred  to  by  any  of  our  Latin    "  vcnator,"     or     the     German 

Shanac'hies.     It  seoma   intended   for  a  "japer,"  and  have  no  relationship  at  all 

Bort  of  nursery  talc.  with  the  word  Phoenician. 

"  Fiann  (Fcean) .     The  army,  or  rath-  '*  The  reader  will  find  this  subject 

er,  the   military  order  of  which  Finn  treated  of  more  fully  in  the  sequel, 

was  the  chicltain,  was  called  the  "  Fiann  "^"  St.  Aufrustine,  or   Austin,  is  the 

of  Eri."    ile  was  styled  "  Flaith  Feinnc  Apostle  of  the  Eng-lish.     By  English 

Da  Hhiaph"  (Finh-Fuyni  na  Sloo),  i.  e.  we     must,    however,    understand    the 

Prini  c  of  the  Fiann  of  Hosts,     tíome  Anplo-Saxons,  for  the    liritons   were 

think    the    wonl    Fiann    comes    from  (christians  long  before  his   time.     St. 

"  Pha-nirian."    It  possibly  may.     It  is,  Aufiustine  flourished  al^out  the  close  of 

however,  jii'^t  a.-i  likely  to  come  from  the  fith  century,     lb;  was  originally  a 

the  Bainc   origin    with    Fadhach    (pr.  monk  at  Home      Pope  (Jregory  T.  sent 

Feeagh)    i.e.  a  hunt,  and  to  mean  an  him,  with  forty  of  his  confraternity,  to 

order  of  hiintfrs.     Thus  the  name  of  a  convert  the  English.     Their  exertions 

membor  of  that  modern  (Jerinan  light  were    crowne<l    with    success,  and  St. 

cavalry  corps,  "  .lager."  means  hunter.  Augustine  became  the  first  Archbishop 

The  "  Fianna,"  (pr.  Feeanna,)  seem  to  of  ( "anterliury.     He  must  not  be  con- 

bavc  done  nothing  but  hunt  and  fitrht.  founded   with    the    great    writer    and 

From  some  of  the  Fenian  tales  and  poema  father  of  the  Church,  the  African  St. 

one  mitrht  imagine  that  they  monopf>-  Augustine,  who  lived  in  the  end  of  the 

lized  all  the  pnme  as  well  as  aÍI  the  fight-  4th  and  beginning  of  the  5th  centuries, 
ing  of  Eri  in  their  day.  Fcinnidhe  {Fay- 


DR.    KEATING's   preface.  xlvii 

clearly  proved,  by  Iridi  history,  that  the  Archbishop  of  Canter- 
bury never  exercised  any  such  jurisdiction,  until  the  days  of 
William  the  Conqueror;  and,  even  then,  he  but  exercised  it 
over  the  clergy  of  Dublin,  Wexford,  Cork  and  Limerick ;  and  it 
was  the  clergy  of  these  dioceses  themselves  that  gave  him  that 
jurisdiction,  through  affection  towards  the  Norman  French,  who 
were  descended  from  the  same  Scandinavian,  called  otherwise 
Norman  stock,  with  themselves;  they  were  also  prompted  to 
this  act  by  their  enmity  towards  the  Gtielic  race.  I  am,  how- 
ever, of  opinion,  that  this  jui-isdiction  Avas  never  exercised  by 
more  than  three  Archbishops  of  Cantcrbmy,  namely,  by  Eodolph, 
Lanfranc  and  Anselm.  Thus,  it  is  a  gross  misstatement,  on  the 
part  of  Ilanmer,  to  sa}''  that  the  clergy  of  Ireland  were  under  the 
jurisdiction  of  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  from  the  time  of 
the  monk  St,  Augustine.  It  is  also  falsely  asserted  by  him,  that 
one  Murcadh  MacCochlain  (Murrogh  MacCoghlain)  was  king  of 
Ireland  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  1166 ;  for  it  is  certain  that  Rode- 
•rick  O'Connor  was  the  person  in  possession  of  the  sovereignty 
of  Ireland  at  that  time,  which  was  but  four  years  anterior  to  the 
English  invasion.  He  says,  in  like  manner,  tliat  St.  Comgall,*' 
the  abbot  of  Benchor  or  Bangor,  in  Ulster,  or  rather  in  Ulidia, 
was  born  in  Great  Britain  ;  but  this  is  not  the  truth,  for,  we  read 
in  the  life  of  that  saint,  that  he  was  born  in  Dalaradia,  in  the 
north  of  Ulidia^^  or  Uladh,  and  that  he  was  descended  from  the 
Gaelic  tribe  called  the  Dal-Ai-aidhe,  from  which  the  territory  of 
of  Dal-Araidhe  or  Dalaradia  had  received  its  name.  The  reason 
why  Hanmer  wished  to  make  Comgall  out  a  Briton,  was  because 
that  saint  was  the  founder  of  the  above-mentioned  monastery  of 
Bangor  in  Ulster,  which  was  the  mother  of  all  the  monasteries 
in  Europe,  and  because  he  had  founded  another  monastery,  called 
also  Bangor,  in  Britain,  near  Westchester.  If  Hanmer  could 
have  made  his  readers  believe  that  Comgall  was  a  Briton,  he 
would  either  have  made  the  great  fame  of  the  monastery  of 
Bangor,  in  Ulster,  contribute  to  the  glory  of  the  British,  from  the 
fact  of  Comgall's  being  their  countryman,  or  he  would  have  stolen 
the  illustrious  distinction,  earned  by  the  Ulidian  Bangor,  and  given 
it  altogether  to  the  British  monastery  that  bore  the  same  naiue. 

*"  St.  Comgall  founded  his  monastery  sept  of  Araide,"  from  Fiaclia  Araidhe, 

of  Bennchair,  or  Bangor,  in  the  present  King    of    all    Ulster,   in   A.D.    240. 

barony  of  Ards,  and  county  of  Down,  Magennis     or    Mac/Engusa   was   the 

in  the  year  554,  or,  accordino;  to  some  surname  of    the   chief    lamily   of  the 

entries,  558.  Dal-Araidhe.    According  to  O'Dugan, 

*'   í7//arí/i(I7?/a)  comprised  the  pres-  the   families  of  O'Gairbhith  and  O'b- 

ent  county  of  Down,  and  part  of  the  Ambhith,  now  O'Garvey  and  O'Hap- 

county  of  Antrim.     It  was  also  called  nafey  or  Hanvey,  held  the  chieftaincy  in 

Dal-Araidhe  {Daul  Arree,)   i.  e.  "  the  more  early  times. 


X:lviii  DR.    KEATING's   preface. 

Hanmer  further  states,  that  the  saints,  Fursa,  Faelaii  and  Ultan, 
were  illegitimate  sons  of  the  king  of  Leinstcr:  but,  according 
to  the  history  of  the  Irish  saints,  thej  were  the  sons  of  Aedh 
Bennan,'''^  king  of  Munster.  It  is  so  Avith  all  the  other  lies,  which 
Ilanmer  tells  in  writing  of  Ireland,  but  I  shall  cease  to  pursue 
them  any  further,  for  it  would  be  too  tedious  to  confute  them  all. 
A  writer,  named  John  Barclay,  makes  use  of  the  following 
remarks,  in  writing  upon  Ireland:  " They, "^  says  he,  speaking 
of  the  Irish,  "  erect  slight  cabins,  about  the  height  of  a  man, 
which  are  used  in  common  by  themselves  and  their  cattle."  From 
the  pains  this  man  takes  in  describing  the  huts  and  dwellings  of 
the  humbler  rustics,  and  the  more  worthless  of  the  rabble,  I  am 
of  opinion  that  he  may  be  not  unjustly  classed  with  the  vile 
beetle,  since  he  stoops  in  this  manner  to  give  a  description  of  the 
hovels  of  poor  and  wretched  creatures,  while  he  takes  no  trouble 
to  mention  or  describe  the  palace-like  and  princely  mansions  of 
the  earls  and  other  noblemen  of  Ireland.  I  also  deem,  that  no 
credit,  as  a  historian,  should  be  given  either  to  him  or  to  any ' 
other  person,  who  follows  his  footsteps  in  the  same  path.  Hence, 
I  altogether  reject  the  testimony  of  Phineas  ]\Iorison,^^  a  person 
who  has  given  a  ludicrous  description  of  Ireland ;  for,  notwith- 
standing his  fluent  style  and  his  command  of  the  English  tongue, 
I  think  that  it  was  not  possible  for  his  ready  pen  to  transcribe  all 
the  malignity  he  would  fain  express  ;  for  this  reason,  I  deem  his 
calumnies  unworthy  of  any  confutation;  for  the  historian,  Avho 
})rofevSses  to  give  a  true  account  of  the  inhabitants  of  any  country, 
ought  to  set  forth  their  good  qualities,  as  well  as  their  bad  ones. 
But  Morison  has  utterly  disregarded  this  rule,  which  every  his- 
torian should  observe  in  his  narratives.  Prompted  as  well  by 
the  wickedness  and  malevolence  of  his  own  heart,  as  by  the  sug- 
gestions and  commands  of  others,  who  entertained  the  same  evil 
dispositions  towards  Ireland,  he  has  completely  overlooked  those 
good  qualities  which  Irishmen  possess.  According  to  Polydorus, 
in  his  first  book,  styled  ^'  De  lierura  Inventoribus,'^  the  following 
canons  should  be  rigidly  observed  in  writing  any  history :  Fii'st, 
"  Not  to  dare  to  assert  anything  false  ;""*  and,  secondly, 

"  A^dh  Bennan  wa»  the  founder  of  "Fragilcs  domes  ad  altitudinemhom- 

thc   Enccnian  sppt,   O'Muirchcrtaigli,  inis  excitant  sibi   ct  pccoribus   com- 

now  Bpollod  as  pronnnncod,0'Moriarty.  munca. 

Provioiis  to  the  Kn^lish  invasion,  the  *'  Partieulars  of  the  hired  calumnia- 

O'Moriartios  wcreseatcd  westofSiiabh  tors,   Barclay,  Morison  and   Campion, 

Lnacbra,  in  the  prcsent  cotinty  of  Ker-  would  but  fatigue  our  readers. 

ry.    'J'his  king  died,  accordinc^  to  the  *  Nobody  could  have  abided  more 

Four  Miistcrs.  in  fil."}.     For  particulars  closely  by  this  canon  than  Dr.  Keating 

of  the  Saints  of  this  tribe,  here  men-  hims(;lf.     His  great  fault  lies  in  hav- 

tioned,  wm;  the  notes  upon  their  name^  ing  adhered  too  closely  and  with   too 

farther  on.  little  discriminalion  to  wliat  he  consid 


DR.    KEATING's   preface.  xlix 

"Not  to  dare  to  conceal  any  truth,"  so  tliat  there  may  be 
no  suspicion  of  partiality  or  enmity  attached  to  the  work.  He 
Bays,  moreover,  that  it  is  incumbent  upon  a  historian  to  describe 
the  customs  and  modes  of  living,  the  councils,  words  and  actions 
of  every  class  of  people  inhabiting  the  country  of  which  he  has 
undertaken  to  write,  and  to  describe  them  fully,  whether  they 
be  good  or  bad.  Now  Morison,  in  omitting  to  set  forth  the  good 
qualities  of  the  Irish,  has  flagrantly  transgressed  the  foregoing 
historical  canons,  and,  consequently,  the  work  which  he  has  writ- 
ten has  no  right  whatever  to  be  styled  a  history.  Whoever 
would  make  a  close  survey  of  the  rude  manners  of  the  lower 
classes,  and  search  out  their  faults,  might  fill  up  a  volume  there- 
with ;  for  there  is  no  nation  in  the  world  without  its  low  rabble. 
Witness  the  churlish  mob  of  Great  Britain,  the  boors  of  Flan- 
ders, the  lazy  canaille-^  of  France,  the  worthless  fellows  of  Spain, 
the  ignoble  vulgar  of  Italy,  and  the  meaner  sort  of  every  other 
nation,  amongst  all  of  whom  many  rude  and  evil  customs  prevail. 
Yet,  these  nations  are  not  to  be  indiscriminately  condemned  for 
the  i^artial  rudeness  of  some  amongst  their  inhabitants ;  and, 
whoever  attempts  to  stigmatize  them  for  it,  is,  in  my  opinion, 
altogether  unworthy  to  be  called  a  historian.  This,  Morison  has 
done  towards  the  Irish  nation,  and  it  is  therefore  I  deem  it 
wrong  to  give  him  the  respect  due  to  a  historian.  Of  Campion, 
likewise,  I  must  say  the  same  thing. 

^  Camden  says,  that  it  is  customary  in  Ireland  for  the  priests 
to  take  up  their  abode  in  the  churches,  surrounded  by  their  chil- 
dren and  concubines,  drinking  and  feasting  therein.  My  rej^ly 
to  Camden  on  this  point  is,  that  it  was  not  until  after  Henry  the 

ered  as  sanctioned  by  ancient  autliority.  °^  This  argument  was  scarcely  need- 
Persons,  ignorant  on  the  subject,  con-  ed.  Camden  did  not  mean  the  Catho- 
demned  Dr.  Keating  as  a  fobricator,  lie  priesthood,  who  had  remained  true  to 
when  his  book  first  appeared  in  an  Eng-  the  Ancient  Irish  Faith.  lie  but  meant 
lish  dress.  It  is  now  cleai'ly  proved  to  signalize  the  abuses  of  the  priests 
that  he  invented  nothing.  of  the  State  religion,  which  was  his 
^  Ca'ailk.  In  the  original  thig  word  own.  Those  carnal  renegades,  who. 
Is  "  Fainidhe,"  [Faunee,)  a  word  which  following  in  the  footsteps  of  Maclmuiri 
the  editor  thinks  intended  to  represent  or  Miler  Magrath,  were  then  desecra- 
the  French  ■•  Faineant."  The  latter  ting  the  holy  altars  of  their  sires,  and 
word  does  not,  however,  express  the  insulting  their  ashes,  and  who,  by  their 
doctor's  meaning.  Had  our  author  vices,  were  disgracing  even  that  new 
lived  iu  modern  times,  he  could  not  religion,  founded  by  the  most  kingly  and 
have  spoken  with  such  contempt  of  the  most  chaste  of  apostles,  to  which  they 
"  Fainidhe  "  of  France.  They  have  fled  as  to  an  asylum  for  all  species  of 
achieved  for  themselves  a  fame,  be  it  wanton  irregularity.  No,  Camden,  who 
for  good  or  ill,  more  lasting  than  that  is  honest  enough  for  an  English  writer 
of  the  paladins  of  Charlemagne,  the  of  his  day,  did  not  mean  the  Irish 
knights  of  Arthur's  table,  or  the  fol-  priesthood, 
lowers  of  the  conquering  William. 


I  DR.    KEATING  S   PREP^VCE. 

Bighth  bead  changed  his  religion,  that  the  Irish  clergy  began  this 
impious  custom,  and  even  then,  and  since  then,  it  has  been  prac- 
ticed by  those  clergymen  alone,  who  followed  the  dictates  of  their 
own  corrupt  passions,  and  rebelled  against  their  lawful  superiors. 
Camden  himself,  speaking  on  the  same  subject  in  another  place, 
bears  me  out  in  this  answer:  "If  any,"^^  says  he,  "dedicate 
themselves  to  religion,  they  govern  themselves  with  a  religious 
austerity,  that  is  truly  wonderful,  in  watching,  praying,  and  in 
mortifying  themselves  by  fasting."  Cambrensis,  likewise,  has 
left  us  his  opinion  upon  the  Irish  clergy :  speaking  of  them  he 
says,  "  The  clergy^  of  this  country  are  sufficiently  commendable 
ibr  the  regularity  of  their  lives,  and,  amongst  the  other  virtues 
for  which  they  are  conspicuous,  their  chastity  stands  eminently 
distinguished."  Hence,  it  may  be  inferred,  that  that  evil  custom 
which  Camden  mentions,  did  not  prevail  amongst  the  whole  of 
the  Irish  clergy,  but  only  amongst  that  lustful  and  reprobate 
band,  who  broke  through  their  vows,  and  that  left  the  Church  in 
schismatical  disobedience  to  their  ecclesiastical  superiors.  Even 
Stanihurst  agrees  with  this  opinion,  in  his  History  of  Ireland, 
written  in  the  year  of  our  Lord,  1584 :  "  The  Irish,''^^  says  he, 
"  are,  for  the  most  part,  extremely  religious."  From  these  testi- 
monies, it  appears  clear  that  the  profane  practices,  noticed  by 
Camden,  were  not  common  in  Ireland,  and  that,  as  I  have  just 
said,  they  only  prevailed  amongst  those  wdio  had  broken  through 
their  vows. 

Camden  says,  again,  that  no  gi'eat  respect  is  paid  to  matrimony 
in  Ireland,  except  in  the  great  towns ;  but  this  is  false,  and  it  is 
also  a  great  calumny  upon  the  Gaelic  and  Anglo-Norman  nobility 
of  Irelanfl,  for  most  of  these  dwell  in  the  rural  districts.  I  must, 
however,  confess  that,  in  this  as  in  every  other  countrj^,  there  are 
some  persons  who  are  enslaved  by  their  passions,  and  who  aro 
unrestrained  by  their  spiritual  superiors ;  still,  it  is  unjust  in  Cam- 
den to  condemn  and  reproach  the  Irish  who  dwell  in  the  rural 
districts,  for  a  crime  that  is  not  common  amongst  them.  For  if 
one  or  two,  or  even  a  few  individuals  amongst  them,  be  prone  to 
vice,  the  whole  rural  j^opulation  of  the  country  is  not  to  be 
defamed  upon  their  account.  And,  to  those  writers  who  say, 
that  a  matrimonial  contract  for  one  year  was  common  in  Ii'cland, 

"  Se  qui  rcligioni  S'C  consecraut,  re-  pra;lucot  virtulos,  rasfitas  pnrrooativii 

ligio.«a  qnadam   auaterilate    se    conti-  praecminct. — If  historic  scaii<ial  spoak 

nent,  vif^ilando,   orando  ct  jojuniia   sc  truth,  they  differed  somcwiiat  in  this 

maccrando. — This   miplit  have  shown  re-jpect   from   some   of  the   Normans, 

our   author   that   the   people's   cler/jy  wiio  wore  sent  to  reform  their  abuses 

were  not  alhided  to  by  Camden.  by  tlie  lielp  of  tlie  sword. 

"  list  anteni   clerus  satis   religione        "■'  iliberniei  ctiam  mag-na  ex  parte 

eommcndabilis,  et  inter  varia.s  quibus  sunt  religionis  eumme  colentcs. 


DR.    KEATING'S   PREFACE.  ll 

I  answer  that  it  is  quite  certain  that  such  contracts  were  never 
made,  except  by  profane  and  irreligious  people,  who  rebelled 
against  tlieir  spiritual  guides.  For  which  reason,  this  charge 
should  not  be  cast  as  a  general  infamy  upon  the  whole  Irish 
nation,  when  it  was  only  practiced  by  a  few  indocile  and  intract- 
able individuals. 

Campion  says,  in  the  sixth  chapter  of  the  first  book  of  his 
history,  that  the  Irish  are  so  credulous  that  they  deem  whatever 
their  superiors  tell  them  to  be  true,  however  incredible  it  may 
appear  to  others.  As  a  proof  of  this,  he  relates  a  very  stupid 
fable,  which  I  here  repeat:  "There  was  once,"  says  he,  "a  cer- 
tain licentious  prelate  in  Ireland,  who  was  able  to  impose  any- 
thing upon  his  people.  This  prelate  having  but  a  scanty  stock 
of  ready  money,  and  hoping  to  receive  a  supply  from  his  flock, 
told  them  that,  within  a  few  years  past,  St.  Patrick  and  St.  Peter 
had  had  a  quarrel  about  an  Irish  Galloglass,^""  whom  St.  Patrick 
wished  to  introduce  into  heaven,  but  that  St.  Peter,  enraged 
thereat,  struck  St.  Patrick  on  the  head  with  the  key  of  Heaven, 
and  fractured  his  skull.  In  consequence  of  this  story  the  prelate 
received  the  contribution  that  he  required  from  the  people."  In 
reply  to  Campion,  I  must  say  that,  in  this  place,  he  appears  less 
in  the  character  of  the  historian  than  of  the  jaggling  mounte- 
bank, vending  ridiculous  squibs  from  off  a  stage.  For,  how  could 
any  Irish  Christian  believe  that  St.  Patrick  could  get  his  skuU. 
broken,  having  died  more  than  a  thousand  years  ago.  Besides, 
every  one  knows  that  the  key  of  St.  Peter  means  his  authority, 
and  that  it  is  no  key  of  iron.  I  do  not  consider  any  more  of 
this  man's  falsehoods  worth  taking  up ;  he,  himself,  confesses,  in 
the  epistle  prefixed  to  his  work,  that  he  had  spent  but  ten  weeks 
in  writing  his  history  of  Ireland. 

The  following  character  of  the  Irish  has  been  given  by  Master 
Good,  an  English  priest,  who  conducted  a  school  in  Limerick,  in 
the  year  1566 :  "  They  are,"^"^  says  he,  "  a  people  of  robust 
bodies,  of  great  agility,  of  a  brave  and  exalted  mind,  of  a  pene- 
trating and  warlike  genius,  prodigal  of  life,  patient  of  labor,  cold 
and  hunger,  of  amorous  propensities,  most  hospitable  to  strangers, 
constant  in  love,  implacable  in  enmity,  credulous,  greedy  of  fame, 
and  impatient  of  reproach  or  injury."      Stanihurst,  also,   gives 

'™  The  Galloglass,  in  Irish  Galloilacli,        ""  Gens  haec   corporc  valida,  et  ira- 

[Gaid-o^udagh,]  i.e.  Foreign  mercena-  primis,  agilis,  animo  fortis,  et  elata,  in- 

ry  or  soldier,  was  the  heavy-armed  foot  genio  acris  et  bellicosa.  vitie  prodiga, 

soldier  of  the  Irish,  during  first  centuries  laboris  et  frigoris  et  iiicdise  patiens,  ve- 

after  the  English  invasion.     1  hey  got  neri   indiilgens,  hospitibus  pcrbenigna, 

the   prefix    Gall,  because  they   were,  amore   constans.   inimieis  implacabilis 

perhaps,  armed  and  equipped  after  the  credulitate   Icvis,  gloriaj  avida,  contu- 

Normaa  fashion.  meliai  et  injuriis  impatiens. 


lii 


DR.    KEATIXCxS    PREFACE. 


the  folio-wing  testimony  in  their  favor :  "In  labor,  they  are  the 
most  patient  race  of  all  mankind,  and  their  spirits  are  seldom 
cast  down  by  any  difficulties."  ^"^ 

Spen?cr  nilows  that  it  was  from  the  Irish  that  the  Saxons  first 
received  the  alj)habet,  from  which  admission  we  may  inf.T  that 
the  Saxons  had  no  knowdedgc  at  all  of  hitters,  until  they  had 
bsen  taught  by  the  Irish. 

John  Davies'"^  condemns  their  customs,  sanctioned  by  tlie  laws 
of  the  Irish  Brehons.     The  first  is,  "  that  the  TanisL^""  should  suc- 


"^  In  labore  ex  orani  homimm  ge- 
ncre  patientissimi,  in  rerum  augusteis 
raro  fracti. 

'"Uokn  Davics.  This  is  that  Sir  John 
Davies,  employed  as  Attornev-General 
and  as  Speaker  of  the  Irish  House  of 
Commons,  in  the  reign  of  James  the 
First,  He  wrote  a  work  upon  the 
State  of  Ireland,  to  which  refereuce  is 
here  made.  Davies  was  raised  to  the 
Chief  Justiceship  of  England,  for  his 
services  in  Ireland,  hut  he  died  imme- 
diately after,  in  16'2G. 

104  li  Tanist,"  in  Irish "Tanaiste,"  ( Tau- 
nisht,)  was  the  term  applied  to  the  suc- 
cessor-elect or  heir  apparent  of  a  king 
or  chieftain.  The  Tanist  was  elected 
during  the  lifetime  of  the  chieftain,  and 
succeeded  him  immediately  upon  his 
death.  The  word  "  tanaiste,"  means 
second,  in  Irisli,  though  some  will  de- 
rive the  word  from  "  tan,"  or  "  tanas," 
a  country.  It  has  some  resemblance 
in  form,  to  the  AngloSaxon  term, 
"thane,"  a/o?7/.  Sir  John  Davies  states, 
in  the  tracts  here  referred  to,  "  tliat 
by  the  law  of  Tanistry,  the  chieftains 
of  every  country  and  the  chief  of  every 
eept,  had  no  hcredittirij  estate  in  their 
lands,  hut  merely  held  them  for  life,  and 
the  infieritiince  rested  in  no  man,  and 
when  the  chieftains  died,  their  sons,  or 
next  heir,  did  not  succeed  them,  V)ut 
their  Tanists,  who  were  elected,  and 
who  mostly  purchased  their  election 
by  the  strong  hand  ;  when  any  one  of 
the  sept  or  tribe  died,  his  portion 
(land)  was  not  divided  among  his 
sons,  but  the  chief  of  the  sept  made 
a  new  partition  of  all  the  lands  be- 
longing to  the  sept,  and  gave  every 
one  a  share  according  to  his  seniority." 
The  following  quotation  upon  this  sub- 
ject, is  from   the    "  Ogygia"  of   the 


venerable  O'Flaherty:  "A  successor 
was  nominated  for  the  prince,  in  his 
lifetime,  to  fill  the  throne  after  his  do- 
raise.  As,  suppose  his  son  or  brother, 
or  most  respectable  relation.  They 
denominated  him  Coimree, — a  word 
derived  from  the  finger  on  which  the 
ring  is  worn,  which  comes  nearest 
the  middle  in  situation  and  length. 
This  "  'I'anist"  (or  heir  apparent)  was 
second  to  the  prince  in  rank  and  au- 
thority ;  and  from  this  the  title  of 
'J'anistry-law,  is  derived  by  Davis  and 
"Ware.  Each  of  the  candidates  of  the 
family  is  called  High  Damhna  [Rce- 
downa)  or  heir  presumptive,  which  is 
royal ;  that  is,  a  subject,  [damhna) 
qualified  to  receive  the  royal  form. 
Dut  if  he  was  attached  to  any  liberal 
or  mechanical  art,  (i.  e.  was  candidate 
for  such,)  he  was  styled  Adhbhar, 
(Auvar  or  Owar,)  only,  which  also  de- 
notes matter ;  that  is,  matter  disposed 
to  be  instructed  in  the  rudiments  of 
such  an  art." — Notes  on  Connel/an's 
Four  Masters. 

From  these  quotations,  a  d,  indeed, 
from  all  that  has  come  down  to  us  on 
the  subject,  it  appears  that  the  Irish 
clans  were  in  themselves  species  of 
pefy  rei)ublics.  That  the  chieftain 
was,  in  reality,  but  the  elected  chief 
magistrate,  or  rather,  the  public  stew- 
ard, during  his  lifetime,  of  tlie  lands 
of  his  whole  paternal  kindred,  who 
constituted,  in  Celtic  countries,  the 
■people.  'J'his  elective  .'iystem  of  gov- 
ernment by  patriarchal  chieftains, 
pnivailcd  amongst  all  the  (X-ltic  race, 
while  th(!  law  of  hereditary  succe.s.sion, 
or  primogeniture,  prevaihd  amongst 
the  'IVntonic  nations.  It  is  but  fainlly 
apologized  for  here,  by  Dr.  Keating, 
and  has  been  universally  condemn»! 


DR.    KEATING  S   PREFACE. 


liii 


cecfl  to  the  chieftaincy,  in  preference  to  the  son  of  the  late  lord 
of  the  Laud  ;"  the  second  is,  "  that  partition  of  the  estate  between 


by  all  who  have  written  iu  English 
upon  the  subject,  and,  of  course,  by 
those  wiseacres,  the  political  econo- 
mists. It  is  questionable,  however,  if 
the  preserving  of  property  iiv  the  hands 
of  a  few,  or  its  transmission  to  the 
descendants  of  its  first  acquirer,  con- 
tinue forever  to  be  one  of  the  mjst 
serious  objects  of  all  legislation, 
whether  the  Tanistry  and  Gavelkind 
did  not  in  their  day,  carry  out  that 
very  object,  as  efficiently,  at  least,  as 
the  Teutonic  law  of  primogeniture  as 
now  established  in  Great  Britain. 
Even  when  Keating  wrote,  many  of 
the  direct  descendants  of  Conn  of 
the  Hundred  Battles,  and  of  Eogau 
Mor,  of  Magh  Lena,  of  Olild  Glum, 
of  Connac  Cas,  of  Core,  and  of  Niall, 
of  the  Nina  Hostages,  still  held,  or 
had  but  recently  been  robbed  of  large 
portions  of  the  properties  acquired  by 
their  kingly  ancestors,  some  thousand 
years  before.  How  many  of  the  direct 
descent  of  William  of  Normandy,  of 
the  proud  Plantagenets,  or  the  des- 
potic Tudors,  were  then  numbered 
amongst  the  property  owners  of  Grea,t 
Britain?  How  many  of  the  present 
aristocracy  of  England,  can  find  their 
names  inscribed  in  the  "  Dooms  lay 
Book  ?  "  How  many,  in  fine,  of  the 
Cromwellian  stock,  will  another  cen- 
tury of  prodigality  and  debauch,  of 
horse-races  and  gambling,  closed  by 
another  famine  year,  leave  upon  the 
rent-roll  of  Ireland  ?  But  the  Gaelic 
race  still  continues  to  flourish,  impelled, 
perhaps,  though  unconsciously  to  it- 
self, by  the  powerful  impetus  given  to 
it  at  its  first  start  by  those  very  insti- 
tutions of  Tanistry  and  Gavelkind.  In 
Ireland,  this  race  has  already  swept 
away  the  peasant  colonists,  with  whom 
William  of  Orange  so  thickly  dotted 
its  land.  It  is,  even  now,  fast  recon- 
quering the  ownership  of  its  ancestral 
fields  by  the  sword  of  industry,  and  it 
may  retain  them  long,  if  it  but  shun 
tlie  Saxon  institution  of  primogeni- 
ture. 

The  institutions  of  Tanistry  should 


not  be  blamed  for  these  faults,  that 
were  universal  in  the  ages  when  it 
flourished.  Did  not  our  tribes  in- 
crease and  multiply  under  it  exceed- 
ingly, notwithstanding  the  occasional 
lopping  oft  of  many  a  goodly  sapling 
from  its  trunk,  by  the  sword  of  ambi- 
tion ?  The  parent  tree  but  flourished 
the  more  vigorously  for  these  timely 
prunings,  which,  after  all,  were  but  the 
fashion  of  their  day  in  every  European 
land.  Has  the  law  of  primogeniture 
done  as  well  towards  keeping  the  in- 
stitution called  family,  together,  and 
the  homestead  standing  ?  If  the  Gae- 
lic institutions  and  Tanistic  law 
had  been  allowed  to  develop  them- 
selves, and  then  failed  in  their  object, 
as  signally  as  Saxon  institutions  and 
the  law  of  primigeniture  are  likely  to 
do  we  might  then  be  unreserved  iu 
their  condemnation.  The  Tanistic  in- 
stitutions were  put  down  by  foreign  vio- 
lence, before  they  could  have  become  rc^ 
modeled  by  modern  civilization.  Then, 
before  we  condemn  them,  we  should 
give  them  credit  for  what  they  really 
did  do  in  these  rude  and  bloody  ages  ; 
we  should  also  look  round  and  ask  our- 
selves what,  with  all  the  advantages  of 
a  cizilized  age,  has  been  done,  even 
for  the  '•  family,"  by  that  system  which 
has  replaced  them — I  do  not  say  for 
"  the  masses,"  for  that  is  glaring  to  all. 
'"^  Gavelkind.  According  to  Coke, 
this  term  originated  in  the  phrase  gave 
all  kinds,  but  this  etymology  has  all  the 
appearance  of  a  pun  upon  the  word. 
The  term  is  used  in  English  law,  in 
which  it  is  applied  to  that  distribution 
of  the  chattel  or  movable  property  of 
an  intestate  relative,  that  takes  place 
amongst  his  nearest  of  kin.  The  word 
is  decidedly  of  Gaelic  origin.  With  our 
ancestors,  it  was  called  "Gabhail  Cine," 
{Gavaull  Ktnni.)  from  "  Gabhail,"  a 
taking  or  s'laring,  and  Cine,  (Kinni,) 
afamilf/  or  kiidrcd.  The  Irish  Gavel- 
kind differed  somewhat  from  the  Eng- 
lish ;  for  with  the  former  the  lands 
were  divided  as  well  as  the  movables, 
and  they  were  only  divided  amongst 


liv 


DR.   KEATING's  preface. 


kinsmen,  called  gavclkincV^  by  the  English,  by  which  the 
land  is  equally  divided  between  them;"'  the  third  custom  is,  "the 
receiving  of  an  eric"*  or  fine  for  murder."  In  answer  to  him, 
I  must  observe  that  there  is  no  country  in  whicli  the  laws  and 
customs  do  not  vary  according  to  the  changes  w^hich  take  place 
in  the  situation  of  its  affairs.  So  these  three  customs^"  were  not 
established  by  the  Brehon  law  of  the  land,  until  the  Irish  fell 
into  wars  and  conflicts  in  every  part  of  the  country,  killing,^"" 


the  male  kinsmen  in  the  paternal  line. 
The  females  could  inherit  no  lands 
amongst  the  Gaels.  They  received 
their  "  Spre,"  or  portion  in  cattle, 
iroods  or  money.  According  to  the 
English  gavelkind,  everything  called 
chattel  is  divided  between  males  and 
females  indiscriminately.  It  has  been 
seen  l)y  the  former  note,  that  this  law 
regarded  not  merely  children  of  a  de- 
ceased parent,  but  all  the  members  of 
the  "  kin,"  or  tribe,  and  that  constituted 
in  Ireland  Vie  people.  .The  present  oc- 
cupiers of  the  lands  of  our  tribes  should 
not,  then,  rest  too  secure  in  their  occu- 
pation, from  the  fact  that  most  of  the 
direct  descendants  of  the  last  chieftains 
who  held  these  lands  are  now  extinct ; 
or  from  the  fact  that  English  law  has 
attainted  their  blood.  They  were  not, 
in  their  own  right,  landowners.  They 
were  the  mere  temporal  stewards  of  their 
kinsmen,  and  the  poorest  O'Neill  or 
O'Doimcll,  O'Brien  or  MacCarthy,  had 
as  much  ownership  in  the  broad  lands 
of  'J'irone  or  'J'irconnell  of  Thoniond 
or  of  Desmond,  as  those  renegade  chiefs 
that  bartered  their  kingly  titles  for 
English  coronets.  It  was  not,  then,  a 
^ew  Gaelic  landlords  that  were  robbed 
by  the  English  settlers.  It  was  the 
whole  Gaelic  nation.  And  as  time.surely, 
cannot  make  sacred  the  possessions  ac- 
quired by  crime,  the  Gaelic  tribe-lands 
of  Eri  sliall  never  want  direct  heirs, 
while  the  b!i>od  of  daedal,  the  (J reen, 
flows  in  the  veins  of  one  man  of  the  in- 
destructible and  fruitful  ])rogeny  of 
Miledh  of  Spain — ever  longingly  anx- 
ious to 

"  Hpoil  Ilie  spoiler  ns  we  mny, 
And  from  llie  rol)l)er  rend  the  prey." 

'"  Eric.  Under  the  Brehf)n  laws, 
various  crimes  were  coni])romÍHed  for 
by  a  line,  called  "  eric."     This  mostly 


consisted  of  cattle  counted  by  "  cum- 
hals,"  each  "  cumhal  "  {cuval  or  cool) 
being  three  cows.  These  fines  varied 
from  3  cows  to  300.  and  sometimes  to 
1.000,  or  more,  according  to  the  nature 
of  the  crime  and  the  rank  of  the  parties. 

The  ])ractice  of  punishing  murder 
and  other  crimes  by  fine,  prevailed,  also, 
among  the  Greeks,  Ilomans,  GauLs, 
Germans,  Franks,  Saxons  and  Britons. 
It  appears  that  criminals  did  not  always 
get  off  on  payment  of  the  "  eric."  In- 
stances are  recorded  of  malefactors 
being  mutilated,  hanged  or  beheaded 
for  certain  heinous  crimes,  by  order  of 
the  Irish  chiefs. — Notes  to  Conncllati's 
Four  Masters. 

""  Dr.  Keating  is  mistaken  in  what 
he  says  here.  These  three  customs 
seem  to  have,  at  all  times,  been  tlie 
very  essence  of  Celtic  ]iolity. 

"*  These  killings  were  not  much 
greater  than  what  was  going  on  in  Eng- 
land, France,  and  throughout  Christen- 
dom, during  the  middle  ages.  They 
were  more  wliolcsome  by  far,  and  the 
clans  were  even  thriving  and  multiply- 
ing in  spite  of  them.  'J'liey  would  prolv 
ably  have  wrought  their  own  cure  in 
good  time,  had  strangers  not  been  sent 
to  prevent  them.  J'^nglishmen,  who  point 
to  the  feuds,  combats  and  nnn-ders  that 
were  but  too  prevalent  amongst  our 
clans,  should  recollect  the  wars  between 
the  successors  of  their  own  French  con- 
queror William  ;  the  bloody  .strife  be- 
tween the  Empre.<s  Miitliilda  and 
Stephen  de  Blois  ;  the  contest  that  ex- 
isted between  Henry  the  Second  and 
his  pious  progeny  ;  their  wars  of  the 
Roses,  during  all  which,  the  mass  of 
their  people  were  pu[)pets  in  the  hands 
of  their  Fri'neh  masters ;  and,  lastly, 
their  revolutionary  and  religious  wars, 
down  to  a  sufficicutly  recent  period.  To 


DR.    KEATING's   preface.  Iv 

rotbing  and  despoiling  one  another.  Then  it  was  that  the  nobles 
and  oUamhs  of  Ireland,  considering  the  calamities  that  were  ap- 
proaching, from  these  general  dissensions  throughout  the  island, 
thought  fit  to  establish  the  three  customs  mentioned  above. 
First,  they  considered  it  expedient  that  the  Tanist  should  suc- 
ceed to  the  deceased,  in  order  that  every  tribe  in  Ireland  might, 
at  all  times,  have  a  captain  at  its  head,  who  was  capable  both  of 
leading  its  warriors  to  the  field,  and  of  protecting  the  lands  and 
properties  of  its  members ;  for,  if  the  son  were  put  into  his  father's 
place,  he  might  probably  happen  to  be  under  age,  and  on  that 
account,  incaj^able  of  defending  his  territory,  or  tribe-land,  from 
being  destroyed  by  enemies.  Neither  was  it  possible  to  dispense 
with  the  existence  of  the  second  custom  in  Ireland  at  that  time, 
namely,  that  of  Gavelkind,  or  the  division  of  the  land  amongst 
kinsmen ;  for  otherwise  the  rent  of  each  country  would  have  been 
insufficient  to  pay  the  number  of  soldiers  necesssary  for  its  de- 
fence ;  but,  when  the  land  was  once  divided  amongst  the  kins- 
men, the  man  who  had  the  smallest  share  thereof,  was  likety  to  be 
as  active  in  the  defence  of  the  common  inheritance,  according  to 
his  capabilities,  as  the  ruling  chieftain  himself.  Again,  it  was 
impossible  at  that  time  to  avoid  establishing  the  eric,  i.  e.,  the 
punishing  of  murder  by  a  fine ;  for,  the  man  who  had  com- 
mitted a  murder,  might  find  protection  in  a  neighboring  territory. 
On  this  account,  as  the  friends  of  the  murdered  man  could  not 
cause  his  slayer  to  make  any  expiation  or  atonement  in  his  own 
person,  they  made  his  kindred  answer  for  his  crime,  in  order  to 
punish  him  through  them.  Now,  as  his  relatives  were  not  privy 
to  the  murder,  it  Avere  unjust  to  shed  their  blood ;  but  a  fine  was 
laid  upon  them,  and  thus  the  murderer  was  punished  in  the  persons 
of  his  nearest  friends.  It  was  somewhat  uncandid  in  John  Davies, 
to  find  fault  with  the  Brehon  laws  of  Ireland,  on  account  of  this 
regulation,  for  a  similar  custom  prevails  amongst  the  English 
down  to  the  present  time.  As  to  the  other  two  customs,  it  was 
then  impossible  to  dispense  Avith  them  in  Ireland,  and,  therefore, 
the  Brehon  legislation  of  the  country  is  not  to  be  censured  on 
their  account ;  for,  though  they  are  unsuited  to  Ireland  in  its 
present  state,  still  they  were  unavoidable  at  the  time  when  they 
were  established. 

Camden  tells  us,  that  the  Irish  nobility  maintained  their  own 
judges,  antiquaries,  j^oets  and  musicians,  whom  they  also  endowed 
with  land  for  their  support,  and  that  the  persons  of  these,  as  well 
as  their  cattle  and  patrimonies,  were  free  from  all  tribute  to  their 

one  that  will  look  at  the  state  of  an-  to  have  had  more  than  her  own_  share 
cient  Ireland'  thus  relatively  and  com-  of  the  general  slaughter  then  going  on 
paratively,  I  doubt  if  she  will  be  found    everywhere. 


Ivi 


DR.   KEATING'S  PREFACE. 


chieftain.     He  speaks  of  them  in  the  following  terms :   "  These 
chieftains  have  lawyers  of  their  own,  whom  they  call  brehons""  or 


""  Brehons.  "  Bardism  and  Brehou- 
ism,as  well  as  Druidisni.the  religious  sys- 
tem of  the  Celtic  nations,  Gauls,  Britons 
and  Irish,  prevailed  in  Ireland  from  the 
earliest  ages.  After  the  introduction 
of  ('hristianity,  the  Druids  or  Pagan 
priests  became  extinct,  but  the  Bards 
and  Brehons  continued  in  the  Christian 
as  well  as  in  the  Pagan  times.  It  ap- 
pears probable  that  Brehonism  was  the 
Law  system  of  the  other  Celtic  nations, 
and  that  it  prevailed  amongst  the  Gauis 
and  Britons,  who  were  Celts,  as  well 
as  amongst  the  Irish.  In  Caesar's 
Commentaries  it  is  staled  that  amongst 
the  Edui,  one  of  the  nations  of  Gaul, 
the  title  of  the  chief  magistrate  or  judge 
was  Vergobretus,  and  that  he  was  an- 
nually chosen,  and  had  the  power  of 
life  and  death  The  term  Brehon,  in 
Irish  Breitheamh,  signifies  a  judge,  and 
O'Brien,  in  the  preface  to  his  Irish  Dic- 
tionary, showing  the  analogy  between 
the  Irish  language  and  that  of  the 
Gauls,  both  of  which  were  Celtic 
tongues,  considers  that  the  term  which 
Caesar  latinized  Vergobretus,  was  in 
the  Gaulish  or  Celtic  Fcr-go-Brcith, 
signifying  the  Man  of  Judgment,  or  a 
Judge,  and  it  has  the  same  signification 
in  the  Irish  from  Fer,  a  man,  i,'0,  of  or 
witli,  and  ^rc/^/í.  judgment ;  therefore  it 
appears  the  Vergobretus  was  the  chief 
Brehon  of  Gaul  I'he  Brehons  were 
the  judg&s  and  professors  of  the  law, 
and  in  ancient  times  they  delivered  their 
judgments,  and  proclaimed  the  laws  to 
the  chiefs  and  people  assembled  on  the 
hills  and  raths  on  public  occasions,  as 
at  the  Conventions  of  Tara,  and  other 
great  as.semblies.  In  the  Dis-sertations 
of  Charles  O'Conor,  and  in  O'Reilly's 
Irish  Writers,  accounts  are  given  of 
many  famous  Brehons  and  chief  judges 
who  flourished  from  the  first  to  the 
eighth  century,  as  Hen,  Moran,  Mcxlan, 
Conla,  Fithil,  Fachtna,  Hencha,  the 
three  brothers  named  Burachans  or 
O'Burechans,  &c.  ;  these  eminent  men 
formed  and  perfected  a  great  code  of 
laws,  which,  from  their  spirit  of  equity, 
were  designated  Brcithe  Ncimkidh,  sig- 


nifying Celestial  Ju'lirmcnts.  The  most 
renowned  of  these  Brehons  for  the  jus- 
tice of  his  judgments  was  Moran,  son 
of  Cairbre-Kenn-Cait,  king  of  Ireland 
in  the  first  century,  and  he  is  represented 
in  his  office  of  chief  judge  of  the  king- 
dom, as  wearing  on  his  neck  a  golden 
ornament  called  Hhmi  Morain,  or  Mo- 
ran's  collar,  which  is  described  in  Val- 
iancy's Collectanea,  and  it  was  fanci- 
fully said  to  press  closely  on  the  neck 
of  the  wearer,  and  almost  choke  him, 
if  he  attempted  to  pronounce  an  unjust 
judgment.  The  Brehons,  like  the  Bards, 
presided  at  the  inauguration  of  kings, 
princes,  and  chiefs,  and,  as  the  judges 
and  expounders  of  the  laws,  had  great 
power  and  privileges  in  the  State,  and 
extensive  lands  were  allotted  for  their 
own  use.  Each  of  the  Irish  princes 
and  chiefs  of  note  had  his  own  Brehons, 
and  the  office,  like  that  of  the  Bards, 
hereditary  in  certain  families.  Amongst 
the  chief  Brehon  families  were  the  fol- 
lowing :  The  MacEgans,  hereditary 
Brehons  in  Connaught,  in  Leinster,  and 
in  Ormond  ;  the  O'Dorans,  Brehons  to 
the  MacMurroghs,  kings  of  Leinster  ; 
the  JIacClancies  of  Clare,  Brehons  to 
the  O'Briens,  kings  of  Thomond,  to  the 
Fitzgeralds,  earls  of  Desmond,  and  other 
great  families  in  Munster.  The  O'lla- 
gans  of  Tullaghoge,  in  Tyrone,  Brehons 
to  the  O'Neils,  princes  of  Tyrone.  The 
O'Breslins  of  Donegal,  Brehons  to  the 
O'DonnelLs,  and  to  the  Maguires,  lords 
of  Fermanagh.  In  the  Tracts  of  Sir 
John  Davies  an  interesting  account  is 
given  of  OBreslin,  the  Brehon  to  Ma- 
guin; ;  8ir  John,  who  was  attorney- 
general  to  king  James  I.,  having  pro- 
ceed(>(l  to  various  parts  of  Ulster  about 
tlie  year  KjOT,  together  with  the  judges 
and  chancellor,  to  hold  assizes,  on 
coming  to  Fermanagli  they  required  to 
know  ti\e  tenure  by  which  Maguireheld 
his  lands,  and  having  sent  for  the  Bre- 
hon O'Jireslin,  who  was  a  very  feeble 
old  man,  he  came  to  the  camp,  and  the 
ju(L'es  having  diMnaiided  his  Roll,  heat 
lirst  refu.sed  to  sliovv  it,  but  at  length, 
on  the  lord  chancellor  taking   an   oath 


DR.  keating's  preface.  Ivii 

judges  ;  tlieir  own  historians,  to  record  their  exploits ;  their  phy- 
sicians, their  poets,  -whom  they  style  bards;  and  certain  lands  are 
assigned  to  each  of  these,  and  each  of  them  is  of  a  distinct  family 
or  tribe,  viz.,  the  brehons  of  one  tribe  and  name,  the  antiquaries 
or  historians  of  another,  and  so  of  the  rest ;  and  these  instruct 
their  children  and  relations,  each  in  their  proper  science,  and 
thus  they  all  have  successors  continuously  in  their  sevei'al  pro- 
fessions." From  these  words  of  Camden,  it  is  evident  that  the 
Irish  had  established  a  good  arrangement  for  the  preservation  of 
their  liberal  arts;  for  collegiate  lands  wei-e  assigned  to  every  tribe 
of  professors,  as  a  maintenance  for  those  who  applied  themselves 
to  the  cultivation  of  science,  in  order  that  they  might  not  be 
turned  awixj  from  its  pursuit  hj  poverty.  And,  moreover,  the 
man  who  was  the  most  eminent  in  the  science  cultivated  by  any 
particular  tribe,  was  always  the  person  upon  whom  the  chieftain  be- 
stowed the  mastership  "ollamnacht"  {olloivnaghi)  of  the  lands  of  that 
tribe.  Hence,  it  came  to  pass,  that  each  member  of  these  tribes  strove 
to  attain  to  eminence  in  his  art,  in  hopes  of  obtaining  the  position 
of  chief  ollamh,  or  professor,  before  the  rest  of  his  tribe.  It  was, 
also,  the  more  easy  to  cultivate  science  in  Ireland,  on  account  of 
immunities  and  j^rotection  granted  by  the  chiefs  to  the  lands,  per- 
sons and  properties  of  its  professors.  Thus,  notwithstanding  the 
contentions  between  the  Gaels  and  Anglo-Normans,  neither  the 
ollamhs  nor  their  pupils  were  ever  disturbed  or  molested,  or  at 
all  impeded  in  the  cultivation  of  their  respective  branches.  We 
read  in  the  Sixth  Book  of  Julius  Caesar,  that  the  same  privileged 
or  termonn  lands  were  possessed  by  those  Druids,^^"  who  went 
from  the  west  of  Europe  to  teach  in  Gaul  or  France — a  custom 
which,  I  think,  they  brought  with  them  from  Ireland. 

I  shall  pursue  the  opinions  of  those  Englishmen  no  longer, 

that  he  would  return  it  safe,  the  old  liberos  sive  cognatos  in  sua  qualibet 
Brchon  drew  the  roll  out  of  his  bosom,  arte  orudiunt ;  et  semper  successores 
and  gave  it  to  the  chancellor.  'J'he  habent  quibus  singulis  sua  predia  as- 
Irish  MS.  was  well  written,  and,  having  signata  sunt. 

been  translated  for  the  judges,  it   was  "''Te?7?20Hi! /aníís  were  certain  portions 

found  to  contain  an  account  of  the  rents  of  land  set  apart  for  religious  or  scientific 

and  tributes  paid  to  Maguire,  which  con-  purposes  ;  they  enjoyed  great  immuni- 

sisted  of  cattle,  corn,  provisions,  hogs,  ties,  and  were  free  from  tribute  of  the 

mcaljbuttcr.&c;  but  Davies  says  he  lost  chief.    The  lands  assigned  to  the  biadh- 

the  copy  of  the  roll  at  Dublin." — Con-  tachs,  {heetaghs),  or  keepers  of  houses 

nellan's  Four  Masters.  of  public  hospitality,   were  also  styled 

Habent  hi  magnates  sues  juridicos,  "  termon  lands  ;"  so  were  the   church 

suos  Brehones  vocant ;  sues  historicos  lands.     "  Tormonn  "   seems  to  be   the 

qui  resgestasdiscribunt;  medicos,  Poe-  same  word  with  the  Latin  '  terminus." 

tas,  quos  Bardos  vocant,  et  citharcedos,  a  bouncLirij.     The  editor  cannot  say  if 

et  certiE  et  singute  familiie  ;   Scilicet  the  word  bo  pure  Gaelic,  but  it  is  just 

Brehoni  unius  stirpis  et  nominis,  histo-  as  likely  to  be  so  as  not,  if  analogy  can 

rici  alterius,  et  sic  de  cajteris,  qui  suos  prove  anything. 


Iviii  DR.  keatixg's  preface. 

though  there  still  remain  many  things  written  by  them,  that  might 
be  confuted.  The  greater  part  of  tho.se  who  have  written  nuilevo- 
lently  of  Ireland,  had  no  foundation  for  their  calumnies,  other 
than  the  lying  tales  of  persons  who  hated  the  Irish  nation,  and 
who  were  most  ignorant  of  its  history;  for,  it  is  evident  that  the 
regular  jirofessors  of  Irish  history  never  cared  to  give  them  any 
insight  on  the  latter  subject;  thus,  they  could  not  possibly  know 
anything  eitlier  of  the  traditions  or  ancient  state  of  the  country. 

Cambrensis,  who  undertook  to  give  a  correct  account  of  every- 
thing, ai>penrs  to  have  received  a  medley  of  fable  s  from  some 
dunce  or  bbnd  man.  for  he  has  said  nothing  of  the  conquest  of  the 
Tuatha-De-Dananns,  who  possessed  Ireland  one  hundred  and  nine- 
ty-seven years,  during  which  time  nine  kings  of  their  nation  ruled 
the  island.  Where  he  has  set  about  giving  down  the  conquests, 
he  mentions  that  of  Kesair  (Kassir)  as  the  first,  yet  our  antiqua- 
ries have  never  considered  that  as  a  conquest,  though  they  have 
spoken  of  it  in  their  books.  Hence,  I  think,  that  the  man  had 
no  other  motive  in  compiling  his  History  of  Ireland,  than  to  mis- 
represent both  the  natives  of  Ireland  of  his  own  day  and  their 
ancestors.  Besides,  he  had  but  a  very  short  time  to  make  his 
researches  in  Irish  antiquities,  having  spent  but  a  year  and  a  half 
in  the  country  previous  to  his  return  to  England.  As  his  work 
was  not  completed  within  that  time,  he  left  it  to  the  care  of  one 
of  his  companions,  named  Bertram  Verdon.  Therefore,  I  trust 
that  every  impartial  reader,  who  may  peruse  my  confutations  of 
Cambrensis  and  those  Englishmen  who  have  followed  in  his  foot- 
steps, will  give  more  credence  to  my  exposition  of  their  falsehoods 
than  to  tlie  idle  stories  which  they  have  all  related.  For  I  am 
now  advanced"^  in  years,  while  many  of  them  were  young  when 
they  wrote.  I  have  seen  and  can  understand  our  principal  his- 
toric books  in  the  original  tongue,  but  they  have  both  never  seen 
them,  and  if  they  had,  they  could  not  understand  them. 

It  is  not  through  partiality  towards  any  class  of  people  in  the 
world,  nor  is  it  at  the  instance  of  any  man,  in  the  hope  of  being 
rewarded  by  him,  tliat  I  propose  writing  a  History  of  Ireland; 
but,  because  I  deemed  it  not  right,  that  so  honored  a  country, 
having  such  noble  inhabitants,  should  be  let  sink  into  oldivion, 
through  the  want  of  a  historic  account  of  its  ancient  affairs.  1 
do  also  conceive,  that  my  testimony  upon  Irish  affairs  ought  to 
be  the  more  readily  admitted,  from  tlie  fact  that  I  therein  treat 

'"  For  I  am  voir  old.     Dr.  Kfatiiif^  dnriiiir  tlio  period  tliat  clayisod  between 

finished  lii.-^  work  in  1G29;  lie  ilii-d  in  Hint  date,  and  licnee  it  lias  arisen  that 

16.50.     Dr.  O'Donovan  pays,  in  his  notes  some  copies  of  liis  work  eontain  many 

to  the  "  tribes  and  customs  of  thclly  facts   not   contained    in   others.     This 

Fiachrach,"  that  it  is  probable  that  he  passafrc  appears  to  have  been  written 

inserted  many  passages  into  his  work  towards  the  end  of  bis  life. 


DR.    KEATING's   preface. 


lix 


more  particularly  of  the  Gaels;  and,  if  any  man  deem  that  I  give 
them  too  much  credit,  let  him  not  imagine  that  I  do  so  through 
partiality,  praising  them  more  than  is  just,  through  love  of  my 
own  kindred,  f«)r  I  belong,  myself,  according  to  my  extraction, 
to  the  Old-Gallic"^  or  Anglo-Norman  race.  I  have  seen  that  the 
natives  of  Ireland  are  maligned  by  every  modern  Englisliman 
who  speaks  of  the  country,  notwithstanding  the  praises  which  all 
historians  agree  in  bestowing  upon  its  soil.  For  this  reason,  being 
much  grieved  at  the  unfairness  those  writers  have  shown  towards 
Irishmen,  have  I  felt  urged  to  write  a  history  of  Ireland  myself. 
If,  then,"^  a  true  account  were  given  of  the  natives  of  Ireland, 
they  would  be  found  as  praiseworthy  as  any  people  in  Europe, 
m  these  three  qualities,  namely,  in  valor,  in  learning,  and  in  a 
steady  adherence  to  the  Catholic  faith.  I  shall  not  here  boast 
of  the  great  number  of  our  Irish  saints,"*  because  every  European 


"^  Old  Gallic.  For  particulars  of 
the  Rev.  Doctor's  extraction,  see  his 
life,  prefixed  to  this  work. 

"^  Our  author  had  good  reason  to 
feel  proud  of  his  country  at  that  time. 
Though  the  strength  of  the  Irish  nation 
was  nearly  brokeu  down  at  home,  by 
an  incessant  war  of  more  than  three 
centuries,  still,  the  sous  of  Ireland  were 
rendering  her  name  illustrious  through- 
out Christendom  by  their  deeds  in  arms, 
and  by  their  heroic  persistence  in  the 
cause  they  deemed  the  true  one.  They 
were  fast  falling,  it  is  true — these  noble 
old  Gaels  and  Shan-Gauls— but  they 
were  falling,  still  striking  at  their  mer- 
ciless foe,  and  expending-  their  last 
strength  in  avenging,  as  they  could  not 
prevent,  the  overthrow  of  their  religion 
and  country.  When  banished  abroad 
amongst  the  stranger,  the  Irishman  of 
that  day  was  not  ashamed  of  his  coun- 
try or  his  race.  He  did  not  seek  to  dis- 
guise the  time-hallowed  name  of  his  an- 
cestors, that  told  of  "  deeds  of  the  days 
of  old,"  by  giving  it  a  foreign  form,  or 
desecrate  it  by  tacking  a  Saxon  suffix 
to  its  end.  Alas  !  there  are  not  a  few 
that  do  so  now,  and  that  envy  the  happy 
possessors  of  som^  Scraggs  or  Scrubbs. 
Griggs  or  Briggs,some  Mubbs  or  Sudds, 
Ketch  or  Fetch,  or  some  other  equal- 
ly mellifluous  and  suggestive  appella- 
tion. 

'"  Saints.  Of  the  ancient  Irish  saints, 
who  gained  for  our  Island   one  of  its 


most  distinguished  appellations,  the 
reader  will  iiud  many  interesting  par- 
ticulars in  the  course  of  this  history. 
In  Dr  Keating's  age  Ireland  had  again 
to  feel  proud  of  her  saints  and  martyrs. 
The  following  holy  bishops  and  priests 
were  among  the  many  spiritual  sons  of 
the  saints  of  olden  times  that  had  then 
but  recently  cemented  the  walls  of  the 
Irish  church  with  their  blood  : — Rich- 
ard Creagh,  or  O'Mael  Craebhaigh, 
[mail  crai-vic,)  archbishop  of  Armagh, 
and  primate  of  Ireland — Dermod  O'- 
Hurly,  archbishop  of  Cashel — Edmund 
Magauran,  or  MacGabhran,  archbishop 
of  Armagh  and  primate  of  Ireland — 
Patrick  O'Hcly,  bishop  of  Meath— 
Redmond  O'Gallagher,  bishop  of  Merry 
— Cornelius  O'Duan,  or  O'Dubhain, 
bishop  of  Down  and  Connor — Rev. 
John  Travers,  M.  M. — Rev.  Owen  Mac 
Eogain,  or  MacKeou,  M.  M. — Rev. 
Cuconnacht  or  Connatius  O'Ruairc— 
Rev.  Hugh  O'Mulkeran — Rev.  John 
O'Mahony,  S.  J. — Rev.  Gelatins  O'Cul- 
linan,  lord  abbot  of  Boyle — Rev.  Der- 
mod MacCarthy — Rev.  Dorainiek  0'- 
Callan  or  Cullen — Rev.  Bernard  Mac- 
Moriarty — Rev.  Donatus  MacCried  or 
MacReed — Rev.  Patrick  O'Lochran — 
Rev.  Lewis,  or  Lngaidh.  OLabertaigh 
or  O'Laverty — Rev.  Connatius,  or  Cor- 
connacht,  O  Keenan — Rev.  John  Mac- 
Connan — Rev.  Bernard  O'Carrolan — 
Rev.  Daniel  OHarcan — Rev.  Patrick 
O'Dwyer — Rev.    0  Dwyer — 


Ix 


DR.    KEATING'S  preface. 


author  confesses,  that  Ireland  produced  more  saints  than  any  other 
country  in  Europe.  It  is  also  acknowledged,  that  tiie  empire  of 
learning  prevailed  so  widely  in  Ireland,  that  swarms  of  learned 
men  were  sent  forth  therefrom  to  Franca,  Italy,  Germany,  Flan- 
ders, England  and  Scotland,  as  is  clearly  shown  in  the  preface  of 
the  book,  written  in  English,  which  contains  the  lives  of  Saints 
Patrick,  Columb-kille  and  Bridget.    As  to  the  National  Eecords"* 


"Ri 


Eev.  Donatus  O'Luinus  or  O'Looney — 
Rev.  Thomas  Fitzgerald.  See  0' Sulli- 
van's H.storice  Catholicce  Ibernia;,  Lib. 
ii.,  Cap  iv.  I  reiraiu  from  adding  to 
this  bright  array.  I  have  given  enough 
to  show  that  the  Isle  of  Saiats  did  not 
forfeit  her  well-earned  title,  when  the 
hour  of  her  trial  had  come. 

Comparatively  few  of  the  Gaelic 
priesthood  had  been  found  to  follow  in 
the  footsteps  of  the  apostate  Maelmuiri 
MacCraith,  (Miler  Magrath,)  the  first 
king-made  bishop  of  Casliel,  who  still 
lives  unenvialjly  in  popular  fame  as 
Maelmuiri  Mallaigh  [mail-^irri  mal- 
lihi)  or  '•  Miler  the  Accursed." 

'•'  Records.  Of  those  records  many 
very  ancient  compilations  are  still  in  ex- 
istence. Several  of  them  were  pub- 
lished in  1824  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Charles 
O'Connor,  of  Balenegar,  a  lineal  de- 
scendant of  the  last  king  of  Ireland. — 
His  work,  in  four  large  and  closely- 
printed  quarto  volumes,  is  called  "  ^e- 
rum  Iliberitacarum  Scriptorcs,"  i  e., 
the  Writers  upon  Irish  ojfairs.  This 
great  work  is  written  in  Latin,  and  very 
scarce  ;  it  is,  therefore,  unfortunately, 
not  accessible  to  general  readers.  It 
contains  various  learned  original  disser- 
tations and  translations  of  many  of  the 
Irish  annalists,  such  as  the  Four  Mas- 
ters ;  the  Annals  of  lunisfailen  ;  the  An- 
nals of  Tighernach,  of  Ulster,  of  Boyle, 
&c.  The  greatest  and  most  accessible 
compilation  of  Irish  annals  is,  undiiubt- 
cdly,  that  contained  in  the  annals  of 
the  Four  Masters,  published  a  few  years 
since  by  .Messrs.  llodgt'S  ct  Smitli,  of 
Dublin,and  literally  translated  and  most 
learnedly  and  judiciously  annotated, 
by  Mr.  John  O'liouovan.  The  work  is 
in  seven  large  quarto  volumes.  Its 
high  pi-ice  has  hitherto  placed  it  out  of 
the  reach  of  many  of  those  to  whom 


its  contents  would  give  the  most  inter- 
est. However,  the  patriotic  and  spir- 
ited publishers  have  now  a  cheaper  edi- 
tion in  press,  Avhich,  it  is  to  be  hoped, 
will  be  found  in  the  hands  of  every 
Irishman  who  can  read,  and  who  loves 
his  fatherland. 

An  immcinse  number  of  Irish  works 
in  manuscript  still  remain  extant  but 
unpublished,  in  the  libraries  of  Trinity 
College,  Dublin,  the  Royal  Irish  Aca- 
demy, the  British  Museum,  the  Library 
of  Oxford,  and  in  other  public  and  pri- 
vate libraries  of  England  and  Ireland. 
The  library  of  the  Vatican  is  said  to 
contain  a  vast  number ;  so  do  the  libra- 
ries of  Spain,  France,  Germany,  &c. 
These  manuscripts  were  carried  thither, 
formerly,  by  the  exiled  nobility  and 
clergy  of  Ireland.  Some  say,  that  the 
libraries  of  Denmark  contain  curious 
and  most  ancient  Irish  manuscripts, 
carried  off  by  the  Sea  Rovers,  in  the 
9th,  loth  and  eleventh  centuries.  This, 
however,  is  not  yet  satisfactorily  ascer- 
tained. The  Irish  antiquaries  of  the 
present  time  ha\e  little  of  popular  sup- 
port;  and  their  funds  are  so  limited, 
that  they  cannot  afford  such  distant 
explorations,  es])ecially  whilst  the  held 
of  their  labors  continues  so  very  ample 
at  home,  and  the  labonu's  are  so  few. 

'I"he  handwriting  of  the  oldest  manu- 
scripts, luhosc  date  has  stood  the  test  of 
critical  examination,  has  been  proved  to 
Ijc  more  tiian  one  thousand  years  old. 
No  other  Euro])i'an  nation  can  produce 
anything  near  so  (jjd  in  its  vernacular 
tongue.  In  these  old  manuscripts  there 
are  compositions  so  interlined  'nth  glos- 
saries, which  have  themselves  long  ceased 
to  be  intelligible  to  the  vulgar,  that  no 
candid  antifpuiry  can  avoid  assigning 
the  remotest  antiquity  to  the  composi- 
tions themselves.     It  is  now  impossible 


DR.    KEATING'S  PREFACE. 


Ixi 


of  Ireland,  we  must  admit  them  to  be  of  good  antlioritj,  because 
thej  were  examined  and  approved  every  third  year  at  tlie  Feast 
or  Convention  of  Tara,  in  presence  of  the  nobles,  clergy  and 
ollamhs  of  Ireland.  In  proof  of  this,  the  following  original 
documents  are  still  to  be  seen  in  this  country,  namely,  the 
Psalter  of  Cashel,'^®  written  by  the  holy  Cormac  Mac  Culinan, 


to  fix  their  exact  date,  otherwise  than 
by  our  own  aunals,  the  surest  guide, 
after  all.  The  sceptic  who  will  go 
farther  for  proof,  may  come  near  it  by 
induction.  We  know  the  number  of 
years  it  has  taken  to  render  the  com- 
positions of  King  Cormac  of  Cashel, 
or  the  bards  and  shanachies  of  the 
age  of  Brian,unintelligible,  and  how  far 
unintelligible,  to  the  modern  Irishman. 
We  may  thus,  pretty  nearly,  determine 
how  long  it  tooli  to  render  the  compo- 
sitions attributed  to  Amirghin,  King 
Cormac  MacArt,  or  Dalian  Forgail, 
unintelligible  to  the  uneducated  Irish- 
man of  the  days  of  King  Cormac,  sou 
of  Culinan,  or  of  Brian  of  the  Trib- 
utes. 

Dr.  0 'Donovan  tells  us,  that  some 
of  the  works  here  cited,  are  not  now 
accessible  to  the  society  of  which  he  is 
the  great  ornament ;  but  we  must 
hope,  however,  that  they  will  yet  be 
found  either  on  the  Continent  or  in 
some  private  hands.  Some  of  them 
may  be  in  the  hands  of  illiterate  per- 
sons, who  do  not  know  even  their  titles. 
The  vicissitudes  of  our  race  have  been 
so  great,  that  many  of  the  descendants 
of  those  that  were  learned  and  noble, 
even  so  late  as  Dr.  Kcating's  day,  are 
now  sunk  very  low  in  the  scale  of 
worldly  position  and  education.  In 
the  hands  of  such  some  valuable  manu- 
scripts do  still  remain.  They  cling  to 
them  as  to  the  household  gods  of  their 
family — as  mystic  witnesses  of  other 
and  ijetter  days. 

I  cannot  conclude  these  remarks  upon 
Irish  records,  without  noticing  the  val- 
uable translation  of  that  part  of  the  an- 
nals of  the  Four  Master3,which  relates  to 
the  transactions  in  Ireland  since  the 
English  Invasion,  made  by  Owen  Con- 
nelan,Epri.,  with  valuable  annotations  by 
Philip  MacDermott,  Esq.,  which  was 
published  in  1816,  by  Mr.  Bryan  Ger- 


aghty,  of  Dublin.  This  work  is  of  mod- 
erate price.  In  its  notes  it  contains  near- 
ly all  that  has  been  published  of  the  Bar- 
dic History  of  Ireland.  From  this  work 
copious  extracts  will  be  found  in  this 
work. 

"°  The  Psalter  of  Cashel,  an  ancient 
Irish  MS.,  partly  in  prose  and  partly  in 
verse,  was  compiled  in  the  latter  end 
of  the  ninth  century  by  the  celebrated 
Cormac  MacCulinan,  archbishop  of 
Cashel  and  king  of  Munster.  The 
Psalter  of  Cashel  was  compiled  from 
the  Psalter  of  Tara,  and  other  ancient 
records,  and  contained  the  history  of 
Ireland  from  the  earliest  ages  to  the 
tenth  century  ;  and  to  it,  according  to 
Dr.  Lanigan  and  others,  some  additions 
were  made  after  the  death  of  Cormac, 
bringing  the  work  down  to  the  eleventh 
century,  as  in  the  catalogue  of  the 
archbishops  of  Armagh,  to  that  period ; 
and  it  is  stated  by  O'Halloran,  in  his 
History  of  Ireland,  that  the  Psalter  of 
Cashel  was  also  called  the  Book  of 
Munster,  and  that  he  had  in  his  pos- 
session a  copy  of  it,  continued  by  some 
anonymous  writer  down  to  the  reign  of 
Mahon,  king  of  Munster,  in  the  latter 
end  of  the  tenth  century  ;  and  he  also 
says,  that  the  Psalter  refers  more  par- 
ticularly to  the  history  of  Munster,  and 
the  kings  of  the  race  of  Heber.  Keat- 
ing quotes  many  passages  from  the 
Psalter  of  Cashel,  of  which  he  had  a 
copy ;  and  Ware  mentions  it  as  extant 
in  his  own  time,  and  held  in  great  esti- 
mation, and  that  he  had  got  collections 
from  it ;  Colgan,  Dr.  O'Connor,  and 
Bishop  Nicolson,  also  give  accounts  of 
this  celebrated  work  ;  and  in  O'Exjilly's 
Irish  writers,  at  the  year  908,  he  states 
that  a  large  folio  MS.  in  Irish,  pre- 
served in  the  library  of  Cashel,  was 
transcribed  from  the  Psalter  of  Cashel, 
which  was  extant  in  Limerick  in  the 
year  1712.     The  original  Psalter  of 


Ixii 


DR.   KEATING'S  PREFACE. 


king  of  the  two  provinces  of  Munster  and  Archbisliop  of  Casliel ; 
the  "  Book  of  Armagh,""'  the  Book  of  Cluain-Aidnech-Fintan,"* 
in  Laix ;  the  Saltair  na  Rann,"'  written  by  iEngus  Cele  De,  or 
the  Culdee;^'  theBook  of  Glcn-da-loch;^^''the  Book  of  Rights,"' 


Casbel,  long  supposed  to  be  lost,  is 
stated  to  be  deposited  in  the  library  of 
the  British  Museum  in  London,  and 
copies  of  it  are  said  to  be  in  the  Bod- 
leian Library  at  Oxford,  and  in  tlic  duke 
of  Buckinirham's  library  at  .Stowe  ;  but 
it  is  to  be  observed  that  there  is  much 
uncertainty  as  to  those  statements ; 
however,  with  respect  to  the  contents 
of  the  Psalter  of  Cashel,  the  greater 
part  of  it  is  to  be  found  in  the  Books 
of  Leacan  and  Ballymote. — Notex  to 
Connellan's  translation  of  the  Four 
Maulers. 

"'  Tkc  Book  of  Armagh.  The  Book 
of  Armagh,  a  MSS.  of  the  7th  century, 
on  vellum,  in  Irish  and  Latin,  contains 
a  Life  of  St.  Patrick,  and  his  Confes- 
sion, or  a  sketch  of  his  Life  written  by 
himself ;  also  a  Life  of  St.  Martin  of 
Tours;  a  copy  of  the  Gospels,  and  other 
matters.  This  Book  is  mentioned  by 
St.  Bernard,  in  his  Life  of  St.  Malaclw, 
archbishop  of  Armagh  ;  it  was  a  pre- 
cious relic,  preserved  for  ages  in  a  sil- 
ver shrine,  which  was  lost ;  and  in 
modern  times  it  was  contained  in  a 
case  of  leather,  of  elegant  workman- 
ship. This  venerable  Book  was  kept 
for  many  centuries  in  the  family  of  Mac- 
Moyre,  near  Armagh,  who  were  speci- 
ally appointed  for  its  stewardship;  but, 
about  the  year  1680,  it  was  taken  to 
London  by  Florence  ^facMoyre,  who 
Ijcing  in  grrat  poverty,  sold  it  for  £5 
to  a.  Mr.  Brownlow,  and  it  is  .still  in 
the  possession  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Brown- 
low  of  Dublin.  An  account  of  the 
Book  of  Armagh  is  given  by  Ware, 
Usshcr,  and  Dr.  O'Connor,  and  copious 
extracts  from  it  have  been  translated 
and  published  in  that  learned  work,  the 
Irish  Anti(|tiarian  Researches,  by  Sir 
William  Betham. 

"■^  Tie BookofCluain-Aidnech-Fintan, 
I.  e.  the  "  Book  of  (Jlonenagh,"  a  monas- 
tery near  Mouutrath,  in  the  Qikm'u's 
county,  erected  by  St.  Fintan.  Keat- 
ing elsewhere  calls  this  the  Annals  of 
Cluain-Eidhnech.       This    manuscript, 


which  was  one  of  great  importance,  is 
now  unknown. — 0' Donovan  s  Notes  to 
the  Book  of  Rights. 

"^  Saltair  na  Rann,  translated  by 
Dr.  Lynch  "  Salterium  Kythmorum," 
i.  e.  the  Metrical  Psalter.  "  A  copy 
of  this,  on  vellum,  is  preserved  in  the 
library  of  Trinity  College,  Dublin." — 
Dr.  O'Donovan's  Notes  to  the  Book  of 
Rights. 

'■-°  "  The  Feilire,  or  Fcsti  logy  of 
yEngus  Célé  De,  a  celebrated  writer  of 
the  eighth  century,  who  was  abbot  of 
Olonenagh,  in  the  diocese  of  Lcighlin, 
and  Queen's  county,  and  who  was  a 
native  of  Dalaradia,  in  the  county  of 
Down,  in  Ulster  ;  he  was  a  man  of 
great  learning,  and  his  work  is  one  of 
the  mo.st  important  now  extant  on  the 
Lives  of  the  ancient  Saints  of  Ireland, 
but  it  has  never  been  translated  or 
published  ;  there  are  copies  of  it  in  the 
libraries  of 'J'rinity  College,  and  of  the 
Royal  Irish  Academy." — Connellan's 
Notes  to  the  Four  blasters. 

•^'  The  Book  of  Glen-da-loch.  A  con- 
siderable portion  of  the  Book  of  (ilen- 
dalough  is  preserved  in  the  library  of 
Trinity  College,  Dublin. 

'-"^  The  Book  of  Rights,  called  in 
Irish  Leabhar-'':a  g-Ccart,  was  first  writ- 
ten in  the  fifth  century  by  St.  Benin, 
or  Benignus,  the  successor  of  St.  IV 
trick,  as  archbishop  of  Armagh  ;  but 
the  work  was  afterwards  enlarged,  with 
many  additions  made  by  other  writers 
to  the  twelfth  century.  It  gives  an 
account  of  the  Rights,  Revenues,  and 
Tributes,  of  the  monarchs,  provincial 
kings  and  princes.  It  forms  a  very 
valual)!e  record  of  ancient  laws  and 
regulations  in  Ireland.  Copies  of  it 
are  in  the  libraries  or  Trinity  College, 
and  of  the  Royal  Irish  Academy,  and 
t!;ere  was  al-^o  oi;e  in  the  library  of  the 
late  Sir  William  Bethara. — Connellan's 
Notes  to  the  Four  Masters. 

This  work  was  published  by  the  Cel- 
tic Society  of  Dublin,  in  1847,  with  a 
trauslatioa  and  most  valuable  notes  by 


BR.    KEATINGS    PREFACE. 


Ixiii 


^vritten  by  St.  Beneu  or  Benignns,  son  of  Sesgnen ;  tlic  Uidliir'" 
of  Kiaran,  written  in  Cluain-mic-Nois ;  the  Yellow  Book  of 
2iIoling;'"  and  the  Black  Book  of  Molaga.  The  following  works 
are  contained  ^yithin  the  foregoing  compilation,  namely,  the  Book 
of  Conquests;'"  the  Book  of ..  the  Provinces;"*  the  Book  of 
Eeigns;'"  the  Book  of  Epochs ;''"'  the  Book  of  Synchronisms;*^' 
the  Book  of  Toj)ograpliy  ;"°  the  Book  of  Pedigrees'^'  of  Women  ; 


Dr.  O'Donovaii.  It  is  one  of  the  most 
iiseful  works  upon  Irish  antiquities  yet 
published,  and  gives  a  clearer  insight 
into  the  civil  polity  and  the  internal 
relations  of  the  Gaelic  tribes  with  one 
another,  than  can  be  gained  from  any 
modern  book  published  upon  the  sub- 
ject. It  is  most  valuable,  also,  from 
its  defining  the  local  position  of  the 
various  tribes,  from  the  títh  to  the  10th 
century. 

'^  The  Uidhir  Chiarain  [Ueer-Kee- 
rauin)  is  now  called  Lebhar  na  h-Uidhre 
[Lavar  or  Leour  na  hcerie).  A  consid- 
erable portion  of  this  MS.,  in  the 
handwriting  of  Maelmuiri  MacCuinn 
na  mBocht,  is  now  preserved  in  the 
library  of  the  Royal  Irish  Academy. — 
O'Donovan. 

Upon  it  the  following  note  is  made  in 
the  annotations  to  Connellan's  Four 
Masters  :  "  The  Leabhar  na-Huidhre, 
still  extant,  is  an  ancient  Irish  MS.  writ- 
ten on  vellum,  transcribed  from  an  old 
record  in  the  eleventh  century  by  ^laol- 
muire,  a  learned  scribe  of  the  abbey  of 
Clonmacnois.  It  is  considered  a  very 
valuable  work,  and  contains,  amongst 
other  interesting  matters  on  Irish  his- 
tory and  antiquities,  a  very  curious  ac- 
count of  the  cemeteries  and  sepulchers  of 
the  pagan  kings  of  Ireland." 

'-'  The  Yellow  Book  of  St.  Moling 
and  the  Black  Book  of  St.  Molaga,  are 
now  both  unknown. — O'Donovan. 

'■^  The  Book  of  Conquests,  in  Irish 
Lebhar  Gabhala  [Leour  or  Lavar  Gav- 
atda)  is  called,  also,  I'he  Book  of  Inva- 
sions. Of  it,  an  account  is  given  in 
O'Reilly's  Writers,  at  A.  D.  1(B32.  It 
was  chiefly  compiled  by  the  O'Cleries 
of  Donegal,  in  the  beginning  of  the  ITth 
century,  at  the  monastery  of  Lisgoole, 
in  Fermiinagh,  under  the  patronage  of 
Bryan  Roe  Maguire,  first  baron  of  En- 
niskillen.      This   book  was  compiled 


from  numerous  records,  and  the  works 
of  the  bards,  &c.,  and  gives  an  account 
of  all  the  ancient  colonies  that  peopled 
Ireland  and  made  conquests  in  the 
country,  as  the  Pariholanians,  Neme- 
dians,  Fomorians,  Firbolg,  or  Belgians. 
Danaus,  Milesians  and  Danes.  This 
great  work  contains  vast  information 
on  Irish  history  and  antiquities,  and 
there  are  copies  of  it  in  Trinity  College 
and  other  libraries  in  Dublin,  and  there 
was  also  one  in  the  library  of  Sir  Wil- 
liam Betham. — Notes  to  Conuellan's 
Four  blasters. 

'■"  The  Lebhar  na  g-Coigedh  (Lecur 
na  Gogueh,)  i.  e.  the  Book  of  the  Filths, 
or  Provinces,  contains  the  genealogies 
of  all  the  Gaelic  families  and  tribes  in 
each  province. 

'-'  The  Book  of  Reigns,  in  Irish 
"  Reim  Bioghraidhe  "  [Éaim  Reeree), 
i.  e.  the  ''  Royal  Series,"  or  Catalogue, 
was  written  in  the  11th  century,  by 
Gilla  Caeimhghin  {Guilla  Keeveen),  or 
Gilla-Kevin,  a  celebrated  antiquary 
and  bard  of  the  eleventh  century. 

'-"  Leabhar  va  n-Aes  [Leour  na  naisse). 
i.  e.,  the  "  Book  of  the  Ages."' 

'■'^  The  Book  of  Synchronisms,  i.  e. 
Lebhar  Comh-Aimserechta  [Leour  Cov- 
imshcraghta).  This  was  written  by 
Flann  of  the  Monastery. 

'™  The  Book  (./■  Topography,  in  Irish 
Leabhar  Dinn-Seiichas  [Deen  Skin- 
aghas),  was  originally  composed  in  the 
6th  century,  by  Amergin,  chief  bard  to 
the  monarch  Dermod,  at  Tara  ;  but 
many  additions  have  been  made  to  it 
by  later  writers.  This  celebrated  work 
gives  an  account  of  noted  places,  as 
Fortresses,  Raths,  Cities,  Plains,  Moun- 
tains, Lakes,  Rivers,  kc.  and  of  the 
origin  of  their  names,  and  contains 
much  interesting  information  on  ancient 
Irish  history  and  topography.  Copies 
of  it  are  in  various  libraries,  and  a  copy 


Ixiv 


Dl!.    KEATING  8    PliKFACE. 


the  Book  of  Etymology;'^'  tne  Uriiiccpht"'  or  Grammar  of 
Kennfaela,  tlic  Learned ;  the  Amra'"  or  Elegy  on  iSt.  Columh- 
kille,  -written  ?liortly  after  the  saint's  death,  by  Dalian  Forgail. 
Besides  the  Chief  Books,  or  Books  of  the  First  Class,  there  are 
man}'  historic  tales  to  be  seen  in  Ireland,  snch  as  the  Battle'"  of  the 
Plain  of  Mocruimhi ;  the  Deaths''"^  of  the  Heroes,  the  Battles  of 
Crina,'"  Finncora,'"  Eos-na-Eigh'=',  Magh-Lena,"»  j\ragh'^'-Eath, 
Magh-Tualaing,'"  and  a  multitude  of  other  historic  tales  that  I 
shall  not  mention  here. 

The  historic  records  of  Ireland  must  be  considered  of  still 


of  the  original,  contained  in  a  vellum 
MS.  of  the  9th  century,  was  in  the  li- 
brary of  the  late  Sir  William  Bctham. — 
Notes  to  Connellan'A  Four  Masters. 

'''  The  Book  of  the  Pedigrees  of  wo- 
men, i.  e.  Lebhar  Baiu-senchas  [Leour 
Banshaiiag/ias). 

•^-  The  Book  of  Etymologies,  i.  e. 
"  Coir  na  n-Anniaun."  The  most  fa- 
mous work  extant  in  the  Gaelic  tongue 
upon  etymology,  is  the  Sanasan  Chor- 
tnaic  or  Cormac's  Glossary,  originally 
contained  in  the  book  called  the  Psal- 
ter of  Cashcl.  It  is  the  work  of  Cor- 
mac  MacCulinan.  the  king-l>ishop  of 
the  two  Munsters. 

'^  The  Uraiccpht  of  Kennfaeladh, 
styled  "  Foghlanitha,''  [Fowlamhn)  i.  e. 
the  learned.  Kenliieladh  MacOlilla, 
i.e.  son  of  Olioll  or  Olild,  called  by  the 
Four  Masters  "  a  paragon  of  wisdoip," 
died  in  A.  D.  677.  lie  lived  at  Daire 
Liirain,  now  Derryloran,  in  the  comity 
of  Tirone.  The  "  Uraicepht  na  ii-Ei- 
ges  (Uirikepht  van  Aigess),  i.  c.  "  the 
grammar  of  the  learned,"  was  not  com- 
posed by  him.  It  was  first  composed 
by  either  Forchern  orFerchertni,  sages 
of  pagan  times.  Kennfaeladh  is  said 
to  have  but  amended  .it.  Perhaps  it 
was  revised  to  suit  it  to  the  altered 
idiom  of  ])is  day. 

•^  The  Elegij  Columkille,  in  Irish 
"  Amhra  Choluim  Cilli  "  (Owra-Collim 
Killi),  by  the  celebrated  chief  bard 
Dalian  Forgail,  has  recently  been  pub- 
lished by  the  Celtic  Society  with  anno- 
tations i)y  Dr.  U'Donovan.  The  com- 
mon Irish  word  "  amhran  "  [owraun), 
a  song,  is  a  diminutive  of  "amlira," 
which  being  itself  a  derivative  form, 
must  come  from  the  root  "  amar  "  or 
"  amhar." 


'■'•'  Cath  Mnighe  Mncruimhe,  {Cah 
Moy  Mocrivvie),  i.  e.  the  Battle  of  the 
I'laiu  of  Mucruimhi.  Of  this  an-d  the 
other  battles  and  events  commemora- 
ted in  these  tales,  the  reader  will  find 
the  particulars  in  the  following  pages. 
I  give  here  but  the  pronunciation  of 
the  titles  of  the  works. 

'^  Oighedh  na  g-curadh,  {Eeyeh  na 
gura),  i.  e.  the  Tragic  Fate  of  the 
Knights. 

'^'  Cath  Crinna,  or  Crionna,  {Cah- 
Crecna),  i  e.  the  Battle  of  Crina. 

'^  Cath  Fiiincoradh,  [Fincora),  i.  e. 
the  Battle  of  Finncoradh. 

™  Cath  Rius  na  Riogh,  {Cah  rushna 
ree,)  i.  e.  the  Battle  of  Bos  na  riogh. 

"°  Cath  Muighe  Lena,  (Cah  Moy- 
hnjiia),  i.  e.,  "  the  Buttle  of  Moy- 
lena." 

"'  Mueghe  Rath  (Mry  Punrh),  i.  e. 
the  Battle  of  Mairh  Rath. 

'"  Magh  Tiwlang  {Mcy  Tcolang), 
i.e,the  Battle  of  the  Plain  of  THia- 
lang. 

Numerous  copies  of  the  species 
of  semi-hisloric  cimpcsitions  here 
alluded  to  still  exist,  in  every  possible 
variety  of  dialect,  from  that  now 
spoken,  up  to  the  most  ancient  known. 
They  were,  in  fact,  the  historic  ro- 
mances of  their  day ;  but,  though 
much  interwoven  with  extravagant  fic- 
tion and  often  very  florid  and  exaggera- 
ted in  style  and  language,  according  to 
our  modern  ideas,  still,  recent  researches 
have  proved  many  of  them  to  btí 
historically  correct  in  the  ina.'n  facts 
they  record.  The  correctness  on  this 
point,  of  such  of  them  as  have  been 
translated,  and  critically  scrutinized, 
has  been  most  satisfactorily  proved, 
not  only  by  the  concurrent  testimony 


DR.    KEATING'S  preface. 


Ixv 


greater  authority  when  we  consider  that  there  were  formerlj 
more  than  three  hundred  ollamhs  of  history  in  this  country,  whose 
sole  business  it  was  to  preserve  the  traditions  of  the  nation,  and 
who  were  maintained  by  the  noblemen  of  Ireland  for  that  pur- 


of  our  simple  and  strictly  unadorned 
annals,  but  by  the  exactitude  with 
which  they  describe  local  scenery,  the 
sites  of  ancient  royal  residences,  forts, 
artificial  lakes,  mounds,  tombs  of  heroes, 
cemeteries,  sites  of  battles,  &c.,  the 
remains  of  which  still  exist,  luckily 
for  our  ancient  history,  that  is  yet  to 
be  written.  The  recent  Ordnance  Sur- 
vey of  Ireland  has  unintentionally 
done  us  this  good.  It  has  summoned 
op  the  shades  of  the  heroes  of  olden 
time  from  the  earn  and  the  cromleac, 
from  the  rath,  the  cathair,  and  monu- 
mental mound,  where  they  so  long 
have  slept,  to  bear  testimony  to  the 
truthfulness  of  their  faithful  Shana- 
chies.  It  has  established  landmarks  to 
guide  future  historians  in  their  selec- 
tions from  our  written  records. 

When  Greek  bards  tell  us  of  the  tomb 
of  Achilles,  of  Cyclopean  Tiryns,  or  of 
Thebie,  of  the  hundred  gates,  and  her 
countless  car-borne  warriors,  we  must 
surely  believe  that  the  hero  of  the 
Iliad  fought  and  fell  beneath  the  Tro- 
jan walls,  that  neither  the  Cyclopean 
nor  Egyptian  cities  were  creations  of 
exalted  fantasy,  when  we  find  the  se- 
pulchral mound  of  that  swift-footed  chief- 
tain still  rearing  its  head  there,  where 
the  bards  described  it,  upon  the  Phry- 
gian shore — when  we  see  that  time- 
Bcorning  fortress,  built  by  the  lightning- 
lorgers,  still  frowning  from  its  Argolic 
height,  and  when  we  find  wondrous 
Egypt,  of  monumental  story,  still  pro- 
claiming unquestioned,  her  olden  magni- 
ficence.— Why  then  question  the  truth 
of  the  Gaelic  bards,  when  they  tell  us  of 
the  deeds  of  Partholan,  the  civilizer ,  and 
of  his  predecessors,  the  hunters  of  Kical , 
the  short-legged — when  they  sing  of  the 
Fomorian  rovers,  of  the  warlike  Ne- 
medians  and  Belgians,  of  the  Mystic 
Danaans,  that  each  in  their  turn  suc- 
ceeded asconquerorsof  Eri,orof  our  own 
paternal  ancestors,  the  sons  of  Miledh 
of  Spain  ?  Do  not  the  monuments  at 
Tor-Inis  and  at  Ailech-Neid — do  not 
5 


the  pyramids  by  the  Boyne  and  the  re- 
mains at  Tara,  Talti,  Cruacha,  and  at 
Eman   Macha,  more   than  sufficiently 
bear  out  the  truth  of  the  main  facts, 
recorded  by  those  bards  of  these  old 
races  ?     Can  any  Zoilus  of  history  now 
rob  us  of  our  traditions  by  unfair  and 
one-sided  criticisms  upon  the   narra- 
tions of  our  Shanachies,  or  can  any  pil- 
fering MacPherson  again  attempt   to 
steal  our  bards  and  our  heroes,  and,  by 
a  literary  swindle,  attempt  to  impose 
them  on  the  world  as  the  natives  of  his 
own  land? — Some  of  our  documents 
have    at    length  been   published   and 
translated,  so  that  all  may  see  and  read 
them ;    and    ancient    monuments    are 
found  to  be  still  in  existence,  that  agree 
exactly  with  the  descriptions  given  of 
them  in  these  same  documents.     Let 
the  critics  and  the  cavillers,  then,  read 
and   compare    facts,    and    appeal    no 
longer  to  scholastic  prejudice  and  con- 
jectural   suppositions.    I   would  but 
refer  to  the  "Antiquities  of  Tara  Hill," 
written  by  that  most  critically  severe 
and  most  learned  of  antiquarians,  Dr. 
Petrie,  and  to  his  "  Round  Towers,"  or 
to  the  "  Battle  of  Magh  Rath,"   and 
the  various  recent  publications  of  the 
Irish  Archasological  and  Celtic  Socie- 
ties, or  to  even  that  one  volume  of  the 
Ordnance    Survey,  published   by  the 
English  (Government,  in  order  to  con- 
vince the  most  sceptical  inquirer,  if  he 
will  only  take  the  trouble  to  read  the 
books, — that  is,  if  he  be  not  uncandid 
and    prejudiced  as  well  as  sceptical, 
and    be  neither  too  unintelligent   to 
form  an  opinion  nor  too  lazy  to  learn. 
The   publication   of    the    historic   ro- 
mances that  still  remain  to  us,  would 
be  of  the  greatest  utility  to  the  Irish 
historian,  not  only  from  their  explain- 
ing and  giving  reasons  for  many  of  the 
bald  facts  recorded  in  the  annals,  but 
from  the  insight  they  give  into  the 
manners  and  customs  of  our  ancestors. 
It  is  from  them  alone  that  the  future 
historian  of  Ireland,  in  her  younger 


Ixvi  DR.  KEATING's  PREFACE. 

pose ;  and  tliat  tlie  records  compiled  by  them  yvere  examined, 
and  sanctioned  periodically  by  the  nobility  and  clergy.  They 
must  receive  additional  credit  from  their  great  antiquity,  as  well 
as  from  the  fact  that  they  had  never  been  interrupted  or  destroyed 
by  the  tyranny  of  foreigners.  For,  although  the  Scandinavians 
continued  for  a  long  time  to  occusion  troubles  in  Ireland,  still, 
there  were  so  many  ollamhs  employed  in  recording  its  history, 
that  the  principal  part  of  its  annals  have  been  saved,  though 
these  Northern  pirates  carried  oif  a  great  number  of  historic 
books.  But,  the  other  nations  of  Europe  were  not  equally 
fortunate  in  this  respect,  for  the  Eomans,  Gauls,  Goths,  Vandals, 
Saxons,  Saracens,  Moors,  and  Scandinavians  destroyed  their 
traditional  records  in  their  several  incursions.  But,  none  of  these 
plunderers  had  ever  conquered  Ireland,  even  according  to  Cam- 
brensis,"^  who  tells  us  that  Ireland  had  been  always  free  from 
the  incursions  of  any  enemies  b}^  Avhom  its  history  or  antiquities 
could  be  destroyed — a  thing  that  was  not  the  case  with  any  other 
European  nation.  For  this  reason  also,  do  I  conceive,  that  the 
traditions  of  Ireland  are  more  worthy  of  credit  than  those  of 
any  country  in  Europe.  Add  to  this  the  fact,  that  it  had  been 
repeatedly  arranged,  and  expurgated,  first  by  St.  Patrick,  and 
then  by  the  holy  clergy  of  the  Irish  nation. 

The  reader  must,  however,  observe  that  I  have  made  some 
change  in  the  number  of  years  assigned  to  the  reigns  of  some  of 
a  few  of  the  pagan  kings  of  Ireland ;  thus  departing  from  the 
"  Reim  Righraidhe"  {Bairn  Reeree\  or  "  Royal  Catalogue,"  and 
several  of  the  poems  composed  thereon.  My  reason  for  this  is, 
because  I  do  not  find  them  to  agree  in  the  number  from  Adam 
to  the  birth  of  Christ  with  any  foreign  writer  whatsoever  of  au- 
thority: and  again,  because  there  appears  an  improbability  in  the 
number  of  years  alotted  to  some  of  them ;  for  instance,  Siorna, 
(Shecrna,)  the  long-lived,  to  whom  is  assigned  a  reign  of  an 
hundred  and  fifty  years.  Notwithstanding  this,  we  read  in  the 
old  Book  of  Conquests,  that  this  Siorna  was  one  hundred  years 
old  before  he  assumed  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland,  so  if  I  made 
him  reign  one  hundred  and  fifty  years  more,  no  one  would  believe 


flays,  can  Icarn  how  to  portray  his  phor.  The  inflated  stylo  seems  to  have 
charactcrfl  in  appropriate  costume,  and  been  engrossed  liy  the  Sgel  Fiannaid- 
present  them  to  his  readers  in  lifelike  hechta  (Sgail  Fecnceatrhta)  or  prose  ro- 
lineaments.  It  is  also  a  strange  fact  con-  raance ;  and  even  of  the  latter,  the  ear- 
nected  with  Gaelic  literature,  that  our  Her  versions  are  nearly  free  from  the 
writers  should  have  expended  nearly  all  extravaganza  that  pervaded  too  many 
their  genius  for  hyperbole  in  these  prose  of  those  of  more  recent  date, 
tales  now  spoken  of.  Their  metrical  '"  ITibernia  ab  initio  ab  omni  alien- 
compositions  or  "  duans,"  are  singularly  arum  gentium  incursu  libera  perman- 
simple  in  language  and  chaste  in  meta-  sit. 


DR.   KEATING'S   PREFACE. 


Ixvii 


me.  Therefore,  I  allow  him  but  twenty-one  years,  m  which  I 
am  borne  out  by  a  jioem  upon  his  reign ;  the  propriety  of  this 
cliange  must  be  obvious  to  the  reader.  Again,  though  Cobthach 
Cael-Breagh  {Coicliagh  Kael  Braiv)  is  made  to  reign  fifty  years, 
yet  we  must  allow  him  but  thirty ;  for,  Moriath,  the  daughter  of 
Scoriath,  king  of  Corca  Duibni,  fell  in  love  with  Maen,  other- 
wise called  Labraidh  Loingsech,  whilst  he  was  in  exile,  and  she 
married  him  on  the  death  of  Cobthach,  after  which  she  bore  him 
several  children.  Now,  if  Cobthach  had  reigned  fifty  years,  this 
lady  must  have  been  sixty,  previous  to  her  bearing  children  to 
Labraidh  Loingsech  ;  as  such  could  not  be  the  fact,  it  was  im- 
possible for  Cobthach  to  have  reigned  fifty  years. 

I  would  in  like  manner,  and  for  similar  reasons,  change  the 
dates  of  the  reigns  of  some  of  the  other  kings  that  ruled  Ireland 
before  the  introduction  of  the  Faith.  Yet,  I  do  not  attribute  the 
discrepancy  in  dates,  that  causes  me  to  do  this,  to  any  want  of 
knowledge  on  the  part  of  the  antiquaries ;  for  I  think  it  was  more 
owing  to  the  ignorance  of  the  transcribers,  whose  only  science  was 
penmanship."*   Moreover,  since  the  time  that  the  governments 


'"  Tenmanship.  Of  this  art,  as  prac- 
ticed in  Ireland  during  the  days  of  her 
freedom,  the  earliest  authenticated  spe- 
cimen extant  is  said  to  be  the  Booli  of 
Kells.  It  is  thus  noticed  in  a  recent  essay 
upon  the  Historic  literature  of  Ireland, 
and  the  publications  of  the  Archaeologi- 
cal Society,  published  in  Dublin  in  1851: 
"  This  venerable  and  splendid  volume  is 
now  preserved  among  the  manuscripts  of 
the  University  of  Dublin."  "  Ireland," 
says  a  late  English  writer,  "  may  justly 
be  proud  of  the '  Book  of  Kells.'  This 
copy  of  the  Gospels,  traditionally  as- 
serted to  have  belonged  to  St.  Columba, 
is  unquestionably  the  most  elaborately  ex- 
ecuted manuscript  of  early  art  now  in 
exi  fence,  far  excelling,  in  the  gigantic 
size  of  the  letters  in  the  frontispiece  of 
the  Gospel,  the  excessive  minuteness  of 
the  ornamental  details,  the  number  of 
its  decorations,  the  fineness  of  the  wri- 
ting and  the  endless  variety  of  initial 
capital  letters,  with  which  every  page 
is  ornamented  ;  the  famous  Gospels  of 
Lindisfarne,  in  the  Cottonian  Library. 
But  this  manuscript  is  still  more  valu- 
able on  account  of  the  various  pictorial 
representations  of  different  scenes  in 
the  life  of  our  Saviour,  delineated  in  a 
style  totally  unlike  that  of  every  other 


school,  and  of  which  I  believe  the  only 
other  specimens  are  to  be  found  in  the 
Psalter  of  St.  John's  College,  Cam- 
bridge, and  at  St.  Gall ;  the  latter, 
however,  being  far  inferior  in  execution 
to  those  in  the  '  Book  of  Kells.'  The 
various  readings  of  this  manuscript  are 
as  important  as  its  ornamental  details, 
and  in  it  is  to  be  found  the  celebrated 
passage  asserting  the  divinity  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  which  has  hitherto  been 
considered  as  unique  in  the  Silver  Gos- 
pels, at  Vercelli.  It  occurs  in  St.  John 
iii.  5,  6,  (fo.  297,  V.)  These  words 
were  struck  out  by  the  Arians,  and 
Father  Simon  asserted  that  there  was 
no  Latin  manuscript  in  existence  in 
which  they  were  to  be  found." — Palcco- 
graphia  Sacra  Pictoria,  by  I.  0.  West- 
wood,  F.L.S.  London,  1845.  This 
learned  writer  also  tells  us,  that  "  at  a 
period  when  the  fine  arts  may  be  said 
to  have  been  almost  extinct  in  Italy 
and  other  parts  of  the  Continent — 
namely,  from  the  fifth  to  the  end  of  the 
eighth  century — a  style  of  art  had  been 
established  and  cultivated  in  Ireland, 
absolutely  distinct  from  that  of  all 
other  parts  of  the  civilized  world. 
There  is  abundant  evidence  to  prove 
that  in  the  sixth  and  seventh  centuries 


Ixviii 


DR.   KEATING's   preface. 


of  Ireland  fell  into  the  hands  of  strangers,  the  Irish  have  left  off 
the  triennial  examination  of  their  historic  records,  which  they 
had  been  more  anciently  accustomed  to  make,  and  the  ollamhs 
also,  have  been  negligent  and  careless  in  the  preservation  and 
correction  of  the  annals,  since  they  lost  the  "  termonn"  land?,  and 
other  immunities  that  they  formei'ly  received  from  the  Gaels  for 
keeping  up  their  history.  Besides,  there  has  been  such  incessant 
dissensions  between  the  Gaels  and  their  foreign  invaders,  since 
then,  that  the  ollamhs"^  have  been  discouraged  from  periodically 
examining  and  amending  the  ancient  records,  as  was  their 
wont. 

Should  any  one  vi^onder  at  the  disagreement  between  some 
historians  in  the  computation^^  of  the  time,  from  Adam  to  the 
birth  of  Christ,  he  will,  perhaps,  get  over  his  surprise,  if  he  will 
but  consider  that  but  few  European  authors  are  of  accord,  in 


the  art  of  ornamenting-  manuscripts  of 
the  Sacred  Scriptures,  and  especially 
of  the  Gospels,  had  attainixl  a  perfec- 
tion in  Ireland  almost  marvellous,  and 
which  in  after-aires  was  adopted  and 
imitated  by  the  Continental  Schools 
visited  by  the  Irish  missionaries  Sever- 
al of  the  finest  facsimiles  given  by  Astle 
as  Anglo-Saxon,  a-e  froin  Irish  n.anu- 
scripts ;  aid  thus  Sylvestre,  who  has 
copied  them,  has  falle<  into  the  same  er- 
T'-r  ;  whilst  Wa^  ley,  Casley,  and  others, 
appear  never  to  have  had  a  suspicio7i  of 

a  classic  school  of  art  n  Ireland 

This  venerable  volume  is  credibly  be- 
lieved to  have  been  the  companion  of 
Columbaor  Coluni-Cilli,  the  Irish  saint, 
who  first  spread  the  light  of  the  truth 
through  the  Pagan  district  of  Scot^ 
land." 

""  Ollamlis.  Against  no  class  of  lier 
pcojilc  did  the  English  law  rage  with 
more  violence  tlian  against  the  bards  and 
Seanachies  ;  and  none  were  hunted  down 
more  relentlessly  by  the  bloodhound 
myrmidons  of  our  tyrants.  In  fact,  it 
was  necessary  for  the  perpetmtion  of 
tlicir  wholesale  plunder,  and  for  tlie  im- 
position of  fen  .at  landlordism,  in  the 
place  of  the  tnhc-ownerskip  of  the  Gaels, 
that  the  membei"3  of  tne  free  clans 
should  not  be  reminded  of  their  ancestral 
rights,  by  hearing  their  pedigrees  reci- 
ted by  the  professional  histuriaas. 
They  would  fain  have  them  forget  that, 
as  tribes-men,  each  individual  was  as 


noble  as  his  chieftain,  and  had  as  full  a 
right  to  his  portion  of  (he  ei^mmon  in- 
heritance. They  were  not  the  serl's  or 
boors  of  any  lord  of  strange  blood. 
They  obeyed  their  ruler  as  the  elected 
representative  of  their  common  ances- 
tor. For  this  purpose  did  they  hunt 
down  our  Seanachies,  and  for  this,  seek 
to  destroy  all  our  written  records,  and 
worse  than  all,  for  this  reason  did  they 
seek  and  do  still  seek  to  demoralize  and 
brutalize  our  noble  race.  In  this  latter 
they  have,  in  some  instances,  been 
but  too  successful.  Ignorance,  want 
and  hunger,  are  feartul  Ijrutalizers  of 
humanity.  Still,  enough  of  the  old 
nation  has  remained  pure  and  unflefiled, 
and  may  yet  elevate  those  to  their  natu- 
ral manhood  and  to  a  noble  brother- 
hood as  freemen.  It  rests  with  time 
to  prove  whether  the  base  and  merci- 
less tyrants  have  succeeded  in  destroy- 
ing our  birth-rights,  and  whether, 
stranger  robbers  as  they  are,  they  shall 
continue  forever  to  enjoy  in  peace  the 
green  land,  which  is  our  national  in- 
heritance, and  whether  they  shall  be 
allowed  forever  to  grind  down  our  breth- 
ren between  the  hard  millstones  of  igno- 
rance and  want.  Perhaps,  after  all,  so 
blind  are  the  ways  of  men,  they  iiave 
but  prepared  an  instrument  for  tlieir 
own  fearful  punishment. 

""  Computation  of  Time.  A  Dr. 
O'Conni'rhasthc  following  observationa 
upon  this  subject  in  his  notes  to  tho 


DR.    KEATING'S   preface. 


Ixix 


their  calculations  of  the  same  time.  As  an  instance  of  such  dis- 
agreement amongst  the  best  of  writers,  I  here  give  down  the 
computations  of  the  following  distinguished  authorities : 


Hebrew  Authors. 

Greek  Authors. 

Latin  Authors. 

Baa'seclcrhelm,            .'5.518 

Metrodorus, 

5000 

St.  Jerome,           3941 

The  Talmudists,         3784 

Eusebius, 

5199 

St.  Augustine,      5351 

The  New  Rabbius,     3760 

Theophilus, 

5476 

Isodorus,               5270 

Rabbi  Nasou,             3740 

Orosius,                 5199 

Rabbi  Moses,              4058 

Beda,                    3962 

Rabbi  Levi,                3786 

Alphonsus,           5984 

Josephus, 


4192 


Since  these  writers  disagree  so  much  in  their  Chronology  from 
Ad;un  to  the  bii'th  of  Christ,  it  is  not  surprising  that  there  should 
be  some  discrepancies  amongst  Irish  Antiquarians  upon  the  same 
point.  Yet,  I  have  not  met  with  any  computation  amongst  them 
more  correct  than  that  of  those  who  reckon  4,052  3^ears  from  the 
Creation  to  the  Incarnation,  wherefore,  in  giving  the  dates  of  our 
monarchs,  in  their  proper  places  in  the  margin  of  this  work,  I 
intend  to  follow  whatever  received  authority  comes  nearest  to 
this  number. 

It  may  seem  surprising  to  some  persons  that  I  should  quote  so 


Annals  of  the  Four  Masters,  in  the 
Stowe  catalogue,  p.  114,  No.  2  : — 
"  The  Europeans  had  no  chronology 
before  tlie  conquest  of  Darius  the 
Mede,  by  Cyrus,  58  years  before  Christ. 
The  chronology  we  now  have  of  more 
ancient  times  is  technical,  and  has  been 
brought  to  a  great  degree  of  accuracy 
by  Pelagius  and  Usher.  Polybius  says 
that  Ephrus,  the  disciple  of  Isocrates 
and  historian  of  Cunia;,  was  the  first 
who  attempted  to  reduce  chronology 
to  a  regular  science,  in  the  time  of 
Philip  of  Macedon,  about  350  years 
before  Christ.  The  Arundelian  mar- 
bles, which  were  composed  sixty  years 
after  the  death  of  Alexander,  take  no 
notice  of  Olympiads.  There  are  no 
fixed  epochs  in  Herodotus  or  Thucydi- 
des.  Timaius  of  Sicily,  who  flourished 
in  the  129th  Olympiad,  or  about  the 
middle  of  the  3d  century  before  Christ, 
was  the  first  who  attempted  to  estab- 
lish an  era,  by  comparing  the  dates  of 
the  Olympiads,  Spartan  Kings,  Arch- 
ons  of  Athens  and  Brestresses  of  Inon, 
which  he  adapted  to  one  another,  ac- 
cording to  the  best  of  his  judgment. 
Where  he  left  off,  Polybius  began." 


The  accuracy  of  ancient  dates  being 
considered  apocryphal,  we  are  driven, 
says  Dr.  O'Donovan,  "  to  regard  the 
catalogue  of  kings,  given  by  Gilla- 
Caemain  and  others,  as  an  attempt  at 
reducing  to  chronological  order  the  ac- 
cumulated traditions  of  the  poets  and 
scanachies  of  Ireland.  But  that  a  list 
of  Irish  monarchs  was  attempted  to  be 
made  out,  at  a  very  early  period,  is  now 
generally  admitted  by  the  best  anti- 
quarians. Mr.  Pinkerton,  who  denies 
to  the  Irish  the  use  of  letters  before 
their  conversion  to  Christianity,  still 
admits  the  antiquity  of  their  list  of 
kings."  "  Foreigners,"  he  remarks, 
"  may  imagine  that  it  is  granting  too 
much  to  the  Irish,  to  allow  them  lists 
of  kings  more  ancient  than  those  of  any 
other  country  in  modern  Europe  ;  but 
the  singularly  compact  and  remote  sit- 
uation of  that  island,  and  its  freedom 
from  Roman  conquest,  and  from  the 
concussions  of  the  fall  of  the  Roman 
empire,  may  infer  this  allowance  not 
too  nuich.  But  all  contended  for  is  the 
list  of  kings,  so  easily  preserved  by  the 
repetition  of  bards  at  high  solemnities, 
and  some  grand  events  of  history  ;  for, 


Ixx 


DR.    KEATIXG  S   PREFACE. 


many  ran  iis^*''  or  stanzas  from  the  Senchas  (or  Shanghas  as  now 
pronounced)  in  proof  of  mj  history ;  but  they  must  remember 
that  the  authors  of  our  history  composed  the  greater  part  of  their 
works  in  verse.  It  was  thus,  they  considered,  that  it  would  be 
less  subject  to  adulteration  or  change ;  thus,  they  also  thought, 
would  the  historic  students  be  better  able  to  commit  the  recorded 


to  expect  a  certain  detail  and  regular 
order  in  the  Pagan  history  of  Ireland 
were  extravagant." 

It  is  highly  probable  that  the  earlier 
Irish  annalists  and  Seanachies  had 
arranged  their  chronology  after  the 
same  manner  as  Timasus,  by  compar- 
ing the  various  genealogical  tables,  and 
the  historic  "  duans."  The  translator 
holds  that  the  Irish  Sacerdotal  and 
Bardic  castes  had  always  possessed 
copies  of  these  rolls  and  duans  in 
written  or  inscribed  characters.  Dr. 
O'Donovan  has,  in  his  opinion,  given 
too  much  to  modern  scepticism,  and  to 
that  criticism  that  will  allow  no  civili- 
zation to  western  Europe,  but  what 
came  from  Greece  or  Rome,  when  he 
admits  the  possibility  of  the  Pagan 
Priesthood  of  Ireland's  having  only  re- 
ceived the  use  of  letters  in  the  days 
of  Cormac  MacArt. — "Were  the  silent 
letters  all  pronounced  in  the  days  of 
that  king?  Unless  they  were,  he  does 
not  know  how,  unless  by  divine  and 
special  inspiration,  the  Irish  system  of 
orthography  could  have  been  arrang- 
ed since  then,  without  the  aid  of  the 
comparative  etymologist.  In  truth, 
modern  science  is  over  vain  of  its  ac- 
quisitions. It  is  scarcely  credible 
that  the  priesthood  of  any  Caucas- 
ian nation  that  left  the  East  after  they 
had  been  first  made  known,  could  ever 
have  entirely  lost  the  use  of  letters. 
The  Irish  written  tongue  shows  Ijy  in- 
ternal evidi'nce,  that  tlie  men  wlio 
had  the  guardianship  of  its  traditions, 
never  did  lose  that  science.  1'he 
ma.sses  might  have  been,  and  were,  no 
doubt,  ignorant  and  savage  enough, 
but  the  priests  could  scarcely  have  been 
so.  Even  the  former  coulrl  not  have 
been  so  degraded  and  ignorant  as  they 
are  to-day.  in  this  age  of  progression. 
Modern  men  of  science,  and  English- 
men, more  especially,  arc  most  anxious 


to  make  their  progenitors  out  to  have 
been  naked  savages.  The  "  Barbari  " 
could  not,  however,  have  boon  savages. 
No  savages  could  have  met  the  discip- 
lined legions  of  Rome.  A  regiment  of 
the  inhabitants  of  the  most  enervated 
of  any  of  the  cities  of  modern  Europe, 
would  be  an  overmatch  for  an  army  of 
savages.  Is  there  any  trustworthy 
evidence  that  any  nation  of  white  men 
was  ever  discovered  in  a  totally  savage 
state  ?  I,  of  course,  do  not  mean  that 
state  of  savagery  that  is  ])roduced  by 
the  tyranny  of  one  class  of  white  men 
over  another.  Such  as  those  victims 
of  monopoly,  the  law-made  and  rum- 
made  savages  of  England,  Scotland, 
and  Ireland,  who  are  sunk  by  their 
civilized  Mlovi-Cltristians,  far  beneath 
any  ancient  Briton  or  Gael  ever  im- 
agined by  poet  or  by  painter.  Sunk 
far  below  the  level  of  the  Red  Hunter 
of  the  American  wilderness,  and  of 
the  brave  Kaffir,  of  South  Ai'rica. 
More  wretched  than  even  Negro  or 
Hottentot,  or  than  any  other  specimen 
remaining  of  the  "  Prisca  gens  morta- 
lium." 

"'  Ranns. — In  a  former  note  mention 
has  been  made  of  the  great  simplicity  of 
the  style  of  these  "  ranns,"  or  "  duans," 
as  contrasted  with  the  historic  ro- 
mances. The  word  "  rann,"  anciently 
"  rand,''  means  "  stanza,"  or  division. 
It  comes  from  "  rainn."  divide  thou. 
It  may  have  some  analogy  with  the 
English  "  rant,"  and,  through  •■  rung," 
which  translates  it  when  applied  to 
the  division  or  steps  of  a  ladder,  with 
"  slave,"  which  translates  its  meaning 
when  applied  to  a  poetic  stanza.  ]{oth 
tlie  word  "  stave  "  and  "  rann"  may 
have  orignated  from  having  such  stan- 
zas formerly  scored  on  "  rungs,"  or 
"  staves."  'J'hat  Irish  character  called 
ogham  (ow(im)  seems  to  have  bi-en 
specially   invented   for   that    purpose. 


DR.    KEATING's   preface,  Ixxi 

facts  to  memory.  It  was  from  having  been  compiled  in  metrical 
stanzas  that  the  title  of  >S'(;<^toiV  wa  Temrach,  i.  e.,  "  Psalter  of  Tem- 
hair"  or  Tara,  was  given  to  that  first  class  record  that  was  pres- 
erved in  the  custody  of  the  Irish  monarch's  own  chief  Ollamh : 
for  the  same  reason  was  the  title  of  Saltair  Casil^i.  e.,  "Psalter 
of  Cashel,"  given  to  the  chronicle  of  Cormac  Mac  Cullinan,  and 
that  of  "  jSaUair  na  Rann^''  to  the  Chronicle  of  Aengus,  the  Culdee : 
for  the  word  Sailm  means  a  Psalm,  that  is,  a  poem  or  verse,  so 
"  Saltair"  means  a  "  psaltery,"  that  is,  a  book  containing  many  poems 
or  verses.  Since  then  the  very  marrow  of  the  historic  transac- 
tions of  the  Irish  is  preserved  in  such  duans^^  or  poems,  I  have 
deemed  it  right  to  rest  upon  their  authorit}^  in  writing  this 
History. 

Some  people  are  amazed  at  the  fact  that  it  should  be  possible 
for  any  person  to  trace  his  pedigree"*  up  to  Adam.  My  answer 
to  these  is,  that,  for  the  Gaels,  it  was  not  difficult  to  do  so;  be- 
cause from  the  time  of  Gaedal  or  Gael,  their  gi'eat  ancestor,  these 
Gaels  or  Gaedalians  constantly  had  their  Druids,  who  were  em- 
ployed in  preserving  their  genealogies  and  in  recording  their  ex- 
ploits, during  their  several  migrations,  and  even  until  they  arrived 
in  Ireland ;  as  shall  be  seen  from  the  following  history.  Besides, 
they  were  a  nation  fond  of  science,  for  it  was  by  his  science  that 
Niul,  the  father  of  Gaedal  obtained  all  his  wealth.  Moreover, 
the  preservation  of  their  genealogies  was  rendered  the  more  easy, 
by  their  having  remained  for  so  long  a  period  in  possession  of 
the  same  country  and  by  the  excellence  of  those  ordinations  for 
preserving  their  traditions,  which  I  have  already  mentioned.  The 


'**  "  Duan"  [dooan],  means  a  "poem."  able  to  trace  its  pedigree  to  the  ances- 
The  poet  Burns,  and  some  others,  have  tor  of  the  Gaelic  nation.  A  tribe  could 
made  the  word  English.  It  shall  be  used  not  lose  its  pedigree  ■with  impunity, 
sometimes  in  this  translation.  "  Laeidh  There  were  too  many  of  its  kindred 
{  lay  ),  is  also  an  old  Irish  word  tribes  watching  to  seize  its  lands  in  de- 
fer a  piece  of  poety.  The  English  fault  of  title,  nor  could  a  stranger-tribe 
word  "  lay  "  translates  it  exactly  ;  the  usurp  the  pedigree  of  another  older 
word  is  pure  Gaelic  and  is  found  in  our  tribe.  Too  many  interests  would  be 
oldest  books.  encroached  on  by  such  usurpation,  and 

"'  The  reader  is  referred  to  the  third  it  would  of  course  be  resisted.     The 

part  for  observations  upon  the  Gaelic  The  female   children  being    excluded 

pedigrees.     They  constitute,  probably,  from  the  inheritance    of   lauds,  was 

the  most  authentic  portion  of  our  his-  another  great  means  of  preserving  the 

tory.     The  freedom  of  each  tribesman,  pedigrees  pure  from  foreign  admixture, 

and  his  share  in  the  tribe-land,  depend-  Dr.  Keating  is  not  happy  in  his  allu- 

ing  upon  his  being  able  to  prove  his  siou  to  the  Saxon  pedigree,  which  he 

descent  from  the  common  ancestor  of  has   given.      The   Saxon   cared  little 

the  tribe,  it  was  not  po.ssible  that  it  for  long   descent.     Harold,   their  last 

been  could  have  forgotten  or  corrupted,  king,  was  of  the  race  of  serfs.      No 

In  the  same  manner,  the  freedom  of  the  such  thing  could  by  any  possibility  hap- 

whole  tribe  depended  upon   its  being  pen  among  the  Gaels. 


Ixxii 


DR.    KEATING'S  PREFACE. 


following  specimen  is  from  a  British  author,  who  traces  the  gene- 
alogy of  a  king  of  Britain  up  to  Adam,  From  it,  the  reader  may 
perceive  that  it  may  be  possible  for  the  Gaels  to  do  the  same 
thing.  The  name  of  the  author  is  Asserus,  and  that  of  the  king 
is  Aelfred  or  Alfred. 


Aelfred,  son  of 
Aethelwolf,  son  of 
Egbert,  son  of 
Aethelmund,  son  of 
Eafa,  son  of 
Eowa,  son  of 
In  gild,  son  of 
Coenred,  son  of 
Ceohvald,  son  of 
Cudam,  son  of 
Cuthwin,  son  of 
Ceaulin,  son  of 


Cynric,  son  of 
Creoda,  son  of 
Cerdic,  son  of 
Elesa,  son  of 
GeAvis,  son  of 
Brond,  son  of 
Belde,  son  of 
Woden,  son  of 
Frithilwald,  son  of 
Frealaf,  son  of 
Frithilwulf,  son  of 
Fingodwulf,  son  of 


Geada,  son  of 
Caetwa,  son  of 
Beawa,  son  of 
Sceldwea,  son  of 
Heremod,  son  of 
Itermod,  son  o 
Hathra,  son  of 
Iluala,  son  of 
Bedwig,  son  of 
Ja]ihet,  son  of 
Noah,  son  of 


I  think  that  there  is  no  fair  and  impartial  I'cader  "who  may 
have  to  examine  into  the  Historj^  of  Ireland,  but  -will  be  satisfied 
with  what  I  have  stated  in  this  prefatory  vindication :  but  if  he 
be  not  content  with  what  I  have  here  said,  it  would,  perhaps,  be 
beyond  my  abilities  to  give  him  satisfaction.  I  therefore  take  my 
leave  of  him,  and  beg  of  him  to  excuse  me  if  I  have  been  extra- 
ragant  in  anything  that  I  have  said  in  this  book,  for  if  there  be 
aught  that  is  reprehensible  therein,  it  is  not  through  malice 
that  I  have  inserted  it,  but  through  want  of  knowledge. 

Your  very  humble. 

And  ever  faithful  friend, 

jEOFFiiEY  Keating. 

P.S.  The  following  history  is  divided  into  two  volumes.  The 
first  of  these  contains  the  events  that  took  place  in  Ireland  from 
the  days  of  Adam  to  the  arrival  of  St,  Patrick.  The  second 
treats  of  the  events  that  happened  from  tlie  arrival  of  that  saint, 
down  to  the  invasion  of  the  English — in  as  far  as  I  have  been 
able  to  gain  a  knowledge  of  the  said  events. 

In  the  year  of  our  Lord  1629. 


ADDITIOML  NOTES  TO  PREFACE. 


1.  "  T'le  Culdees.  The  name  Culdce, 
iu  Irish  Ceile  De  {Kaili  Dai),  is  derived 
from  Ceili,  a  servant,  and  De,  of  God, 
and  therefore  signified  a  servant  of  God, 
or  holy  man.  By  the  Latin  writers 
they  were  called  CoUdei,  Culdei,  and 
Kelidei,  and  sometimes  Deic'  la;.  The 
Colidei  or  Culdees  are  mentioned  by 
Cambrensis  and  various  other  ancient 
writers,  and  by  several  Scotch  Histo- 
rians they  are  mentioned  as  monks  in 
Scotland  as  early  as  the  fourth  and  fifth 
centuries  ;  but  the  statements  of  John 
of  Fordun,  Hector  Boctius,  and  others, 
are  entirely  contradicted  by  the  learned 
Lanigan  ;  Smith,  in  his  Life  of  St.  Co- 
lumkille,  and  Jamieson,  in  his  History 
of  the  Culdees,  have  maintained  that 
they  were  Columbian  monks,  or  mem- 
bers of  that  order  instituted  by  St.  Co- 
lumkille,  at  lona,  in  the  Hebrides,  and 
also  in  various  parts  of  Ireland ;  and 
they  have  represented  these  Culdees  as 
a  very  strict  and  religious  order  in 
those  early  times,  from  the  sixth  to  the 
twelfth  century ;  but  Lanigan  shows 
that  these  statements  are  erroneous, 
and  that  the  Culdees  were  not  mention- 
ed by  the  Venerable  Bede,  or  any  other 
ancient  ecclesiastical  writer,  as  Colum- 
bian monks,  nor  in  the  works  of  Usher 
or  Ware,  or  in  the  five  Lives  of  Colum- 
kille  published  by  Colgan.  Lanigan 
considers  that  the  Culdees  were  first  in- 
stituted in  Ireland  in  the  eighth  or 
ninth  century.  Aougus,  surnamed  Ceile 
De,  a  celebrated  Irish  ecclesiastical 
writer  of  the  eighth  century,  author  of 


Lives  of  Irish  Saints,  etc.,  is  supposed 
to  have  been  a  Culdee.  The  Culdees 
are  mentioned  in  the  Annals  of  the 
Four  Masters,  and  of  Ulster,  at  A.D., 
920,  in  which  it  is  recorded  that  God- 
frey, king  of  the  Danes  of  Dublin, 
plundered  Armagh,  but  he  spared  the 
churches  and  Colidei.  It  appears  fi-om 
Lanigan  and  other  authorities,  that  the 
Culdees  were  not,  strictly  speaking, 
monks,  neither  were  they  members  of  the 
parochial  clergy,  but  were  a  description 
of  secular  priests  called  secular  canons, 
—attached  to  cathedrals  or  collegiate 
churches,  called  prebendaries  ;  and  al- 
though bound  by  rules  peculiar  to 
themselves,  they  belonged  to  the  secular 
clergy,  and  are  to  be  distinguished  from 
the  canons  regular,  or  communities  of 
monks  who  sprung  up  at  a  much  later 
period,  and  officiated  in  the  chapters  of 
cathedral  churches.  The  Culdees  offi- 
ciated as  secular  clergymen  in  the 
cathedrals,  sung  in  the  choir,  lived  in 
community,  and  had  a  superior  called 
prior  of  the  Culdees,  who  acted  as  pre- 
centor, or  chief  chaunter.  The  princi- 
pal institution  of  the  Culdees  was  at 
Armagh.  According  to  Usher  and 
others,  there  were  Culdees  iu  all  the 
chief  churches  of  Ulster,  and  some  of 
them  continued  at  Armagh  down  to  the 
middle  of  the  seventeenth  century.  The 
Culdees  had  priories  and  lands  in  vari- 
ous parts  of  Ireland,  particular  at  De- 
venish  Island,  in  Fermanagh,  and  at 
Clones,  in  Monaghan,  both  in  the  dio- 
cese of  Clogher  ;  also  at  Ardbraccan,  in 

73 


Ixxiv 


DR.    KEATING  S   PREFACE. 


Meatli.  Giraldus  Cambrcnsis  g'ives 
an  account  of  the  Colidoi  who  lived  on 
an  island  in  a  lake  in  North  Munster, 
■which  island  was  called  by  the  Irish 
Inis-na-mbeo,  or  the  Island  of  the  Liv- 
ing, from  a  tradition  that  no  pei-son 
ever  died  on  it ;  it  was  afterwards  call- 
ed Mona  Incha,  and  was  situated  about 
three  miles  from  Roscrea,  in  the  bog  of 
Monela.  in  'J'ippcrary.  In  the  time  of 
Cambrensis,  this  island  was  a  celebrated 
place  of  pilgrimage.  Thence  their  resi- 
dence was  afterwards  removed  to  Cor- 
bally,  a  place  near  the  lake,  where  the 
Culdees  became  canons  regular  of  St. 
Augustine.  'I'hough  the  Irish  Culdees 
were  generally  clergymen,yet  some  pious 
unmarried  laymen  joined  their  communi- 
ties. There  were  also  Culdees  in  Bri- 
tain, particularly  in  the  north  of  Eng- 
land, in  the  city  of  York,  where  they 
had  a  great  establishment  called  the 
Hospital  of  St.  Leonard,  and  were  secu- 
lar canons  of  St.  Peter's  cathedral,  as 
mentioned  in  Dugdale's  Monasticon. 
They  got  some  grants  of  lands  in  A.D. 
936,  in  the  reign  of  Athelstau,  and  con- 
tinued at  York  at  least  down  to  the 
time  of  Pope  Adrian  IV".,  who  con- 
firmed them  in  their  possessions.  In 
Wales  there  were  Culdees,  as  mentioned 
by  Cambrensis,  in  the  Island  of  Bard- 
sey,  off  that  coast.  In  Scotland,  the 
Culdees  were  more  celebrated  than  in 
Ireland,  had  numerous  establishments, 
and  continued  there  from  the  ninth  cen- 
tury to  the  Pi(;fonnation.  Accord- 
ing to  Chalmers,  in  his  Caledonia,  the 
Culdees  of  Scotland  are  not  mentioned 
in  history  till  about  the  commencement 
of  the  ninth  century,  in  the  year  800  or 
815,  and  their  first  establishment  was  at 
Dunkeld,  under  the  bishop  of  that  see, 
and  they  were  afterwards  placed,  about 
A.D.  8.50,  at  St.  Andrew's,  where  they 
had  their  chief  establisliment  for 
many  centuries.  It  is  stated  by  Bu- 
chanan, that  Consfantinc  III.,  King  of 
Scotland,  who  died  in  913,  spent  the 
last  five  years  of  his  life  in  religious  re- 
tirement amongst  the  Culdees  of  that 
city.  Chalmers  states,  that  before  the 
introduction  of  the  canons  regular  at  St. 
Andrew's,  in  the  twelfth  century,  the 
Culdees  alone  acted  as  secular  canons  in 


cathedrals,  and  as  dean  and  chapter  in 
the  election  of  bishops,  and  that  thence- 
forth both  orders  were  joined  in  that 
right,  till  A.D.  1272,  when  it  was 
usurped  by  the  canons  regular  ;  and  he 
also  says,  that  the  Culdees  of  Brechin 
continued  for  many  ages  to  act  as  dean 
and  chapter  of  that  diocese.  Ac- 
cording to  Jamieson,  the  Culdees  of  St. 
Andrew's  elected  the  bishops  of  that 
see  down  to  the  election  of  William 
Wishart,  in  1271,  when  the  power  was 
abrogated.  But  in  those  early  times  it 
appears  that  the  bishops  of  many  sees 
in  Scotland  were  of  the  order  of  Cul- 
dees."— Noteft  to  Connellan^s  Translation 
of  the  Four  Masters. 

2.  The  following  notices  of  some  of  the 
best  known  of  the  works  upon  ancient 
Irish  history,  to  some  of  which  Dr. 
Keating  will  be  found  frequently  re- 
ferring m  the  course  of  this  work,  are 
here  given  down  for  the  reader's  greater 
convenience.  They  are  chiefly  extract- 
ed from  the  work  last  ([uoted  : 

3.  "  The  Psalter  of  Tara  was  a  record 
of  the  chief  events  in  Ireland,  from  the 
most  remote  times,  compiled  by  order 
of  the  illustrious  king  Cormac,  in  the 
3d  century,  and  from  this  was  chiefly 
composed,  in  the  latter  end  of  the  9th 
century,  by  Cormac  Mac  Culiuan, 
Archbishop  of  Cashel,  the  great  work 
called  the  Psalter  of  Cashel." 

This  work  is  supposed  to  be  lost,  or 
to  have  been  carried  off  by  the  Danes. 

4.  "  The  Annals  rf  the  Four  Masters 
were  compiled  chiciiy  by  the  celebrated 
O'Clerys  of  Donegal,  and  are  one  of 
the  most  important  works  ever  written 
on  Irish  history  ;  they  comprise  the 
Annals  of  Ireland  from  the  earliest  ages 
to  the  17th  century." 

We  have  already  spoken  of  the  elegant 
edition  of  these  Annals,  published  by 
Messrs.  Hodges  &  Smith,  and  of  the 
faithful  translation  and  erudite  notes  by 
Dr.  O'Donovan,  with  which  they  are 
accompanied. 

5.  "  The  Book  of  Kclls,  considered  to 
have  been  written  by  St.  Columkille,  in 
the  0th  century,  was  preserved  for 
many  ages  at  the  (Julumhian  monastery 
of  Kells,  in  Meath,  and  is  now  in  the 
library  of  Trinity  College,  Dublin.    It 


DR.    KEATING  S   PREFACE. 


Ixxv 


contains  a  manuscript  of  the  four  gos- 
pels, and  is  illuminated  with  decorations 
of  surpassing  beauty.' 

'J'his  jMS.  can  scarcely  be  called  an 
Irish  historical  work.  Still,  from  its 
very  great  antiquity  and  rare  elegance 
of  penmanship  it  deserves  to  be  men- 
tioned here,  were  it  but  as  a  specimen 
of  the  state  of  that  art  in  Ireland  in  the 
6th  century. 

6.  Tlie  Book  of  Leacan,  so  called  from 
being  composed  at  Lcacau,  was  compiled 
by  the  ^lac  Firbises,  from  the  tM'clfth 
to  the  fifteenth  century,  and  is  one  of 
the  greatest  and  most  authentic  works 
on  Irish  history  and  antiquities.  It  is 
a  very  voluminous  MS.,  written  on  fine 
vellum,  and  comprises  the  history  of 
Ireland  from  the  earliest  ages  to  the 
fifteenth  century.  The  original  book  of 
Leacan  is  in  the  Library  of  the  Eoyal 
Irish  Academy. 

.7  The  Book  of  BaUymote,  so  called 
from  having  been  in  the  possession  of 
the  Mac  Donoghs,  at  their  castle  of 
BalljTnote  in  Sligo  ;  or,  according  to 
others,  from  having  been  partly  com- 
posed at  the  monastery  of  Ballymote, 
was  compiled  in  the  latter  end  of  the 
fourteenth  century,  chiefly  by  Solamh 
O'Droma,  or  Solomon  O'Drom,  and 
Manus  O'Duigenau,  learned  antiquaries 
and  historians.  Toraaltagh  Mac  Do- 
nogh,  lord  of  Tirerill  and  Corran,  in 
Sligo,  was  the  patron  of  these  learned 
men ;  and  the  Book  of  Ballymote  re- 
mained a  long  time  in  possession  of  this 
family,  but  was  purchased  from  one  of 
the  ^Lac  Donoghs,  in  the  year  1522,  by 
Hugh  Duv,  son  of  Hugh  Roe,  son  of 
Niall  Garv  O'Donnell,  of  Donegal,  the 
price  given  for  the  book  being  one  hun- 
dred and  forty  milch  cows.  The  Book 
of  Ballymote  is  a  large  folio  MS.  on 
vellum  ;  it  contains  the  ancient  history 
of  Ireland  from  the  earliest  period  to 
the  end  of  the  fourteenth  century,  and 
is  considered  a  very  authentic  work  and 
of  great  authority.  The  original  is  de- 
posited in  the  library  of  the  Royal  Irish 
Academy  ;  and  a  copy  of  it,  with  a  full 
account  of  its  contents,  was  made  by  the 
translator  of  these  Annals  as  Irish 
Historiographer,  and  is  deposited  in  the 
Koyal  Library  at  Windsor. 


8.  The  O'Duigenans  of  Kilronan,  in 
the  county  of  Roscommon,  composed  a 
learned  MS.  work  on  Irish  history, 
often  quoted,  and  called  the  Book  of  the 
O'Duigenans,  and  also  assisted  in  the 
compilation  of  the  Annals  of  the  Four 
Masters. 

9.  The  Book  of  Hy  Maine,  generally 
called  the  Book  of  the  O'Kellys,  was 
compiled  partly  by  the  ODugans.  he- 
reditary bards  and  historians  to  the 
O'Kellj's,  and  partly  by  Faolan  Mac  an 
Gobhan  or  Smith,  a  learned  historian, 
who  is  mentioned  in  0'Reillv"s  Irish 
Writers  at  A.D.  1423.  This  Book  of 
Hy  Maine  is  a  voluminous  MS.  on  vel- 
lum containing  a  vast  deal  of  curious 
and  interesting  information  on  the  his- 
tory and  antiquities  of  Ireland. 

10.  The  Annals  of  Boyle.  The  abbey 
of  Boyle,  in  Roscommon,  a  celebrated 
Cistercian  monastery ,was  founded  in  the 
twelfth  century,  and  amply  endowed  by 
the  ^íac  Derniotts,  lords  of  Moylurg ; 
it  was  long  eminent  as  a  seat  of  learn- 
ing and  religion,  and  its  remaining  ruins 
show  its  former  magnificence.  The  An- 
nals of  Boyle  were  composed  by  the 
monks  of  that  abbey,  and  are  consider- 
ed as  a  most  authentic  record  of  the  an- 
cient history  of  Ireland. 

11.  The  Leabhar  Breac  Mac  Aodha- 
gnin,  or  Speckled  Book  of  Mac  Egan. 
an  ancient  MS.  often  quoted  by  our 
historians,  and  containing  much  curious 
information,  the  original  of  which  is  in 
the  Royal  Irish  Academy,  was  com- 
posed by  the  Mac  Egans  of  Duniry.  in 
Galway,  learned  Brehons  and  histo- 
rians. 

12.  The  Cronicon  Scotorvm,  an  an- 
cient work,  composed  at  Clonmacnois. 
written  in  Irish,  and  continued  to  1150, 
contains  much  information  on  the  an- 
cient history  of  Ireland. 

13.  The  Annals  of  Tigearnach,  com- 
piled in  the  11th  century  by  Tigearnach, 
abbot  of  Clonmacnois,  whose  death  is 
recorded  in  the  Four  Masters,  and  in 
O'Reilly's  Irish  Writers,  at  A.D.  1088  ; 
he  was  one  of  the  most  learned  men  of 
that  age,  and  his  Annals  are  considered 
as  one  of  the  most  authentic  works  ou 
ancient  Irish  history  ;  they  contain  the 
history  of  Ireland,  from  the  reign  oi 


Ixxvi 


DR.    KEATING's    preface. 


Kimboath,  king  of  Emania,  and  mon- 
arch of  hvland,  who  flourished  about 
350  years  before  ihe  Christain  era,  down 
to  the  death  of  the  author,  in  the  11th 
century ;  and,  according  to  O'Reilly, 
they  were  continued  to  the  IGth  century 
by  Augustin  Mac  Gradian,  or  !Mac 
Craith,  a  monk  of  the  abbey  of  All 
.Saints,  on  Lough  Ree,  in  the  rivor 
Shannon,  and  county  of  Longford. 
O'Reilly  says  there  is  a  copy  of  these 
Anuals  in  the  library  of  Trinity  Col- 
lege, Dublin.  'I'he  Annals  of  Tigear- 
nach  are  partly  in  Irish  and  partly  in 
Latin,  and  have  been  published  in  Latin 
by  Dr.  O'Couor,  in  the  Rerum  Hib. 
Scriptores. 

14.  The  Book  of  Annah  of  B'dhj 
Mac  M'fius  was  the  celebrated  work  on 
Irish  history  and  antiquities,  called  the 
Annals  of  Ulster,  of  which  a  Latin  trans- 
lation was  made  by  the  learned  and 
Rev.  Dr.  Charles  0' Conor,  and  pub- 
lished in  his  great  work,  the  Rerwn 
Hiberniainim  Scriptoris  Vet-res.  The 
compiler  of  these  annals  was  Cathal, 
or  Charles  Maguire,  an  eminent  eccle- 
siastic and  learned  man,  who  collected 
and  compiled  those  Annals  at  Senaid 
Mac  Manus,  a  place  situated  in  the 
county  of  Fermanagh  ;  hence  these 
Annals  have  been  sometimes  called 
Anna'tsSenatnsps,  or  Senatensian  An- 
nals, and  sometimes  the  Annals  of  Bally 
Mac  Manus.  The  Annals  of  Ulster 
contain  the  history  of  Ireland  fnmi  the 
first  to  the  latter  end  of  the  fifteenth 
century,  being  carried  down  to  the 
time  of  the  Author's  death  ;  but  some 
additions  were  afterwards  made  to  them, 
and  they  were  continued  to  A.  D. 
1.541,  by  tlie  learned  Roderick  O'Cas- 
sidy,  archdeacon  of  Clogher,  according 
to  Ware's  Writers. 

15.  The  Annals  of  Ulster  were  com- 
piled in  the  fifteenth  century,  by  Cathal 
or  Cliarles  Maguire,  a  native  of  Fer- 
managh, an  eminent  and  learned 
ecclesiastic,  who  was  dean  of  Clogher, 
a  canon  of  Armagh,  &c.,  and  whose 
death  is  recorded  at  the  year  1498,  in 
the  Annals  of  the  Four  Masters. 
These  Annals,  after  the  death  of  the 
Author,  were  continued  to  ir)41,  by 
Roderick    O'Cassidy,    archdeacon    of 


Clogher.  The  Annals  of  Ulster  are 
written,  partly  in  Irish,  and  partly  in 
Latin,  and  contain  the  history  of  Ire- 
land from  the  first  to  the  si.xteenth 
century,  and  are  considered  very  au- 
thentic, giving  a  concise  account  of  the 
various  events.  There  are  copies  of 
these  Annals  in  several  libraries  in 
England,  and  in  Dublin,  and  they  have 
been  published  in  Latin,  from  the  fifth 
to  the  twelfth  centurv.  iiamelv,  from 
A.D.  431,  to  A.  D.  1131,  in  Dr.  O'- 
Conor's  Rer.  Uib.  Scriptores. 

IG.  The  Books  of  Ulster  and  of  Oir- 
p;i(ill,  copies  of  which  are  contained  in 
the  Books  of  Leacan  and  Ballymote, 
give  an  account  of  the  ancient  history 
of  Ulster,  its  kings,  princes,  chiefs  and 
clans,  and  contain  much  important  in- 
formation. 

17.  The  Book  of  Lismore,  a  large 
ancient  Irish  MS.  folio,  on  vellum, 
which  was  accidenially  discovered  in 
the  castle  of  Lismore,  where  it  still 
remains,  in  the  library  of  the  Duke  of 
Devonshire.  It  was  composed  at  the 
ancient  college  or  monastery  of  Lis- 
more, and  contains  much  valual)le  in- 
formation on  Irish  history  and  antiqui- 
ties, as  lives  of  SS.  Patrick,  Bridget, 
and  Colunikille  ;  accounts  of  Samhain 
and  Antichrist ;  the  history  of  David, 
son  of  Jesse  ;  also  accounts  of  the  bat- 
tles of  Ceallaehan,  king  of  Cashel ;  the 
battles  of  Crinna,  (jlawra,  &c.  ;  and 
likewise  the  life  and  conquests  of  the 
Emperor  Charlemagne  ;  a  history  of 
Lombardy,  &c. 

18.  'The  Book  of  Glenrlilonr/h,  said 
by  O'Riley  to  be  in  the  library  of 
Trinity  College,  Dublin,  is  an  ancient 
work  on  the  history  of  Leinster. 

19.  The  B(iuk(f  Kilkenny,  an  ancient 
work,  is  ofti'n  (|iiotcd  by  Colgan,  in 
his  Lives  of  the  Irish  Saints. 

20.  The  Book  of  Leinster,  which  is 
contained  in  the  Books  of  I^eacan  and 
Ballymote,  and  a  copy  of  it  in  the 
library  of  Trinity  College,  gives  the 
ancient  history  of  Leinsti'r,  and  its 
kings,  princes,  chiefs,  and  clans. 

21.  The  Annals  t)f  Innisfallen  were 
compiletl  by  the  monks  of  the  abbey 
of  Irmisfallen,  an  island  in  the  lakes  of 
Ki Harney.    Innisfallen  was  founded  by 


DR.    KEATING's   preface. 


Ixxvii 


St.  Finian  in  the  sixth  century,  and 
became  famous  as  a  seat  of  learninti. 
These  annals  commence  at  A.  D.  252, 
and  end  A.  D.  1320.  They  relate 
chiefly  to  Munster.  The  original  of 
them  is  in  the  Bodleian  library  at  Ox- 
ford, and  copies  are  in  the  libraries  of 
Trinity  College,  Dublin,  the  Eoyal 
Irish  Academy,  and  others.  Dr. 
O'Conor  has  published  them,  with  a 
Latin  translation,  in  his  "  Rerum 
Hibernicarum  Scriptores." 

The  Book  of  Munster  is  at  large 
upon  Irish  history,  but  chiefly  relating 
to  the  province  whence  it  has  its  name. 
It  gives  an  account  of  its  kings,  chiefs, 
ancl  principal  clans  ;  its  ancient  laws, 
customs,  arts,  agriculture,  etc.  Copies 
of  it  are  contained  in  the  book  of 
Leacau  and  Ballymote. 

The  Book  of  Fermoy,  compiled  by 
the  monks  of  the  abbey  of  Fermoy, 
in  the  county  of  Cork,  a  large  work 
on  vellum,  containing  valuable  infor- 
mation, was  recently  in  the  possession  of 
Wm.  Monk  Mason,  Esq ,  of  Dublin. 

22.  The  Topographies  of  O'Dugnn 
and  O'Heerin.  Seagan  O'Dubhagain, 
or  John  O'Dugan,  died  in  1372.  He 
wa^  the  historian  of  the  O'Kellies, 
chiefs  of  Hy  Maine.  Gilla  na  Naemh 
[Gilla  na  Nave)  Oh-Uidhirin  (O'Hee- 
rin), who  died  in  1420,  continued  0'- 
Dugan's  work.  These  works,  which 
are  in  verse,  may  be  considered  a  sort 
of  Doomsday  book  of  Irish  history. 
They  were  compiled  from  personal  in- 
spection of  the  various  places  of  which 
they  treat.  Large  use  is  made  of  the 
translation  of  these  poems  by  Mr. 
Owen  Connellan,  as  given  in  his  Four 
Masters,  in  explanation  of  the  maps 
attached  to  this  histoiy. 

23.  The  Annals  of  Connaught  is  an 
ancient  work,  compiled  by  the  O'Mael- 
Conairies,  historians  of  that  province, 
about  the  fourteenth  century.  Dr. 
Drunmiond,  in  his  Prize  Essay  on  the 
poems  of  Ossian,  states  that  Mac  Pher- 
8on,  the  celebrated  author  of  Ossian's 
Poems,  on  visiting  Oxford,  was  shown 
the  above-mentioned  Irish  MS.  as  con- 
taining the  Poems  of  Ossian,  a  single 
word  of  which  he  was  not  able  to  read. 

24.  The  WcDS  of  Tkamond,  styled, 


Cahreim  Thomlhealbhaigh  [Cahraim. 
Horailig),  or,  a  Catalogue  of  Torlogh's 
Battles,  contains,  as  stated  in  O'Reil- 
ley's  Irish  Writers,  at  A.  D.  1450,  an 
account  of  the  battk'S  of  Torlogh 
O'Brien,  and  of  the  wars  of  Thomond, 
from  the  landing  of  Heiny  11.  in  Ire- 
land, to  the  death  of  Robert  de  Clare, 
A.  D.  1318.  This  work  was  written  by 
Rory  Mac  Craith,  in  the  fifteenth  cen- 
tury, the  original  of  which,  on  vellum, 
was  lately  in  the  library  of  Sir  William 
Betham. 

25.  Another  sometimes  quoted  by 
Keating,  is  the  Leabhar  Gearr,  or 
Short  Book,  an  Irish  MS.  of  some  note, 
but  now,  it  is  feared,  lost. 

I  shall  conclude  these  notices  of  Irish 
works  by  the  following  remarks,  taken 
from  the  same  mine  of  Irish  historical 
information — I  mean  the  notes  to  Con- 
nellan's  Four  Masters. 

"  There  are  still  existing  vast  collec- 
tions of  ancient  and  valual^le  Irish  MSS. 
in  various  libraries  in  Ireland,  as  those 
of  Trinity  College,  Dublin,  and  of  the 
Royal  Irish  Academy ;  also  in  many 
private  libraries,  particularly  in  that  of 
Sir  William  Betham.  In  various  libra- 
ries in  England  there  are  great  collec- 
tions of  Irish  MSS.,  as  in  those  of  the 
Bodleian  Library  at  Oxford,  of  the  Brit- 
ish Museum,  and  of  Lambeth  in  London, 
and  in  the  library  of  the  Duke  of  Buck- 
ingham, at  Stowe,  there  is  an  immense 
and  most  valuable  collection.  In  the 
libraries  on  the  Continent  there  are 
also  collections  of  Irish  MSS.,  particu- 
larly at  Rome,  Paris,  and  Louvain,  and 
in  the  libraries  of  Spain  and  Portugal, 
and  it  is  said  that  there  were  Irish 
MSS.  in  the  Royal  Library  at  Copen- 
hagen, which  were  carried  off  by  the 
Danes  from  Ireland,  in  the  tenth  and 
eleventh  centuries,  A  vast  number  of 
Irish  MSS.  were  destroyed,  particularly 
during  the  wars  of  Elizabeth  and  Crom- 
well ;  Webb,  in  his  Analysis  of  the 
Antiquities  of  Ireland,  says,  '  it  was, 
till  the  time  of  James  I.,  the  object  of 
government  to  discover  and  destroyall 
remains  of  the  literatun;  of  the  Irish, 
in  order  the  more  fully  to  eradicate 
from  their  minds  every  trace  of  their 
ancient  independence." 


Ixxviii 


DR.    KEATING's   preface. 


In  the  Pagan  times,  many  works  of 
note  are  recorded,  and,  according  to 
Charles  O'Conor,  it  is  stated  by  Duald 
Mac  Firbis.  tho  learned  antiquary  of 
Leacan,  that  St.  Patrick  burned  no  less 
than  180  volumes  of  the  Books  of  the 
Druids  at  Tara.  As  Tara  was  in  the 
early  ages  the  seat  of  the  Irish 
monaix-hy,  there  were  many  of  the 
chief  Bards  consequently  connected 
with  Meath,  and  an  account  of  various 
eminent  Bards,  who  flourished  in  ]\Ieath 
and  Ulster  in  the  Pagan  times,  is  given 
in  O'Reilly  s  Writers.  The  most  cele- 
brated of  these  were  Adhna,  Athairne, 
Forchern,  Ferceirtne,  and  Neide,  all  of 
whom  flourished  about  the  beginning 


of  the  Christian  era,  at  the  Court  of 
Eraania,  under  Concovar  Mac  Neasa, 
the  celebrated  king  of  Ulster.  Oisin, 
or  Os.sian,  in  the  third  century,  was  one 
of  the  most  celebrated  of  the  Irish 
Bards,  and  many  poems  attributed  to 
him  are  still  extant ;  some  of  the  Ossi- 
anic  poems  have  been  translated,  bnt 
many  remain  in  manuscript,  and  it  is  to 
be  observed,  that  they  are  very  diilcrent 
from  Ossiau's  Poems  published  by  Mac 
Pherson,  who  claimed  the  Irish  Bard  as 
a  native  of  Scotland  ;  but  Mac  Pher- 
son's  Ossiauic  Poems,  though  contain- 
ing much  poetical  beauty,  are  chiefly 
fictions  of  his  own." 


FORAS  FEASA  AR  EIRINN; 


OR, 


HISTOKY  OF   lEELAND. 


BOOK     I. 

PART   I. 

CHAPTEE  I. 


OF  THE  DIFFERENT    NAMES    THAT  WEEE    GIVEN   TO   IRELAND 
DOWN   HERE. 

1.  The  first  name  given  to  Ireland  was  "  Inis-na-ffidbadh " 
{Inish-na-  Veevah)  i.  e.,  The  Isle  of  Woods ;  and  the  person  that 
gave  it  this  name  was  a  champion  of  the  people  of  Nin^  the  son 
of  Pel,  who  was  sent  by  him  to  explore  Ireland,  and  who,  on  his 
arrival,  fonnd  the  country  one  unbroken  forest,  except  Magh-n- 
elta^  {Moy-nelta)  alone. 

2.  The  second  name  was  "  Crioch-na-ffuinedach"  {Creearjli-im- 


*  Pronounced,  Forras  Fass'  ar  Air- 
inn.- — Eire,  ancientl}',  Eiri  and  Eri,  the 
Gaelic  name  of  Ireland,  is  declined  in 
the  following  manner,  viz. :  nom.  Eire, 
gen.  Eirenn,  dat.  and  all.  Eirinn.  In 
the  older  writings  the  forms  are  Eri, 
Erend,  and  Erind.  The  more  modern 
Irish  nearly  always  substitute  two"  n's" 
for  the  old  form  "  'nd."  Mana,  the  Irish 
name  of  the  Isle  of  Man,  follows  the 
same  form  of  declension,  viz  :  gen. 
Manann  or  Manand,  dat.  and  abl.  Man- 
ainn  or  Manaind.  Mumha,  now  called 
Munster,  Ara,  the  name  of  certain  is- 
lands on  the  Irish  coast.  Alba,  Scotland, 
and  several  other  names  of  countries 
and  localities,  are  of  similar  formation. 
I  here  note  as  a  fact  worthy  of  the  at- 
tention of  scientific  inquirers  into  the 


origin  of  the  various  tribes  that  colo- 
nized the  west  of  Europe,that  most,if  not 
all  of  the  local  names  of  this  declension, 
date  from  a  period  previous  to  the 
Scoto-Milesian  or  Gaelic  invasion.  The 
pure  Scoto-Milesian  names  are  mostly 
composed  of  short  descriptive  sentences. 
each  component  word  of  which  main- 
tains its  form  unchanged,  and  preserves 
its  full  grammatical  value  ; — ex.  :  Bai- 
lé-atha-clcaih,  i.  e.,  the-toicn-of-thc-ford- 
of-hurdkx,  in  English,  Dublin.  Those 
names  which  make  their  oblique  cases 
in  "nd"  or  "nn"  seem  to  be  of  Pelasgic 
origin. 

'  i.  e.,  Ninus,  the  son  of  Belus. 

=  Magh-n-EUa,i.e.,  the  Plain  of  the 
Flocks.— This  plain  extended  from 
Benn-Edar,  now  the  Hill  of  Howth, 


80  THE    IIISTOKY   OF    IRELAND. 

vunnayagh)  i.  e.,  the  Country  of  the  Remote,  i.  e.,  the  Extreme 
Land,  from  its  being  at  the  end,  i.  e.,  fuinedh,  or  extremity  of 
the  three  parts  of  the  workl  then  known. 

3.  The  third  name  was  "  Inis-Elga,"  ^  i.  e.,  the  Noble  Island.  It 
was  during  the  time  of  the  Fer-Bolgs  that  it  was  usual  to  call  it 
by  this  name. 

"^4.  The  fourth  name  was  "Eri"  (Airi),  which,  according  to  a 
certain  author,  it  received  from  Aeria,  an  old  name  of  the  island 
now  called  Greta  or  Candia.  lie  is  of  this  opinion  because  the 
posterity  of  Gacdal  Glas  inhabited  that  island  for  some  time  after 
Sru,  son  of  Esru,  son  of  Gaedal,  had  been  banished  out  of  Egypt. 
Acre  was  also  one  of  the  names  of  Egypt,  Avhence  the  Gaels  or 
Gaedalians  had  emigrated.  However,  it  is  the  common  "opinion 
of  our  historians,  that  it  received  the  name  from  a  queen  of  the 
Tuatha-De-Dananns,  whose  name  was  Eri.  This  was  Eri,  daughter 
of  Delbaeth,  the  wife  of  Kethor,  who  was  styled  Mac  Greni,  (i.  e., 
son  of  Griau  or  the  Sun,)  and  who  was  king  of  Ireland  when  the 
sons  of  Miledh  invaded  it. 

5.  The  fifth  name  of  Ireland  was  "Fodla"  {Fola),  so  called  from 
Fodla,  who  was  also  a  queen  of  the  Tuatha-De-Dananns,  and 
who  was  the  wife  of  Mac  Keact,  (i.  e.,  son  of  the  Plough,)  whose 
real  name  Avas  Tethor. 

6.  The  sixth  name  it  received  was  "Banba,'''*  from  Banba, 
another  queen  of  the  Tuatha-De-Dananns.  She  Avas  the  Avife  of 
Mac  Coin,  whose  real  name  Avas  Tethor.  These  three  kings  of 
the  Tuatha-Do-Dananns  held  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland  alter- 
nately every  third  year ;  and  the  reason  Avhy  the  island  is  more 
frequently  called  Eri  than  Fodla  or  Banba,  is  because  it  Avas  the 
husband  of  the  Avoman  named  Eri  that  Avas  king  of  Ireland 
during  the  year  in  Avhich  the  sons  of  Milcdh  arrÍA^cd  therein. 

7.  The  seventh  name  is  "  Inis-Fail."  It  Avas  the  Tuatha-De- 
Dananns  that  gave  it  this  name,  from  a  stone  they  brought 

near  Dublin,  to  Tallaglit.  The  famous  mean  that  the  country  sometimes  called 
battlo-field  of  Clontarf  formed  part  of  '-Eri,"  and  sometimes  "Fodla"  and  "Ban- 
it.  ba,"  was  ruled  alternately  by  the  above- 

'  Inis  Elga.  This  and  the  foregoing  named  three  kings,  about  the  time  of 
can  scarcely  be  considered  as  having ev-  the  Milesian  invasion.  The  Gaelic 
er  been  distinctive  proper  names  of  Jre-  Shanachies  could  not,  apparently,  ex- 
land.  They  nmst  be  classed  with  such  plain  those  antiipie  terms  from  their 
figurative  appellations  as  the  "Island  of  own  traditions  or  language,  and  instead 
Saints,"  applied  to  it  in  the  middle  of  an  explanation  or  etymology,  they 
ag&s,  and  the  "  Emerald  Jsle"  of  the  have  left  us  a  myth.  The  probability 
present  day.  is  that  the  early  colonists  of  Ireland 

*  Eri,  Fodla  and  Bnnha  wfrc  j)rob-  called  the;  island  each  after  the  country 

ably  the  real  ancient  names  of  Ireland,  or  nation  whence   they  had  emigrated 

The  story  of  the  three  queens  has  all  thereto,  aa  colonists  very  frecpiently  do. 
the  appearance  of  an  allegory,  and  may 


THE   niSTOEY   OF   IRELAND.  81 

to  Ireland  themselves,  called  Lia  Fail,^  otherwise  the  Stone  of 
Destiny.  This  is  the  "saxum  fatale,"  i.  e.,  Stone  of  Fate,  of 
which  Hector  Boethius  speaks  in  his  History  of  Scotland.  This 
was  an  enchanted  stone ;  for,  whenever  the  men  of  Ireland  were 
assembled  at  the  Great  Council  of  Tara,  to  elect  a  king  over 
them,  it  used  to  give  forth  a  loud  cry  beneath  the  person  whose 
right  it  was  to  obtain  the  sovereign  power.  But  it  has  emitted 
no  cry  since  the  time  of  Concobar ;  for  when  Christ  was  born, 
all  the  false  idols  of  the  world  were  struck  dumb.  Here  follows 
a  quotation  from  the  poet  Kinaith,^  which  proves  that  Ireland 
received  the  name  Inis-Fail  from  this  stone : — 

"  From  this  stone,  now  beneath  my  feet 
Men  have  named  our  Isle  of  Fál ; 
And  Eri,  between  both  swelling  seas, 
Has  thence  been  called  the  Plain  of  Fál." 

8.  The  eighth  name  was  "  Muich-Inis "  ^  {Mooih-Innish)^  i.  e., 
the  Isle  of  Mist  or  Fog.  This  name  was  given  to  it  by  the  sons 
of  Miledh,  before  they  succeeded  in  making  their  landing  on  its 
shores.  For,  when  they  had  reached  the  mouth  of  Inber-Slangi, 
which  is  now  called  the  bay  of  Loch-Garraan  (in  English,  Wex- 
ford Bay),  the  Tuatha-De-Dananns  came  against  them  with  their 

'  The  "  Lia  Fail"  was  the  stone  upon  Notwithstanding  the  circumstantial 

which  the  kings  of  Ireland  were  in-  nature  of  the  above  account,  I  think 

augurated.      It  was    placed    upon   a  that  the    recent    researches    of    Drs. 

mound  on  Tara  Hill,  where,  according  Petrie  and   O'Donovan  have  all   but 

to  the  opinions  of  the  learned  antiqua-  proved  that  the   real   Lia   Fail  was 

rians,  Drs.  Petrie  and  O'Donovan,  it  never    sent    to    Scotland  at    all,  and 

still  remains.     The  generally-received  that    it    still    maintains   its    upright 

tradition  will,  however,  have  it  that  position  upon  its  sacred  mound,  and 

Fergus  Mac  Erca.  v.-ho  was  the  cousin  thence  looks  down  upon  a  fallen  na- 

of  Murkertach,  then  king  of  Ireland,  tion.     The  stone  in  Westminster,   is 

brought  it  with  him  to  Scotland  in  the  probably  an  imposition, 

sixth  century,  in  order  to  render  his  in-  °  Kinaaeth  O'Hartigain  was  a  cele- 

auguration  as  king  of  the  latter  coun-  brated  bard — sage  or  file,  who  lived  in 

try  more  august.  the  tenth  century.     Several  of  his  po- 

O'Flaherty  gives  a  different  version  of  ems  are  foimd  in  the  Book  of  Inva- 

the  story.  He  says  that  it  was  not  sent  to  sions. 

Scotland  until  the  ninth  century,  when  '  Muich-Inis.  In  Dcrmod  O'Con- 
Acdh  Finliath,king  of  Ireland,  sent  it  to  nor's  translation,  this  word  is  rendered 
his  father-in-law,  Kenneth  Mac  Alpin.  "  Hog's  Isle,"  which,  in  Gaelic,  woald 
The  latter  king  is  said  to  have  placed  it  be  Muic-Inis  (Muck-Innish),  without 
in  the  Abbey  of  Scone,  where  it  was  pre-  aspirating  the  final  "  c  "  of  Muic.  Hal- 
served  as  the  inauguration  stone  of  the  liday  translates  it  the  "  Isle  of  Va- 
Scottish  kings  until  1296,  when  Edward  pors,  or  Mists."  I  have  followed  the 
I.  carried  it  off  to  England,  as  a  trophy  latter,  because  I  deem  his  version  the 
of  his  conquest  of  Scotland.  By  him  more  li/celt/.  No  name  could  suit  Ire- 
it  was  placed  under  the  coronation-  land  better  at  certain  seasons  of  the 
chair  in  Westminster  Abbey, and  there  year,  than  this  fanciful  one,  the  "Isle 
it  still  remains.  of  Mists." 


82  THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 

Druids  and  practiced  magic  enchantments  upon  tliem,  so  that  the 
invaders  could  only  perceive  the  island  lying  before  them  in  the 
likeness  of  a  mist  or  dense  fog.  Hence  they  called  the  land 
Muich-Inis. 

9.  The  ninth  name  -was  "  Scotia."^  It  was  given  to  it  by  the 
sons  of  Miledh  in  honor  of  their  mother,  whose  name  was  Scota, 
daughter  of  Pharaoh  Nectonibus ;  or,  they  called  it  Scotia  be- 
cause they  were  themselves  the  "  Kino  Scuit,"  i.  e.,  the  progeny 
of  Scot,  from  Scythia. 

10.  The  tenth  name  was  "Hibernia.''  ^  It  was  the  sons  of  Miledh 
that  gave  it  this  name  also.  Some,  however,  say  that  Ireland 
received  the  name  Hibernia  from  a  river  of  Spain,  which  was 
called  Iberus  (now  the  Ebro).  Others  say  that  it  was  so  named 
from  Eber,  son  of  Miledh ;  but  the  holy  Cormac  Mac  Culinain 
is  of  opinion  that  it  received  the  name  from  the  word  "iber,"  i.  e., 
western. 

11.  The  eleventh  name  is  "  Juvernia,"  according  to  Ptolemy,  or 
"Juverna,"  according  to  Solinus ;  '"lerna,"'  according  to  Claudian ; 
and  "Vernia,"  according  to  Eustathius.  But  I  think,  myself,  that 
there  is  no  meaning  in  the  distinctions  made  by  these  authors.  The 
forms  they  give  seem  mere  variations  of  the  word  "Hibernia."  As 
they  knew  not  whence  this  word  was  derived,  each  of  them  gave 
his  own  conjecture  thereupon,  whence  proceeded  the  above 
alterations  of  the  name. 

12.  The  twelfth  name  was  "Irin,"^°  according  to  Diodorus  Siculus. 

13.  The  thirteenth  name  was  "  Irlanda.""  It  was  so  called, 
in  my  opinion,  from  Ir,  son  of  Miledh,  because  Ir  was  the  first 


'  Scotia.   This  was  the  name  by  which  "  lernis."  (a  name  which  it  is  called  in 

Ireland  was  most  frequently  called  by  the    "  Arg'onautics"  of  Onomacritus,  a 

later   Latin  and  early  Christian  writ-  Greek  poem  written  five  hundred  years 

ers.      Though  the  Irish  Gaels  called  before  Christ  ;)    and  lerne  arc  merely 

themselves  Scots  in  their  own  tongue,  Greek  variations  of  Eri  and  its  oblique 

they  do  not  appear  ever  to  have  applied  cases,  Krend  and  Erind.     lernis,  per- 

any  Gaelic  form  of  the  name  Scotia  to  haps,  exhibits  the  word  in  its  most  an- 

the  land  they  dwelt  in.     The  same  re-  cient  and  perfect  form, 

mark  applies  to  the  Gaels  of  Scotch  " /r/a/iifo.  whence  the  modern  English 

Highlands.  name  Ireland,  was  the  name  by  which 

'  Hibernia  was  its  most  nsaal   and  it  was  known  to  the  Northmen  and 

most  ancient  Latin  name.     The  name  the  Saxons.     The  name  may  possibly 

is  most  likely  another  form  of  Iberia,  a  be  derived  from  Eri.  but  as  the  tribe 

name  of  Spanish  origin.     The  Clanna  of   "  Ir.'   anciently    ruled  the  uorth- 

Ebir    or  Iberians,  being  the  inhabit-  east  of  Ireland,  and  came  first  into 

ants    of  the  south   of  Ireland,  must  contact  with  the  (iothic  nations,  it  h 

have  come    soonest  into  contact  with  probable  that  Ireland  owes  the  foreign 

the  Romans,  and  thence    the    latter  title  ••  Irlanda."  to  the  Irians.  of  Ulster, 

called  the   country  after  the  name  of  as  it  may.  jxirhaps,  that  of  Hibernia 

the  race  they  found  dwelling  in  it.  to  the  Iberians,  or  tribe  of  Eber,  of 

*  Irin,  or  more  correctly,  Iris,  with  Munster. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  83 

of  Miledli's  sons  who  was  buried  beneath  Irish  earth.  Hence 
thej  named  the  country  after  him.  "Irhinda"  is  the  same  as  the 
"Land  of  Ir."  Wc  give  the  more  credence  to  this,  because  the  Book 
of  Armagh  tells  that  "  Ireo"  was  one  of  the  names  of  the  island. 
"Ireo"  means  the  grave  of  Ir,  i.  e.,  "Uaigh  Ir." 

14.  The  fourteenth  name  was  "  Ogjgia,"^  according  to  Plutarch. 
"  Og}'»^''^ "  signifies  the  Very  Ancient  Isle.  This  is  a  name  that  is 
most  applicable  to  Ireland,  because  it  is  a  verj^  long  time  since  ' 
it  was  iirst  inhabited,  and  because  its  historians  have  a  perfect 
and  authentic  knowledge  o^"  its  ancient  history,  consecutively, 
from  its  earliest  times  down  to  the  present. 

"  Of^ygia-     Plutarch,  in  his  life  of  years  before  Solon,  had  lorded  it  ovci 

Solon,  tells  us,  that  while  studying  in  Lybia  as  far  as  Egypt,  as  well  as  over 

Egypt  he  was  informed  by  the  priests  of  Greece.     Lord  Bacon  deems  the  narra- 

Sais,  of  the  famous  Atlantic  Isle.   That  tion  founded  on  facts  ;   Sir  Isaac  New- 

this  island  was  placed  beyond  the  pillars  ton  has  taken  some  pains  to  elucidate 

of    Hercules,  in  the  Atlantic  ocean,  it. — O'Halloran.    This  was  the  fabled 

and  that  its  inhabitants,  nine  hundred  Atlantis  of  antiquity. 


CHAPTER  n. 

OF  THE   SEVERAL   DIVISIONS   THAT  "WERE   MADE   OF   IRELAND. 

1.  Partholax  divided  Ireland  into  four  parts,  between  his  four 
sons.  The  first  part  he  gave  to  the  son  whose  name  was  Er;  it 
coinprised  all  the  land  from  Ailech-Neid,^  in  the  north  of  Ulster, 
to  Ath-Cliath  (now  Dublin)  in  Leinster.  To  Orba,  his  second 
son  he  gave  all  the  country  lying  between  Ath-Cliath  and  the 
Great  Island^  in  Barrymore.  He  gave  the  third  division  to  Fer- 
ann ;  it  extended  from  the  Great  Island  of  Barrymore  to  Ath- 
Cliath-Medraide,^  near  Galway.  He  gave  the  fourth  portion  to 
him  whose  name  was  Fergna;  it  extended  from  Medraide  to 
Ailech-Neid, 

2.  Beothach,  Simeon  and  Britan,  three  chieftains  of  the  race  of 
Nemedh,  divided  Ireland  between  them  into  three  parts,  Beo- 
thach took  from  Tor-Inis*  to  the  Boyne ;  Simeon  took  from  the 

'  Ailech   or  Oileach    Neid   (pr.    EI-        ^  Now  Great  Island,  in  Cork  harbor, 
lagh  Naid),  1.  e.,  the  stone  fort  of  Niad,        ^  Pronounced  Ah-Cleeah-Meiree.  It  is 

lies   near   Londonderry.     It  is  romar-  now  called  Clarin's  Bridge,near  Galway. 
kable  for  its  Cyclopean  fort,  the  ru-        *  Now  Tory-Island, 
ins   of  which   still  exist.     It  is   now        '  Belach     Conglais    {Bellagh    Con- 

calied  Grianan   or  Greenan  Ely,  i.  e.,  glish),  i.  c.,  the  road  or  pass  of  Con- 

the  palace  of  Ailech.  glas  or  Cu-Glas,  near  Cork, 


84  THE   HISTORY  OF  IRELAND. 

Boyne  to  Belach-Conglais^  near  Cork,  and  Britán  took  all  from 
Beiach-Conglais  to  Tor-Inis,  in  the  north  of  Connaught. 

3.  The  five  sons  of  Dcla  son  of  Loch,  divided  Ireland  between 
them  into  those  five  parts  which  are  still  called  the  five  "  Coigi" 
or  Fifths.  This  was  the  most  permanent  partition  of  Ireland  that 
was  ever  made,  as  we  shall  quickly  show.  Cambrensis  confirms 
this  division,  in  the  account  which  he  gives  of  the  country  ;  his 
words  are:  ^" Into  five  almost  equal  parts  this  country  was  an- 
ciently divided ;  viz.  the  two  provinces  of  Munster  ( riiomond 
and  Desmond)  Leinster,  Ulster  and  Connaught."  The  five  chiefs 
of  the  Fer-Bolgs,  who  governed  these  Fifths  or  provinces,  were, 
Slangi,  Gann,  Sengann,  Genann  and  Eudraidc.  Slangi  possess- 
ed the  province  of  Leinster,  from  Drogheda^  to  the  Meeting  of  the 
Thie3  Waters.®  Gann  ruled  theprovince  of  Eocaidh  Abra-Kuadh,* 
extending  from  the  Meeting  of  the  Three  Waters  to  Belach-Con- 
glais.  Sengann  possessed  the  province  of  Curaidh  Mac  Dari 
from  Belach-Conglais  toLuimnech  (now Limerick);  Genann  held 
Connaught,  from  Limerick  to  Drobaeis/''  {Drovecsh;)  and  Ptud- 
raide  ruled  Ulster  from  Drobaeis  to  Drogheda. 

Though  some  of  our  antiquaries  mention  a  tripartite  division 
of  Ireland  amongst  the  three  sons  of  Kerinad  Milbeol,  kings  of 
the  Tuatha-Dé-L)unanns,  I  do  not  believe  that  there  was  any  divi- 
sion of  Ireland  between  them  ;  but  I  am  of  opinion  that  those 
princes  held  the  sovereignty  alternately  for  one  year,  as  we  men- 
tioned above,  when  showing  the  reason  why  this  country  is  more 
frequently  called  Eri  than  either  Fodla  or  Banba. 

4.  It  is  the  opinion  of  some  antiquaries  that  the  following  was 
the  manner  in  which  Ireland  was  divided  between  Eber  and 
Erimhon :  the  whole  country  sfjuthward,  from  Dublin  round  to 
Galwa3%  with  P]skcr-Riada"  for  its  internal  boundar}^,  belonged 
to  Eber,  and  all  from  that  northward  belonged  to  Erimhon.  No 
such  division,  however,  took  place,  as  we  shall  show  hereafter, 
but  the  island  was  apportioned  thus:  the  two  provinces  of  Mun- 
ster  were  assigned  to  Eber;  the  provinces  of  Connauglit  and 
Leinster  to  Erimhon,  and  the  province  of  Ulladh  or  Ulster  to 
Eber,  son  of  Ir,  son  of  Milcdh;  and  a  certain  number  of  the  no- 
bles that  came  with  them  were  received  by  each  of  these  princes 
into  their  respective  territories. 

•  In   qninquc   cnim  portionea    fere  confluence  of  the  rivers  Suir,  Nore,  and 

aequa'.es   antiquitna   ha;c   ronfio   divisa  Barrow,  near  Wnterf'ord. 
fuit ;  videlicet,  in  Momoniiiin  dii])liccm,         °  Pronounced  Of^liee  Avra  Rua,  i.  e. 

borealem  et  australem,  Ijageniain,  Ul-  Eocaidh  of  the  Red  Brows, 
toniam  ct  Conaciam.  '°  Brob  aeis,  now  Bundrowca,  in  the 

'  Dro^'/icr/a— in  Irish,  Droiched  Atha  county  Lcitrem. 
IDrched-aha),   i.  c.,  the  Bridge  of   tlio        "  Tie  Eispr  Rcada  {Es'.likir-Reeda) 

Ford.  or  "  Brid.i^e  of  Riada,"  was  tlic  name 

"  In   Irish,    Cumar-na-tri-n-nisccdh,  of  a  chain  of  low   hills,  running  from 

(Kummar-naHdree-nishka),  that  is,  the  Dublin  to  Gal  way. 


THE    HISTORY    OF   IRELAND.  85 

5.  Kermna  and  Sobarki  made  an  equal  partition  of  Ireland 
between  them, viz. :  fromlnbcr  Colpa^  nearDrogheda,  to  Limeriek, 
in  Munster,  northward,  belonged  to  Sobarki,  who  built  in  his 
own  portion  a  fortress  called  Dun-Sobarki ;"  Kermna  took  the 
southern  half,  and  in  it  he  erceted  a  stronghold  near  the  sea,  called 
Dun-Kermna,"  which  is  at  this  day  called  Dun-Mic-Patrick,  in  the 
Gourdes'  country. 

6.  Ugani  Mor  divided  Ireland  into  twenty-five  parts,  among  his 
twenty-live  sons,  as  we  shall  mention  hereafter,  in  giving  the 
series  of  reigns. 

7.  Conn  of  the  Hvmdred  Battles  and  Mogh  Nuaghat  {Moio- 
Nooath),  divided  Ireland  equally  between  them.  All  from  Gal- 
way  to  Dublin  northward,  Eskir-Riada  being  the  boundary,  was 
assigned  to  Conn,  whence  it  came  that  the  northern  part  of  the 
country  was  called  Lcth-Cuinn,  or  Conn's  half,  and  the  southern 
Leth-Mogha,  or  Mogh's  half 

Although  I  have  set  down  these  seven  divisions  in  their  place, 
according  to  the  chronological  order  of  the  several  conquests,  I 
shall,  however,  return  to  the  common  division  of  the  country 
which  has  remained  since  the  time  of  the  Fer-Bolgs ;  because,  as 
above  mentioned,  this  division  made  by  the  five  sons  of  Dela, 
son  of  Loch,  continues  unchanged  to  the  present  day. 

These  five  provinces,  or  fifths,  met  at  a  large  stone  at  UisnecW^ 
{Utíhnagli)  until  the  arrival  of  Tuathal  the  Welcome,  in  Ire- 
land, who  cut  off  a  part  from  each  province  and  formed  Meath 
thereof,  which  he  assigned  as  mensal  land  for  the  monarch s  of 
Ireland,  as  we  shall  make  appear  when  we  come  to  treat  of  Tua- 
thal's  reign. 

"   Tlie  Liher  or  Estuary  of  Colpa,  called  Courcies,  from  the  descendants 

now  the  mouth  of  the  Boyne.  of  the  famous  Norman  knight,  John 

"  Pronounced  Doo7i-Sowarki,  or  So-  De  Courcy,  whose  patrimony  it  became 
varki.  This  fort  was  erected  on  an  soon  after  the  English  invasion.  The 
insulated  rock  on  the  coast  of  Antrim.  De  Courcies,  barons  of  Kinsale,  hold  the 
It  is  now  called  Dunseverick,  and  lies  oldest  title  in  the  Anglo-Irish  peer- 
three  miles  east  of  the  Giants'  Cause-  age. 
way.  '°  Uisn-ch,   now  "  XJsny"   or  "  Us- 

'^  Dun-Kermrta    was   situated    near  nagh"   hill,  parish  Kildare,  barony  of 

Kinsale,  the  country  round  which  was  Eathcourath,  co.  Westmeath. — O'D. 


CHAPTER  m. 


SECTION   I. — OF  THE  SUBDIVISIONS  OF  THE  PROVINCES. 


1.   Of  Midhe  {now  Meath). 


I  SHALL  begin  witli  Meath,  and  describe  its  territory  first ;  be- 
cause, according  to  the  usage  of  the  Gaels,  it  was  the  mensal  land 
of  the  Irish  Sovereigns,  and  exempt  from  the  laws,  governments, 
and  taxation  of  every  prince  in  Ireland,  except  the  Sovereign 
Prince^  alone.  According  to  our  records  it  contains  eighteen 
"Tricha-Kéads,'"2  i.  e.  cantons  or  districts,  and  thirty  baiH,^  i.  e. 
townships,  in  each  canton,  twelve  plough  lands'*  in  each  township, 
and  six- score  acres  in  each  plough  land,  so  that  every  canton  con- 
tains 360  ploughlands.  According  to  this,  there  are  6,480 
ploughlands  in  all  Meath. 

It  is  called  Meath,^  or  Midhe,  because  it  was  from  the  "  meidhe  " 
or  neck  of  each  province,  that  Tuathal  the  Welcome,  or  the  Legiti- 
mate, took  it ;  or,  from  Midhe,  son  of  Bratha,  son  of  Degath,  the 


'  Sovereign  Prince,  i.  c.  the  Ard-Righ 
(Aar(]-Ree),i.  e.  ll\g\\  or  Arch  King.  In 
Ireland,  the  term  "  Righ,"  the  Gaelic 
form  of"Rech,"  or  "Rex,"  long  preserved 
its  primitive  signification,  i.  e.  ruler.  It 
was  applied  not  alone  to  the  "  suzerain" 
of  the  nation,  but  also  to  the  cliioftains 
of  the  ruling  tribes.  So  it  was  in  ancient 
Greece  and  Italy.  The  widely-ruling 
Agamemnon  was  a  Grecian  "  Ard- 
Righ." 

"  Tridia-Kead  [Trigha-KauT).  Some 
translate  this  word  "barony,"  but  to  call 
it  so  is  a  flagrant  anachronism.  It 
comprised  thirty  Ballybctaghs. 

'  Baili  [bally).  These  were  not  the  di- 
visions now  known  as  "townland."  Kach 
"  baili-biatach"  contained  several  town- 
lands.  The  term  was  applied  to  a  tract 
of  land  sufficient  to  support  a  "biatach." 
The  biatachs  (bectaghs)  were  a  class  of 
men  whose  duty  it  was  to  keep  houses 
of  general  hospitality.     They  seem  also 


to  have  been  a  kind  of  extensive 
farmers. 

■*  Ploughland,  in  the  original  "  Seis- 
rcch  Fcrainn  [Sheshragh  Arring). 
This  is  the  division  of  laud  now  gen- 
erally known  hy  the  name  "  baili " 
[bally)  or  townland,  which,  according  to 
the  fertility  of  the  soil,  usually  contains 
from  300  to  600  English  acres.  It  is 
small  in  rich  soil,  and  large  in  poor. 
BaiU  is  also  the  Gaelic  name  for  a  town. 
The  apportionment  of  the  Irish  soil 
into  these  "  bailte"  [balti)  is  lost  in  the 
remotest  anti(iuity. 

''  The  derivation  is  possible.  But  the 
first  derivation  here  given  is  a  mere 
guess,  and  not  a  good  one.  AVhy  not 
derive  tlie  name  from  some  word  akin 
to  "  medius,"  anglice,  "  mid,"  and,  in 
Irish,  "  medon,"  or  "  meadhon  ?"  It  is 
the  7«iV/-land  of  Ireland.  The  second 
etymology  is  barely  possible. 

[86] 


THE   HISTORY  OF   IRELAND.  87 

Arch-druid  of  the  sons  of  Nemedh,  by  whom  the  first  sacred  fire^ 
was  kindled  in  Ireland  after  the  arrival  of  the  Nemedians.  The 
sons  of  Nemedh  granted  the  district  round  Uisnech  to  this  Arch- 
druid,  and  from  him  it  received  its  name.  At  that  time  there  was 
but  one  district  or  canton,  so  called.  It  continued  so  until  the 
time  of  Tuathal  the  Welcome,  who  cut  off  a  portion  of  each  prov- 
ince, and  thus  extended  Meath  over  eighteen  cantons. 

These  are  the  boundaries  of  Meath,  as  laid  down  by  Tuathal 
the  Welcome,  viz.,  from  the  Shannon  eastward  to  Dublin,  fi-om 
Dublin  to  the  river  Rye,''  from  the  Rye  westward  to  Cloncouragh, 
thence  to  French  Mills'  Ford,^  thence  to  Clonard,  thence  to  Tochar- 
Carbri,®  from  that  to  Geshil,  to  DrumcuUin,  to  the  river  Cara,^" 
and  so  to  the  Shannon  northwards,  to  Loch-Ribh  {Lough  Hee), 
all  the  islands  in  which  belong  to  Meath,  and  all  the  Shannon  as 
far  as  Loch-Bo-Deirg  {Lough- Bo- Derg),  and  from  Loch-Bo-Deirg  to 
Mochil,thence  to  Athlone,  thence  to  Upper  Scariff,to  Drumlahan," 
from  that  to  Moy,  and  so  onward  to  Clones,  to  Loch-da-cn,  to 
Knowth,  to  Dufferin,  to  the  Pool  at  the  Blind  Man's  Ford  on 
Sliabh-Fuaid,^^  to  Magh  Cosnamaigh,*^  near  Killeavy,^*  to  Snamh- 
Egnachar^^  to  Comber  (County  Down),  and  thence  to  the  Liffey, 
as  the  poet  says  : 

"  From  Loch-Bo-Deirg  to  Birra, 
From  Sena**  eastward  to  the  sea, 
To  the  comar^''  of  Cluain-Irard" 
And  to  the  comar  of  Cluain-Ard." 

Of  the  eighteen  districts  or  cantons  in  Meath,  thirteen  are  con- 

'  Sacred  Fire,  i.  e.  the  fire  sacred  to  known  to  the  translator.  Its  situation  is 

Bel,  one  of  the  gods  of  the  pagan  Irish,  sufficiently  pointed  out  by  the  parish  of 

The  Hill  of  Uisnech  was  a  famous  seat  Killeavy,  in  Upper  Orior,  co.  Armagh, 

of  druidic  worship.  "  Killeavy,    in    Irish,    Cill-t-Sleibé- 

''  The  Rye  water  falls  into  the  Liffey  Cuillinn,  i.  e.  the  church  of  Slieve-Gul- 

at  Leixlip.  lion,  an  old  church  in  a  parish  of  same 

*  Now,  Frankford.  name,  in  the  co.  Armagh. — O'D. 

*  Tochar-Carbri,  i.  e.  the  causeway  '^Perhaps  Snamh-Aighnech  {Snauv- 
or   bog-pass   of    Carbri,    now   Ballin-  einagh),  now  Carlingford  Loch, 
togher.     Frankford,  Geshill,  Druracul-  "^  Sena,    otherwise    Siona,    is    pro- 
lin  and  Ballintogher  are  in  the  King's  nounced  "  Shenna"  and  "  Shiuna,"  and 
CO.  is  the  Irish  name  of  the  Shannon.     It 

"  The  Amhain-Cara  is  probably  the  makes  "  Senann  "  and  "  Scnainn  "  in  its 

Little    Brosna,   flowing   from    Lough-  oblique  cases  ;  hence  Shannon,  the  Eng- 

couragh,  between  Frankford  and  Birr,  lish  form, 

into  the  Shannon.  "  Comar  signifies   the   junction   or 

"  Drom-Lethan  is  on  the  borders  of  meeting. 

Leitrim  and  Cavan.  ^  Cluain-Irard,  i.  e.  Irard  or  Erard's 

"  Fuad's  il/owii/am  is  situated  in  the  Park  or   Close,  was   the   old  name   of 

CO.  Armaiih.  Clonard,  on  the  southern    border  of 

"  Jiag/i  Cosnamaigh.  The  name  is  un-  Meath. 


88  THE   HISTORY    OF   IRELA1ÍD. 

tained  within  Meath  proper,  and  five  within  Magh-Breágh  or 
Bregia,  as  the  poet  tells  us : 

There  are  thirteen  Cantons  in  Midhe, 
Thus  all  our  bards  have  told  us, 
And  five  in  fertile  Magh-Iírcagh — " 
The  sagos  well  rememljer  it. 

The  extent  of  i\Iidhe  I  shall  point  out, 
And  of  the  beauteous  plain  of  Breagh — 
"We  know  that  it  reaches  to  the  sea, 
From  the  Sena  of  fair  fields. 

The  men  of  Tcbtha-"  guard  its  northern  frontier 
With  those  of  Carbri,-'  of  well-won  fights — 
Famed  for  sages  and  for  bards, 
The  men  of  Breagh  dwell  thence  to  Casan. 

Meath  was  afterwards  divided  by  Aedh  Oirnide,  King  of 
Ireland,  between  the  two  sons  of  Doncadh,  son  of  Domnall,  who 
had  been  his  predecessor  on  the  Irish  throne.  Olild  and  Conco- 
bar  were  their  names:  to  one  of  them  he  gave  the  western  part, 
and  the  eastern  to  the  other.  In  the  latter  portion  is  situated  the 
royal  seat  of  Temair  or  Tara.  This  divison  has  remained  to  their 
posterity  ever  since. 

2. 
Of  the  Divisions  of  Connaught. 

The  province  of  Conacht  extends  from  Limerick  to  Bundrowes. 
It  contains  900  Baili-Biatachs  or  townships.  It  has  thirty  can- 
tons or  Tricha-Keads,  each  of  which  contains  thirty  townships; 
there  are  twelve  ploughlands  in  each  township,  and  120  acres 
were  contained  in  each  ploughland,  making  10,800  ploughlands 
in  all  Connaught. 

It  received  the  name  "Conacht,"  in  English  Connaught,  from  a 
trial  of  magic  that  took  place  between  two  druids  of  the  Tuatha- 
De-Dananns,  whose  names  were  Kithnellach  and  Conn.  Conn, 
by  his  druidic  skill,  covered  all  Connaught  witli  snow,  and  thence 
the  name  "Connachta"  was  given  to  the  province,  as  if  "Cuinn- 
shnechta,''^  {Cuinn-7iecJi(a,)  otherwise,  "  Snechta-Cuinn,"  i.  e. 
"Conn's    Snow."      Or,    as  others    say,    its    inhabitants    were 

"  Magh  Breagh,  pronounced  Moy-  a  mere  pun  on  the  word.  "Connachfia 
Bril,  extended  from  Dublin  to  Dro-  i)robably  derived  from  some  chieftain 
gheda,  along  the  sea  coast;  its  extent  named  Conn,by  adding  the  very  common 
inland  has  not  been  exactly  laid  down,  (jiaclic  suffix,  "acht,"  to  his  name.  Just 

■-"  Tebtha  (Trffa)  or  'J'cffia  was  an  ex-  as  the  Kianacht  in  Ulster  was  formed 
tensive  district,  comprising  the  north-  from  Kian  ;  and  in  Munster,  the  Eogan- 
wost  of  Meath.  acht  from  Eogan,  «fee,  all  formed  in  the 

-'  Curbri — called  otherwise  Carbri-  same  manner,  as  "  righact,"  kingdom, 
Gabra  [Gaura).  It  was  situated  m  the  from  "  righ,"  a  king,  and  a  host  of  simi- 
co.  Longford.  lar  derivatives. 

■■  Cuinn-Shnechta.   This  etymology  is 


THE  HISTORY    OF    IRELAND.  89 

called  "  Connaclitaigh,"  from  the  words  "  Cuinn  ioclita,"  i.  e. 
"Conn's  posterity,"  because  it  was  the  race  of  Conn  that  inhab- 
ited the  countrjrj'namely,  the  progeny  of  Eocaidh  Muighnieodan, 
who  was  descended  from  Conn^^  of  the  Hundred  Battles. 

Eocaidh  Feidlech  divided  Conuau^bt  into  three  parts,  between 
three  persons:  to  Fidach,  son  of  Fiach,  he  gave  all  the  land 
from  Fidach^  {Feeagh)  to  Limerick;  to  Eocaidh  Alat  he 
Irrus-Domnann  (now  Erris  in  Mayo),  extending  from  Galimh, 
(now  Galway,)  to  the  river  Duff  and  to  Bundrowes ;  to  Tinni, 
son  of  Curaidh,  he  gave  Magh  Sainb,-^  and  the  old  districts  of 
Taeiden  as  far  as  Temhair-Brogha-Niadh  {Tavir-Brow-Neeah),  and 
Cruachain  was  its  royal  residence. 

o 
O. 

Of  the  divisions  of  Uladh  or  Ulster. 

The  province  of  Ulster,  from  Bundrowes  to  the  month  of  the 
Boyne,  (from  Drobaeis  to  Inber  Colpa,)  contains  thirty-five  or 
thirty-six  cantons,  1,080  townships  or  Baili-biatachs,  making 
12,960  ploughlands  in  the  whole  province.  It  was  called  Uladh 
{Ullah),  from  the  word  011-Shaith  {Oll-hahy^  great  treasure, 
thereby  implying  the  great  wealth  of  the  territory  in  fish 
and  cattle.  Or,  perhaps  it  was  called  Uladh  from  Ollamh  Fodla  f 
the  following  quotation  supports  that  latter  opinion  : 

"  Ollamh  Fodla,  brave  in  the  fight, 
From  him  all  Uladh  has  its  name. 
The  noble  Feis  of  the  tribes  at  Temhair 
By  him  was  first  ordained." 

There  were  formerly  two  royal  seats  in  Ulster,  Eman-Macha^ 
and  Ailech-Neid. 

4. 
Of  the  divisions  of  LaigherP  orLeinsier. 

The  province  of  Leinster,  from  the  Strand  of  Inber  Colpa  to 
the  Meeting  of  the  Three  Waters,  consists  of  31  cantons  and 
930  townships.     There  are  11,160  ploughlands  in  all  Leinster. 

"  Conn.   It  was  called  Connacht  long  "'  OU-Shaiih.  A  silly  pun  on  the  name, 

before  the  time  of  this  monarch.  "'  Ollamh  Fodla.    This  is  very  unjike- 

**  Fidacli.     This  place  is  unknown  to  ly.    Ollamh  Fodla  {Ollav  Fola),  i.  e.  the 

the  editor.   Fidach's  portion  comprised  Ollamh  or  Sage  of  Fodla,  or  Ireland.was 

within  it  the  present  co.  of  Clare.  an  honorary  title  given  to  this  prince, 

'^  Magh   Sainb.     This  was,  perhaps,  whose  real  name  was  Eocaidh.     A  de- 

the  plain  called  otherwise  Magh  Sarah,  rivative  from  Ollamh  would  assume  a 

now  the  parish  of   Innishmacsaint,  in  very  different  form, 

the  county  of  Fermanagh.  This  was  the  ^  Eman  Macha.     Now  Navan  Fort, 

eastern  division,  containing  the  plain  of  near  Armagh. 

Oonnaught.  in  which  was  the  royal  seat  ""  Laigh'ii  [Lyen).     It  is  more  prob- 

of  Cruachain,  or  Cruacha,  now  Rathcro-  able  that  these  lances,  if  the  resemblance 

ghan,  near  Bal,  co.  Roscommon.  in  sound  be  not  accidental,  were  called 


90  THE   HISTORY  OF   IRELAND. 

It  was  called  "Laighen,"  from  the  broad,  blue  lances  which  the 
dark-haired  Gauls  brought  with  theui  to  Ireland  Avhen  they 
came  over  with  Labraidh^''  Loingsech,  for  Laighen  is  the  same 
as  "  Slcgh"  (Shleh),  i.  e.  a  lance.  These  lances,  being  remarkable 
for  their  broad  polished  heads,  imposed  this  name  on  iho  prov- 
ince, ivfter  Cobthach^^  Cael-Breágh  had  been  killed  by  them  at 
Dinn-Eigh.^     The  following  quotation  records  this  fact : 

"  Two  thousand  and  two  hundred  Gauls, 
Brouiiht  their  broad  lances  from  afar — 
From  these  lances,  without  doubt, 
The  land  of  Laighen  has  its  name." 

There  Avere  two  royal  seats  in  Leinster,  namely,  Dinn-Righ 
and  Nas-Laighen.^    In  these  its  kings  dwelt. 

o. 
Of  the  divisions  of  the  Province  of  Eocaidh  Ahra-ruadh. 

The  province  of  Eochaid  Abra-ruadh,  from  Cork  and  Limei^ 
ick  to  the  Meeting  of  the  Three  Waters,  contains  35  cantons,  in 
which  there  are  1,050  townships,  making  12,600  ploughlands  in 
all  East  Munster.  The  kings  of  this  province  had  two  royal 
seats,  in  which  they  usually  dwelt,  namely,  Dun-Grott^  and 
Dun-Iascaigh.^ 

6. 
Of  the  division  of  Coigi-Conrigh,  or  the  Province  of  Curaidh. 

The  province  of  Curaidh,  son  of  Dari,  from  Belach-Conglais, 
near  Cork,  and  from  Limerick  to  the  western  coast  of  Ireland, 
contains  35  cantons,  in  which  there  are  1,050  townships,  making 
12, 600  ploughlands  in  all  West  Munster.  The  two  royal  seats  of  the 
kmgs  of  this  province  were  Dun-Clari^  and  Dun-Eocair-Maighe.^^ 

from  the  nation  or  tribe  that  introduced  '^  Nas  Laighen  [Naus  Lycn)  is  now 

them.      Laijrhen,    or    Lagenia,    seems  called  Xaas. 

to  be  one  of  those  old  names,  given  by  *'  Dun-Grott  (Doon-Grod)  was   sit- 

their  predecessors,  for  which  the  Gaelic  nated  near  Gabbally,  by  the  northern 

bards  have  coined  such  awkward  ety-  base  of  the  Gaulty  mountains, 

mologies.  ^  Dun-Iascaigh    {Dnonnc^kij)     occu- 

^  i.  e.  Labraidh  [Lavrai),  the  mar-  j)ied  the  site  of  the  present  castle  of 

iner.  Cahir,    county   Tipperary.      Dun-Ias- 

^'  Cobthach.  Pronounced  Coffagh,  or  caigh  may  be  rendered  by  "  Fishfort." 

Cowhagh  Kael-bra.  It  was  situated  on  an  insulated  rock  in 

"  Dimi-Righ    (Deen-rcc),    i.   c.    the  the  river  Snir. 

"Fort  of  Kings,"  is  situated  in  tlie  town-  ^  Dun-Clari,   or   Dun-Glari.      This 

land  of  Ballynockan,  about  a(|iiarter  of  was  apparently  that  I)un-(llari  which, 

a  mile  south  of  Leighlin  Bridge,  to  the  according   to   Dr.   O'Donovan,   in   his 

•west  of  the  Barrow.  Nothing  remains  of  notes   to   Lcabar-na-g-ceart,  was   situ- 

the  palace  but  a  moat,  measuring  2.'56  ated  in  the  townland  of  Farrannacar- 

yards  in  circumference,on  which  tiie  king  riga,  parish  of  Ballynaconrty,  barony 

of  Leinstcr's  royal  house  evidently  stood,  of  Corcaguiny,  county  Kerry.     There 


THE    HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  91 

These  two  divisions  of  Munster  were  ruled  by  two  tribes,  name- 
ly, the  posterity  of  Darini  {Darinni),  and  the  posterltj'  of  Deigtliini 
{Derknini),  until  the  time  of  Olild  Olum  of  the  race  of  Dergthini, 
who,  having  banished  Mac-Con,  of  the  race  of  Darini.  seized 
upon  both  provinces  himself,  and  settled  the  government  of  them 
upon  his  own  issue,  leaving  the  posterity  of  his  eldest  son,  Eogan 
{Owen)  Mor,  and  that  of  Corinac  Cas,  his  second,  to  succeed 
alternately  to  the  sovereignty  of  both  provinces  of  jSIunster. 

The  four  royal  seats,  above  mentioned,  were  the  places  where 
the  kings  who  ruled  Munster  usually  resided,  until  the  reign  of 
Core,  son  of  Lugaidh.  It  was  in  Core's  time  that  Cashel  first 
became  known.  The  place  that  is  now  called  the  Rock  of 
Cashel  was  then  called  Sith-Drom^  {Shee-Drom);  the  same 
place  was  also  called  Drom-Fidbaide  {Drom-Feevceli)^  i.  e. 
"  the  Woody  Ridge,"  from  the  numerous  woods  that  surrounded 
that  hill  in  the  time  of  Core.  About  that  time  two  swine-herds 
came  to  feed  their  hogs  in  the  woods  round  the  hill,  namely, 
Kilarn,  who  was  swine-herd  to  the  King  of  Eli,^''  and  Durdari, 
swine-herd  to  the  king  Muscraide-Thire,*'  i.  e.  Ormond.  When 
these  herds  had  remained  on  the  hill  about  a  quarter  of  a  year, 
there  appeared  to  them  a  figure  as  brilliant  as  the  sun,  whose 
voice  was  sweeter  than  any  music  they  had  ever  heard,  as  it  was 
consecrating  the  hill,  and  foretelling  the  coming  of  St.  Patrick. 
When  the  swine-herds  had  returned  to  their  homes,  they  related 
what  they  had  seen  to  their  masters,  and  thus  the  story  soon 
reached  Core,  son  of  Lugaidh.  As  soon  as  this  prince  had  heard 
it,  he  came  at  once  to  Sith-Drom  and  built  a  ro^'al  fort  thereon, 
which  he  called  Lis-na-Laechraide,^^  i.  e.  "  the  Fort  of  heroes." 
When  he  had  become  king  of  Munster,  he  used  to  receive  his 
royal  "cios,"  i.  e.  tribute,  upon  the  rock  now  called  Carrick- 
Patrick,  wherefrom,  that  rock  was  thence  called  Caisel  or  Cashel, 
for  Caisel  and  Cios  ail^  mean  the  same  thing,  "ai7"  being  another 
name  for  carraig^  i.  e.  a  rock,  "  Cios  aiV  (Kees-al)  signifies  "  the 
tribute  roclc.^^ 

7. 
Of  the  sub-divisions  of  Munster. 

When  the  posterity  of  Olild  Olum  got  possession  of  the  two 
Munsters,  they  divided  them  into  five  parts,  which  they  called 

is  another  fort  of  the  name  on  the  boun-  ^  Eli  comprised  the  modern  baronies 

dary  between  the  townlands  of  Glen-  of  Eli-0' Carroll,   Kings    county,   and 

brohaun  and  Glenlara,  barony  of  Cosh-  Eliogarthy,    or     Eli-O'Fogarty      and 

lea  and  county  Limerick.  Ikerrin,  county  Tipperary. 

^  Dun-Eochair-Maighe  {Doon-Oghir-  ^  Pronounced   Mooskree-Heeri,  now 

Moy),  it  is  now  called  Bruree  {Brugh  called  the  baronies  of  Upper  and  Low- 

Riogh).     It   lies  near   Croom,  in   the  er  Ormond,  county  Tipperary. 

county  of  Limerick.  *'  Pronounced  Liss-na-Laeghree. 

*  i.  e.  Fairy  HiU.  *^  This  is  another  etymological  pim 


92  THE   HISTORY    OF    IRELAND. 

the  Five  Mimsters.  The  first  part,  called  Thomond,'*^  extends, 
in  length,  from  Cuchullin's^  Leap  to  the  great  road  or  BeLich- 
Mor  ill  Ossory,*"  and,  in  breadth,  from  Sliabh-Eetighe  (now 
Slieve  Anglit}^^  to  Sliabh-Eblinni*^  (now  the  Felim  Mountains). 
Although  all  tliat  tract,  from  Sliev-Anghty  to  Limerick  (i.  e.  the 
.  county  Chirc),  was  anciently  part  of  Connaught,  nevertheless, 
Lugaidh  Mcun,  son  of  ^Engus  Tirech,  son  of  Fer-Corb,  son  of 
Mogh  Corb,  son  of  Corrnac  Cas,  made  sword-land,  (i.  e.  a  con- 
quest) of  it,  and  added  it  to  Munster.  This  tract  was  called  the 
"Kugged  Land  of  Lugaidh,"  and  it  was  held  free  from  all  rent 
or  tribute  to  the  kings  of  Ireland.  The  second  part,  called  Or- 
mond,*'  extends,  in  length,  from  Gabran  (now  Gowran,  in  Kil- 
kenny), to  Cuamchoill^"'  (now  Cleghile)  near  Tipperary;  its  breadth 
Ls  from  Bearnan-Eli  (now  Barnane  on  the  Devil's  Bit  Mountain) 
to  O'Bric's  Lsland  (on  the  coast  of  Waterford).  The  third  part 
is  Middle  Munster;^  its  extent  is  from  Sliabh-Eblinni  to  Sliabh- 
Caein  (now  Slieve-Reagh,  county  of  Limerick).  The  fourth  divi- 
sion, called  Desmond,^"  extends  from  Sliabh-Caein,  southward, 
to  the  sea.  The  fifth,  called  West-Munster,"  extends  from  Lua- 
chair-Dogaidh  (now  Slieve-Lougher  in  Kerry),  westward,  to  the 
sea  ;  and  its  breadth  is  from  Glenn-na-Euachta  (now  Glen- 
arought)  to  the  Shannon. 

The    two   provinces    of    Munster   or   Mumha    (Mooa),  have 
received  this  name  from  "Mo,"^'  which  signifies  "greater,"  be- 

''  Caiscl  "  is  obviously  cognate  witli  the  joining  the  barony  of  Coonagh,  county 

Latin    "  Casteliura."      Its    diminutive  Limerick. 

/y^^l         "Caislean"  (Cfl.s'i?ai^!(te)  isthc  term  now  *'  Ormond.    In  Irish,  "  Urmhmnha  " 

-  /         used  to  translate  the  Oallo-Iioman  word  ( Ur-rooa),  i.  c.  East  Alunster,  as  if  "Oir- 

"  castcl"'  and  Kiiglish  "castle."  Caisel  is  Mumha." 

another  form  of" Cathair,"  i.e.  Castruni.  ■"   Pronounced  KaavJiiU. 

It  must  not  be  inferred  from  this  that  ^"  In  Irish,  Mcodiian-Mhuraha,  (3/eow- 

the  Gaels  received  these  words  from  the  voon.)      This  tract,  extending  from  the 

Latins.     All  that  can  be  said  is  that  Felim     Mountains     to     Slieve-Reagh, 

both  had  them  from  a  common  Indo-  took  in  most  of  the  county  of  Ijimerick. 

European  source.      _  "'    In   Irish,   "  Dcsmhumha "    {J)ass- 

■   "   T-io/rtourZ.  In  Irish  "Tuadh-Mhum-  ooa,  or /ia.s.s-woa),  i.  c.  .South-Muuster. 

ha,"    {Thonvooa.)      It    means    North  "  Ir.  lar-Mhuraha  (Ecr-vcoa). 

Mumha,  or  Munster.  "  This  is  another  instance  of  those 

"  In  Irisli  "  lyim  Concullainn."    The  silly  puns,  given  as  Etymologies,  upon 

month  of  the  .Shaimon  was  .so  called.  which   I   have   already   commented  in 

"  Belndi-mor-na  k-Osraide,  i.  e.  the  some  of  the  foregoing  notes.  \í  any- 
Great  Road  of  Ossory.  This,  accord-  thing,  founded  upon  merely  circumsta'n- 
ing  to  Dr.  O'Donovan,  wa.s  the  great  tial  evidence,  could  prove,' in  contradic- 
south-western  road  of  Ireland.  It  ex-  tion  to  the  bardic  traditions,  that  the 
tended  from  the  southern  .side  of  tli(!  Nation  or  Nations,  who  imposed  such 
hill  of  Tara,  in  the  direction  of  Ossory.  names  as   this   and   similar  ones  upon 

*"  Sliahli-Kljlini.  Now  Sliabh  FeidhI-  Irish  localities,  did  not  speak  (he  Gaelic 

midh,  or  Felim  Mountain,  situated  on  dialed,  such  awkward  attempts  to  ex- 

the  borders  of  the  county  Tipperary,  ad-  plain   their  etymologies,  through  that 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  93 

cause  they  are  of  greater  extent  than  any  of  the  other  provinces 
of  Ireland ;  for  there  are  thirty-five  cantons  in  each  of  them, 
which  is  more  than  there  are  in  any  of  the  others.  For,  though 
we  have  reckoned  thirty-six  in  Ulster,  yet  it  contained  but 
thirty-three  until  the  kingdom  was  divided  into  provinces. 
Then  it  was  that  Carbri  Niafer,  king  of  Leinster,  gave  up  three 
cantons  of  his  own  country  to  Ulster,  namely,  from  Loch-an- 
Choigidh  to  the  sea,  in  consideration  of  receiving  the  daughter 
of  Concobar  mac  Nessa"  in  marriage,  as  shall  be  told  hereafter 
in  the  body  of  this  history. 

In  all  Ireland  there  are  185  Tricha-Keads  or  cantons,  which 
contain  in  all  5,550  townships,  or  Baili-Biatachs,  in  the  whole  of 
which  there  are  again  66,600  ploughlands.  The  reader  must, 
however,  understand  that  the  acre,  according  to  the  old  Gaelic 
measurement,  was  twice  or  three  times  as  large  as  that  used  by 
the  strangers  at  the  present  time. 


Section  II. — Of  the  number  of  Archbishops  and  Bishops 
IN  Ireland. 

There  are  four  Archbishops  in  Ireland,  viz. :  the  Archbishop 
of  Armagh,'"*  Primate  of  all  Ireland,  the  Archbishop  of  Dublin, 
the  Archbishop  of  Cashel,  and  the  Archbishop  of  Tuam. 

The  following  bishops  are  under  the  Primate :  the  bishop  of 

tongue,  might  well  do  so.  The  names  hodij  called  Scot,  into  "  Scythians,"  and 
of  localities,  that  are  of  undoubted  bringing  "  Goths"  into  Spain  and  Africa 
Gaelic  origin,  are  perfectly  significant  at  a  time  when  these  latter  were,  proba- 
at  the  present  day,  and  it  needs  but  little  bly,  still  located  in  the  central  plains 
philological  knowledge,  to  enable  an  of  Asia,  and  possibly,  long  before  any 
Irishman  to  tell  what  they  mean,  for  of  the  Gothic  or  Germanic  races  had 
they  mostly  explain  themselves,  being  penetrated  into  Europe.  In  all  likeli- 
nearly  all  short,  descriptive  sentences,  hood,  the  Gaels  called  themselves  "  de- 
as  already  remarked.  Whenever  they  szendants  of  Scot,"  in  these  early  times, 
assume  a  more  compound  or  syn-  for  the  sole  reason  that  made  branches 
thetic  form,  their  roots  are  easily  seen  of  the  same  nation  call  themselves,  and 
by  taking  away  the  usual  affixes  or  better  known  in  after  times,  descendants 
suffixes,  by  means  of  which  ordinary  of  NiaU,  Brian,  or  Domnald,  and  for 
Gaelic  compounds  are  formed.  If  the  no  other,  i.  e.  O'Neills,  O'Briens,  or 
names,  "  Midhe,"  '•  Uladh,"  "  Mumha,"  O'Donnells. 

"  Laighen,"  and,  perhaps,  "  Connacht,"  ^'^  Concobar.  Commonly  called  "Con- 
were  of  this  latter  class,  our  Seaua-  nor  MacNessa."  This  famous  King  of 
chies  would  not  have  left  us  such  un-  Ulster  lived  about  the  commencement 
satisfactory  conjectures  thereupon.  It  of  the  Christian  era. 
was,  perhaps,  such  groundless  guesses  "  The  Archbishop  of  Armagh.  The 
as  these,  that  threw  an  air  of  ira-  See  of  Armagh,  founded  by  St.  Pat- 
possibility  over  the  traditions  of  the  rick  in  the  5th  century,  is  the  prima- 
early  Gaelic  migrations,  by  turning  the  tial  or  metropolitan  See  of  all  Ireland. 
Cine  Scuit,  i.  e.  the  descendants  of  some-  Its  immediate  jurisdiction  extends  oveE 


94 


THE    HISTORY    OF    IRELAND. 


^feath,  called  by  Camden  the  bishop  of  Ail-na-^Nrirenn,"  i.  e.  Uis- 
nech,  for  Ail-na-Mirenii,  i.  e.  the  "  boundary  stone,"  is  the  name 
of  a  large  stone  at  Uinsech,  so  called  from  its  being  tlie  boundary 
stone  between  the  provinces,  from  each  of  which  a  part  had 
been  taken  to  form  Meath  ;  it  was  also  called  the  stone  of  the 
"fiflhs"  or  provinces;   the  bishop  of  Dun  - Da-Leth-Glass' 


the  greater  part  of  the  county  of  Ar- 
magh, with  parts  of  Louth,  Aicath,  'J'i- 
rone  and  J^ndonderry.  It  has  ecclesias- 
tical jurisdiction  over  the  sees  of  Meath, 
Ardagh,  Kilmore,  Clogher,  Raphoe, 
Derry,  Down,  Connor  and  Dromore. — 
Comiellan's  Four  blasters. 

^  T/lc  Bishop  of  Ail-na-Mirenn — 
that  is,  of  Meath.  "  The  ecclesiastical 
divisions  of  ancient  Meath  were  as  fol- 
lows :  it  contained  several  small 
bishops'  sees,  namely  Clonard,  Duleek, 
Ardbraccan,  Trim,  Kells,  Siane,  Duu- 
shanghlin  and  Kilskyre,  in  liastmeath, 
W'ith  Fore,  Usnagh  and  Killere  in 
Westmeath.  The  diocess  of  Meath 
comprehends  almost  the  whole  of  the 
counties  of  iMeath  and  Westmeath,  and 
a  large  portion  of  the  King's  county, 
with  parts  of  Kildare,  Longford,  and 
Cavan,  being  nearly  co-extensive  with 
the  ancient  kingdom  of  Meath." — Id. 

"  The  Sec  of  Clomnacvois,  in  Irish, 
Cluan  Mac  Nois,  signifying,  according 
to  some  accounts,  "  the  retreat  of  the 
sons  of  the  noble,"  either  from  the 
great  numbers  of  the  sons  of  the  Irish 
nobility  who  resorted  to  its  college  for 
education,  or,  from  many  of  the  Irish 
princes  having  their  burial  places  in  its 
cemetery.  A  n  abbey  was  founded  here 
in  the  sixth  century,  by  St.  Kiaran  the 
Younger,  on  lands  granted  by  Dermod, 
the  son  of  Carroll,  monarch  of  Ireland, 
and  it  became  one  of  the  most  celebrat- 
ed seats  of  learning  and  religion  in  Ire- 
land in  the  early  ages.  It  was  formed 
into  a  bishop's  sec,  and  the  catliedral 
was  erected  in  the  twclftii  century  by 
the  O'Melaghlins,  kings  of  ]\Ieatli,  who 
conferred  most  extensive  endowments 
of  lands  on  the  abbey  and  see.  A  city 
and  college  were  also  founded  here,  and 
the  place  maintained  its  littirary  and 
religious  celebrity  for  many  cx'nturies; 
but  having  been  repeatedly  doviustatetl 
by  the  Danes,  during  the  ninth,  tenth 
and  eleventh  centuries,  and  frequently 


or 


ravaged  by  the  English,  in  the  twelfth 
and  thirteenth  centuries  ;  and  its  ca- 
thedral and  churches  having  been  final- 
ly demolished  by  the  barbarian  soldiers 
of  the  English  garrison  of  Athlone,  in 
the  reign  of  Elizabeth,  it  has  fallen  into 
utter  decay.  But  its  ancient  great  ness 
is  amply  demonstrated  by  the  magnifi- 
cent and  venerable  ruins  of  the  ca- 
thedral and  seven  churches,  and  of  a 
castle,  together  with  two  beautiful 
round  towers,  some  splendid  stone 
crosses,  and  other  antiquities  which 
still  remain.  It  contains  one  of  the 
most  ancient  and  extensive  cemeteries 
in  Ireland,  and  was  the  burial-place  of 
many  of  the  Irish  kings  and  princes,  as 
the  O'Conors,  kings  of  Conuaught,  of 
whom  Torlogh  O'Conor,  monarch  of 
Ireland  in  the  twelfth  century,  togetlier 
with  his  son  Roderick  O'Conor,  the 
last  Milesian  monarch  of  Ireland,  were 
buried  in  its  cathedral,  and  also  many 
of  the  O'Melaghlins.  kings  of  Meath"; 
the  O'Kellys,  i)rinces  of  Hy  Maine  ; 
the  Mac  Dermotts,  princes  of  Moylurg, 
and  several  other  ancient  and  nolile 
Irish  families.  Clonmacnois,  called  the 
lona  of  Ireland,  is  beautifully  situated 
in  a  lonely  retreat  on  the  banks  of  the 
Shannon,  and  though  now  part  of  the 
King's  county,  the  diocese  originally 
formed  part  of  the  ancient  kingdom  of 
Meath,  and  was  united  to  the  see  of 
Meath  in  the  latter  end  of  the  sixteenth 
cen*ury.  In  the  abbey  of  Clonmacnois 
was  written  the  celelirated  work  called 
the  Annals  of  Tigearnacli,  by  that 
learned  abbot,  in  tlu;  eleventh  century  ; 
together  with  the  Book  of  Clonmacnois 
and  various  other  ancient  Irish  MSS." 
— Id.  By  the  English  Church,  Clon- 
macnois has  been  united  to  the  .see  of 
IMeath ;  by  Catholic  Church,  it  has 
been  united  to  that  of  Ardagh. — Ed. 

"^  I'he  Bisliop  of  Dun-<la-letli-f^las 
(Doon-daw-lah-glass),  or  Down.  The 
see  of  Down,  in   Latin  Dunum,  was 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


95 


Down ;  the  bishop  of  Clogher ;"  tlie  bishop  of  Connor  or  Cu- 
inniri ;"  the  bishop  of  Ardagh ;''  the  bishop  of  Raphoe ;'"  the 
bishop  of  Rathlugh ;"  the  bishop  of  Dal-Mochair ;''  the  bishop 
of  Derry." 


founded  by  St.  Cselann  in  the  fifth  cen- 
tury. The  bishops  of  Down  are  also 
styled  bishops  of  Ulidia  or  Uladh. 
This  diocese  comprehends  the  greater 
part  of  the  county  of  Down,  with  a 
small  portion  of  Antrim.  The  see  of 
Dromore,  founded  by  St.  Oolmau  in  the 
sixth  century,  now  forms  part  of  that 
of  Down.  At  Newry,  a  great  Cister- 
cian abbey  was  founded  by  ilurkei'- 
tach  Mac  Lochlainn,  {Mac  Loughlin), 
king  of  Ireland,  in  the  twelfth  ceutury. 
A  mitred  abbot  presided  over  it,  who 
held  episcopal  jurisdiction  over  the 
lordships  of  Mourue  and  Newry.  This 
abbey  was  named,  in  Irish,  that  of 
"  lubhar  Chinn  Traighe''  {ijoor-keen- 
troij),  i.  e.  Of  the  yew  at  the  head  of  the 
strand.  The  famous  abbey  of  Bangor, 
in  Irish  "  Bennchoir,"  founded  by  the 
great  St.  Comgall  or  Cougal,  in  the 
sixth  century,  lay  also  within  the  pres- 
ent diocese  of  Down.  "  The  cathedral 
of  Downpatrick  was  for  many  centuries 
decorated  with  beautiful  marble  statues 
of  our  three  great  saints,  Patrick,  Col- 
umkille  and  Bridget ;  but  in  the  reign 
of  Henry  VIII.,Á.  D.  1538,the  lord  dep- 
uty, Leonard  Grey,  having  invaded  Ul- 
ster, plundered  and  burnt  the  town  and 
cathedral  of  Downpatrick  ;  and  he  and 
his  barbarian  soldiers  broke  and  de- 
faced the  statues  of  SS.  Patrick, 
Bridget,  a,nd  Columkille.  Representa- 
tions of  the  statues  of  the  three  saints 
from  Messingham's  Florilegium  are 
given  in  a  plate  prefixed  to  the  life  of 
St.  Patrick  by  Jocelyu,  a  Cistercian 
monk  of  Furuess  abbey,  in  Lancashire, 
written  in  the  twelfth  century,  trans- 
lated from  the  original  Latin  by  Ed- 
mund Swift,  and  published  in  Dublin 
at  the  Hiberuia  press  in  the  year 
1809."— /f/. 

"-■  The  Bishop  of  Clochar  (Clogher). 
At  present  the  diocese  of  Clogher 
comprehends  the  whole  of  the  county 
of  Monaghan,  the  greater  part  of 
Fermanagh,  portions  of  Tyrone  and 
Donegal,  aud  a  small  part  of  Louth. 
Its  bishops  were,  ia  former  times,  fre- 


quently styled  bishops  of  Oirgialla. 
In  the  thirteenth  century,  the  greater 
part  of  Louth  was  separated  from 
Clogher,  and  added  to  Armagh.  In 
this  diocese  lies  the  abbey  of  Devinish 
Island,  in  Loch  Erne,  found  by  St. 
Molaisi,  or  Laserian,  in  the  sixth  ceu- 
tury, which  was  celebrated  for  many 
ages  as  a  seat  of  learning  and  religion. 
Some  of  its  venerable  ruins  still  re- 
main, and  among  them  an  ancient 
round  tower  in  perfect  preservation. 
The  seat  of  the  diocese  is  at  Clogher, 
in  the  county  of  Tyrone.  This  see 
was  founded  by  St.  Macartin,  in  the 
fifth  century. — Id. 

^  The  Bishop  of  Cuinniri  {Quin- 
nerie),  or  Connor.  The  diocese  of 
Connor  was  founded  in  the  fifth  cen- 
tury, by  St.  ^ngus  Mac  Nissi,  who 
became  its  first  bishop  and  abbot.  It 
comprehends  almost  the  whole  of  the 
county  of  Antrim,  with  small  por- 
tions of  Down  and  Derry.  It  is  com- 
posed of  the  following  ancient  bishop- 
ricks,  Cuinniri,  Airthirmuigh  (Arhir- 
moij),  Cill-maidh  {Kill-roo),  Cuilraithen 
(Cooil-Rahen),  now  Coleraine,  Rech- 
rann  and  Rathsithe  {Rau-Sheehie.) — Id. 

^^ "  The  Diocese  of  ^rdag/i, founded  by 
St.  Mel,  in  the  fifth  century,  whose 
bishops  were  also  called  bishops  of 
Conmacni,  from  a  district  in  Lcitrim  so 
denominated,  comprehends,  at  present, 
nearly  the  whole  of  the  county  of  Long- 
ford, and  some  parts  of  Westmeath, 
Roscommon,  Leitrim,  Sligo  and  Ca- 
van." — Id. 

•^  Diocese  of  Raphoe.  Founded  by  St. 
Eunan,  whom  Lanigan  considers  to 
have  been  the  same  person  as  Adam- 
nan,  the  celeljrated  abbot  of  lona,  in  the 
seventh  century,  who  was  a  native 
of  Tyrconnell. '  This  diocase  compre- 
hends the  greater  part  of  the  county 
of  Donegal. — Id. 

°'  Rath  Lugh,  otherwise  Rathlure — 
See  Derry. 

^'  Tlie  Bishop  of  Dal-Mocliar.  This 
see  has  not  been  identified  by  the 
editor. 


96 


THE    HISTORY   OF    IRELAND. 


Under  the  archbishop  of  Dublin®*  arc  the  bishop  of  Glenda- 


"  The  Bishop  of  Demj.  A  monastery 
■was  founded  in  the  sixth  century,  by  St. 
Columkille,  at  a  place  called  Doire 
CaJgach,  tliat  is  the  Oak  Wood  of 
Calgach,  which  St.  Adaninanus,  abbot 
of  lona,  in  the  seventh  century,  in  his 
Life  of  St.  Columkille,  translates  Ro- 
bordum  Coli^dchi.  It  was  also  called 
Doire  Cahiim  Cille,  or  the  Oak  Wood 
of  St.  Columkille.  anglicised  to  Derry 
Columkille,  and  gave  its  name  to  the 
city  and  county  of  Derry.  This  abbey 
was  long  famous  as  a  seat  of  learning  and 
religion,  and  its  abbots  were  also  styled 
bishops.  In  the  twelfth  century  a  reg- 
ular bishop's  see  was  formed  at  Derry, 
to  which  was  afterwards  annexed  the 
see  of  Ardsrath,  or  Rathlure.  A.  D. 
1164,  Muiredach  Mac  Lochlainn,  king 
of  Ireland,  erected  a  cathedral  at  Derry, 
which,  together  with  the  abbey  and 
other  ecclesias'.ical  establishments,  was 
destroyed  by  the  I^nglLsh,  under  Sir 
Henry  ^locwra,  in  the  reign  of  Eliza- 
beth. Th"  diocese  of  Derri/  compre- 
hends the  greater  part  of  the  county 
of  Londonderry,  with  nearly  half  of 
Tyrone,  and  a  large  portion  of  Done- 
gal, and  a  very  small  portion  of  An- 
trim. To  Derry  has  been  united  the 
ancient  diocese  of  Ardsratha  on  the 
river  Derg,  now  the  parish  of  Ard- 
straw,  in  Tyrone,  was  an  ancient 
bishop's  see  founded  by  St.  Eugene,  in 
the  sixth  century.  Ardsrath  after- 
wards got  the  name  of  Rathlurig,  or 
Rathlure,  from  St.  Luric  or  Lurac,  to 
whom  its  church  was  dedicated.  The 
see  of  Ardsrath  or  Rathlure,  at  an 
early  period,  was  transferred  to  Mag- 
hera,  in  the  county  of  Derry,  and  af- 
terwards annexed  to  Derry  in  the 
twelfth  century.  The  bishops  of  these 
sees  were  styled  bishops  of  Tir  Eogain 
or  Tyrone,  or  bishops  of  Kind  Eogain. 
—Id. 

The  following  important  see,  not 
named  by  Keating,  lies  witiiin  th(!  arch- 
iepiscopal  province  of  Armagh,  the 
ancient  see  of  Kdmore,  founded  by 
St.  Fcidlimidh  or  Felim,  in  the 
sixth  century.  The  bishops  of  Kii- 
more  were  in  early  times  styled  Bish- 
ops of  Brefney,  of   Hij-Briune  Bref- 


neij,  and  sometimes  of  Tir  Briune,  a 
name  latinized  by  Ware  to  Triburna. 
The  diocese  comprises  almost  the  entire 
of  the  county  of  Cavan,  with  the 
greater  part  of  Leitrim,  a  large  portion 
of  Fermanagh,  and  a  small  portion  of 
Meath.— 7(/. 

"  The  Archbishop  of  Dublin.  St. 
Livinus  is  mentioned  by  Colgan,  in  his 
Trias  Thaumaturga,  as  the  first  bishop 
of  Dublin,  in  the  beginning  of  the 
ses'enth  century  ;  and  he  states,  that 
having  gone  on  a  mission  to  preach 
the  (Jospel  in  Flanders,  he  suffered 
martyrdom  there.  In  the  eleventh 
century,  from  A.  1).  1038  to  1084, 
Donatus  and  Patrick,  both  Ostmen, 
or  Danes,  were  bishops  of  Dublin. 
These,  and  some  other  bishops  and 
archbishops  of  Dublin  in  the  elev- 
enth and  twelfth  centuries,  receiv- 
ed their  consecration  from  the  arch- 
bishops of  Canterbury,  and  were  in 
canonical  obedience  bound  to  the  me- 
tropolitan see  of  England  ;  but  in 
A.  D.  1162,  Laurence  C'l'oole,  the 
celebrated  archbishop  of  Dublin,  was 
consecrated  by  Gelasius,  archbishop  of 
Armagh,  and  the  custom  ceased  of  the 
archbishops  of  Dublin  going  for  con- 
secration to  Canterbury.  Gregory, 
who  was  consecrated  in  A.  D.  1121, 
was  in  A.  D.  1152,  the  first  who  got 
the  title  of  archbishop  of  Dublin,  from 
Cardinal  John  Paparo,  the  Pope's 
legate  at  the  council  of  Kells,  tiiose 
prelates  being  until  the  twelfth  century 
only  styled  bishops  of  Du))lin.  The  see 
of  Ferns  was  in  the  seventh  and  eighth 
centuries  the  chief  see  of  Leinstcr  ;  but 
during  the  ninth,  tenth,  and  eleventh 
centuries,  Kildare  was  made  the  me- 
tropolitan see  of  that  province  ;  and 
hence  the  bishops  of  Ferns  and  of  Kil- 
dare were  in  those  times  styled  by  the 
Irish  writers  bishops  or  arclibishops 
of  Lcinster  ;  but  in  the  twelfth  cen- 
tury, Dublin  was  constituted  the  me- 
tropolitan see  of  lj;^inster,  and  the 
Ijishops  styled  archbishops  of  Dublin, 
and  sometimes  archbishops  of  L"inster. 
And  in  the  beginning  of  liie  thirteenth 
century,  A.  D.  1214,  under  Henry  de 
Loundres,  archbishop   of   Dublin,  the 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


97 


loch  ;^  tlie  bishop  of  Ferns  ;^  the  bishop  of  Ossory  f  the  bishop 
of  Leighlin,^  and  the  bishop  of  Kildare/''' 


ancient  see  of  Glendalough  was  unit- 
ed  to  Dublin ;    but   the  archbisliops 
of   Dublin    being    all    English,   their 
authority  was  not    acknowledged    by 
the  Irish,  who  had   Cor  many  centu- 
ries afterwards  their  own  recognized 
bishops  of  Glendalough,  and  the  union 
of  the  two  sees  was  not  peaceably  and 
fully  established  until  the  latter  end  of 
the  fifteenth  century.  From  the  twelfth 
to  the  eighteenth  century  remarkable 
contests  and  controversies  were  carried 
on  between  the  archbishops  or  Armagh 
and  of  Dablin  respecting  the  primacy, 
each  of  the  archbishops  claiming  pre- 
cedency ;    but  the  claims  of  Armagh 
to  the  primacy  were  finally  conceded, 
the  archbishops  of  Dublin  being  styled 
primates  of  Ireland,    and    the    arch- 
bishops of  Armagh  primates  of  all 
Ireland.     The  ablest  arguments  on  the 
subject,    demonstrating    the    superior 
authority  of  Armagh,   and  its  right 
to  the  primacy,  are  contained  in  the 
Jus  Armacanum,  published  in  1728,  a 
most  learned  work,  written  in  Latin  by 
Hugh  Mac  Mahon,  Archbishop  of  Ar- 
magh.     Another  remarkable  circum- 
stance connected  with  the  diocese  of 
Dublin  may  be  mentioned,  namely,  that 
from  the  eleventh  century  to  the  present 
time  it  contains  two  cathedrals,  those 
of  St.  Patrick  and  Christ  Church,  of 
which  it  is  said  only  another  instance 
is  to  be  found  in  any  see,  namely,  at 
Saragossa,  in  Spain.     The  United  Din- 
cesf^s  of  Dublin  and  Glenrla'ough  com- 
prises the  greater  part  of  the  county 
of  Dublin,  together  with  a  great  part 
of  Wicklow,   and  parts  of  Wexford, 
Kildare,    and     Queen's    county.       It 
contains  within  it,  the  following  an- 
cient   sees  :     At    Cluan-Dolc  lin,   now 
Clondalkiu,  near  Dublin,   St.   Cronan 
Muchua  in  the  seventh  century  found- 
ed an   abbey,  which  was  of  note  for 
many  centuries,  and  its  abbots  were 
styled  bishops.     At  Tam/ilachf,  or  Tal- 
laght.  near  Dublin,  a  monastery  was 
founded  about  tlie  sixth  century,  and 
St.  Maolruan  is  mentioned  as  its  first 
bishop  in  the  eighth  century.     It  was 
celebrated  as  a  seat  of  learning  and 


religion,  and  its  abbots  down  to  the 
twelfth  century  were  styled  bishops. 
At  Finglas,  near  Dublin,  a  monastery 
was  founded  in  the  sixth  century  by 
St  Cainneach,  or  Kenny,  from  whom 
Kilkenny  derived  its  name,  and  the  ab- 
bots of  Finglas  were  to  the  eleventh 
century  styled  bishops.  At  Swords, 
near  Dublin,  an  abbey  was  founded  in 
the  sixth  century  by  St.  Columkille, 
which  was  long  celebrated,  and  its  ab- 
bots were  styled  bishops  down  to  the 
twelfth  century.  At  Lusk,  in  the 
county  of  Dublin,  an  abbey  was  found- 
ed in  the  fifth  century  by  St.  Maculind, 
and  he  and  his  successors  to  the  twelfth 
century  were  denominated  abbots  and 
bishops  of  Lusk.  All  the  above-men- 
tioned small  sees  were  annexed  to  the 
see  of  Dublin,  in  the  twelfth  century. 

•^  The  see  of  Glendaloch  was  founded 
by  St.  Caoimgin,  or  Kevin,  in  the 
sixth  century.  The  name  in  Irish  is 
Glendaloch,  signifying  the  valley  of 
the  two  lakes,  it  being  situated  in  a 
beautiful  valley  containing  two  lakes, 
and  surrounded  with  magnificent  moun- 
tains in  the  county  of  Wicklow.  Glen- 
dalough has  been  called  by  Latin 
writers  Ep-icoiatiis  Bisln^niensis  or 
the  Bishopric  of  the  two  Lakes  ;  and 
by  Pope  Lucius  III.  it  is  mentioned  as 
Episcopa'vs  Insular  am,  or  the  Bishopric 
of  the  Isles.  The  diocese  of  Glenda- 
lough, in  ancient  times,  comprised 
the  county  of  Wicklow,  and  a  great 
part  of  the  county  of  Dublin.  Glen- 
dalough, iu  the  ancient  times,  was 
a  celebrated  seat  of  learning  and 
religion,  and  contained  a  large  city; 
but  being  repeatedly  ravaged  by  the 
Danes,  during  the  ninth  and  tenth 
centuries,  and  by  the  English  in  the 
thirteenth  and  fourteenth  centuries,  it 
fell  into  complete  decay  ;  but  its  for- 
mer greatness  is  sufQciently  demon- 
strated by  the  extensive  ruins  of  a 
cathedral  and  seven  churches,  a  round 
tower,  and  other  interesting  antiqui- 
ties, which  still  remain. 

"  The  Bishop  of  Ferns.  The  See  of 
Ferns  was  founded  by  St.  Moeg,  in  the 
latter  end  of  the  sixth  century.    The 


n 


98 


THE   HISTORY   OF  IRELAND. 


Under  the  archbishop  of  CasheF"  are  the  bishop  of  Killaloe  ;^ 


name  Moeg,  iu  Irish  Maodhog,  is  Lat- 
inized Maidocus,  also  Aedanus  and 
Aidauus,  and  anglicized  Moeg,  or  Mai- 
doc,  also  Aidan  or  Edan ;  Giraldus 
Cambrcusis  says  "  Sanctus  Aidanus 
qui  et  Hiberuice  Maidocus  dicltur." 
The  celebrated  St.  Moeg,  or  Aidan, 
was  a  native  of  that  part  of  Brefney 
now  called  the  county  of  Cavan,  and 
founded  there  the  abbey  of  Dromlane  ; 
he  afterwards  went  to  Britain,  and 
studied  some  time  under  St.  David, 
bishop  of  Mencvia,  in  Wales,  and  on 
returning  to  Ireland,  Brandubh,  king 
of  Leinster,  granted  him  the  territory 
about  Ferns,  where  he  founded  the 
cathedral  and  see  of  Ferns,  and  died 
at  an  advanced  age,  on  the  31st  of  Jan- 
uary, A.  D.  632.  The  see  of  Sletty 
was  the  chief  see  of  Leinster,  in  the  fifih 
and  sixth  centuries  ;  but  in  the  begin- 
ning of  the  seventh  century,  Ferns  was 
made  the  metropolitan  see  of  that  prov- 
ince ;  hence  the  bishops  were  styled  bish- 
ops of  Leinster;  and  Ferns  continued  to 
be  the  chief  see  until  the  beginning  of 
the  ninth  ccntury,whcn  Kildare  was  con- 
stituted the  metropolitan  see  and  con- 
tinued so  till  the  twelfth  century,  when 
Dublin  was  constituted  archicpiscopal 
see  of  Ijcinster.  In  the  Lives  of  St. 
Moeg,  quoted  by  Colgan  and  Lanigan, 
it  is  stated  that  a  great  synod  in  Lein- 
ster, the  king  BrandulA,  with  the  clergy 
and  people,  decreed  that  the  archicpis- 
copal sec  of  Leinster  should  be  that 
of  St.  Moeg.  Ferns,  called  in  an- 
cient times  F.arna  Maodhokj,  or  Ferns 
of  Moeg,  became  a  great  city,  and  was 
the  cliief  residence  of  the  kings  of 
Leinster,  but  fell  into  decay  from  its 
repeated  ravages  Ijy  the  Danes,  iu  the 
teuth  and  eleventh  centuries.  The 
diocese  of  Ferns  comprises  nearly  the 
whole  of  the  county  of  Wexford,  with 
small  portions  of  Wicklow  and  (iueen's 
county. — Id. 

^  The  Bishop  of  Oss'yni.  The  See 
of  Ossory  was  first  founded  at  Saitj  r, 
now  the  parish  of  Seir-Kieran,  near 
Birr,  in  the  King's  county  ;  and  was 
so  called  from  Kiaran  of  Saiger.  a 
celebrated  saint  who  founded  a  ciiurch 
.there  in  the  beginoiag  of  the  fifth  cen- 


tury, and  who  was  called  St.  Kiaran 
the  elder,  to  distinguish  him  from  Kia- 
ran of  Clonmacnois,  who  lived  at  a 
later  period.  The  see  of  Saiger  was 
afterwards  transferred  to  Achadbo 
[Aghavo'],  in  the  barony  of  Upper  Os- 
sory, in  the  Queen's  county,  where  a 
celebrated  monastery  was  lounded  by 
St.  Canice,  in  the  sixth  century.  The 
see  of  Aghaboe  "continued  to  be  the 
seat  of  the  diocese  of  Ossory,  to  near 
the  end  of  the  twelfth  century,  when  it 
was  removed  to  Kilkenny,  and  called 
the  see  of  Ossory  ;  and  the  bishops  of 
Ossory  were  in  early  times  styled 
bishops  of  Saiger,  and  sometimes 
bishops  of  Aghavoe.  The  diocese  of 
Ossory  comprehends  almost  the  whole 
of  the  county  of  Kilkenny,  with  the 
barony  of  Upper  Ossory,  in  the  Queen's 
county  ;  and  the  parish  of  Seir-Kiaran, 
in  King's  county,  being  nearly  co-ex- 
tensive with  the  ancient  principality 
of  Ossory. — Clonenagh,  in  the  Queen's 
county,  had  a  celebrated  monastery 
founded  in  the  fifth  century  by  St. 
Fintan,  and  its  abbots  were  also  styled 
bishops  ;  it  was  annexed  to  the  see  of 
Leighlin. — Id. 

^  The  Bishops  of  Leighlin.  The 
See  of  Leighlin.  A  monastery  wa.s 
founded  here  in  the  beginning  of  the 
seventh  century  by  St.  Gobban,  and 
shortly  after,  St.  Molaise,  who  was  al- 
so called  Laserian,  made  Leighlin  a 
bishop's  see.  In  A.  D.  C30,  a  great 
.synod  of  bishops  and  clergy  was  held 
at  Leighlin,  to  regulate  the  time  for  the 
celebration  of  Easter.  The  abbey  of 
Leighlin  became  celebrated  under  St. 
Laserian ;  and  it  is  stated  that  at  one 
time  it  contained  liftcon  Imndrt'd  monks. 
The  Diocese  of  Leighlin  conij)rises  the 
whole  of  the  county  of  Carlow,  a  con- 
siderable part  of  the  Queen's  county, 
with  some  portions  of  Kilkeimy  and 
Wicklow.  The  Scr  cf  Slctli/.  A  clnirch 
was  founded  at  a  place  called  Sleibhti, 
by  St.  Fiech  or  Fiechus.a  celebrated  di.4- 
ciple  of  St.  Patrick,  in  the  fiflh  century. 
Sletty  was  situated  in  Ily  Kinseliagji, 
near  the  river  Barrow,  about  a  njilu 
from  the  present  town  of  Carlow,  on 
the  borders  oi'  the  Queen's  county  ;  it 


THE    HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


99 


the  bishop  of  Limericlv  ;''^  the  bishop  of  Innis-Catliaigh,''^  i.  e.  Innis- 


gives  name  to  a  parish  in  that  county, 
and  the  rains  of  an  ancient  church  still 
remain.  St.  Fiech  made  Sletty  a  bish- 
op's see,  and  in  the  iit'th  and  sixth  cen- 
turies it  was  the  chief  see  of  Leinster, 
but  was  afterwards  annexed  to  Leigh- 
lin  —Id. 

''  The  Bishop  of  Kddare.  The 
monastery  of  St.  Bridget  was  the 
first  religious  foundation  at  Kildare, 
and  the  place  became  celebrated  as 
a  seat  of  leai-ning  and  religion  ;  a 
great  town  or  city  grew  up  there, 
and  an  episcopal  see  was  founded  in 
it  in  the  latter  end  of  the  fifth  cen- 
tury, St.  Conlaeth  being  appointed  its 
first  bishop  ;  his  successors  were  styled 
bishops  and  abbots  of  Kildare,  and 
some  of  them  designated  bishops  of 
Ijcinster.  In  the  ninth,  tenth,  and 
eleventh  centuries,  Kildare  became 
the  metropolitan  see  of  Leinster.  Kil- 
dare was  long  celebrated  as  a  seat 
of  learning  and  sanctity,  but  in  the 
ninth  and  tenth  centuries,  from  the  re- 
peated devastations  of  the  Danes,  the 
place  fell  to  decay  ;  and  much  more 
destructive  were  the  wars  of  later  times  ; 
but  the  magnificent  ruins  of  the  ancient 
cathedral,  with  a  most  beautiful  round 
tower,  and  some  fragments  of  splendid 
.stone  crosses  which  still  remain,  amply 
demonstrate  its  former  greatness.  At 
KilcuUen  in  Kildare,  an  abbey  was 
founded  by  St.  Iserenus,  in  the  fifth 
century,  and  its  abbots  were  styled 
bishops  down  to  the  twelfth  century, 
at  which  time  it  was  annexed  to  the 
see  of  Kildare.  The  Diocese  of  Kildare 
comprises  the  greater  part  of  the  county 
of  Kildare,  with  a  great  part  of  the 
King's  county,  and  a  considerable  por- 
tion of  the  Queen's  county. 

'"  Tie  Arc' bishop  of  Cashfl.  The 
Archbishops  of  Cashel  were  styled  by 
the  old  Irish  writers,  bishops  of  Leik 
Mo^ha,  and  bishops  of  Munstcr.  Ac- 
cording to  some  accounts,  St.  Patrick 
founded  the  see  and  held  a  synod  at 
Cashel,  attended  by  Ailbe  of  Emly, 
Declan  of  Ardmore  and  other  saints. 
A.  D.  1101,  Murtogh  0  Brien,  king 
of  Munster,  according  to  the  annals 
of  laisfallen,  convened  a  great  synod 


or  assembly  of  bishops,  clergy,  and  no- 
bility at  Cashel,  in  which  he  assigned 
over  to  the  see  and  its  bishops  that 
hitherto  royal  seat  of  the  kings  of  Mun- 
ster, which  was  dedicated  to  God,  St. 
Patrick,  and  St.  Ailbe;  and,  accord- 
ing to  the  same  annals,  in  A.  D.  1127, 
Cormac  Mac  Carthy  erected  a  chapel 
there,  called  from  him  TeampuU  Chor- 
maic  or  Cormac's  chapel,  which  in  the 
year  1134  was  consecrated  at  a  great 
synod  of  the  bishops,  clergy  and  nobil- 
ity of  Munster,  held  at  Cashel  for  that 
purpose.  A.  D.  1169,  Donald  O'Brien, 
king  of  Thomoud,  erected  a  new  church 
or  cathedral  at  Cashel,  which  he  am- 
ply endowed.  There  are  still  remain- 
ing on  the  rock  of  Cashel  many  inter- 
esting antiquities,  as  Cormac's  chapel; 
a  round  tower  and  the  magnificent  ruins 
of  the  ancient  cathedral.  The  Diocese 
of  Cashel  comprises  the  greater  part 
of  the  county  of  Tipperary  with  small 
portions  of  Limerick  and  Kilkenny  ; 
and  the  archiepiscopal  see  of  Cashel 
has  jurisdiction  over  the  ecclesiastical 
province  of  Munster. — /(/. 

•'  T.<e  Bishop  of  Killalop.  The  See 
of  Killaloe,  in  Irish  Cill-da-Lua,  or  the 
church  of  Lua,  got  its  name  from  St. 
Lua,  or  Molua,  who  founded  a  church 
there  in  the  sixth  century.  The  name 
of  Killaloe  is  latinized  Laonia,  and  it 
became  a  bishop's  see  in  the  seventh 
century,  the  first  bishop  being  St. 
Flannan,  a  disciple  of  St.  Molua,  who 
was  consecrated  at  Rome  by  Pope 
John  IV.,  A.  D.  639.  St.  Flannan  was 
the  son  of  Torlogh,  king  of  Munster, 
who  endowed  the  see  with  extensive 
lands,  and  was  interred  in  the  cathe- 
dral. The  abbey  and  see  of  Killaloe 
were  amply  endowed  by  the  O'Briens, 
kings  of  Thomond,  who  erected  the 
cathedral,  in  which  many  of  them 
were  interred.  The  ancient  sec  of 
Roscrea,  in  the  county  of  Tipperary, 
was  in  the  twelfth  century  united  to 
Killaloe.  The  bishops  of  Killaloe 
were  sometimes  styled  bishops  of  Tho- 
mond. Birr  had  a  celebrated  abbey 
founded  by  St.  I5rendan,  in  tlie  sixth 
century,  and  its  abbots  were  styled  bish- 
ops :  it  was  annexed  to  the  see  of  Kil- 


100 


THE    HISTORY    OF    IRELAND. 


Cahy ;  the  bishop  of  Kil femora ;'''*  the  bisliop  of  Emly  f^  tVe  bishop 
of  Itoscrea  f^  the  bishop  of  Wateifoixl ;"  the  bishop  of  Lisinorc,^ 


laloe.  The  Diocese  of  Killaloe  com- 
prehends the  greater  part  of  tlie  county 
of  Clare,  with  a  Uirge  portion  of  Tip- 
perary,  and  parts  of  Limerick,  King's 
and  Queen's  counties,  and  Ualway.   Id. 

"  The  See  (f  Limerick  was  founded  in 
the  sixth  century  by  St.  JMunclien,  who 
became  the  first  bishop.  In  the  tenth 
and  eleventh  centuries,  several  of  the 
bishops  of  Limerick  were  Danes,  a  col- 
ony of  that  people  possessing  the  city 
at  that  period.  In  the  twelfth  century 
a  new  cathedral  was  erected  by  the 
O'Briens,  kings  of  'I  homond,  who  am- 
ply endowed  the  see.  The  Diocese  of 
Limerick  comprises  the  greater  part  of 
the  county  of  Limerick,  with  a  portion 
of  Clare  —Id. 

"  2%e  bishop  of  Innis-C'ithigh.  The 
See  of  Inniscatliy  was  founded  in  the 
fifth  century  by  8t.  I'atrick,  and  St. 
Senan,  bishop  and  abbot  of  Liis-Car- 
thy,  is  mentioned  as  his  successor. 
Inis-Cathy  is  an  island  situated  near 
the  mouth  of  the  Shannon,  and  its  an- 
cient monastery  was  a  celecrated  seat 
of  religion  in  early  times,  and  continu- 
ed for  many  years  a  great  place  of  pil- 
grimage. The  ancient  see  comprised 
some  adjoining  districts  in  the  counties 
of  Limerick  and  Clare,  and  was  annex- 
ed to  the  sec  of  Limerick  in  the  twelfth 
ceniury. — Id. 

"  The  Bishop  nf  K.  If enora.  The  Sec 
of  Kilfenora,  according  to  Ijanigan, 
(vol.  ii.  p.  197,)  was  Ibunded  by  St. 
Fachna,  or  St.  Fachnan,  and  the  bish- 
ops were  also  styled  bishops  of  Fena- 
bore,  and  sometimes  bishops  of  Cor- 
comroe,  all  of  w'hich  names  were 
applied  to  this  see.  A  celebrated  Cis- 
tercian monastery  was  founded  and 
endowed  at  Corcumroe,  in  the  twellth 
century,  by  Donal  0'J5rien,  king  of 
Limerick,  and  his  son  Donough  Cair- 
breach  0'J3rien,  prince  of  'lliomond. 
The  Diocese  of  K  ilfenora  comprises  only 
the  baronies  of  Jjurren  and  Corcomroe, 
in  the  county  of  (Jlare,  being  the 
sma'lest  in  Ireland.  Kilfenora  is  called 
"  Kill-Finnabharach"  [K  l-inncuragh), 
in  Gaelic— it/. 

'*  The  See  of  Emlij  was  founded  in 


the  fifth  century  by  the  celebrated  St. 
Ailbe,  who  was  called  the  I'atrick  of 
Muiister,  and  patron  of  that  province. 
Emly  was  in  ancient  times  a  considera- 
ble city,  and  called  "  Imle.  h  Jul  hair" 
[I  iiUig  I  yi.r  y  <,var),  which  signiiies 
Emly  of  the  Yew  Trees,  and  some- 
times Imleach  Ailbe,  or  Emly  of  St. 
Ailbe.  The  bishops  of  Emly  were 
sometimes  styled  bishops  of  I\iunster, 
as  it  was  in  early  times  the  metropoli- 
tan see  of  that  province.  The  see  was 
united  to  Cashel  in  the  sixteenth  cen- 
tury, A.  D.  1578.  The  diocese  of  En;ly 
is  but  small,  and  comprises  parts  ot  the 
counties  of  Tipperary  and  Limerick. — 
Id. 

'°  Rcscrea,  in  Tipperary,  was  an  an- 
cient bishop's  sec,  lounded  by  St.  Cro- 
uan,  in  the  latter  end  of  ihe  sixth  cen- 
tury, and  was  in  early  times  annexed  to 
Kiilaloe. 

"  The  Bishcp  cf  Watericrd.  The 
See  of  Waterfijrd  was  founded  by  the 
Danes  of  that  city,  in  the  later  Ci.d  of 
the  eleventh  century  ;  ard  Ma'chus,  a 
Dane,  who  was  a  Benedictine  mc  uk  of 
Winchester,  was  appointed  its  first 
bishop,  A.  D.  1090,  and  consecrated  by 
Anse'in,  archbishop  of  Canterbury. 
'J'he  bishops  of  Waterford  were  styled 
by  the  old  wriiers,  bishops  of  Poit 
Lairge,  the  ancient  name  ol  tliat  city. 
'J'he  patron  saint  of  the  diocese  is  Ot- 
teran,  or  Odran 

'"  The  B.shcp  ofLismcrc.  The  Sec  of 
Lismore,  in  Waterford,  was  lounded  in 
the  beginning  of  the  seventh  century 
by  St.  Carlhach,  who  was  a'so  called 
Mochuda.  'J  he  see  of  Ardniorehaving 
been  annexed  to  Lismore  in  the  Iwellth 
cciilury,  both  were  annexed  to  the  sec 
of  \Vutcrlord  in  the  fourteenth  century, 
A.  D.  13G;},  by  Dope  Urban  V.  Lia- 
more,  Irom  the  fame  of  its  university, 
became  an  extensive  city,  and  had 
no  less  than  twenty  churches.  The 
Diocese  of  Lismore  comprises  the 
greater  part  of  the  county  of  Water- 
ford, and  part  of  Tijiperary  ;  and  tho 
Diocese  ol  Waterford  comprises  the  city 
of  Walerford,  with  a  portion  of  the 
county. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


101 


the  bishop  of  Cloyne  ;^^  tlic  bishop  of  Cork  ;*"  the  bishop  of  Ross  f^ 
i.  c.  líos-0'Carbri,  and  the  bisliop  of  Ardf  rt.^ 

Under  the  archbishops  of  Tuam^  are  the  bishops  of  Kill-mac 


"  Tie  Bishop  of  Cloyne.  The  See  of 
Cloyne  was  founded  in  the  latter  end  of 
the  sixth  or  bogimiin:,^  of  the  seventh 
century  by  St.  Cohnan,  a  disci[)le  of  St. 
Finban-  of  Cork.  Cloyne  is  called,  in 
Irish,"  Cluain-Uamha,"  (C/oo'/i  Oov,) 
siijnifying  the  retreat  of  the  Cave. 
The  Diocese  of  Cloyne  comprises  a  third 
part  of  the  county  of  Cork. — //. 

^  T'le  B  shop  of  Cork.  "The  see  of 
Cork  was  founded  by  St.  Barr,  called, 
also,  Fiu-Barr,  in  the  beginning  of  the 
7th  century.  It  compris>is  the  city 
and  a  larj;-e  portion  of  the  county  of 
Cork."—//. 

*"  Tke  Bishop  of  Ros'i.  "  The  see  of 
Ross  was  founded  in  the  beginning  of 
the  6th  century  by  St.  Fachnan  {Fa^h- 
van).  It  was  anciently  called  '  Ros 
alitri,'  i.  e.  the  Plain  of  Pilgrimage, 
but  in  modern  times  it  is  called  Ross 
Carberry.  Ross  had  formerly  a  college 
and  a  Benedictine  monastery.  It  was 
celel)ratcd  as  a  scat  of  learning,  and 
was  attended  by  students  from  all  parts 
of  Ireland,  and  even  from  Britain.  The 
diocese  of  Ross  is  very  small.  It  is  co- 
extensive with  the  ancient  district  of 
Corca-Luighe  [Luce).  It  has  been 
generally  united  to  the  see  of  Cloyne, 
but  somc;times  to  that  of  Cork.'' — hi. 
(For  a  few  years  past  the  Catholic 
church  of  Ross  has  been  governed  by 
its  own  bishop;  the  State  church  is 
now  united  to  that  of  Cork.) 

*■  Tke  Bishop  of  Anlfert.  The  see 
of  Ardfert  was  founded,  according  to 
some  accounts,  by  St.  Ert,  or  Ere,  in 
the  latter  end  of  the  5th  century,  but 
Dr.  Lanigan  is  of  opinion  that  St.  Bren- 
dan was  its  chief  founder,  in  the  6th 
century  ;  to  him  its  cathedral  is  dedi- 
cated as  patron  saint  of  the  diocese, 
which  is  sometimes  called  "  Ardfert 
Brcndain,"  to  distinguish  from  another 
see  of  the  same  name.  It  was  also 
called  the  arch-diocese  of  "  lar-raum- 
han,"  {Eer  Moon),  or  AVest  Mnnstcr. 
It  is  now  sometimes  called  the  diocess 
of  Kerry.  A^hadoe,  an  ancient  bish- 
op's see,  situated  round  the  abbey  of 


Innis-fallen,  and  lakes  of  Killarney,  was 
in  very  early  times  annexed  to  Ardfert. 
This  united  diocese  is  very  large,  com- 
prising all  Kerry  and  a  small  portion  of 
the  county  of  Cork.  The  following  were 
also  distinguished  sees  in  Munster.  It  is 
not  out  of  place  to  put  them  down  here. 
Tir-da-glas,  now  the  parish  of  Terry- 
glass,  in  the  barony  of  Lower  Ormond, 
county  of  Tipperary,  had  a  celebrated 
monastery,  founded  by  St.  Columbia  in 
the  sixth  century,  and  some  of  its  abbots 
were  styled  bishops.  This  place  was 
long  eminent  as  a  seat  learning  and  re- 
ligion, but  was  destroyed  by  the  Danes 
in  the  tenth  century  "  TAe  see  cf  Ard- 
more,  in  Waterford,  was  founded  in  the 
fifth  century,  by  St.  Declan,  who  was 
of  the  tribe  of  the  Dcsies,  (i.  e.  O'Fae- 
lans  and  O'Brics,)  and  who,  having  stud- 
ied at  Rome,  became  highly  distin- 
guished for  learning  and  sanctity.  Ard- 
more  was  united  to  Lismore  in  the  lat- 
ter end  of  the  twelftla  century." — Id. 

'■^  T!ie  Archbishop  cf  Tuam.  "  The 
see  of  Tuam  was  founded  in  the  begin- 
ning of  the  sixth  century  by  St.  larlath, 
or  Jarlath.  Tuam  is  mentioned  by  the 
Irish  writers  as  Tuaim-da-ghualann. 
The  ancient  sees  of  Mayo,  Cong,  and 
Enachdune,  were  afterwards  annexed 
to  Tuam,  and  its  bishops  were  often 
styled  bishops  of  Connaught.  The  dio- 
cese of  Tuam  comprises  the  greater  part 
of  the  county  of  Galway,  and  about  one- 
third  of  Mayo,  with  a  large  portion  of 
Roscommon.  The  suifragan  sees  under 
the  archbishopric  of  Tuam  are  those  of 
Achonry,  Killala,  Elphin,  Clonfert, 
Kilmacduagh,  Kilfenora,  and  Galway. 

^'  Tlie  Bishop  of  Kilmacduagh.  The 
See  of  Kilmacduagh.  A  monastery 
was  founded  in  the  present  barony  of 
Kiltartan,  county  of  Galway,  in  the 
seventh  century,  by  St.  Colman,  the  son 
of  Duach  ;  hence  it  was  called  Cil  Mac 
Duach,  signifying  the  church  of  the  son 
of  Duach,  which  became  a  bishop's  see 
and  gave  its  name  to  the  diocese.  The 
bishops    of    Kilmacduagh  in  ancient 


102 


TUE    HlSTOliY    OF    IKEl.AND. 


Duacb,^  the  bishop  of  Mayo,^  the  bishop  of  Enach-Dain,®^  the  bish- 
op of  Kill-iarthar,*^  the  bishop  of  Roscommon,^  the  bishop  of  Clon- 
fert,"  the  bishop  of  Achonrj,®"  the  bishop  of  Killalla,  the  bishop 
of  Kill-^Mouuach,  the  bishop  of  Couaninn,"'  the  bishoi^  of  Elphin." 


times  were  often  styled  bishops  of  Ui 
Ftachr  I  Aidhne,  which  was  the  ancient 
name  of  their  episcopal  district. 

"^  The  Bishop  of  Mayo.  A  monas- 
tery was  founded  at  Mayo  in  the  seventh 
century  by  St.  Colman,  an  Irishman, 
who  had  l)ccn  bishop  of  Lindisfarnc,  in 
Northumberland ;  but,  leaving  Eng- 
land, returned  to  his  own  county  and 
founded  this  monastery,  chiefly  for  the 
use  of  English  monks,  whom  he  had 
brought  over  with  him.  A  college  also 
was  founded  here,  which  was  long  fam- 
ous as  a  seat  of  learning  ;  being  found- 
ed chiefly  for  the  use  of  the  Saxons,  it 
was  called  Magh-eo-na-Saxon  (Moijo- 
na  S^ixon),  or  Mayo  of  the  Saxons. 
Some  say  that  Alfred,  king  of  North- 
umberland in  the  seventh  century,  had 
been  educated  at  Mayo  ;  by  other  ac- 
counts, it  would  appear  that  Alfred  the 
Great  had  also  been  educated  there. 
Mayo  became  a  bishop's  see.  It  was 
annexed  to  Tuam  in  the  sixteenth  cen- 
tury.— /(/. 

•^  The  Bishop  of  Ennch-Duin.  En- 
ach-Duin  is  now  the  parish  of  Anna- 
down,  in  the  county  of  (Jalway.  St. 
Breudan  died  here  A.  D.  676,  and  was 
buried  at  Clonfert-Urendain.  "  Enach- 
Duin"  means  the  marsh  of  the  Dun 
(Boon).  It  is  situated  on  the  cast  bank 
of  Loch  Corrib,  in  the  barony  of 
Clare.— 7i/. 

•"  The  Bishop  of  Kill-i'irlhar,  i.  e.  the 
western  church,  not  identified  by  the 
editor. 

**  The  Bishop  of  Roscommon. 
"  St.  Coman  founded  an  abbey  in  the 
sixth  century,wliii]i  was  called  from  him 
Ros-Comain.  Jt  afterwards  became  a 
bishop's  see,  but  was  united  at  an  early 
period  to  the  see  of  Elphin." — Id. 

"l  The  Bishop  of  Clonfert.  "The 
see  of  Clonfert.  A  monastery  was 
founded  at  Clonfert,  in  the  present  ba- 
rony of  Longford,  county  of  Gal  way, 
by  St.  Brennan,  or  St.  Brendan,  in  the 
sixth  century,  and  it  becami;  a  bisliop's 
see,  and  was  long  celebrated  as  a  seat 


of  learning  and  religion.  The  diocese 
of  Clonfert  comprises  a  considerable 
part  of  the  county  of  Galway,  with 
part  of  Roscommon,  and  a  small  jior- 
tion  of  the  King's  county." — Id. 

^  Tlie  Bishop  of  Achonn/,  or  Achad- 
Coniri. — "  The  see  of  Achonry  was 
founded  in  the  sixth  century,  by  St. 
Fiuian,  bishop  of  Clouard.  in  Meath, 
who  placed  over  it  his  disciple  St. 
Nathi.  The  bishops  of  Achonry  were 
styled  also  bishops  of  Luigni  [Luce- 
nie),  which  was  the  old  name  of  the 
territory  in  which  that  see  was  situat- 
ed. This  diocese  comprehends  a  large 
portion  of  the  county  of  Sligo,  with  a 
considerable  portion  of  Mayo." — Id. 

^'  TÍLe  Bishop  of  Killa/la,  Cill  Al- 
aidhe,  or  Cill  Ellaidh- — "  'I'he  see  of 
Killalla  was  founded  by  St.  Patrick  in 
the  fifth  century.  Its  bishops  arc  some- 
times styled  bishops  of  '  Tir  Aniahl- 
gaidh'  {Teer  Awlce),  or  Tirawley,  and 
sometimes  of  *  Tir  Fiachra'  or  Hy 
Fiachra  Muaidhe  {Mooee),  to  distin- 
guish it  from  Kilmacduach,  which  was 
also  called  the  see  of  Ily  Fiachra 
Aidhni  (Ei/nie).  The  diocese  of  Kil- 
lalla comprehends  a  great  part  of  the 
county  of  Sligo,  and  some  jiortion  of 
Sligo." — /(/. 

These  sees  have  not  been  identified 
by  the  editor. 

"■  The  Bishop  of  Elphin  or  Eli- 
Finn. — "  The  see  of  Elj)hin.  A 
church  was  founded  at  Elphin,  in  Ros- 
common, by  St.  I'atrick,  in  the  fifth 
century,  who  placed  over  it  St.  Asicus, 
one  of  his  disciples,  and  made  it  a 
bishop's  see.  Tlie  bishops  of  I'lljiliin  in 
ancient  times  are  sometimes  styled 
bishops  of  East  (!onnuuglit.  The  dio- 
cese of  ]'jl])hin  comprises  the  greater 
part  of  the  county  of  Roscommon,  with 
considerable  portions  of  the  counties 
of  Sligo  and  Galway." — Id. 

To  the  al)ove  may  be  added  the 
modern  see  of  Galway. 

"  The  diocese  of  Galway,  which 
comprises  the  city  of  Galway  and  somo 


•  THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  103 

According  to  Camden,  it  was  in  tlie  year  of  our  Lord  1152 
that  the  four  archbishops  were  appointed  in  Ireland. 

I  have  enumerated  above  many  bishops  that  do  not  now  exist, 
and  for  whom  tliere  are  no  sees,  they  having  been  abolished  or 
united  under  one  bishop ;  thus  Lismore  and  Waterford  are  under 
one  bishop,  so  also  are  Cork  and  Cloyne  under  one  bishop,  and 
many  others  in  like  manner. 


Section  III. — Of  the  Situation  of  Ireland. 

Ireland  is  situated  thus :  Spain  lies  to  the  south  of  it,  France 
to  the  south-east.  Great  Britain  to  the  east,  Scotland  to  the 
north-east,  and  the  Atlantic  Ocean  to  the  north-east  and  east. 
According  to  Maginus,  in  his  notes  on  Ptolemy,  its  form  ap- 
proaches that  of  an  egg :  its  breadth  is  four  degrees  and  a  half 
of  the  zodiac  or  solar  circle.  The  same  writer  tells  us  that  the 
longest  day  in  the  most  southern  part  of  this  country  is  sixteen 
hours  and  three-quarters,  and  in  the  most  northern  part,  the  long- 
est day  is  eighteen  hours.  The  length  of  Ireland  is  computed 
from  Carn-0-Neid  to  Cloch-an-Stacan,  and  its  breadth  from 
Inber-Mor  to  Irrus-Domnan. 

The  reader  must  understand  that  it  is  not  through  neglect 
that  I  here  omit  speaking  of  the  number  of  counties,  cities  or 
towns  in  Ireland,  but  because  Camden  and  the  chronicles  of  later 
English  have  given  a  full  account  of  them;  neither  is  this  a 
proper  place  for  speaking  of  them,  until  we  come  to  treat  of  the 
invasion  of  the  island  by  those  strangers  by  whom  they  were 
arranged. 

adjoining    districts,  anciently  formed  and  county  of  Eoscommon,  was  also 

part  of  the  diocese  of  Enachdune,  but  a  bishop's  seat  in  ancient  times.     An 

was  afterwards  presided  over  by  an  ec-  abbey  was  founded  here  in  the  sixth 

clesiastic  who  had  episcopal  authority,  century  by  St.  Beoidh  or  Beoy,  and  it 

and  was  elected  by  the  tribes  under  the  became  a  bishop's  see,  which  was  also 

title  of  warden.     The  wardenship  was  at  an  early  period  annexed  to  the  see 

instituted  in  the  fifteenth  century,  in  of  Elphin.  Drumdiff,  in  Sligo,  was  also 

A.  D.  1484,  by  Pope  Innocent  VIII.;  the  seat  of  a  bishop.    "A  monastery  was 

and  the  wardens  of  Galway  continued  founded  here  by  St.  Columkille,  in  the 

till  the  year  1831,  the  first  year  of  the  sixth  century,  and  was  long  famous  as 

pontificate    of    Gregory    XVI..    who  a  scat  of  learning  and  religion.     It  be- 

abolished  the  wardenship  and  erected  same  a  bishop's  see,  its  abbots  having 

it  into  a  bishop's  see." — Id.  received  the  episcopal  dignity." — Id. 
Ardcarne,  in  the  barony  of  Boyle, 


CHAPTER  IV. 

OF  THE   CREATION   OF   OUR  FIRST   FATHER,  ADAM. 

First  of  all,  Adam  was  created  on  the  sixth  day  of  the  world's 
age.  In  the  fifteenth  year  of  Adam's  age,  Cain  and  his  sister 
Calmana  were  born.  In  the  thirtieth  year  of  Adam's  age,  Abel 
and  his  sister  Delbora  were  born.  And  when  Adam  had  lived 
an  hundred  and  thirty  years  he  begat  Seth,  according  to  the 
Hebrew  computation,  as  we  read  in  the  Polychronicon. 

THE  GENEALOGY  OF  NOAH  TO  ADAM. 

Noah  was  the  son  of  Lamech,  son  of  Mathusalem,  son  of 
Enoch,  son  of  Jarcth,  son  of  Malaleel,  son  of  Cainan,  son  of  Enos, 
son  of  Seth,  son  of  Adam.  All  those  that  survived  the  deluge 
were  descended  from  Seth,  for  the  whole  race  of  Cain  was 
drowned  beneath  the  Flood.  The  length  of  time  from  Adam  to 
the  Flood  was,  according  to  the  Hebrews,  1656  years,  whereupon 
the  bard  has  left  us  the  following  distich : 

"  The  first  period  of  pleasing  life, 
From  Adam  to  the  deluge, 
Was  six  years  and  fifty  clearly  told 
Above  six  hundred  and  a  thousand." 

Another  antiquary  thus  agrees  with  the  same  computation : 

"  Six  yeai-3  and  fifty  and  six  hundred,  as  I  count  it, 
And  one  thousand,  I  reckon  from  Adam  to  the  Flood." 

A  third  records  the  fact  in  these  terms : 

"  There  were  sixteen  centuries  in  full 
Added  to  fifty  years  and  six 
(What  I  recount  1  know  without  error) 
From  the  world's  beginning  to  the  flood." 

Here  follow  the  ages  of  all  the  men  from  whom  Noah  sprung, 
in  the  direct  line.  Adam  lived  i)30  years,  Seth  912,  Enos  905, 
Cainan  910,  Malaleel  895,  Jareth  962,  Enoch  365,  Mathusalem 
969,  Lamech  777,  Noah  950. 

[104] 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  .   105 

\Yhen  God  saw  that  the  posterity  of  Seth  had  transgressed  his 
will  (for  he  had  commanded  to  make  no  alliances  or  marriages 
with  the  race  of  the  impious  Cain,  and  they  observed  not  that 
command),  he  sent  the  Deluge  to  drown  all  mankind,  except 
Noah  ancl  his  wife,  Cova,  and  his  three  sons,  Shem,  Cham,  and 
Japhet,  and  their  three  wives,  OUa,  Olliva,  and  Ollivana,  because 
Noah  had  not  mixed  with  the  seed  of  Cain,  and  was  a  righteous 
man. 

When  the  Deluge  had  dried  from  oif  the  earth,  Noah  appor- 
tioned the  three  divisions  of  the  world  between  his  three  sons,  as 
tlie  poet  sa js : 

"  In  Asia  Shem  fixed  his  seat, 
Cham  and  his  children  dwelt  in  Afric, 
The  noble  Japhet  and  his  sons 
Were  they  that  dwelt  in  Europe." 

Shem  had  seven-and-twenty  sons,  amongst  whom  were  Ar- 
phaxad,  Ashur  and  Persius,  and  from  his  seed  came  the  Hebrews. 
Cham  had  thirty  sons;  of  them  were  Cush  and  Canaan.  Japhet 
had  sixteen,  amongst  whom  were  Gomer  and  Magog,  as  the  bard 
records : 

"  Thirty  sons  of  famous  deeds 
Sprang  from  Cham  Mac  Noah, 
Seven-and-twenty  sprang  from  Shem 
And  fifteen  from  Japhet." 

Many  of  the  nations  of  northern  Asia  are  sprung  from  Japhet, 
and  from  him  are  descended  all  the  inhabitants  of  Europe. 

The  Scythians  are  of  the  race  of  Magog  son  of  Japhet,  and 
especially  those  nations  that  colonized  Ii'eland  after  the  Flood, 
previous  to  the  sons  of  Miledh,  as  I  shall  hereafter  show. 


CHAPTER  V. 

OF  THE  INVASIONS  OF  IRELAND  BEFORE  THE  FLOOD.* 

First  Legend. 

Some  of  our  Shenachies  say  that  three  daughters  of  the  wicked 
Cain  were  the  first  that  dwelt  in  Ireland.     In  testimony  of  this, 

'  The  stories  of  the  invasions  of  Ire-  the  Pagan  traditions  of  Ireland  were 
land  before  the  Flood,  are,  possibly,  subjected  to  expurgation,  as  we  shall  see 
remnants  of  Druidic  Mythology,adapted  hereafter.  They  may  also  be  pure  inven- 
to  suit  their  own  ideas  of  Revealed  His-  tious  of  later  times.  But,  as  we,  at  pres- 
tory,  by  our  converted  antiquaries,  when  ent,  know  almost  nothing  of  the  amount 


106  THE  HISTORY   OF   IRELAND, 

we  have  the  following  "  rann,"  or  distich,  which  occurs  iu  the 
poem  which  begins,  "I  found  in  the  Psalter  of  Cashel,"  &c. 

"Three  fair  daughters  of  Cain, 
With  Scth  the  son  of  Adam, 
Were  they  that  first  saw  Banba ; 
I  here  recount  their  adventure." 

The  Book  of  Drom-Sncchta^  tells  us  that  Banba  was  the  name 
of  the  first  of  these  women,  who  took  possession  of  Ireland  before 
the  Flood,  and  that  it  is  from  her  the  island  has  received  its  name 
of  Banba.  There  came  over  in  all  fifty  women  and  three  men. 
One  of  these  men  was  named  Ladra,  and  from  him  Ard-Ladran^ 
has  its  name.  These  people  lived  forty  years  in  the  country, 
until  a  plague  came  upon  them,  whereupon  they  all  died  in  one 
week.  From  that  time,  Ireland  remained  without  a  single  human 
being  to  inhabit  it,  until  the  Deluge  came. 

Second  Legend. 

Others  will  have  it  that  Ireland  was  first  discovered  by  three 
fishermen,  who  had  been  driven  thither  by  a  storm,  from  off  the 
coast  of  Spain.  Being  pleased  with  the  island,  these  men  went 
home  for  their  wives,  but,  on  their  return  to  their  discovered 
land,  the  Deluge  came  upon  them  at  Tuath-Inber,*  and  they  were 
all  drowned.  Their  names,  as  handed  down  by  a  poet  in  the 
following  rann^  were  Capa,  Laighni  (Loink),  and  Luasad. 

"  Capa,  Laiglini  and  generous  Luasad 
Came  hitlier  one  year  before  l  he  flood ; 
Of  the  Island  of  Banba  of  fair  women 
With  hardihood  they  took  possession." 

Third  Legend. 

Another  account  will  have  that  Kesair  (Cassi?-),  daughter  of 
Bith^  {Bih),  a  son  of  Noah,  was  the  person  that  arrived  in  Ire- 

of  knowledge  anciently  possessed  by  tlie  Ladra  or   Ladhra  (Ln rn.  au(\  Lnira), 

nations   called    Celtic,  except  through  is  supposed  to  be  Anlaiiiine,  on  the 

Irish  tradition,  it  would  be  just  as  rash  east  coast  of  the  county  of  Wexford, 

to   scout  these  and   similar  tales  alto-  where  a  curious  moat  still  exists  :  see 

gether,  as   forgei'ies   of  the    Christian  O'Donnvcm's  note,  p.  3,  Annals  of  the 

bards,  as  it  would  be  to  build  any  theory  Four  Musters. 

upon  them.  Until  all  the  documents  and        *   Tun  lli-Inbher,  (T/iooih-'nver,)  i.  e. 

tales  that  relate  to  Pagan  Ireland  be  North  JIarbor.     liio    editor  has   not 

published,   and    critically    annoted,   it  been  able  to  fix  its  position. 

will  be  impossible  to  form  any  decided        ''  Bu/i,    gen.   Bctlia,   means  life,   ÍL 

opinion  witli  regard  to  tlu'm.  modern   Gaelic.      This    name    occura 

'^  Drom-Sncchta,  i.  e.  Snowy  Hill.  several  times  iu  our  primeval  legends. 

'  Ard-Ladran,  i.  e.  the   Height  of 


THE    HISTORY    OF    IRELAND.  107 

land  before  the  Flood.     Upon  tliis  event,  a  poet  has  sung  the 
following  rami. 

"  Kosair,  daughter  of  Bith  the  long-lived, 
'  Fosterling  of  Saball,  s;)n  of  Ninuall ,6 

Was  the  first  brave  Avonian  that  steered 

To  the  Isle  of  Banba  before  the  Deluge." 

If  it  be  desirable  to  know,  what  brought  her  to  Ireland,  the 
following  was  the  reason,  of  her  coming: — Bith  had  sent  to  Noah 
to  demand  a  place  in  the  Ark  for  himself  and  his  daughter  Ke- 
sair,  in  order  that  the}^  might  be  saved  from  the  Deluge,  but 
Noah  denied  him  his  request.  Upon  this  Bith,  Ladra,  i'intann 
and  Kesair  took  counsel  together  as  to  the  measures  they  should 
adopt;  "Take  ye  my  advice,"  said  Kesair,  "We  shall,"  said  they; 
"  Then  make  ye  application  to  an  idoF  and  forsake  the  God  of 
Noah."  Upon  this,  they  betook  themselves  to  an  idol,  who  ad- 
vised them  to  build  a  ship,  but  he  could  not  tell  them  the  time, 
at  which  the  Deluge  was  to  come  on.  They  then  fitted  out  a 
ship  and  put  to  sea.  The  persons  that  Avent  on  board  were  Bith, 
Ladra,  Fintann,  Kesair,  Barran  and  Balba,  {Balva).  They 
were  at  sea  for  seven  years  and  a  quarter,  at  the  end  of  which 
time  they  put  into  harbor  at  Dun-nam-barc,  in  the  territory  of 
Corca-Duibni,^  on  the  fifteenth  day  of  the  moon,  as  the  bard 
recounts. 

"  And  where  they  made  their  landing 
Was  at  Dun-nam-barc, — that  female  band — 
At  Cul-Kesrach^  m  the  district  ot  Carn, 
On  the  fifteenth,  on  the  day  of  Satharn.'" 

Kesair  landed  in  Ireland  forty  days  before  the  deluge,  as  the 
bard  thus  sings — 

"  Twice  twenty  days  before  the  Flood, 
Came  Kesair  into  ilri, 

With  Fintann,  Bith,  and  Ladra,  from  the  sea, 
And  fifty  beauteous  damsels." 

*  Ninuall.  We  shall  see  this  name  of  the  Four  blasters.  Corca-Duibni  is 
occurring  again,  when  we  come  to  treat  now  called  Corcaguiny,  a  barony  in  the 
of  the  early  genealogy  of  the  Gaels.        county  of  Kerry.  Corca-Luighe  (Looee) 

'  In   the  original,  Laimh-Dhia,  pr.  comprised  the  west  of  the  county  of 

lauiv-yeea,  i.  e.  a  hand-god  or  god  made  Cork, 

with  hands.  »  Cul-Chesrach,  i.  e.  the  hill  or  ridge 

*  Dr.  O'Donovan  thinks  that  Corca-  of  Cesair  or  Kesair.  O'Flaherty  imag- 
Duibhni  is  an  error  of  the  transcriber  ines  this  to  be  a  Coolcasragh,  that  lies 
for  Corca-Luighe,  and  that  the  place  near  Kuockmea,  in  the  county  of  Clare, 
here  meant  is  Dunamark,  in  the  parish  '"  Dia  Saihairn,  {Dea  Sahirn,)  i.  e., 
of  Kilcomoge,  barony  of  Bantry,  and  the  day  of  Saturn,  is  the  Irish  name  of 
county  of  Cork  :    see  note  p.  3,  Annals  Saturday. 


108  THE   UISIORY   OF    IRELAND. 

Another  bard  agrees  with  the  above,  in  the  following  rann — 

"  Kcsair  came  from  the  East, 
Daughter  of  Bith  was  she, 
"With  her  fifty  damsels 
And  witli  her  three  men." 

Ard-Ladran  is  called  after  Ladra.  He  was  the  first  man  that 
"died  in  Ireland,  according  to  those  who  say  that  no  people  dwelt 
in  Ireland  before  the  Flood,  but  Kesair  and  those  that  came  with 
her.  Sliabh-Betha'^  is  called  after  Bith ;  and,  from  Fintann"  is 
called  Fert-Fintainn  in  Tipperary,  near  Loch-Deirg-Deirc.^* 
From  Kesair  is  called  Carn  Kesrach'^  in  Connacht.  From  Dun- 
nam-barc  they  proceeded  to  the  Meeting  of  the  Three  AVaters, 
where  the  Siuir,^''  Feoir,^'  and  Berba"  join  their  streams.  There 
they  divided  the  fifty  damsels  between  them.  Fintann  took  Kesair 
and  seventeen  women  for  his  share ;  Bith  took  Barran  and  seven- 
teen more,  and  Ladra  took  Balba  with  sixteen  others,  and  brought 
them  with  him  to  Ard-Ladi'an,  where  he  died.  Upon  this  Balba 
and  her  sixteen  women  returned  to  Kesair,  who  inlbrmed  Bith  of 
the  matter,  whereupon  Bith  came  to  Fintann,  and  they  again  di- 
vided the  sixteen  women  in  equal  portions  between  them.  Bith 
took  his  own  share  to  Sliabh-Betha  and  there  he  shortly  died. 
Bith's  women  then  came  to  Fintann,  but  the  latter,  however,  fled 
before  them  out  of  Leinster.  Upon  this  Kesair,  with  the  Avhole 
band  of  the  women,  retired  to  Cuil-Kesrach,  in  Connaught,  and  she 
broke  her  heart  through  giief  for  the  flight  of  her  husband  and  the 
deaths  of  her  father  and  brother.  Tliis  happened  but  six  days 
before  the  Deluge.  As  a  record  of  this,  the  bard  has  left  us  the 
following  rann — 

"  And  pufh,  wlicn  their  liour  was  full, 
Were  their  deatlis  after  their  wanderings — 
There  was  but  one  single  week 
Thence  unto  the  forty  days." 

The  reader  must  observe  that  I  do  not  give  down  this  occu- 
pation or  invasion  by  Kesair,  as  true  histojy,  nor  do  I  so  give 
down  either  of  the  other  occupations,  spoken  of  above.  I  have 
recounted  them  here,  merely  because  I  found  them  mentioned  in 

"  Literally  "  the  first  dead  man  of         '"  i.  e.    Tlic  Cam  of  Cesar  or  Kesair. 

Eri."  The  Lcahliar  rjal)iiala  [Lcour  Gavaula) 

"  Sliabh   Bctha.     It   is  now    called  of  the  O'CIeries  places  this  upon  the 

Slieve-Beagh,  and  lies  on  the  confines  liaidcs  of  the  river  Boyle, 
of  I^itrim  and  Fermanagh. — O'l).  '"  "  "  rronounced  S'looir,  Feore,  and 

■^  i.  e.,  Fintan's  grave.     It  lies  near  Bcrva   or   Jinrroo.     These    rivers  are 

Loch  Derg,  an  expansion  of  the  Hhan-  now  called   the   Suir,  Nore  and  Bar- 

non  between  Killaloij  and  Porlumna.  row.    They  meet  a  little  below  Water- 

"  Now  "  Lough  berg."  ford. 


THE   HISTORY    OF    IRELAND.  109 

ancient  books ;  and,  moreover,  I  cannot  conceive  how  our  anti- 
quaries could  have  obtained  tliose  accounts  of  persons  that  arrived 
in  Ireland  before  the  Flood,  if  it  were  not  from  those  atrial  demons 
who  were  their  fairy  followers^^  in  Pagan  times,  or,  unless  they 
had  found  them  engraved""  upon  some  rocks,  that  remained  after 
the  Flood  had  subsided.  For,  it  is  not  to  be  asserted  that  the  Fin- 
tann  orFintan^^  who  lived  after  the  Flood  was  the  same  person  that 
lived  before  it,  because  to  say  so  would  be  contradictory  to  the 
Scriptures,  which  tell  us  that  all  mankind  perished  in  the  Del- 
uge, wath  the  exception  of  the  eight  persons  who  were  saved  in 
the  Ark ;  and  among  these  we  know  that  Fintann  was  not.  The 
evidence,  then,  of  those  antiquaries  who  maintain  that  Fintann 
lived  through  the  Deluge,  is  false.  These  writers  say  that  four 
persons  remained  alive,  during  that  time,  at  the  four  opposite 
points  of  the  world,  namel}^,  Fintann,  Feron,^  Fors^^  and  An- 
doid.^'*  It  must,  however,  be  observed,  that  this  opinion  is  not 
entertained  by  our  best  historians.  For  which  reason,  a  certain 
author  has  inserted  the  following  lay  in  our  history,  in  order  to 
show  that  it  does  not  accord  with  the  truth  of  revealed  faith  to 
say  that  either  Fintann  or  any  of  the  other  three  just  mentioned, 
could  have  lived  after  the  pouring  forth  of  the  Flood. 

"  The  names  of  the  four  who  practiced  justice, 
And  whom  God  saved  beneath  the  Flood, 
Are  Fintann,  Feron,  Fors,  the  mild  and  just, 
And  Andoid,  son  of  Ethor. 

^^  Fairy  Followers.  In  the  original  inthe  jL(?aMor-«a-/i-Z7/(//<r;',  inthe  libra-, 
"  Lenanaibh  Sidhe."  The  Lenan  Sidhe  ry  of  the  Eoyal  Irish  Academy,  this 
[Lenaun  Shee)  was  a  species  of  su-  Fintan  survived  the  Deluge,  and  lived 
pernatural  being,  supposed  to  be  at-  till  the  reign  of  Dermot,  son  of  Fergus 
tached  to  the  ancient  Celtic  chieftains,  Ceirbheoil,  having,  during  this  period, 
and  to  other  distinguished  characters  undergone  various  transmigrations ; 
of  Irish  story.  Many  of  the  Irish  war-  from  which  O'Flaherty  infers  that  the 
riors  were  fabled  to  have  had  lovers  Irish  held  the  doctrine  of  Metempsy- 
amongst  the  fair  daughters  of  this  aerial  chosis."  This  Fintan  is  srill  remembered 
race.  The  modern  Benshee,  still  sup-  in  the  traditions  of  the  country  as  the 
posed  to  be  attached  to  certain  old  Irish  Methusalem  of  Ireland  ;  and  it  is  be- 
farailies  of  noble  origin,  is  a  remnant  lieved  in  Conuaught  that  he  was  a  saint, 
of  this  wild  and  poetic  superstition,  and  that  he  was  buried  at  a  locality 
The  aerial  mistress  of  some  warrior,  called  Kilfintany,  in  the  south  of  the 
long  gone  beyond  her  solicitude,  con-  parish  of  Kilcommon,  barony  of  Erri- 
tinues  to  renew  the  dirge  other  departed  sand,  county  of  Mayo.  Dr.  Ilanmer  a,s- 
lover,  at  the  approaching  deaths  of  his  sens  that  the  fable  gave  rise  to  a  pro- 
descendants.    ^  verb  common   in   Ireland   in   his  own 

^"  This    opinion  had  been  first  sur-  time,  '•  If  1  had  lived  Fintan's  years  I 

mised  by  Giraldus  Cambrensis.  could  say  much.  " 

'^  Dr.  O'Doiiovan  gives  the  following  "^   "   =*    Feron,  Fors,  Andoid.     Of 

note  upon  Fintan,  in  his  translation  of  those  personages,  the  editor  has  found 

the  Annals  of  the  Four  Masters,  vol.  1.  no  further   information  than   is  given 

"  According  to  a  wild  legend  preserved  above. 


no  THE   HISTORY    OF    IRELAND. 

Fors  he  set  apart  in  the  Eastern  clime, 

Ferou  was  preserved  in  the  cold  North, 

Fiutann  lay  sale  near  the  setting  sun, 

And  Andoid  in  the  South. 
Though  Shenachies  count  up  these, 

Yet  the  sacred  Canons  hold  that  none, 

]3ut  Noaii  and  his  sons,  with  him  in  the  ark. 

And  the  wives  of  these,  got  safety  for  their  lives." 

Hence,  we  are  not  to  infer  tliat  either  Fintann,  or  the  other 
three  we  have  named,  lived  tlirough  the  Deluge  and  after  it. 
Yet  if  any  historian,  in  support  of  these  falsehoods,  should  assert 
that  Fintann  and  those  others  were  really  drowned  in  the  Del- 
uge, but  that  God  restored  him  to  life  again,  in  order  to  preserve 
the  history  and  the  experiences  of  these  ancients,  not  only  to  the 
time  of  St.  Patrick,  but  to  that  of  St.  Finnén^^  of  Magh-Bili,^^ 
I  cannot  conceive  how  an  event  so  miraculoits  could  be  unknown 
to  all  Europe;  for,  in  the  time  of  Finneu,  and  often  since,  num- 
bers of  distinguihsed  divines  and  philosophers,  and  other  learned 
persons,  were  continually  going  to  the  most  famous  countries  of 
Europe  to  instruct  both  the  clergy  and  the  people,  and  to  teach 
in  the  universities.  It  is  absurd,  then,  to  suppose  that  none  of 
their  disciples  would  have  left  us  any  notice  or  mention  of  Fintann, 
when  we  have  still  extant  so  many  of  their  writings  upon  other ) 
subjects.  Besides,  I  do  not  find  mention  of  this  Fintann  in  any 
of  the  Chief  Books,  whose  authority  is  undoubted ;  hence,  I  ,' 
conclude  that  the  whole  story  of  his  surviving  the  Deluge  is  but  ) 
a  romantic  fiction.  ' 

I  do  not,  however,  insist  that  there  might  not  have  existed,  at 
the  time  of  St.  Patrick's  coming  into  Ireland,  some  very  old  and 
venerable  man,  who  had  lived  through  many  centuries  before 
that  time,  and  that  this  man  gave  that  apostle  an  account  both 
of   everything  he  remembered  himself,  and  of  all  the  traditions 

"  Finnen.     The  name  of  this  saint  is  holy  city,  full  of  wisdom  and  virtue, 

otherwise  written  Fiudian,  Finnian,Fin-  According  to  the  writer  of  his  life,  he 

niaand  Findianus.   "  He  was  son  of  Fin-  obtained  the  name  of  Finnen  the  Wise, 

tan  son  of  Finloch  of  the  Clanna  Kud-  He  died  on  the  12th  of  December,  in 

raighc  (or  Trians)  of  Ulster.     llew;isa  A.\).  r)52,  or  according  to  others  in 

ShilosopJKT  and  an  eminent  divine,  who  oOii,  and  was  buried  in  liis  own  cluirchat 
rst  founded  the  college  of  Clonard  in  ('lonard."  Thus  Dr.  U'Donovan  stutca 
Meath,  near  the  Boyne,wh(!re  there  were  in  his  Notes  on  the  Four  ]S[astera,  and 
one  hundred  bishops,  and  where,  with  adds  that  St. Finnen's  festival  is  set  down 
great  care  and  labor,he  instructed  many  at  the  12th  of  December,  in  the  O'Clcr- 
celebratcd  saints,  among  whom  were  the  ies'  Calendar  and  in  the  "Fciliri"  or 
two  Kiarans,  the  two  Brendans,  th(!  two  Festinlogy  of  Aengus. 
Columl>s,  viz.,  Columltkille  and  Columb  '*  Mmrh-Bili  {Moi/-Villi.)  now  Mo- 
Mac  C'rimhthainn,  Lasserian,  the  son  ville.  This  clnu-ch  stood  a  short  way 
of  Xadfracch,  Canice,  Alobhcus  Ro-  from  tlie  head  of  Strangfurd  Lough, 
daniLS,  and  many  others  not  here  enumo-  about  a  mile  north-east  from  Newtown 
rated.     Uis  school  was  in  quality  a  ards. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  Ill 

he  had  received  from  his  ancestors  concerning  the  past  ages.  I 
do  think,  that  there  was  some  such  kind  of  personage  in  those 
times,  and  that  it  is  he  that  is  called  Tuan,^^  son  of  Carell,  by 
some  historic  writers,  and,  according  to  others,  Eoanns,  i.  e. 
Caeilti,  son  of  Eonan,  who  had  lived  more  than  three  hundred 
years,  and  who  related  many  ancient  traditions  to  St.  Patrick. 
Now,  it  is  this  Caeilti  that  should  properly  be  styled  Eoanus  or 
Eonanus ;  for  we  do  not  find  in  any  book  on  Irish  history,  that  Fin- 
tann  was  ever  called  by  either  of  these  names.  Nevertheless,  Cam- 
brensis  calls  him  Eoanus,  along  with  all  the  other  misrepresenta- 
tions contained  in  his  lying  history.  As  this  author  wrote  the 
name  Roanus  in  his  Chronicle,  in  place  of  Ronanus^  so  every 
English  writer,  Avho  has  treated  of  Ireland  sin,ce  his  time,  has 
written  Eoanus  as  one  of  the  names  of  Fintann,  in  imitation  of 
Cambrensis.  As  these  men  have  had  no  authority  for  their  false 
histories  of  Ireland,  other  than  Cambrensis,  they  have  looked  upon 
the  man  as  the  guide-bull  of  their  herd,  and  followed  blindh^  in 
his  track  ever  since.  It  is  also  more  reasonable  to  consider,  that 
Caeilti  was  the  person  called  Eonanus,  because  some  old  authors 
enumerate  amongst  the  writings  of  St.  Patrick  a  work  entitled 
'''■  Historia  Hihernice  ex  Roano  sive  Ronano^''''  i.  e.  "A  History  of 
Ireland  from  Eoanus  or  Eonanus."  We  know  that  it  is  the  sir- 
name  of  the  author  that  is  usually  prefixed  to  a  work,  as  is  evident 
to  every  person  that  is  in  the  habit  of  reading  books. 

It  is  not  true  of  Hanraer  to  assert  in  his  Chronicle,  that  the 
Irish  hold  these  stories  of  Fintann,  whom  he  also  calls  Eoanus, 
in  high  estimation — those  tales  which  say  that  this  person  had 
been  submerged  beneath  the  Flood,  and  that  he  lived  after  it  for 
more  than  two  thousand  years — that  he  at  length  met  with  St. 
Patrick,  from  whom  he  received  baptism,  and  to  whom  he  revealed 
many  ancient  events — that  he  died  about  one  year  after  the  saint's 
arrival,  and  that  he  was  buried  in  Loch-Eibh  {Lough-Ree\  in 
Ormond,  where,  he  says,  there  is  a  church  dedicated  to  him  by 
his  own  name ;  and,  he  finally  asserts,  that  his  name  is  to  be 
found  amongst  those  of  the  Irish  saints.  But  it  is  evident  to  us, 
that  no  historian  ever  spoke  of,  much  less  committed  to  writing, 
any  such  story  as  what  Ilanmer  recounts ;  for  he  confounds  the 
traditions  related  of  three  distinct  persons  in  this  narration  of  his, 
namely,  of  Fintann,  called  Eoanus  by  Cambrensis;  of  Caeilti^ 

*'  Tuan  was  fabled   to  liave  been  evidently  some  holy  and  venerable  sage, 

once  the  nephew  of  Partholan  by  his  and  some  hold  hinito  have  been  a  saint, 

brother  Starn,  and,  having-  gone  through  and  to  have  been  buried  at  Tamhlact,  a 

various  metamorphoses,  to  have  been  parishchurch  inthedistrictofMoghdorn 

again  restored  to  the  human  form,  in  or  Mourne.  and  county  of  Down,  where 

the  guise  of  the  son  of  Carell,  king  of  his  name  was  long  hcíd  in  veneration. 
Uladh,  who  lived  in  the  beginning  of  the        *"  Caeilti.  This  was  the  foster-son  and 

fourth  century.   Tuan,  son  of  CareU,was  favorite  of  the  famous  Irish  warrior,FinQ 


112 


THE   HISTORY   OF    IRELAND, 


Mac  Eonain,  who  was  baptized  b}^  St.  Patrick,  and  who  told  the 
saint  mau}^  traditions ;  and  of  St.  Kuadan,^-*  (now  pronoii  ii  ced  Kuan,) 
to  whom  was  dedicated  the  church  of  Lothra  {Lohra\  near 
Loch-Derg-Derc,  or  Loiigh-Dcrg,  and  not  near  Loch-Eibh,  as 
Hanmer  states.  But  I  shall  lose  no  more  time  in  tracing  up  the 
falsehoods  of  Hanmer,  or  of  his  authorities.  Finally,  I  am  con- 
vinced that  it  was  by  mistake  that  Cambrensis  wrote  the  word 
Roanus,  rather  than  Konanus  or  Eonan ;  and  that  thus  the  word 
has  remained  without  correction  by  his  followers  down  to  the 
present  day. 


Mac  Comhal,  whom  MacPhcr.son  calls 
Fingal.  Some  poems  exist  purporting 
to  be  dialogues  between  Caeilti  and  St. 
Patrick,  in  which  are  given  many  curi- 
ous anecdotes  of  the  ancient  state  of 
the  country,  its  inhabitants  and  their 
social  habits.  Of  this  character,  also, 
are  the  celebrated  poems  of  Oisin  or 
Ossian,  the  son  of  Finn,  and  friend  of 
Caeilti,  so  distorted  by  MacPherson. 
The  battle  of  (jabra  or  (Jaura,  where 
the  Fenians  were  nearly  all  slain,  was 
fought  about  A.D.  296,  at  which  time 
both  Oisin  and  Caeilti  must  have  been 
very  old  men. — O'D. 

O'Halloran  says,  in  his  history,  that  it 
is  recorded  in  the  Psalter  of  Cashel, 
that  the  druid  ]Modaruith,lord  of  the  ter- 
ritory of  Fcrmaighe  Feni.now  the  baro- 
nies of  Fermoy  and  Condons,  in  the 
county  of  Cork,  boasted  to  Fiacadh  Mul- 
lethan,  king  of  I/ith-Mogha,  A.D.  2G0, 
that  he  remembered  the  reigns  of  nine- 
teen kings  of  Ireland. 

The  occurrence  of  such  exagger- 
ations, as  those  here  noticed  by  the 
honest  Dr.  Keating,  and  other  similar 
and  less  poetic  ones,  with  which  he 
afterwards,  with  too  rigid  and  indiscri- 
minate regard  for  what  he  found  in  the 
writings  of  the  Shenachics,  should  not 


induce  a  thinking  mind  to  reject  the 
more  ancient  Irish  tradition  as  fabulous 
in  the  main  facts  it  hands  down.  Our 
ancient  history  would,  in  truth,  have  u 
much  more  suspicious  appearance  with- 
out them.  They  are,  perhaps,  remnants 
of  the  early  superstitions  of  the  heathen 
ancestors  of  the  Irish  nation,  modified 
so  as  to  be  less  repugnant  to  the  tradi- 
tions of  Christianity. 

"*  St.  Ruadan,  of  Lothair  (Lohir) 
or  Ruadhan  Lothra.  This  was  the  St. 
Ruadhan  who  laid  the  famous  curse 
upon  Tara  in  the  reign  of  Diarmaid, 
son  of  Fergus  Kerbeól,or  Dcrmod,  son 
of  Carroll.  After  Diarmaid,  wbodied 
A.D.  565,  there  reigned  no  king  at 
Tara,.  A  bard  has  recorded  the  circum- 
stance in  a  rann,  of  which  the  following 
is  a  translation  : — 

"  From  the  rolfrn  of  lirown  'Diamiald, 
Son  of  Feri;us,  fon  of  Korbi.ól, 
Kroin  Kuadan's ju(l<;mint  on  his  house, 
There  reigned  no  king  in  Tcmbalr." 

St.  Ruadan  was  abbot  of  Lohra,  in 
the  barony  of  Ormond  and  county  of 
Tippcrary.  From  these  and  similar 
talcs,  some  antiquarians  have  asserted 
that  the  Druids  believed  in  the  Me- 
tempsychosis, or  Transmigration  of 
Souls. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

SECTION  I. — OF   THE    FIRST   COLONIZATION*  OF   IRELAND   AFTER 

THE  DELUGE. 

The  first  possession  taken  of  Ireland  after  the  Deluge,  as  given 
by  some  of  our  antiquarians,  and  as  we  read  it  in  the  duan  or 
poem  that  begins  thus,  "  I  found  in  the  Psalter  of  Cashel,"  I  do 
not  consider  worthy  of  the  name  of  a  colonization,  because  no 
stay  was  made  in  the  island.  The  poem  recounts  the  fact  as 
follows : 

"  Adna,  son  of  Bith2  the  wise, 
A  warrior  sent  by  Nin  MacPeil,' 
First  came  our  Eri  to  explore 
And  pull*  the  grass  of  Fidh-Inis. 

Some  of  this  grass  he  bore  away, 
And  homeward  went  to  tell  his  tale. 
This  was  the  conquest,  full,  complete, 
Of  shortest  spell  that  Eri  knew." 

This  messenger  is  said  to  have  landed  in  Ireland  about  one 
hundred  and  fifty  years  after  the  Flood ;  but  as  he  made  no  stay 
in  the  country,  I  do  not  deem  that  his  expedition  ought  to  be 
considered  an  invasion  or  occupation.     Therefore,  I  am  of  opinion 

1  The  Gaelic  word  "  Gabhail"  (ga-  the  husband  of  the  famous  heroine  queen 

vauil),  literally  means  a  taking  pos-  Semiramis,  who  succeeded  him  on  the 

session  of  or  seizing ;  hence  it  comes  to  throne,  and  continued  his  conquests, 

signify  a  conquest,  &c.  The  empire  founded  by  Belus  flourished 

*  Kesair's    father    was    also   called  for  over  a  thousand  years.     The  pagan 

Bith.  Irish  worshipped  the  sun  under  the 

'  i.  e.  Ninus,  son  of  Belus.    Belus,  name  of  Bel  or  Belus.     Hence  comes 

by  some  supposed  to  be  the  same  as  BUtaini,  interpreted    Teini  Bheil,   or 

Nimrod,  was  the  founder  of  the  Assy-  Bel's  fire,  the  Irish  name  of  the  month 

rian  empire  (the  first  empire  known),  of  May.    Belus  was  also  worshipped  as 

about  2233  years  before   Christ,  and  a  god  by  the  Phoenicians,  Babylonians, 

immediately  after  the    dispersion   of  Greeks,  &c. 

mankind  from  before  Babel,  which  took  *  The  custom  of  pulling  a  tuft  of 

place  about  114  years  after  the  Deluge,  grass,  or  carrying  away  a  portion  of 

Ninus  extended  his  empire  over  the  the  soil,  is  still  one  of  the  usages  ob- 

whole  of  Western  Asia,  and,  perhaps,  served  in  taking  possession  of  lands 

over  a  great  part  of  Europe.     He  was  and  tenements  in  Ireland. 

[1181 


114  THE  HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 

that  the  invasion  by  Partholan,  may  be  more  appropriately  termed 
the  first  colonization  after  the  Deluge. 


SECTION  II. — THE   INVASION  OF  PARTHOLAN^  HERE,      A.  M.  1978. 

Ireland  remained  desert  for  three  hundred  years  after  the 
Flood,  -when  Partholan,  son  of  Sera,  son  of  Sru,  son  of  Esru,  son 
of  Framant,  son  of  Fathacta,  son  of  Magog,  son  of  Japhet,  came 
and  took  possession  of  it,  as  a  bard  has  handed  down : 

"  After  the  Flood  three  hundred  years, 
(A  tiilc  most  true  I  tell  you) 
All  virgin  Eri  desert  lay, 
Till  came  the  noble  Partholan." 

From  this  reckoning,  I  think  it  was  in  the  two-and-twentieth 
year  before  the  birth  of  Abraham,  that  l^artholan  arrived  in  Ire- 
land ;  that  is,  in  the  year  of  the  world  1978,  as  a  bard  again  tells 
us  in  the  following  verse : 

"  There  were  eight-and-seventy,  clearly  told, 
One  thousand  and  nine  hundred  years, 
From  the  days  of  Adam,  virtuous  and  fair, 
'J'o  the  birth  of  Abraham,  our  father." 

It  is  impossible  that  the  opinion  of  those  who  say,  that  Partho- 
lan landed  in  Ireland,  one  thousand  years  after  the  Deluge,  can  be 
correct,  while  they  allow  that  he  arrived  in  the  island  in  the  time 
of  Abraham ;  and,  when  we  find  that  Abraham  was  but  the 
eighth  in  descent  from  Shem,  son  of  Noah,  counting  Shem  him- 
self amongst  the  number.  For  it  is  very  improbable,  that  there 
should  have  been  no  more  than  seven  generations,  in  more  than 
a  thousand  years  after  the  Deluge:  hence,  I  deem  the  first 
opinion  truer  than  the  latter.  For  which  reason,  we  may  con- 
clude that  the  time  of  Partholan's  arrival  was  about  three  hun- 
dred years  after  tlic  Deluge.^ 

We  find  that  Partholan  had  set  out   from  Migdonia,'or  the 

'  The  modern  Irish  pronounce  this  Partholan's    invasion,  or    278    years 

name  Pawrholone.  after  the  Flood. 

*  Keating,  in  his  chronology,  follows        ^  Migdonia  was  a  maritime  country 

the  Hebrew  computation,  whiclv  makes  of  ancient  Macedonia,  now  part  of  Tur- 

but  1G5C  years  to  have  elapsed  from  key  in  Europe.     Jt  is  not  easy  to  tell 

the  Creation  to  the  Flood.     In  this  he  what  country  is  here  concealed  under 

follows  the  annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  and  this  Latinized  form  of  Grcig  Medhbnach 

several   Irish   historical    poems.     Tlie  (Graig  Mai/unagh).      It   may  simply 

jVjinals  of  the  Four  Masters,  taking  mean"  central,"  or  "middle  Greece,"  or 

the   Deluge  to  have  happened   A.AI.  it  may  mean  "  Moeonian  Greece."    It 

2242,  make  A.M.   2520  the  date   of  is  not  now  easy  evcu  to  tell  the  exact 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRET.AND.  115 

Middle  of  Greece,  steering  liis  course  through  the  Mediterranean 
Sea;^  that  he  sailed  towards  Sicily,  and  then,  having  left  Spain 
upon  his  right,  that  he  at  length  reached  Ireland.  He  had  been 
two  months  and  a  half  on  sea  before  he  got  into  port  at  Inber- 
Skeni,^  in  the  west  of  Munster,  on  the  fourteenth  day  of  the 
month  of  May,  as  the  bard,  records : 

"  On  the  fourteenth  day,  on  the  day  of  Mars,*" 
Their  gallant  ships  they  safely  moored 
In  the  clear  blue  waves  of  our  fair  land, 
In  the  harbor  of  Skeni  of  brightest  shields." 

The  crew,  that  landed  with  Partholan  in  Ireland,  was  composed 
of  his  wife,  Delgnaid,  and  his  three  sons,  Rudraide,  Slangi,  and 
Laiglinni,  with  the  wives"  of  the  latter  ;  and  these  were  accom- 
panied by  one  thousand  warriors.  It  is  so  that  Nennius  relates 
the  event,  and  thus  we  read  it  in  the  Psalter  of  Cashel. 

The  place  "where  Partholan  fixed  his  dwelling,  was  at  Inis- 
Saimer,^"  near  Erni,  a  place  which  was  so  called  from  Saimer,  the 
name  of  a  hound  that  belonged  to  Partholan,  who  killed  it  in  a 
fit  of  jealousy  towards  his  wife  Delgnaid,  who  had  been  guilty  of 
an  illicit  intrigue  with  one  of  her  own  slaves,  whose  name  was 
Todga.  "\Yhen  Partholan  had  rebuked  her  for  this  evil  deed,  the 
lady,  instead  of  striving  to  appease  him,  insisted  that  her  angry 
lord  deserved  more  blame  himself  for  the  disgraceful  act  than  she 
did.  "Think  you,  Partholan,"  said  she,  "that  one  may  leave 
honey  near  a  woman,  or  sweet  milk  near  a  child,  or  food  near  a 
generous  man,  or  fleshmeat  near  a  cat,  or  tools  and  instruments 
near  a  mechanic,  or  man  and  woman  in  a  desert  place,  and  that 
they  will  each  keep  clear  of  the  other?"  Here  follow  the  words 
of  the  lay  that  records  the  fact : 

"  Choice  honey  near  a  woman  leave ;  leave  sweet  milk  near  a  boy  ; 
To  generous  heart  leave  food  in  trust ;  trust  flesh  meat  to  a  cat ; 
Shut  up  the  cunning  artisan  in  shop  with  store  of  tools  ; 
Or  leave  a  young  pair  all  alone,  and  deem  you  run  no  risks." 

countries,  the  Gaels  vaguely  compre-  The  Tuscans  or  Etrurians  were  styled 

hended  under  the  terra   Greig.     Par-  "  MoeonidiE,"  1.  e.  Msonians. 

tholan  was  possibly  of  the  race  of  those  '  The  inver  or  estuary  of  >"  keni,  now 

early  colouizers,whom  the  West  of  Asia  the  bay  of  Kenmare,  al.  Inbher  Sceine, 

sent,  forth  in  the  heroic  ages,  and  who,  [Inver- Scainie). 

perhaps,  first  disseminaie'd  letters,  and  "   Tlie  Day  of  Mars,  in  Irish,  "  Dia 

commerce,  and  agriculture  throughout  Mairt,"   is   our   vernacular   name   for 

southern   Europe.    The  country  here  Tuesday. 

meant,    was   most   likely   the   ancient  "  The  vnves  of  Partholan's   three 

"  Mceonia,"  otherwise  "  Lydia,"  in  Asia  sons  here  named,  were  Nerba,  Kicliba 

Minor.  and   Kerbnad,   al.   Nerbha,  Ciochbha 

*  In  Gaelic,  3Iuir   Toirrian,  which  and  Cerbnad. 

Bome    translate   the  "  Tyrrhenian"  or  ^'  Inis  Saimer,  is  a  small  island  in  the 

Tuscan    Sea,  i.  e.    Mare  Tyrhenum.  river  Erne,  at  Ballyshaunoa. — O'D. 


116  THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 

When  Partliolan  lieard  this  impudent  retort,  he  seized  her 
favorite  hound,  and  (hashing  it  against  the  ground,  lie  killed  it. 
Thii  was  the  first  instance  of  jealousy  that  happened  in  Ireland 
after  the  Flood, 

Seventeen  years  after  Partholan  took  possession  of  Ireland,  the 
first  of  his  followers  died ;  he  was  named  Feda,  the  son  of  Tortan. 
It  is  from  him  that  Magh-Feda^^  {Moij-Fca)  has  received  its  name. 

The  reason  why  Partholan  had  migrated  to  Ireland  was,  be- 
cause he  previously  had  slain  his  own  father  and  mother,  hoping 
thus  to  have  been  able  to  usurp  the  government  from  his  brother. 
It  was  in  coiiSL^quence  of  these  parricidjs,  that  he  had  been  forced 
to  fly  to  Ireland;  but  God  sent  a  plague  upon  his  posterity  in 
veng  ance  thereof,, and  by  it  nine  thousand  of  them  were  killed  ' 
in  one  week  at  Benn-Edar  (the  Hill  of  Howth.) 

Soms  authors  reckon  another  colonization,  namely,  that  made 
by  KicaV*  son  of  Nil,  son  of  Garb,  son  of  Uadmor;  and  his 
mother  was  named  Lot  Luaimnech,  and  that  they  had  dwelt  irc^ 
Ireland  for  over  two  hundred  years,  living  by  fishing  and  by 
fowling.  Upon  Partholaii's  arrival  in  the  island,  these  previous 
possessors  gave  him  battle  on  the  plain  of  Magh-Itha.^^  Here 
their  chieftain  Kic  d  fell,  and  his  Fomorians^^  were  destroyed  by 
Partholan.  Irrus-Domnan"  was  the  place  where  Kical  and  his 
followers  had  landed.  His  fleet  consisted  of  six  ships,  each  of 
which  contained  fifty  men,  and  as  many  women,  as  the  bard 
recounts : 

'•  The  seventh  people,  that  possessed 
The  beauteous  Eri  of  hV^lx  plains, 
Cam3  with  curt  Kical,  the  short-logged, 
To  the  fair  fields  o'er  luber  Doinuan." 

^'  Ma'j^h  Fe'Uia  or  Fea  was  the  name        "  Fomorians.    Some  say  that"  Fom- 

of  a  plain  in  ihc  barony  of  Forth  and  arach"  means  simply  "pirate."    Others 

county  of  Carlow.  will  have  it,  that  the  Phoenicians  were 

'*  The  Anuals  of  the  Four  Masters  thepeopleto  whom  i  lie  term  wasapplicd, 

call  this  man  Cical  Gri:^enoos:ich,  son  while  others  again  think  that  the  Fomar- 

of  Goll,  sou  of  (iarbli  of  the  Fomaraigh,  aigh  came  from  the  regions  that  alter- 

and  tlioy  say  that  he  came  to  Ireland  a  wards  sent  forth  the  people  called  Nor- 

few  years  after  Partholan.     It  is,  how-  mans  and  Danas.  In  the  latter  case,  they 

ever,  more  probable  that   this   s'aort-  must  have   been    Finns   or  Laps,  who, 

legged  chief  of  a  people    "  living  by  psrhaps,  wore  the  predecessors  of  both 

fit'iing  and  fowling,"  lived  in  Ireland  Celts  and  Teutons  in  Western  Europe, 

before  Partholan,  as  Keating  and  the  for  in  those  times,  it  is  not  likely  that 

Leb'iar  Gabkala   tell    us.      There   are  there  were  any  Gothic,  or  Teutonic  na- 

traces  of  sach  a  people — a  people   of  tions  in  North-western  Europe.     It  is 

parhaps  Laponic   typ;,  in  Ireland,  and  remarkable  that  tin;  ^Vel-h,  (Jaelic  and 

they  it  was  that  probab'y  left  those  stone  Breton  rcsemhlc  the  Uralian  dialects  in 

implements  improperly  called  "  G.;lts."  one  or  two  imjiortant  points,  wherein 

*^  Mig'i-It'ia  is  the  nameofap'ain  all  three  f/Z^cr  from  their  kindred  I ndo 

in  the  barony  of  Raphoe,  along  the  river  I-Iuropean  tongues. 
Finn,  and   county  of  Donegal. — O'D.        "  Now  Erris,  in  west  Connaught 


THE   HISTORY  OF   IRELAND.  117 

"  Tliree  hundred  men  that  band  did  number, 
That  came  from  the  clime  of  Uadmor, 
But  short  their  sway  had  lasted, 
When  in  one  week  they  were  laid  low." 

Seven  lakes  burst  forty^  in  Ireland  in  tlie  days  of  Partholan, 
namely,  Loch-Mesc/^  in  Connaught,  which  overspread  Magh- 
Lergna;  Loch-Con,^  which  burst  forth  over  the  land  three  years 
after  the  battle  with  Kical,  and  Magh-Cro  was  the  name  of  the 
plain  it  overwhelmed ;  Loch-Dechet^^  burst  forth  twelve  years 
after  Partholan's  occupation  ;  and  one  year  after  that,  Slangi, 
the  fourth  chieftain  of  his  people,  died,  and  was  buried  on  Sliabh- 
Slangi.22  A  year  after  the  latter  event,  the  eruption  of  Loch- 
Laigiinni,^^  in  the  territory  of  Ui-Mac  Uais,  of  Breagh,  took  place. 
Laiglinni  was  the  fifth  of  the  nobles  that  had  come  over  with 
Partholan ;  and  it  was  when  they  were  digging  his  grave  that  tlie 
last  named  lake  sprang  forth ;  hence  they  called  it  Laiglinni's 
lake,  or  Loch  Laiglinni.  Next  year  Loch-Ectra^  broke  out, 
between  Sliabh-Modurn^^  and  Sliabh-Fuaid,^  in  Orgiall;  after 
this  Loch-Rudraidt^^  burst  forth,  and  in  it  Rudraide,  the  chieftain 
from  whom  it  was  called,  was  drowned ;  in  the  same  year  hap- 
pened the  eruption  of  Loch-Caan.^^  Partholan,  upon  arriving  in 
Ireland,  found  but  three  lakes  and  nine  rivers  therein.  The 
lakes  were  Loch-Luinmigh,^^  in  Des-Mumha,  or  Desmond ;  Loch- 
Foirdemairi,^"  near  Traigh-Li  (Tralee),  in  Munster,  and  Finloch- 
Kera,^^  in  Irrus-Domnan,  in  Connaught,  of  which  the  bard  says: 

"  Three  wide  and  wondrous  lakes, 
And  nine  delightful  rivers, 

^'  Burst  forth,  •'  Do  Bhrúcht,"is  the  -'  Loch  Laiglinni  is  not  known.  Ui 
word  used  by  our  ancient  chroniclers.  Mac  Uais  Breagh  is  a  district  in  East- 
Most  modern  Irish  antiquaries  under-  meath.  — O'D. 

stand  the    phrase   to  be   a   figurative  -^  -^  ^^  Loch   Ectra.     Dr.   O'Dono- 

mei  hod  of  expressing  the  discovery  of  van  says  that  there  is  no  remarkable 

these  lakes,  by  the  exploring  colonists,  lake    between    those    mountains     but 

To  suppose  anything  else  would  lead  Loch    Mucnamha,  near    Castleblaney. 

one  back  to  those  fabled  times  of  classic  Sliabh  Modurn  [Mourne).    It  is  in  the 

legend,  when,   as    poets    sang,   Sicily  barony   of    Cremouriie,    county   Mon- 

was   torn  from  Italy,  and  some  great  aghan.       Sliabh     Fuaid,    is    situated 

Atlantis  sank  beneath  the  ocean.  near  Newtown,  Hamilton  couniy,  Ar- 

1'  Now    Lough  Mask,  a  large  and  magh. 

beautiful  lake  in  the  county  Mayo.-0"D.  "  Loch  Rudraide.     The   mouth   of 

■°  Loch   Con   is    in   the   barony  of  the  river  Erne,  county  Donegal,  was  so 

Tirawley  and  county  of  Mayo. — 0"'D.  called.— O'D. 

*i  Loch    Dechet   or    Techet    is    now  -^  Loch    Cuan,  now  called   Strang 

Lough  Gara,  between  the  counties  Ros-  ford  Lough,  county  Down  — O'D. 

common  and  Sligo. — O'D.  ^'  ^"  ^^  Loch  Luimnigh  was  Limerick 

^*  Sliabfi-Slan<r]    was    the    ancient  harljor,  Loch  Foirdemain,  Tralee  bay, 

name  of  Sliabh  Domhamghairt  {Slieve  and  Fmnloch  Kera,  Lough  Carra,  in 

Dowangart) ,  now  Slieve  Douard. — O'D.  Mayo. — O'D. 


118  THE   HISTORY   OF  IRELAND. 

Loch-Fordremain,  Loch-Luimnigh 
And  Finnloch,  close  by  Irrus." 

The  following  are  the  nine  rivers,  namely,  the  Buas  (now  the 
Bush),  between  Dal-Araide^  and  Dal-Riada,^  or  Ruta ;  the  J5erba 
(now  Barrow) ;  the  Eurthach,  or  Liii  (now  Liftey),  between  the 
XJi-Neill  and  the  people  of  Leinster;  the  Laei  (now  Lee),  in 
Munster,  running  through  Muscraide  (now  Muskerr}')  to  Cork ; 
the  Sligech  (now  Sligo),  Saimer  (otherwise  the  Erna),  and 
Muaidh  (now  JMoy),  in  Connaught,  in  the  territory  of  the  nor- 
thern Ui-Fiachrach  (Ee-Feeghragh) ;  the  Modurn  or  Mournc,  in 
Tirone,  and  the  Bann  between  Lee  and  Eli,  as  the  bard  informs 
us  in  the  duan,  which  begins,  "  Adam,  parent  source  of  hosts:" 

"  The  Laei,  Buas,  Banna,  the  stronj^  Berba, 
The  Saimer,  Sligech,  Modurn,  Muaidh, 
And  Liii,  in  Laighen,  likewise — 
These  are  the  eider  rivers." 

About  four  years  after  the  eruption  of  Murthol,^  Partholan 
died,  in  the  old  plain  of  Magh-n-Elta  of  Edar,  and  there  he  was 
buried.  The  reason  why  it  is  called  the  Old  Plain,  i.  e.  Sen-Magh, 
is  because  no  wood  ever  grew  upon  it,  and  the  reason  why  it  is 
called  Magh-n-Elta,  i.e.,  "the  plain  of  the  flocks,"  (i.e.,  e/to,)  is 
because  that  was  the  place  where  the  fowl  of  Eri  used  to  come 
to  bask  in  the  sun, 

Partholan  died  about  thirty  years  after  his  occupation  of  Ire- 
land. Some  of  our  antiquarians  will  have  it  that  event  happened 
in  the  year  of  the  world  2628,  but  I  judge  from  what  1  have 
shown  above,  that  there  were  only  1986  from  the  Creation  of  the 
world  to  the  death  of  Partholan.  There  arc  others,  again,  that 
say,  that  only  twenty  years  intervened  between  the  death  of 
Partholan  and  the  destruction  of  his  people  by  the  plague ;  but, 
the  general  opinion  is  against  them ;  for  it  says  that  Ireland 
remained  desert,  but  thirty  years  after  that  catastrophe,  until 
Nemedh  came  to  take  possession  of  it :  as  the  poet  relates  in  the 
following  verse: 

"  During  tliirty  years,  full  told 
It  lay  deííolatc,  without  warriors  brave, 
"When  all  its  hosts  died  in  one  week 
In  flocks  upon  Mugh-n-Elta." 

We  are  told  by  the  holy  Cormac  Mac  Culinain,  that  there 

'^  "  Dal  Araklhe  {Daut    Arree)  was  Masters  call  this  "  IMurthol  Brcna,"  or 

co-cxtensive  with  the   present  county  "  the  Inundation  of  Brcna."  Brena  ap- 

Down,  and  Dal-Riada  with  the  county  pears,  it  would  spcm,  to  have  been  an 

Antrim.  old    name  for  the  i)rcseiit  Strangford 

'•*  Murthol.    The  Annals  of  the  Four  liough 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  119 

were  three  hundred  years  from  the  coming  of  Partholan  to  the 
destruction  of  his  people,  and  this  account  is  confirmed  by  the 
bard  Eocaidh  O'Floinn  {G'Flinn)^  where  he  says: 

"  Three  hundred  years,  we  know  well, 
Over  those  lovely,  fertile  fields. 
Ruled  that  polished,  prudent  race. 
In  Eri,  the  ancient  and  the  august." 

It  must  also  be  seen,  from  all  we  have  said,  that  those  are  not 
to  be  believed  either,  who  say  that  more  than  five  hundred  years 
intervened  between  the  death  of  Partholan  and  the  destruction 
of  his  people  by  the  plague ;  neither  are  we  to  suppose,  that  ailer 
the  country's  having  been  inhabited,  as  they  assert,  for  above 
five  hundred  years,  the  number  of  its  people  could  amount  to  no 
more  than  five  thousand  men  and  four  thousand  women. 

The  following  was  the  division  made  of  Ireland  by  the  four 
sons  of  Partholan,  Er,  Orba,  Ferann  and  Fergna,  chieftains  that 
had  four  namesakes^  amongst  the  descendants  of  Miledh ;  here, 
then,  is  their  division,  as  recorded  by  Eocaidh  O'Floinn,^  Ard- 
Ollamh  re  Filided^  or  Arch-Poet  of  Ireland. 

"  FOUU  gallant  sons  of  warlike  deeds, 
Four  princely  sons  had  Partholan, 
"Who  shared  between  them,  uncontrolled 
And  without  grudge,  the  lands  of  Eri."  ^' 

'^  These  namesakes  were  the  four  raeut.  2d.  Inheritance  of  property, 
sons  of  Eber  Finn,  son  of  Miledh,  who  3d.  Distinct  apportionment  of  land, 
ruled  Ireland  conjointly  from  A.  D.  4th.  Seniority  or  chieftainship,  i.  e. 
2755  to  A.  D.  2756.  The  names  are,  distinction  of  rank. 
apparently,  allegorical  in  both  in-  ^^  The  celebrated  chief-poet,  Eocaidh 
stances,  and  refer  to  the  arts  and  in-  O'Floinn,  flourished  in  the  10th  cen- 
stitutions  established  in  Ireland  during  tury.  Many  of  his  compositions  re- 
its  occupation  by  the  Partholaniaus  and  main.  The  post  of  "  Ard-ollamh  re 
Eberians,  the  memory  of  which  has  been  Filidecht,"  [Ard-Ollavre  fillceght),  i.  e. 
thus  enigmatically  and  succinctly  pre-  chief-doctorship  of  poetry,  was  one  of 
served  in  Druidic  rann.  I  here  give  the  the  earliest  regular  institutions  of  the 
meanings  of  these  four  words,  from  0'-  Gaels. 

Reilly's  Irish  Dictionary,  viz.  :l."Er"  or        "  This  division    has    been    before 

"Ear,"  sub.  head,  adj.,  great ;  2.  "Orba,"  given,  and  the  modern  names   of  the 

suh.  inheritance,  land  patrimony;  see  al-  boundary  points  shown,  viz.  :  1st,  from 

so"Forba"and"Forbadh,"id.;  3.  "Fe-  Ailech  or  Ellagh,  near  Derry,  on  the 

rami"  or  "  Fearann,"  land,  a  farm,  i.  e.  a  north  coast,  to  Ath-Cliath  or  Dublin  ; 

distinct  portion  of  land.     4.  "Fergna,"  2d,  from  Dublin  to  Ard-Nemidh,  i.  e. 

chieftainship,  seniority,  and  "  Ergna,"  the  hill   over  the   Cove  of  Cork,  on 

lohich  is  tfie  same  word  without  the  dig-  Great-Island  ;    3d,  to   Medraide,  i.  e. 

awjTOii,  knowledge.     The  allegory  then  Clarin's    Bridge,   near    Galway,    and 

might  mean,  that  these  sons,  born  to  thence  again  to  Ailcch.     It  is  to  be  re- 

Partholan,   in  Ireland,  were   the  laws  marked  that  no  internal  boundaries  are 

and  customs   he   established   amongst  laid  down.     'J'he  interior  was  still  ap- 

the  hunters  and  fishers,  he  found  dwell-  parently  unknown,  the  Partholaniaus 

Ing  in  it,  viz. :   1st.  Head,  i.  e.,  govern-  occupying  but  the  coasts. 


120  THE  HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 

Their  division  was  not  hard  for  these — 
The  isle  of  Ya-'i,  an  unljroken  forest — 
Few  then  the  dwellers  in  each  hs,^ 
Each  man  well  knew  his  proper  share. 

Er,  the  eldest,  bright  was  his  happiness, 
Pleasant  his  share,  long  held  in  peace — 
From  Ailech-Neid,  land  without  deceit, 
To  the  rich  Ath-Cliath  of  Laighen. 

From  Ath-Cliath  Laighen,  Leap""  of  Ler, 
To  the  tall  isle  of  Ard-Nemidh, 
A  fair,  rich  soil  was  Orbas  share — 
Free  fi"om  strife — strong  was  his  rule. 

From  the  ford  where  Nemedh  met  his  death, 

To  Medraide  of  wide  territories, 

A  fair  and  faultless  tract, 

Was  the  large  domain  of  Ferann. 

Long  is  the  tract  from  far  Medraide 
To  Ailech-Neid  of  customs  good, 
A  powerful  lordship,  of  fearless  sway, 
This  plenteous  land  I'ell  to  Fergna. 

On  Eri's  soil  (no  tale  of  falsehood  this) 
Were  born  these  champions  named. 
A  noble  race  of  endless  fame — 
Gentle  as  -warlike  were  the  FOUR." 

Here  follow  tlie  names  of  Partholan's  husbandmen,  Tothact, 
Tarba,  Tren,  Imhas,  Ciil,  Dorcha  and  Damh.^"  Ilis  four  oxen 
were  Liag,  Leg-magh,  Imari  and  Etlirighe.  Beor  was  the  name 
of  the  first  person  that  received  people  at  free  hospitality,  or 
entertainment,  in  Ireland.     Breoga,  son  of  Senboth,  Avas  the  first 


"*  Lis  or  llos,  gen.  lesa,  is  the  most  ■*"  These  names  of  Partholan's  hus- 
osual  name  for  those  circular  earthen  bandnien,  &c.,  tend  to  confirm  one,  as 
forts,  one  or  two,  and  sometimes  three  to  the  allegorical  nature  of  the  names 
of  which  are  to  be  found,  still  to  be  of  his  followers.  They  are  most  of 
traced  in  almost  every  Baili  or  town-  them  ordinary  Gaelic  words,  and  ex- 
land  in  Ireland.  pressive  of  certain  appropriate  attri- 

^*  In  the  original,  Lcim  Lir.    Ilalli-  butes,  viz. :  amongst  those  husbandmen, 

day  translates  these  words,  "  great  the  Tothacht,    i.   c.    "digging;"     Turbha, 

coast."      We    cannot    find    that    the  i.  e.,  "  profit ;"  Tnn,  i.  e.  "  strength," 

words   could   bear   that   construction.  &c.  Amongst  the  o,\en  are  Leg-ni'nigk, 

Besides,  Ler's  Leap  might  have  been  as  i.  c.,   "lay   the    field;"    Imari,   i.    e. 

appropriately  applied  to  the  mf)uth  of  "ridge  ;"  and  El/ir/glie,  i.  e.  "  furrow." 

the  Liffey,  as  "  Lcim  Choncullainn"  or  The  names  of  his  three  Druids,  signify 

Cuchullainn's  Leap,    to    that   of   the  kowledge,   informition,   and    inquiry. 

Shannon.     We  shall  meet,  further  on.  The  names  of  his  merchants,  "  Bibal " 

with  a    celebrated    personage    called  and  "liebal,"  would  seem  to  point  to  the 

Manannan,  sou  of  Ler.  East,  where  he  traded. 


THE  HISTORY   OF   IRELAND 


121 


man,  that  first  introduced  single  combat  into  Ireland.  Samaliliath 
was  the  first  to  introduce  the  drinking  of  ale.  Fios,  Eolas  and 
Fochmart  were  Partholan's  three  druids;^^  Mucha,  Meran  and 
Muncnican  were  his  three  champions  ;  Bibal  and  Bebal  were  his 
two  merchants  :  he  had  ten  daughters  and  ten  sons-in-law. 


*^  Draeidh,  (Dhrec),  is  the  Gaelic 
form  of  the  word  "  Druid."  The 
pagan  priests  of  the  Celtic  nations 
were  thus  designated.  The  term  is 
generally  derived  from  some  word  kin- 
dred to  the  Greek  dpv^,and  Irish  "dair," 
"  an  oak  tree,"  from  their  usually  per- 
forming their  rites  in  sacred  groves  of 
that  tree.     It  is,  however,   more  ap- 

{)ropriately  derived  I'rom  some  word 
ike  dpaw  "  to  make ;"  thus  notrjrrjg 
a  "  poet,"  from  rcoieu) "  to  make,"  for  the 


word  meant  "  prophet,"  "  poet,"  and 
"  sage,"  as  well  as  "  priest."  Thus,  its 
relation  to  drecht  (draijaght),  an  old 
Irish  name  for  "  poesy,"  would  be  the 
same  exactly  as  that  between  Troirijxa 
and  noi?]ri]g.  Drecht,  seems  a  con- 
tracted form  of  draeid  edit  [dreeagkt,) 
i.e.  "  druidism."  This  latter  deriva- 
tion we  have  observed  to  be  the  con- 
jecture of  some  learned  continental 
philologists.  It  seems  the  more 
likely. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


OF  THE  SECOND  COLONIZATION  OF  IRELAND,  I.E.,  THE  CONQUEST 
BY  THE  SONS  OF  NEMEDH,  OR  THE  NEMEDIANS,  AND  OF 
THEIR   BATTLES   DOWN    HERE. 


Ireland  remained  waste  for  the  space  of  thirty  years  after 
the  extinction^  of  the  race  of  Pai'tholan,  until  Nemedh,  son  of 
Agnaman,  son  of  Pamp,  son  of  Tath,  son  of  Sera,  son  of  Sru, 
son  of  Esru,  son  of  Framant,  son  of  Fathacta,  son  of  Magog, 
son  of  Japhet  came  and  settled  therein.  It  is  to  be  remarked 
that  all  those  that  formerly  invaded  Ireland,  are  of  the  posterity 
of  Magog,^  except  Kesair  alone,  if  it  be  indeed  true  that  that 


^  Partholan  and  his  people  died  at 
"  Tamlact  Muiutiri  Partholain,"  now 
Tallaght,  within  three  miles  of  Dublin. 

It  is  not  very  likely  that  all  the 
Partholanians  could  have  been  destroy- 
ed. We  must  rather  understand  the 
fact  here  recorded,  to  mean  that  the 
plague  had  so  weakened  them,  that 
their  Fomorian  or  Aboriginal  enemies 
had  subdued  or  banished  these  early 
civilizers. 

*  This,  though  the  common  opinion 
of  our  Shenachies,  is  most  improbable. 


In  fact  the  old  names  of  the  country 
and  its  rivers  and  mountains,  go  far  to 
disprove  the  similarity  of  origin  and 
language  here  asserted .  The  preserva- 
tion of  their  genealogies  was,  it  is  true, 
an  essential  institution  of  the  Gaelic  pol- 
ity— ^in  fact,  the  man  or  tribe  whose  pedi- 
gree was  forgotten,  lost  his  or  its  liberty 
thereby — but  the  Gaelic  Shenachies, 
had  no  interest  in  handing  down  the 
pedigrees  of  the  earlier  tribes.  We 
shall  even  see  them  hereafter  making 
laws  to  prevent  any  such  transmission. 


122  THE  HISTORY  OF  IRELAND. 

heroine  ever  occupied  the  island.  It  is  at  Sru,  son  of  Esru,  that 
the  genealogies  of  Nemedh  and  Partholan  separate;  and  at  Sera 
that  the  generations  of  the  Fir-Bolgs,  Tuatha-De-Dananns  and 
the  sons  of  Aliledh  or  Milesians  diverge  fi'om  one  another.  All 
these  nations  spoke  the  "  Scot-Berla"  or  Scottish  tongue.  This 
is  evident  from  the  fact  that  wiicn  Ith,  son  of  Breogan,  came  to 
Ireland,  he  communicated  with  the  Tuatha-De-Dananns  in  that 
tongue,  and  through  it  both  he  and  they  found  out,  that  thcj 
were  each  of  them  of  the  posterity  of  Mngog.  Some  assort,  that 
Nemedh  was  descended  fiom  AcUa,  a  sou  whom  Partholan  had 
left  behind  him  in  the  East. 

The  course^  Nemedh  took  in  his  voyage  to  Ireland  from  Scy- 
thia,  was  through  that  narrow  sea  that  comes  in  from  the  ocean, 
which  narrow  sea  is  called  the  "  Mare  Euxinum"  (i.  e.  the  Uuxine, 
now  the  Black  Sea).^  It  is  the  boundaiy  between  the  north-west 
part  of  Asia  and  the  north-east  part  of  Europe ;  the  Kiphean 
( Ural)  Mountains  are  also,  according  to  Pomponius  J\iela,  on  the 
north-west  boundary  of  Asia,  between  the  sea  just  mentioned 
and  the  Northern  Ocean.  He  left  the  Ri])hean  Mountains  on 
his  right,  until  he  got  into  the  North  sea,  and  tlien  he  left  Europe 
on  his  left,  until  he  reached  Ireland.^  The  following  was  the 
strength  of  his  fleet  and  the  number  of  his  host,  to  wit,  thirty- 
four  ships,  with  a  crew  of  thirty  in  each  ship.  The  leaders  of 
these  were  Nemedh  and  his  four  sons,  Starn,  larbanel  the  Pro- 
phet, Anind  and  Fergus  Leth-dcrg  (Fergus  of  the  Red  Side).^ 

Four  lakes  burst  forth  in  Ireland  in  INemedh's  time.  These  are 
Loch-Brenannon,^  Magh-Asail,  in  Ui  Niallain  ;  Loch  JMunrcmar,* 

'  The  conrse  here  vaguely  pointed  of   the  voyage,  however,  might  have 

out,  was  the  one  that  might  have  been  been  performed  in  boats,  up  the  Volga 

taken  by  the   Ciinbri  or  Kimri,  i.  e.  or  the  Don.    The  error  of  a  single  word 

the   Northern  Celts,  if,  as  some   anti-  or  a  few  words,  would  liavc  caused  the 

quaries  suppose,  these  were  descendants  mistake.  The  main  facts,  as  to  the  tra- 

of  the  Cinimerii  of  the  Palus  Mceotis,  ditionary  account  of  Nemedh's  migra- 

now  the  Sea  of  Asoph.     The  name  of  tions,  can  scarcely  be  impu<;-ned  thereby, 

the  Cimmerii,  is  still  faintly  preserved  Dr.  Keating  was  so  rigid  a  respecter 

in  that  of  the  "  Crimfa."  of  antiquity  that  he  neglected  to  look 

*  The  Euxine  or  Black  Sea  is  here  at  his  map.     AVith  the  exception  of 

obviously  confounded  with  the  Baltic;  the  sail  by  the  Riphean  mountains,  the 

that  is,  the  point  from  which  the  Nemo-  description  of  the  migration  is  exactly 

dians  first  started  toward.s  the  North,  what  might  be  oxjiected.     The  Scan- 

with   that   whence    they   sailed    from  dinavians,    and    other    nations,    must 

directly  for  Ireland.    The  Euxine  has  have  traced  nearly  the  same  route  in 

no    direct    communication    with    the  after  times. 

ocean,  but  the  Baltic  has,  and  agrees        *  Medu,  Macha,  Yba,   and   Kera, 

fully  with  thi,?  description.  w^ere  the  wives  of  these  chieftains. — 

*  The  Gaelic  Bards  were  certainly  Four  Masters. 
no  geographers,  or  they  would  not  have        ">  Lock   Brcnnnn,  appears   to  have 

made  this  colony  .5az7  over  land  from  the  been  another  name  for  Loch  Cal,  now 

piramcrian  to  the  Cimbric  Peninsula,  Lough  Gall,   in  the   barony  of  West 

i.  e.,  from  Crimea  to  Denmark.     Part  Oueilland,  in  the  county  of  Armagh, 


THE    KISTOUY    OF    IRELAND.  123 

on  ]\ragh-sola ;  and,  ten  years  after  the  landing  of  Nemedli,  Locb.- 
Darbrjch^  sprang  forth,  and  also  Loch  Anind,  over  Magh-Mor,  in 
Meath ;  Loch- Anind  was  thus  called,  for  it  burst  ft)rth  over  the 
land  when  they  were  digging  the  grave  of  Anind.  It  was  of 
these  lakes  that  the  bard  sang  the  following  rami : 

"  Four  lakes  of  waters  wide 
Burst  over  the  great  Fodia — 
Loch-Darbrech,  Locli-Brenann,  fair 
Loch-Muureruar,  Loch- Anind."" 

The  wife  of  Nemcdh  died  in  Ireland,  in  the  twelfth  ^^ear  after 
her  arrival  in  the  conntiy,  and  previous  to  the  death  of  Anind, 
son  of  Nemedh.  Macha  was  this  lady's  name ;  and  she  was  the 
first  that  had  died  since  the  landing  of  Nemedh's  colony  therein. 
It  is  from  her  that  Ard-Macha  (i.  e.  Madia's  height,  now  Armagh) 
has  its  name. 

Nemedh  built  two  royal  raihs  (i.  e.  forts)  in  Ireland,  namely,  Eath 
Kinneich,^^  in  the  Ui  Niallain,  and  Eath  Kimbaeith,^^  in  Semni. 
It  was  the  four  sons  of  Madan  Munremar,  of  the  Fomorians,^^  that 
built  Eath  Kinneich  in  one  day ;  their  names  were  Bog,  Eobog, 
Eubni  and  Eodan.  Nemedh  slew  them  the  next  morning  in 
Doiri  Lighe,^*  lest  they  should  take  it  into  their  heads  to  pull 
down  the  rath  again,  and  he  buried  them  where  they  fell. 

Nemedh  cleared  twelve  plains  of  wood  while  in  Ireland  ;  here 
follow  their  names:  Magh-Kera,^»  Magh-Nera,^"^  Magh-Culi- 
Toladh,"  ]\fagh-Luirg,^®in  Connaught;  Magh-Tochair,  in  Tyrone; 
Lec-Magh,^^  in  Munster;  Magh-Bresaj^"  in  Leinster ;  Magh-Lu- 
gaidh,2i  in  Ui  Tuirtri;^^  Magh-Seridh,^^  in  Tebtha  (Tefifa);  Magh- 

or  it  may    be  the  Fretum  Brenneso,  Li,"  now.      It  was  very  probably  in 

otherwise  Loch  Cuan,  now  Strangford  the  territory  of  the  Fir  Lii,  on    the 

Lake,  whose  eruption  has  already  been  River  Bann. — O'D. 

recorded.— O'D.  "  Magh-Kera,    i.  e.    the  Plain  of 

*    Loch  Munremar    is   now   called  Kera,  in  the    barony  of   Carra,  and 

Lough  Ramor,   near  Virginia,  in   the  county  of  Mayo. — O'D. 

county  of  Cavan. — O'D.  i^  Magh-Nera,  unknown  to  editor. 

»  -Loc/i  Dari)rcc/i— now  Lough  Derry-  "  Magh-Cuh-Toladh,  [Moyculli-To- 

varagh,  a  large  and  beautiful  lake,  near  la,)  a    plain    in    the   barony   of  Kil- 

Castlepol!ard,county  AVestmeath.-0'D.  maine,  and  county  of  Mayo. — O'D. 

^"  Loch  Anind — ^now  Lough  Ennell,  ^*  Magh-Luirg,    now    Moylurg,  in 

near  Mullingur.— O'D.  the  county  of  Roscommon. — O'D. 

^^  Rath  Kinneich,  or   Cinneich,  un-  *^  Lec-Magh,  unknown  to  editor. 

known.— O'D.  ^"  Magh-Bresa.     The  Four  Masters 

"  Rath  Kimhaeith,  the  name  is  now  have  it  Magh-Brensa.     Not  known  to 

obsolete.     MaghSerahni  (Mo// SAeyn?),  editor. 

was  in  the  county  of  Antrim.     Rinn  ^i  Magh-Lugaidh  {3Ioij  Looee),  i.  e. 

Semni    {Reen    SIlcvui),   was    the    old  the  Plain  of  Lugaidh,  a  district  round 

name  of  Island-Magee. — O'D.  Lough  Neagh. — O'D. 

15  This  would  show  that  the  Fomo-  "  The   Ui  Tuirtri,  who  gave  their 

rians  inhabited  the  country  still.  name  to  this  district,  were  descended 

"  Loiri  Lighe,  i.  e.  "the  oak  wood  of  from    Fiacra  Tort,  the  grandson  of 


124  THE   HISTORY  OF   IRELAND. 

Semni,^  in  Dal-Araide,  Antrim;  Magh-Murthemni,-^  in  Breágli; 
and  Magh-Madia,^  in  Orghiall. 

Nemedh  defeated  the  Fomorians  in  three  battles.  These  peo- 
ple were  mariners  of  the  race  of  Cham,  who,  sailing  from  Africa, 
fled  to  the  islands  of  the  west  of  Europe,  in  order  to  make  settle- 
ments for  themselves  therein,  and  thus  avoid  the  descendants  of 
Shem ;  for  thej  feared  lest  the  latter  should  enslave  them,  in 
consequence  of  tlie  curse  pronounced  by  Noah  against  their  })ro- 
genitor,  Cham,  In  this  manner  they  imagined  that,  by  making 
their  settlements  in  far  distant  lands,  they  might  be  allowed  to 
live  in  security,  remote  from  the  oppression  of  the  children 
of  Shem.  For  this  reason  did  they  come  to  Ireland,  where  they 
were  routed  by  Nemedh  in  the  three  battles,  as  above  stated, 
namely:  in  the  battle  of  Sliabh-Bladma  (now  Slieve  Bloom,  in 
Leinster) ;  and  the  battle  of  Jios-Fraechain,^^  in  Connaught,  wherein 
fell  Gann  and  Gennan,  two  Fomorian  chieftains ;  and  in  the  bat- 
tle of  Murbolg,  in  Dal-Eiada,  or  the  Euta.  In  the  latter  conflict, 
Starn,  son  of  Nemedh,  fell  by  the  hand  of  Conaing,  son  of  Fael  ar, 
at  Lethed-lact-Moighe  {Leliid-hujld-Moy).  A  battle  was,  also, 
fought  between  theni  at  Cnamh-Ros,^  where  there  was  a  great 
slaughter  of  the  Irish,  who  were  led  on  by  Arthur,  a  son  of  Nemedh, 
who  had  been  born  to  him  in  Ireland,  and  by  Ibcan,  son  of  Starn, 
son  of  Nemedh. 

After  this  Nemedh  died  of  a  plague,  at  the  island  of  Ard- 
Nemidh,^  in  Ui  Liathain,^''  in  Munster,  which  is  now  called 
Barrymore  Island.  AVith  him  there  perished  two  thousand  of 
his  people,  men  and  women. 

After  the  death  of  Nemedh,  his  children  and  people  had  to 
endure  great  tyranny  and  o})pression  in  Ireland  from  the  Fomor- 
ians, in  vengeance  for  those  battles  mentioned  above,  where  the 
latter  had  been  routed  by  Nemedh. 

Kin<^   Colla  Uais.      The   word   ''ui,"  "wood  of  the  bones,"  probably   Cam- 
pronounced   "ee,"  means  "grandsons"  ross,  county  Carlow. — U'D. 
or '•  descendants  ;"  it  is  the  nominative  -'  "  Uilean  Anla  Ncnicdii'  {Illawn- 
plural  of  "  0,"  the  common  prefix  of  íirf/«-jiei!j;/í'),i.e.  the  Island  of  Kcmedh'a 
Irish  surnames.  Ileiffht,  was  the  old  name  of  (ireat  Is- 

•^  Ma<rh-Hiiri(lh,  said  to  be  Kenan-  land  in  Cork  IIarl)or,  upon  which  the 

nus,  now  Kells,  between  -the  two  Tef  town  of  Cove  stand«. 

fias,  in  Mcath. — O'D.  =°   Vi  LiaÚmin,  [Ee  Lcchauin),  was 

"  See  note  on  Ruth  Ktmhaeilh.  OTA'han's  country.      The   Irish    Sc^t 

'^  Ma^li-Murthcmni      [Motj      Mm  from  wliom    the   district   received    its 

hevni),  was  in  Louth.  minie,  arc  now  universally  csillcd  Lyons. 

"*  Magh-Macha,  i.  e.  the  "  Plain  of  They  are   still  numerous   round    their 

Macha,"  was  near  Arnia^iJi.  ancient  tribe-land.     Their  country  was 

*''  Rus-Fraecliajn,  is  now  called  Ros-  afterwards    called     I'arrjnnore,     from 

reahan,  in  the  barony  of  Murresk,  and  the  family  of  the  Norman  De  Harries, 

county  of  Mayo. — O'D.  who    conquered    and  possessed    it  in 

'^   Cnamh-Ilus  [Cnaw  Rcsst),  i.  e.  the  after  times. 


THE   HISTORY   OF    IRELAND.  125 

Conaing,  son  of  Faebar,  from  whom  is  called  Tor-Conaing,^*  off 
the  northern  coast  of  Ireland,  and  w.ho  ke^^t  a  fleet  and  resided  at 
Tor-Conaing,  now  Tor-Inis,  or  Tory  Island,  with  More,  the  son 
of  Dela,  exacted  the  tribute  of  Ireland  from  the  Nemedians. 
The  amount  of  this  tribute  was  two-thirds  of  their  children,  corn, 
and  cattle,  winch  had  to  hd  presented  to  those  two  chieftains 
every  year,  on  the  eve  of  Samhain*^  (All-hallows),  upon  the  field 
of  Magh-Kedni,^^  between  Drobaeis  (Bundrowes)  and  Erni,  The 
place  received  the  name  of  Magh-Kedni,  from  the  frequent  usage 
of  paying  that  tribute  thereon.  The  Fomorians  imposed  still 
another  tyrannical  exaction  on  the  children  of  Nemedli,  namely, 
three  measures^  of  cream,^  flour  and  butter,  which  were  to  be 
sent  from  every  hearth  to  More  and  Conaing,  at  Tor-Inis;  and 
this  tax  was  levied  throughout  Ireland  by  a  female  steward, 
named  Liag;  in  testimony  whereof,  a  bard  has  spoken  this  verse  : 

"  The  tax  they  then  laid  on 
Was  three  well-filled  measures — 
A  measure  of  cream  from  richest  milk, 
A  measure  of  the  flour  of  wheat. 
The  third  tax,  not  great,  we  deem. 
Was  a  measure  of  mellow  butter." 

At  length,  anger  and  impatience  seized  the  men  of  Eri,  by  rea- 
son of  tliat  tribute  and  taxation,  and  they  rose  up  to  give  battle 

'^   Tor-Conaing,  or  Conaing's  Tower,  the  famous  Druidic  fire,  whence  all  the 

was  situated  on  Tory  Island,   off  the  hearths  io  Ireland  were  to  be  lighted, 

north-west  coast  of  Donegal.     A  long  was  kindled  at  Tlactga,  now  Athboy, 

account  of  its  destruction,  is  given  in  in  the  Munster  portion  of  Meath.     It 

the  Booli  of  Invasions,  i.  e.  the  "  Leb-  was  the  custom  to  extinguish  all  the 

bar  Gabhala."  private  hearths  in  the  island,  on  the 

^^  Samhain,  now  pronounced  Savwin  night  previous.     The  customs  still  ob- 

and  Sowin,  is  the  old  Irish  name  for  served  on  Hallow-Eve  are  remnants  of 

the  first  of  November.     It  is  fancifully  the  ceremonies  anciently  practiced  in 

derived  by  our  bardic  etymologists  from  honor  of  the  Rest  of  Samh. 

the  words "  Samh-Shuan  "  (Sav-hooan)  ^'  Magh-Kedni  lay  on   the   borders 

i.  e.  the  rest  of  Samh,  or  the  Sun  ;  or  of  the  present  counties  of  Donegal  and 

from  "  Samh-Fuin,"  (Savvin)  i.  e.  the  Fermanagh,  between  Lough  Erne  and 

end  of  Samh  ;  for  then  the  "  Samhradh,"  the  sea  at  Bundrowes.     The  derivation 

(iSfjwra/i  and  Sai'ra/i,)  one  of  two  great  here    hinted    at,    from    "  cedna  "    the 

divisions  into  which    the  pagan  Irish  same,  is  extremely  forced, 

divided  their  year,  end^d.     This  divi-  ^*  The  original  has  "  ín7aíi  5/ua/srfe." 

siou  commenced  on  the  "  La  Beltaini  "  "  Sluasad"  is  nov/  universally  applied 

or  May-day.     The  other  division  was  to    the    implement    called    a  shovel : 

called  the  Gamhradh  (Gavrah),  or  Sea-  "  Hack"  is  the  term  used  in  the  bardic 

son  of  Gamh.     Besides  these,  the  Irish  rann  quoted  farther  on.     It  means  some 

year  was  divided  into  the  four  seasons  :  such  flat  w^ooden  vessel  as  that  still  used 

"  Erach,"  Spring  ,■  "  Samhradh,"  Sum-  by  the  Irish  milkwomen  for  skimming 

mer ;  '•  Foghmhar,"  (Fovar  or  Foar,)  milk  and  making  up  butter. 


Harvest,  and    "  Geimhred,"    {Guireh,)        ^'  By  "  cream,"  cheese  is  most  prob- 
Winter.     Samhain  was  a  famous  fesLi-    ably  meant. 
val  amongst  the  heathen  Irish.    Then 


126  THE  HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 

to  the  Fomorians.  These  people  were  called  Fomaraigh,^  because 
they  were  folk  that  commiited  "robberies,"  i.  e.foghla,  upon  the 
"sea,"  i.  e.  muir ;  hence  the  term  Fomarach  means  "  pirate,"  or 
"  robber  of  theseas,"  i.  e.  "  Fo  muirib."  The  clans  of  Nemedh  were 
now  led  on  by  three  brave  warriors,  namely  :  by  Beothach,  son 
of  larbanel  the  Prophet,  son  of  Nemedh  ;  and  by  Fergus  Leth- 
derg  (Redside),  son  of  Nemedh  ;  and  by  Erglan,  son  of  Beoan, 
son  of  Starn,  son  of  Nemedh,  with  whom  were  his  two  brothers, 
Manntan  and  larthact.  Their  numbers  amounted  to  thirty 
thousand  on  sea  and  thirty  thousand  on  land;  as  the  bard  thus 
records : 

"  Three  score  thousand,  a  bright  array, 

Upon  the  land  and  on  the  water ; 

Such  were  the  hosts,  that  left  their  homes 

Of  Nemedh's  clans,  to  raze  that  tower." 

They  then  demolished  the  tower  or  fortress  upon  Tor-Inis,  and 
there  Conaing  fell,  with  his  children  and  kindred.  However,  More, 
son  of  Dela,  arrived  soon  afterwards  at  Tor-Inis,  from  Africa,  with 
a  force  of  sixty  ships.  Upon  this,  the  clans  of  Nemedh  fought 
the  Fomorians  again  upon  the  same  ground.  In  this  second  battle, 
they  nearly  all  either  fell  by  the  hands  of  each  other,  or  were 
drowned;  for  they  did  not  perceive  the  tide  coming  in  upon  them, 
such  was  the  intensity  of  the  fight.  More,  son  of  Dela,  escaped 
with  a  small  portion  of  liis  people,  and  with  them  he  took  pos- 
session of  the  island.  Of  the  host  of  the  Nemedians,  engaged  in 
that  fight,  there  escaped  but  the  crew  of  one  ship,  containing 
thirty  warriors,  amongst  whom  were  three  chieftains  of  Nemedh's 
own  blood,  namely,  Simeon  Brec,  son  of  Starn,  son  of  Nemedh; 
and  Ibath,  son  of  Beothach,  son  of  larbanel  the  Prophet,  son  of 
Nemedh ;  and  Britán  Macl,  son  of  Fergus  Leth-derg,  son  of 
Nemedh. 

Upon  escaping  from  that  conflict,  they  formed  the  resolution 
of  leaving  Ireland,  and  thus  fleeing  from  the  slavery,  to  which 
the  Fomorians  had  retlucL'd  them.  They  were  seven  years  pre- 
paring for  their  emigration.  Each  of  the  above-named  chiefs  pre- 
pared a  separate  fleet,  and  a  certain  portion,  both  of  tlie  children  of 
those  that  had  aiTÍved  in  Ireland  with  Nemedh  and  of  his  own  de- 
scendants, embarked  on  board  these  fleets,  under  their  respective 

**  Fomaraifrh,  or,  with  all  its  a.«pira-  shores,from  thcDofrefield  or  Norwegian 

tions,   "  Fomharaigh  ; "    {Fovarik  and  Alps  to  Mount  Atlas.     At  the  time 

Fovarig)  is  the  plural  of"F()marar:h."  Jt  this  history  now  treats  of,  the  race  of 

is  idle  to  speculate  upon  the  etymology  Chain  were  lords  of  powerful  enipirca 

of  the  name.     That  here  given  is  punily  in  Egypt  and  Canaan,  while  the  race 

fanciful,  and  very  far-fetched.    The  peo-  of  Shem  were  still   but  obscure  shep- 

ple  were  probably  the  Aborigines  or  herds,  so  that  the  reason,  given  a  little 

earliest  inhabitants  of  Western  ííurope,  before  for  the  wanderings  of  this  people, 

and  may  have  occupied  the  Atlantic  cannot  be  admitted. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  127 

leaders.  Others^^  remained  after  tliem  in  Ireland.  Amongst  tliem 
were  ten  warriors,  left  to  rule  the  remnant  of  the  Nemedians,  that 
staid  behind  under  the  thraldom  of  the  Fomorians.  These  con- 
tinued to  dwell  in  the  island,  until  the  arrival  of  the  Fer-Bolgs. 

Simeon  Brec,  son  of  Starn,  son  of  Nemedh,  one  of  those  three 
chieftains,  proceeded  with  his  followers  to  Greece,^  that  is,  to 
that  part  of  it  called  Thrace,  and  here  again  they  fell  into  bond- 
age. It  is  from  this  Simeon  Brec  that  the  Fir-Bolgs  are  de- 
scended, as  shall  hereafter  be  shown.  The  second  chieftain  went 
to  the  north  of  Europe,^^  namely,  Ibath,  son  of  Beothach.  How- 
ever, some  of  our  historians  say,  that  Beotia  was  the  country  to 
which  he  went,  and  that  it  is  from  him  the  Tuatha-de-Dananns  are 
descended.  The  third  chieftain,  Britan  Mael,  son  of  Fergus  Leth- 
derg,  proceeded  to  Dobar'*^  and  lar-Dobar,'^  in  the  north  of  Alba 
(Scotland),  There  he  dwelt  himself,  and  there  likewise  dwelt  his 
posterity  after  him.  The  number  of  vessels  that  these  Nemed- 
ian  chieftains  took  with  them,  counting  ships,^  barks,^  cur- 
raghs**  and  barges,^  was  one  thousand  and  thirty  in  all. 

And  Britan  Mael  and  his  posterity  continued  to  dwell  in  Alba, 
as  we  have  just  mentioned,  and  there  they  remained  until  the 
Cruithnigh,  or  Picts,  were  sent  from  Ireland  to  take  possession  of 
that  country  in  the  days  of  Erimhon.  And  the  holy  Cormac  Mac 
Culiuan  tells  us,  in  his  Psalter,  that  it  is  from  this  same  Britan 
that  the  island  Britannia  or  Great  Britain  has  I'eceived  the  name 
which  it  bears  to  the  present  day  :  and  the  records  of  Ireland 
agree  with  him  in  this,  according  to  the  duan  which  begins — 
"Adam,  parent,  source  of  hosts." 

The  stainless  Britan  passed  over  the  sea, 
Generous  son  of  Fergus  Lethderg, 
All  the  Brethnaigh  of  victorious  iame 
From  him  are,  without  falsehood,  sprung. 

Another  bard  bears  out  the  same  fact,  where  he  says — 

"  We  see  here  that  this,  probably  fusion  of  the  traditions  of  two  distinct 

the  earliest  of  the  Celtic  colonies,  did  nations,  that  might  have  amalgamated 

not  become  extinguished  by  the  Fomo-  in  Lochlin  or  Scandinavia  and  thence 

rians.     They  occupied  a  portion  of  the  invaded  Ireland, 

island  to  themselves,  until  the  arrival  *°  *^  The  localities  here  meant  by  Do- 

of  their  kinsmen  the  Fer-Bolgs  enabled  bar  and  "  Jar  "  or  West  Dobar,  are  un- 

them  to  triumph  over  their  enemies.  known  to  the  editor. 

^  This  return  to  Greece  is  improba-  "  "  "  *^  The  terms  here  used  for  the 

ble.     It  means,  perhaps,  that  he  went  different  species  of  vessels  mentioned  are 

back  to  some  of  his   Celtic  kinsmen,  '•  long,"  a  sAi/? ;  •' baic,"  a  6ar^;  "  cur- 

now  flowing  in  successive  waves  from  rach,"  a  curragh,  or  wicker  canoe  cov- 

the  East  and  over-spreading  the  conti-  ered  with  hides,  and  "  nacmhog,"  (nat/- 

neut  of  Northern  and  Central  Europe,  vogus,)    a   diminutive   of    "  naei,"   or 

^  The  discrepancy  here  to  be  observ-  "  naemh,"  a  ship,   which  I  translate 

ed  is  obviously  the  result  of  the  con-  barge. 


128  THE   HISTORY  OF  IBELAND. 

"  Britan  Mael,  the  son  of  princes, 
Noble  Iho  trunk  whence  he  spread ; 
The  son  of  the  Red-sided  Chief  from  Lc^-Magh, 
From  whom  all  the  Brethnaigh  are  sprung." 

It  is  more  reasonable  to  believe  this  than  to  suppose  that  Bri- 
tain has  received  its  name  from  Brutus;^  for,  if  it  were,  in  all 
likelihood,  the  word  would  be  "Brutania."  Besides,  the  name 
was  still  further  obscured  by  the  sons  of  Brutus,  as  we  see  bj 
Geoffrey  of  ]kIonmouth,  for,  according  to  him,  Loegrus,*^  the  son 
of  Brutus,  called  the  part  of  Great  Britain  that  fell  to  his  own 
share,  Loegria ;  and  Camber,  his  second  son,  named  his  division 
of  the  island,  Cambria ;  ^*  Albanactus""  again,  the  third  son, 
called  the  portion  that  fell  to  himself,  Albania. 

And  the  remnant  of  the  Nemedians  that  remained  dwelling  in 
Ireland,  after  those  three  chieftains  mentioned  above,  was  sorely 
oppressed  from  time  to  time  by  the  Fomorians,  until  the  return 
of  the  descendants  of  Simeon  Brec,  son  of  Nemedh,  from  Greece. 
Two  hundred  and  seventeen  years  elapsed  from  the  arrival  of 
Nemedh  to  that  of  the  Fer-Bolgs,  as  the  bard  relates  : 

"  Seventeen  years  had  passed,  and  two  hundred, 

iln  this  tale  there  is  no  false  reckoning.) 
i'rom  Nemedh's  coming  from  the  East 
Across  the  seas,  with  his  tall  sons, 
Until  the  sons  of  Starn  arrived 
From  the  dreary,  rugged  Greig." — (Greece  ?)^'' 

*  Some  of  the  old  British  chroni-  Saxons  that  first  applied    the    term 

clers  tell  us  that  Britain  had  its  name  "Wallisc,"  or"  Welsh  "  to  them,  which 

from  a  Trojan  chief  named  Brutus.  means  Strangers,  as  heretofore  shown. 

"  **  ^"  Loegria  comprised  the  eastern  Albanactus  is  clearly  a  modification  of 

portion,  comprising  most  of  what  is  now  the  Gaelic  word  "  Albanact,"  i.  e.  the 

called  England.      Cambria  comprised  country  of  the  Albanadis  or  natives  of 

Wales,  Cumberland,  Northumberland.  Alba. 

These  names  are  evidently  corruptions        "  The  bard  could  not  surely  have 

of  Kimri,  Cimbri,  Kimmreii,  or  Cim-  meant  Greece  by  this  description.     It 

merii.     The  Welch  still   know  them-  is  more  applicable  to  some  northern 

Belves  only  as  "  Kimri."    It  was  the  clime. 


CHAPTER  VIIL 

OF  THE   CONQUEST  BY  THE   FER-BOLGS. 

When  the  posterity  of  Simeon  Brec  had  dwelt  for  some  time 
in  Greece,  it  was  found  that  their  people  had  multiplied  exceed- 
ingly. Then  the  Greeks  (Gregigh)  subjected  them  to  severe 
hardships  and  bondage,  obliging  them  to  dig  up  mould  and  to 
carry  it  in  sacks  (holgs)  of  leather,  in  order  to  lay  it  upon  rocky 
heights,  and  thus  render  their  soil  capable  of  yielding  crops.  In 
consequence  of  this  bondage,  grief  and  weariness  and  a  hatred  of 
the  Greeks  seized  upon  them,  and  they,  thereupon,  resolved  to 
leave  such  hard  task-masters.  Then  five  thousand  of  them  came 
together,  and  they  made  barks^  of  the  leathern  sacks  or  bags,  in 
which  they  were  wont  to  carry  the  mould ;  or,  as  the  Book  of 
Drom  Snecta  tells  us,  they  stole  the  ships  of  the  king  of  the  coun- 
try. Then,  these  descendants  of  Simeon  Brec  returned  to  Ireland, 
about  two  hundred  years  after  the  occupation  of  the  island  by 
their  ancestor  Nemedh. 

Here  follow  the  names  of  the  chiefs,  that  led  them  on  their  re- 
turn to  Ireland,  viz.,  Slangi,  Rudraide,  Gann,  Genann  and  Sen- 
gann.  These  were  the  five  sons  of  Dela,  son  of  Loch,  son  of 
Tecta,  son  of  Tribuadh,  son  of  Otorb,  son  of  Gostenn,  son  of  Or- 
thect,  son  of  Simeon,  son  of  Erglann,  son  of  Bcoan,  son  of  Starn, 
son  of  Nemedh.  And  their  five  wives  were  Fuad,  Edair,  Anust, 
Cnuca  and  Libra ;  the  bard  thus  records  their  names : 

"  Of  Slangi  Fuad  was  the  wife — no  lying  tale— 
Edair  the  wife  of  warlike  Gann, 
Anust  the  wife  of  Sengann  of  spears, 
Cnuca  the  wife  of  the  bright  Genann, 
Libra  the  wife  of  Rudraide  of  song." 

These  five  chieftains  of  the  Fer-Bolgs  divided  Ireland  between 
them  into  five  parts,  as  wc  have  heretofore  stated,  in  speaking  of 

'  Such  barks  could  not  carry  them  north  of  Thrace.  Such  vessels  as  the 
far.  The  tradition  may  possibly  have  above  might  have  been  used  in  the  pas- 
reference  to  some  incident  in  the  migra-  sage  of  the  Danube,  or  some  other  large 
tion  of  the  Belgian  tribes,  through  the  river. 


130  THE    HISTORY    OF   IRELAND. 

the  third  apportionment  made  of  Ireland ;  the  bard  records  the 

fact  thus : 

The  five  chieftains  of  that  host, 
Divided  Bunba  into  five  Fifths — 
Geuaiin,  liudraide,  (a  bright  list,) 
Gann,  Sengann  and  Slaugi. 

It  was  these  five  sons  of  DcL't  and  their  followers,  that  were 
called  the  Fer-Bolgs,^  Fer-Domnaus^  and  Fer-Galeons.*  They 
were  called  Fer-Bolgs  (i.  e.  Bag-men),  from  the  leatlicrn  sacks 
they  used  in  Greece.  The  Fer-Domnans  were  called  from  the 
"depths"  or  "pits,"  (i.e.  doimhne,)  in  which  they  had  to  dig  for 
the  mould,  which  the  Fer-Bolgs  then  carried  to  the  rocks,  where 
they  were  to  lay  it.  In  like  manner,  the  Fer-Galcons  were  so 
called  from  the  javelins^  i.  e.  "gai,"  with  which  they  were  armed, 
in  order  to  defend  the  others  while  at  work. 

The  reader  must  understand  that  this  conquest  by  the  five  sons 
of  Dela  is  reckoned  but  one  conquest,  for  they  ali  effected  their 
landing  in  Ireland  in  one  Aveek,  viz.  Slangi  on  Saturday  at  Inber- 
Slangi ;'  Gann  and  Sengann  on  the  Tuesday  after,  at  Irrus-Dom- 
nan ;  {in  Mayo)  Genann  and  Kudraide  on  the  next  Friday,  at 
Tract-Rudraide  f  the  people  of  Slangi  were  those  called  Fer-Ga- 
leons  ;  the  Fer-Bolgs  were  those  commanded  by  Gann  and  Sen- 
gann ;  the  people  of  Genann  and  Rudraide  were  those  designated 

^  Fer-Bolg,  in  the  phiral  Fir  Bolg,  portions  of  which  people  are  placed  by 

i.e.  "Men  of  J3o!g."     This  people  was  ancient  geographers  in  (iiiul,  Britain 

evidently  a  portion  of    the  nation   of  and  Ireland.     We  find  them  also  called 

the  Belgoe,  so  renowned  for  their  valor  Damnii  and,  perhaps,  Daunii.     In  Bri- 

amongst    the    ancient   inhal)itants   of  tain,  their  chief  seat  was  Devonshire, 

Gaul  and  Britain,  who  were  of  Kira-  to  which,  it  is  supposed,  they  left  their 

ro-Celtic  and  not  of  Germanic  origin,  name,  the  aspirate  '•  mh  "    being  pro- 

Bolg  is  certainly  a  corruption  of  Belg,  nounced  '•  v  "  and  "  w  "  in  Gaelic,  viz., 

or  vice  versa.     We  meet  many  aiialo-  "  Dovnan"  or  "  Downan." 
gou-s  commutations  of  the  vowels  "c"        ''  Fcr-Galcdn.     The  Fir-Galeon  may 

and  "  o  ■'   in   Irish.      Thus   the   word  possibly   have  been  a  portion  of  the 

now  universally  written  "olc,"  i.  e.  bad,  (ialli  of  the  Ilomans  and  VaXarot  of 

is  frequently  found  written"  elc"  in  old  the  Greeks;  or  they  may  have  been 

manuscripts.     I'he  tale  that    Keating  but  a  sub-tribe  of  the  Bclgae,  as  is  here 

here  nicounts  from  the  Shenachies,  was  stated.     Their  name  seems  derived  from 

manifestly  coined  in  order  to  account  "  Gal,"  battle.     'I'he  derivations  given 

for  tlie  forgotton  origin  of  the  national  in  the  te.xt  are  aljsurd.     A  conquering 

name.     Bolg  means  also  "  a  Jjow,"  "  the  nation  would  not  ])crpetuate  the  mera- 

belly,"  or  any  "  bulging  protuberance."  ory  of  its  degradation  in  the  names  of 

The  origin  of  the  name  is,  in  truth,  lost  its  tribes. 

in  remote  antiquity,  and  can  never  be        "  Inbcr-Slnnfri.      Inver  Slangi,  i.  c. 

more  than  guessed  at.  AV'e.xfnrd  harbor,  at  the  mouth   of  the 

'  Fer-Domnans.      The   "  Fir-Domh-  river  Slangi,  now  Slane. 
nan,"  {Fir-Downan,)  i.  e.  the  "  Men  f.f       "  Trad-Rudraide.      The  strand   of 

Domnan,"  or  Domna,  were,  it  is  equal-  llooTQb,  in  Ulster, 
ly  manifest,  a  sept  of  the  Damnonii, 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


131 


Fer-Doinnans.  Our  liistorians  say  that  Inber-Domiian,''  in  the 
north-west  of  Connaught,  was  the  phice  where  the  two  latter  chiefs 
landed  with  a  third  of  the  forces,  and  that  the  place  has  been 
called  Irrus-Domnan  from  them.  Notwithstanding  these  distinc- 
tions, the  five  sons  of  Dela  and  all  their  host  are  commonly  called 
Fer-Bolgs.  Thirty-six  3-ears  was  the  duration  of  the  Fer-Bolg 
rule  in  Ireland.  Before  them  no  person  possessed  the  island  that 
could  be  properly  called  a  king  of  Ireland.  Upon  this  fact  some 
bard  has  composed  the  following  verse : 

For  sixteen  years  and  twice  ten, 
The  Fer-Bolgs  ruled  one-half*  of  Banba, 
Then  came  the  conquering  Tuatha-De 
And  seized  the  whole  of  Eri. 


'  Some  say  that  the  Inher-Domnan, 
or  Damuoniau  harbor,  where  the  Fer 
Domnans  landed,  was  Arklow,  a  little  to 
the  south  of  Dublin.  It  was  long  after, 
before  they  gave  their  name  to  Irrus 
Domnan  in  Connaught,  to  which  the 
Damnonii  had  been  driven  from  Leinstcr 
by  the  increasing  power  of  the  Gaels. 

*  One-half.  This  would  make  it  ap- 
pear, that  some  other  nation  or  nations 
continued  powerful  in  Ireland  during 


the  Belgian  rule.  These  may  have 
been  the  Fomorians,  and  that  remnant 
of  the  Nemedians  that  had  remained  in 
Ireland  when  their  kinsmen  had  emi- 
grated. Even  of  the  Partholanians, 
some  portion  might  have  still  held  parts 
of  the  island.  From  the  short  duration 
of  their  rule,  it  is  clear  that  the  Fer- 
Bolgs  did  not  constitute  the  bulk  of 
the  inhabitants,  when  the  Danaans  -ar- 
rived. 


CHAPTER    IX. 


OF  THE    FIRST  KINGS  THAT  REIGNED  IN   IRELAND   DOWN   HERE. 


Slangi,  son  of  Dela,  son  of  Loch,  was  the  first  monarch  of 
Ireland :  he  reigned  one  year,  and  died  at  Dinn-Righ,^  otherwise 
called  Dumha-Slangi. 

RuDRAiDE,  son  of  Dela,  reigned  two  years,  until  he  was  killed 
at  Brugh2  on  the  Boyne. 

Gann  and  Gennan  reigned  four  years,  until  they  died  of  the 
plague  at  Fremhuinn,^  in  Meath. 


^  Dinn-R!gh,  i.e."  the  hill  of  kings," 
otherwise  called  Dumha  Slangi,  i.  e. 
"  Slangi's  Mound."  This  was  a  very 
ancient  seat  of  the  kings  of  Leinster. 
It  is  situated,  as  before  shown,  on  the 
banks  of  the  Barrow,  in  the  townland 
of  Ballyknockan,  near  Leighlin  Bridge. 
— O'BoHOvan. 


*  Brugk  ra  Boinne,  a  place  on  the 
River  Boyne,  near  Stackallau  Bridge. 

'  Fremhain,  now  Frewin,  is  the 
name  of  a  lofty  hill  arising  over  the 
western  shore  of  Loch  Uair,  now  Lough 
Owel,  in  the  parish  of  Portlemon, 
County  of  West  Meath. 


132  THE    HISTORY    OF   IKELAXD. 

Sengann  reigned  in  Ireland  five  years,  at  the  end  of  wliicli  he 
was  slain  by  Fiacadh  Kenfinnan. 

FiACiiAi)  Kenfinnan  son  of  Starn,  son  of  Kudraide,  son  of 
Dela,  held  the  kinglom  of  Ireland  for  live  years,  until  he  fell  by 
the  hand  of  Kirmall,  son  of  Gennan,  son  of  Dela.  In  his  time, 
the  men  of  Ireland  were  fair-haired.  It  was  thence  he  had  re- 
ceived the  surname  Kenfinnan,  i.  c.  fiiir-haired, 

KiNNALL,  son  of  Gennan,  son  of  Dela,  reigned  over  Ireland  six 
3'ear.>!,  until  he  fell  by  the  hand  of  Obglien,  at  the  battle  of 
Craebh.* 

Obghen  (or  Fidbghen),  son  of  Sengann,  son  of  Dela,  reigned 
f  )ur  years,  when  he  fell  by  the  hand  of  Eocaidh,  son  of  Ere,  on 
the  plain  of  Murthemni,  in  Louth. 

Eocaidh,  son  of  Erc,son  of  Kinnall, son  of  Gennan,  held  the  king- 
dom of  Ireland  ten  years.  During  this  king's  reign,  there  was  no 
wet  or  tempestuous  weather  in  Ireland,  nor  was  there  any  unfi'uit- 
ful  year.  In  his  time,  likewise,  all  oppression  and  illegality  was 
suppressed  in  the  island,  and  it  was  then  that  fixed  and  distinct 
laws^  were  first  established  in  this  land.  He  fell  in  the  baltle  of 
Magh-Turcdh,  by  the  hands  of  the  three  sons  of  Nemedh,  son  of 
Badraei,  whose  names  were  Kesarb,  Luam  and  Luachra.  He 
was  king  of  the  Fer-Bolgs  wlien  the  Tuatha-Dé-Dananns  invaded 
Ireland;  and  his  wife  was  named  Talti,  daughter  of  Magh-Mor, 
king  of  Spain.  This  lady  was  buried  at  a  place  which  has  been 
ever  since  called  Talti  {Tdtown  in  Mcalh),  from  her. 

Nuadath  Arged-lamh  (i.  e.  Nuadath,  the  Silver-handed),  was  now 
king   of  the  Tuatha-Dc-Danann  nation.     Between  this   prince 
and  Eocaidh,  son  of  Ere,  there  was  an  obstinate  battle  at  Magli- , 
Turedh,  in  which  Eocaidh^  and  the  Fer-Bolgs''  were  routed,  and 
ten^  thousand  of  the  latter  were  slain,  between  Magh-Turedh' 

■•  Tliore  are  several  places  of   this  where  he  was  interred  is  described   as 

name  in  Ireland.     It  is  not  easy  to  tell  one  of  the  wonders  of  Ireland,  in  the 

which  is  here  meant.  Mirabilia  IIil)(>rnia,   in   the   Book  of 

■>    According     to     O'Flahcrty,    the  Bali\-mote.     'i'liis  earn  still  exis's,  and, 

pcntarchical  i,n)vernnient  was  fully  cs-  altliouj^h  not  hisih  above  the   hivcl  of 

tablished  durinr,' the  rei;^n  of  this  kin,':^.  the  strand,  il  is  believed  the  tide  can 

He  tells  us  that   Mell,  descended  from  never  cover  it. — O'D.  Four  Masters. 
Slangi,  ruled  Leinster ;  Hren^,  of  the        **  The  annals   of  Clonniacnoiso,  say, 

race  of  Sengann,  and  Orsus,  of  that  of  that  one  hundred  thousand  of  the  Fer- 

Genann,  reigned  in  'I'iioniond ;   Kerb,  boigs    were    slain,   "  which    was    the 

son   of  Brian,   son   of  Il\ulraide,  was  greatest  slaughter  that  was  ever  heard 

King  of  Ulster  ;  Slangi  Finn,  of  Con-  of  in  Ireland,  at  one  meeting."     From 

naught,  and  Alia  of  Desmond.  the  monuments  of  the  battle  still  cx- 

*' According  to  the  y>cMar  G'iW/«/a,  isting,  it   is  quite  evident  that   great 

Eocaidh  fled  from  the  battle  and  was  numbers  werti  slain. — O'D.    Id. 
pursued  and  overtaken  on  the  Strand         '     Mii^li-Tureilk     {Moi/    Turch), — 

of  Traigh  Eothaili  [Trah  O.'itlU),  acar  otherwise  called  Magh-Turedh  Conga, 

Ballysadarc,  in  the  present  county  of  from  its  proximity  to  Cong.     The  site 

Sligo,  where  he  was  slain.    The  cam  of  the  battle  is  still  pointed  out  in  the 


THE   HISTORY   OF    IRELAND. 


133 


and  the  strand  of  Eothail.  In  tliis  battle,  Nnadath  lost  his 
hand,  from  which  wound  he  was  seven  years  under  cure,  and  had, 
in  the  end,  to  get  a  silver  hand^"  fitted  on  ;  hence  he  obtained  the 
epithet,  Argcddamh,  or  "Silver-hand."  The  small  rtmnant  of 
the  Fer-Bolgs  that  escaped  from  that  battle,  fled^^  before  the 
Tuatha-De-Dananns,  so  that  Aran,  Isla,  Eachlin,  the  Hebrides, 
and  many  other  islands,  were  colonized  by  them.  In  these  they 
dwelt  until  the  establishment  of  the  pentarchical  government  in 
Ii'eland,  at  which  time  tliey  were  driven  out  of  the  Isles  by  the 
Cruthnigh  or  Picts,  whereupon  they  made  application  to  Carbri 
Niadfer,  king  of  Leinster,  and  from  him  they  received  a  tributary 
territory.  But  it  came  to  pass  that  they  could  not  support  the 
heavy  rent  laid  uj)on  them  in  this  subject  soil,  and  that  they  were, 
for  that  reason,  forced  to  apply  to  Medb  and  Olild  (queen  and 
king  of  Connaught),  from  whom  they  obtained  a  free  territory. 
It  is  this,  that  is  called  the  ]\Iigration  of  the  Sons  of  Uadmor,  for 
Aengus,  son  of  Uadmor,  was  their  king  in  the  East.  It  is  fiom 
this  people,  also,  that  the  territories  in  wliich  they  dwelt,  have 
received  the  following  names,  viz. :  Loch-Kimi,^-  from  Kimi 
Cethir-Keiin ;  Rinn-Tamhain,^^  in  iledraide ;  Loch-Cathra,^^ 
Rinn-Bera,^^  Moilin,^"  Dun- Aengus,  in  Aran ;"  Carn-Conaill,  in 
the  district  of  Aidni ;   ^Nfagli  n- Adair, ^^  from  Adar,  the  poet,  son 


parish  of  Cong,  barony  of  Kilmaiue, 
and  county  of  Mayo,  to  the  right  of 
the  road  as  you  go  from  Cong  to  the 
village  of  Neal.  There  is  a  detailed  but 
legendary  account  of  this  battle  in  MS., 
in  the  handwriting  of  Gilla  Riabhach 
O'Cleri,  preserved  in  the  library  of  the 
British  Museum. — O'D.  Four  Masters. 
^'  "  It  is  stated  in  the  battle  of  Magh- 
Turedh  and  other  accounts  of  the  Tusl- 
tharDe-Dananns,  that  Credni  Kerd 
made  a  silver  hand  for  this  Lugaidh, 
and  that  Diankect  fitted  it  upon  him, 
after  which,  Miach,  son  of  Diankect,  to 
excel  his  father,  took  off  the  hand  and 
infused  feeling  and  motion  into  every 
joint  and  vein  of  it.  In  Cormac"s 
Glossary,  the  name  Diankect,  is  ex- 
plained Deus  Saint  is,  i.  e.  Dia  na  h-ke, 
i.e.  the  God  of  healing. — O'D.  LI. 
Dian  Kect,  appears  to  have  been  the 
Esculapius  of  Irish  mythology. 

^^  The  Belgic  colony  must  not  be 
considered  to  have  been  extipated  by 
this  defeat.  They  were  merely  subdu- 
ed, as  the  Gaels  were  afterwards  by 
the  Anglo-Normans.  They  long  ruled 
as  Kings  in  Connaught ;  and  even  in 


St.  Patrick's  time,  we  find  them  still 
numerous  in  Ireland.  It  is  even  likely 
that  the  majority  of  the  Irish  people 
are  to  this  day,  maternally  at  least, 
sprung  from  the  Belgic  and  Nemedian 
Celts,  and  that  their  language  is  that 
now  known  as  Gaelic. 

^-  LocJi-Ktmi,  otherwise  Loch  Kim- 
bi,  now  Loch  Hacket,  in  the  county 
of  Gal  way. 

^'  Rinn-Tamhuin  lies  near  Medraide, 
or  Clarin's  Bridge.  It  was  the  name 
of  a  peninsula  south  of  Galway. 

14  Loch  Cathra.  O'Flaherty  calls  it 
Loch  Kutra,  now  Loch  Cooter,  county 
Galway. 

1=  IS  According  to  O'Flaherty,  Rinn- 
Bera,  Moilin,  and  Carn-Conaill,  were 
in  Aidni  {Eijni),  now  the  barony  of 
Killartan,  in  the  South  of  Galway. 

1"  Ara.  The  Isle  of  Aran,  at  the 
mouth  of  Galway  Bay. 

"  Magh-Adair,  otherwise  Magh-n- 
Adhair  "(il/oi/  Neyer),  was  the  name 
of  a  plain  in  the  barony  Tullagh, 
county  Clare.  Upon  it  at  the  Bili 
Maig'ie  n-AJhair,  i.  e.  "  Tree  of  Magh 
Adair,"  the  Kings  of  Thomond  were 


134  THE    HISTORY   OF    IRELAND, 

of  Uadmor;  Magli  n-Asal/'='  Magi i-Maein,2o  from  Maen,  son  of 
Uadmor,  and  Locli  Uair,  from  Uar,  son  of  Uadmor.  Thus, 
we  see  that  forts  (duns)  and  seaboard  isles  were  owned  by  them, 
until  the  time  when  they  were  driven  out  by  Cuchulainn  and 
Conall  Kernach  and  the  Ulstermen.  Our  bistory  does  not 
mention  the  building  of  any  raths  (i.  e.  forts),  during  the  occupa- 
tion of  Ireland  by  the  Fer-Bolgs,  neither  does  it  record  the 
eruption  of  any  lakes  or  the  clearing  of  any  plains  from  wood. 
Some  antiquarians  say,  that  the  three  ancient  tribes,  not.  of  the 
Gaelic  stock,  who  arc  still  in  Ireland,  are  descended  from  the 
Fer-Bolgs:  these  are  the  Gabraide^^  {Gaivree)  of  the  Suca  (now 
the  River  Suck)  in  Connaught ;  the  Ui  Tairsigh,^^  iu  Ui  Failgi 
(now  Oflfaly),  and  the  Galcons  of  Leinster.^"-^  Such  are  the  migra- 
tions of  the  Fer-Bolgs  so  far,  according  to  the  learned  antiquary, 
Tanaide  0  Mael-Conari  (0  Mulconry  or  Conry),  in  his  duan  which 
begins  with  the  following  rami  : 

"  The  Fir-Bolg  dwelt  here  awhile, 
In  the  great  isle  of  Miledh's  sons — 
Five  chieftains  of  them  hither  came — 
Their  names  I  know  full  well." 

inaugurated    in    after    times.      The        "  Gabraide.   This  Belgic  tribe  was 

phrase   is   said    to  mean,  the   "Plain  otherwise  called  Gamanradi.  Dr.  0"I)on- 

of  AVorship."      If  so,  the  poet   Adair  ovan  tells  us  in  his  Notes  to  the  Tribes 

must    have   had   nothing   to   do   with  and  Customs  of  the  Ui  Fiachrach,  that 

the  naming  of    it.      It  was  a  famous  "The  Gamanradhi  were  a  fierce  and 

seat  of  Druidic  worship.  warlike  tribe  of  the  Fer-Bolgs,  seated 

^'  "  Magh-Assail.   Assal  was  the  an-  in  Erris  in  the  first  century." 
cient  name  of  a  district  lying  round        '°  The  "  Ui  Tairsigh,"  are  unknown 

CnocDromaAssail,now  Tory-Hill,  near  to  the  editor. 

Groom,  in  the  county  of  Limerick." —        ^'  For  the  Galians  or  Fir  Galeon  of 

0.  D.  Leinster,  see  further  on.     The  Gali- 

^"  Magh-Maein,  (Moy  Meen),  other-  ans  of  the  Fer-Bolg  race  are  to  be 

wise  called  Maen-magh,  is.  according  to  distinguished  from  the  Galenga  of  the 

Dr.   O'Donovan,  the  rich  plain  lying  Milesian  stock,   who   were  descended 

round  Loughrea,  iu  the  county  of  Gal-  from  a  Munstcr  chieftain  named  Cormac 

way.  Galcug. 


CHAPTER  X. 

THE     CONQUEST^    OF    IRELAND     BY    THE    TUATHA-DE-DANANNS, 

DOWN    HERE. 

The  Tuatha-Do-Dananns  are  the  progeny  of  the  third  Chieftain 
of  the  race  of  Nemedh,  who  had  emigrated  from  Ireland  after  the 
demolition  of  the  tower  of  Conaing.  Thej  are  then  descended 
from  Ibaath,  son  of  Beothach,  son  of  larbanel  the  Prophet,  son 
of  Nemedh. 

According  to  some  antiquarians,  Beotia^  {Bothnia?),  in  the 
north  of  Europe,  was  the  country  where  they  had  been  recently 
dwelling;  but  others  will  have  it,  that  they  had  been  sojourning 
in  the  Athenian  territory,  where  the  city  of  Athens  (Aithne)  is 
situated.  Now,  the  reader  must  understand,  that,  as  Pomponius 
Mela  tells  us,  both  Beotia  and  the  city  of  Athens  are  situated  in 
that  part  of  Greece  called  Achaia.     It  was  there  that  they  had 


^  The  Four  Masters  give  this  event 
nnder  A.  D.,  3303. 

"  This  absurd  mistake  must  have 
originated  in  the  ignorance  of  some 
transcriber,  in  copying  a  contracted 
manuscript.  The  traditions  of  two 
nations  are  perhaps  confounded  iu  the 
obscure  records  of  the  Tuatha-De- 
Dananns.  We  have  seen  part  of  the 
Nemedian  cation  taking  refuge  in 
Lochlin  from  the  oppression  of  the 
Fomorians.  It  is  not  an  improbability 
to  suppose,  that  they  there  were  joined 
by  a  Danaan  or  Greco-Pelasgian  tribe, 
with  whom  they  amalgamated,  and  who 
led  them  back  to  the  land  whence 
they  had  been  exiled.  I  see  no  reason 
to  doubt  the  fact,  that  these  Danaans 
were  Greeks,  i.  e.  "  Danai,"  or  to  search 
for  any  other  origin  for  them  than 
what  our  traditions  hand  down,  and 
their  own  name  corroborates.  That 
they  were  not  Phoenicians,  the  names 
they  imposed  upon  the  places  where 
they  dwelt,  fully  prove  to  any  one  who 
will    fairly  examine    their    structure. 


Eri,  Alba,  Mana  Ara,  Mumha,  &c.. 
with  their  peculiar  mode  of  forming 
their  oblique  cases  in  "  nd"  or  "  nn,"  so 
like  those  Greek  forms  "  ag"  "  iq  "  and 
"  v^j"  making  the  genitive  in  "  vrog''^ 
and  ''vvog"  seems  to  claim  for  them  a  Pe- 
lasgic  origin.  Many  of  the  names  of  the 
older  Greek  colonies,  are  of  this  form. 
"  Danann,"  in  their  own  name  looks 
like  a  word  of  the  same  class,  and  may 
mean  "  of  Dana."  So  do  the  genitives 
"  Bretan,"  '•  Lochlan,"  "  Laigheu," 
i.  e.  Britain,  Scandinavia,  Leinster,  and 
"  Ulladh,"  which  in  old  books  is  found 
to  make  "  UUinn,"  in  its  oblique  form. 
Why  may  not  the  great  Pelasgic  na- 
tion have  sent  a  branch  towards  the 
North-west,  as  well  as  towards  the 
South-west,  and  left  the  name  of  Dania 
or  Denmark  to  the  cold  Ginibric  Cher- 
sonese, as  a  trace  of  their  sojourn  there- 
in, and  as  a  puzzle  to  their  Gothic  succes- 
sors, and  thus  bewiklered  Celtic  Shea- 
achies  also  in  the  endeavor  to  approxi- 
mate Bothnia  and  Boeotia. 

[135] 


136  THE   UI3T0RY    OF    IRELAND. 

learned  their  magic  science  {Druidism)  and  tlicir  arts,  so  that  they 
had  become  most  expert  in  eveiy  heatlicn  practice. 

While  thc)^  dwelt  in  this  region,  it  happened  that  a  large  fleet 
came  from  Syria  to  make  war  upon  the  people  of  the  Athenian 
territory,  in  consequence  of  which  they  were  engaged  in  daily 
battles ;  and  the  very  meu  of  the  Athenian  party,  who  had  been 
slain  on  the  field  of  battle  on  one  day,  were  the  same  that  used 
to  maintain  the  fight  next  day  for  their  friends  against  the  Syrians. 
This  was  all  cfl^ected  by  the  magic  arts  of  the  Tuatha-De-Dauanns ; 
•  for  they  used  to  send  demons  into  the  bodies  of  the  slain  Athe- 
nians, quickening  them  by  means  of  their  heathen  lore.  How- 
ever, wlien  the  Syrians  perceived  that  the  corpses  of  those,  whom 
they  had  slain  on  the  field  of  battle,  stood  up  to  fight  them  again 
on  the  next  day,  they  entered  into  council  with  their  own  sooth- 
sayer (dndd).  Whereupon,  this  soothsayer  told  them,to  set  a  guard 
upon  the  field  of  slaughter,  and  to  drive  a  stake  of  cornel  wood 
{mountain  ash)  through  the  dead  body  of  every  one  of  those  that 
were  wont  to  revive,  to  do  battle  against  them ;  and  he  told  them 
also,  that  those  bodies  would  be  immediately  turned  into  worms, 
if  it  were  by  demons  that  they  had  been  quickened,  but  that  they 
would  not  become  corrupted  all  at  once,  if  they  had  been  really 
revivified.  The  Syrians,  then,  came  to  the  fight  next  morning 
and  obtained  a  complete  victory.  Upon  this,  they  drove  the 
cornel  stakes  through  the  bodies  of  the  slain,  before  mentioned, 
and  they  were  converted  into  worms  immediately.  After  this, 
they  fell  upon  the  inhabitants,  pursuing  them  with  unresisted 
slaughter.  As  to  the  Tuatha-De-Dananns,  when  they  saw  the 
natives  of  the  land  thus  vanquished  by  the  Syrians,  they  all  fled 
out  of  the  country,  through  fear  of  those  invaders.  And  they 
stopped  not  until  they  reached  the  regions  of  Lochlinn  (Scandi- 
navia), where  they  were  welcomed  by  the  inhabitants,^  on  account 
of  their  many  sciences  and  arts.  The  leader  in  this  migration 
was  Niiadatb,  the  silver-handed,  son  of  Ectach,  son  of  Edarlanih, 
of  the  line  of  Nemedh.  Here,  indeed,  they  even  obtained  posses- 
sion of  four  cities,  or  at  least  leave  to  dwell  in  them  and  to  instruct 
the  youth  of  the  country  therein.  The  names  of  these  four  cities 
are  Falias,  Gorias,  Finias  and  Murias.  The  Tuatha-De-Dananns 
placed  four  sages  in  these,  for  the  purpose  of  disseminating  the 
sciences  and  the  various  arts,  amongst  the  youth  of  the  nation  that 
received  them.  The  names  of  these  four  sages  who  taught  the 
sciences,  were  the  following:  Morfios  was  the  name  of  tlie  man 

'■'  These  were  undoubtedly   Kimric  Wc  have  seen  Ncmedli  sailing  originally 

or  Cimbric  Nemedians,  fa  name  which  from  this  land  for  Alba  and  Kri,  and 

seems  to  be  the  same  with  that  of  the  have   seen    his   descendants   returning 

Nemcti  of  Jielgic  (ianl.)  and  the  Fin-  lliercto,  when  expelled  from  Eri  Jjy  tho 

nish  or    T>:iponic  aborigines,  perhaps.  Fomorians. 


THE    HISTORY    OF   IRELAND.  137 

who  tauglit  in  the  city  called  Falias ;  Erns  in  that  called  Gorias; 
Semias  taught  in  Marias,  and  Arias  held  his  school  in  Finias. 
When  they  had  remained  a  long  time  in  these  cities,  they  passed 
over  to  the  north  of  Alba  (Scotland),  where  they  continued  seven 
years  in  Dobar  and  lardobar. 

This  people  possessed  four  talismans  of  high  power,  which  they 
had  brought  with  them  from  the  above-mentioned  cities ;  namely,  a 
Stone  from  Falias,  which  was  called  the  Lia-Fail,  and  which  pos- 
sessed the  property  of  roaring  under  every  king  of  Ireland,  upon 
his  election,  which  it  continued  to  do  until  the  time  of  Con- 
cobar ;  as  we  have  heretofore  mentioned.  It  was  also  called  the 
Stone  of  Fate,  for  it  was  its  destiny,  that  a  man  of  the  Scotic 
nation,  that  is,  of  the  blood  of  Miledh  of  Spain,  sliould  possess 
the  sovereignty  of  that  country  wherein  it  should  be  placed. 
Thus  we  read  in  Hector  Boethius,  in  his  History  of  Scotland,  in 
which  he  says : 

*  "The  race  of  Scot,  a  noble  tribe. 
Unless  the  prophecy  be  false, 
Have  a  right  to  sovereign  power 
Where  they  shall  find  the  Lia-Fail." 

The  Scotic  nation  was  so  persuaded  that  the  stone  possessed 
this  power,  that  Fergus  Mor  mac  Erca,  when  he  had  conquered 
Alba  and  had  determined  to  proclaim  him.self  its  king,  smt  an 
embassy  to  his  brother  Murkertach  Mov  mic  Erca,  son  of  Eocaidh 
Munremar,  of  the  line  of  Erimhon,  then  king  of  Ireland,  request- 
ing him  to  S3nd  it  to  him,  in  ord^rthat  he  might  be  saluted  king 
of  Alba  sitting  thereon.  Thus  the  stone  came  into  his  hands,  and 
he  was,  in  fact,  saluted  king  of  Alba  thereon.  He  was  the  first 
man  of  the  race  of  Scot,  that  was  styled  king  of  Alba  ;  an  1,  though 
some  of  the  Picts  or  Crutlmigh  had  been  called  kings  of  Scotland 
before  him,  yet  there  was  not  one  of  them  who  was  an  indepen- 
dent sovereign,  having  been  all  successively  under  tribute  to  the 
kings  of  Ireland,  and  especially  from  the  time  of  Erimhon,  son  of 
Miledh,  by  whom  the  Picts  were  sent  from  Lsinster,  to  inhabit 
Alba  or  Scotland,  down  to  the  reign  of  this  Fergus,  as  we  shall 
tell  hereafter,  in  treating  of  the  reign  of  Erimhon.  As  to  the 
stone  above  mentioned,  the  Alban  Scots  kept  it  carefully  for 
many  successive  ages,  until  it  at  length  fell  into  the  hands  of 
the  English,  where  it  remains  to  this  day,  under  the  throne  upon 
which  the  king  of  England  is  crowned,  having  been  forcibly 
carried  oif  from  the  Abbey  of  Scone  by  king  Edward  the  First. 
Now  the  prediction  regarding  the  stone  has  been  verified  in  our 

"  Ni  fallat  fatum,  Scoti  quocuuque  luvenient  lapidom,  regnare  tenentur 

locatum,  ibidem. 


138  THE  HISTORY  OF   IRELAND. 

own  times,  in  tlie  case  of  our  present  king  Charles  (as  it  had  been 
already  in  that  of  his  father  James) ;  for  he  is  descv-'nded  from 
the  Seotic  race,  through  Mani,  sou  of  Coi'C,  sou  of  Lugaidh  of 
the  line  of  Eber,  son  of  Milcdh.  Thus,  a  man  of  the  Seotic 
blood  has  been  crowned,  even  king  of  England  upon  this  stone.^ 
The  second  talisman  brought  by  the  Tuatha  De-Dananns  into 
Ireland,  was  the  Sword  of  Lugaidh  Lamfada  (or  Lugaidh  of  the 
long  hand).  It  was  from  Gorias  they  brought  this.  The  third 
talLsman  was  the  Spear  that  Lugaidh  used  in  battle.  This  they 
brought  from  the  city  of  Finias.  The  fourth  talisman  was  the 
Cauldron  of  the  Daghda,  brought  from  the  city  of  Marias.  Here 
follows  a  confirmation  of  the  matters  we  have  just  narrated,  as  it 
is  read  in  the  Lebar  Gabala  {or  Book  of  Invasions)  in  this  duan 
or  poem  down  here : 

THE  LAND  of  talismans,  Sacred  Dana,' 
Was  where  they  learned  their  science, 
And  became  skilled  in  wizard  lore, 
And  Druid  rites,  and  Devilscraft. 

The  fair  larbanel,  a  prophet  true, 
Was  son  of  Nemedh,  son  of  Adnaman — 
To  this  gray  hero,  uii,iihty  in  spells 
Was  born  Beothach  of  wild  deeds. 

The  clans  of  Beothach,  undying  in  fame, 
After  much  toil  and  weariness, 
Arrived,  a  large  and  mighty  host. 
With  crowded  ships  in  Lochlin. 

There,  four  cities  of  great  renown, 
They  held  with  sway  supreme 
In  these,  they  blandly  taught  in  schools 
Each  learned  art  and  science  fair. 

i'alias,  Gorias,  the  bright 

Finias,  Murias  of  great  deeds. 

Of  these  proud  cities  were  the  names — 

Their  fame  was  like  a  bursting  flood. 

Morfios,  Erus,  the  tall. 
Arias  and  Semias,  the  severe. 
Were  the  sages  of  these  cities  high — 
To  name  them  is  a  pleasing  task. 

Of  Falias,  Morfios  was  the  sago. 
The  generous  Erus  taught  in  (íorias. 
Semias  in  Murias,  southern  city, 
While  fair-haired  Arias  taught  in  Finias. 

^  See  note  upon   the   name  "  Inis  word  Danann,  in  the  phrase  Tuatha-Do 

Fail,"  where  this  tradition   has  been  Danann,  to  be  in  the  genitive  case,  and 

proved  doubtful.  translated  accordingly. 

'  It  has  been  here  assumed  that  the 


THE  HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  139 

They  brought  four  talismans  from  afar, 
These  cliieis  oi  Dana's  Sacred  'J'ribes, 
A  Sword,  a  stone,  a  copper  cauldron, 
And  a  spear  to  strike  down  warriors  tall. 

From  yon  Falias  came  the  Lia-Fail, 
AVhich  was  wont  to  roar  'neath  Eri's  king ; 
The  Sword"  of  Lugaidh,  the  long-handed, 
Most  precious  store  was  brought  from  Gorias. 

From  Finias,  far  away  o'er  sea, 
They  brought  the  Spear"  of  strong  Lugaidh  ^ 
From  Marias,  the  Daghda's  wondrous  Cauldron — " 
A  powerful  treasure  and  an  awful. 

0  King  of  Heaven,  King  of  weak  mankind, 
Protect  me,  King  of  the  royal  spheres  ! 
Thou  who  hast  patience  with  the  hates 
And  with  the  littleness  of  mortal  TRIBES."" 

When  the  Tuatha-De-Danann  had  remained  seven  years  in  the 
north  of  Scotland  (or  Alba),  they  passed  over  to  Ireland  and 
landed  in  the  north  of  this  country,  on  a  ]\Iay  Monday.  They 
then  burned  their  ships,  as  the  bard  relates  in  the  following  rann  : 

"  Each  warrior  burned  his  ship. 
For  he  had  reached  the  noble  Eri — 
It  was  a  sad  sight  to  view 
The  smoke  of  the  ships  as  they  burned." 

After  this,  the  Tuatha-De-Danann,  surrounded  themselves  with 
a  magical  mist  for  three  daj's,  so  that  none  of  the  Fer-Bolgs  could 
perceive  them  until  they  had  reached  Sliabh-an-Iarainn,^  {Slieve 
aneerinn.)  Thence  they  send  an  embassy  to  king  Eocaidh,  son 
of  Ere,  demanding  of  him  either  to  deliver  up  the  sovereignty  of 
Ireland  to  themselves  or  to  give  them  battle  in  its  stead.  Upon  this, 
the  battle  of  Southern  Magh-Turedh  {Moy-Tureli)  was  fought  by 
the  Fer-Bolgs  against  the  Tuatha-De-Dananns.  The  Fer-Bolgs 
were  broken  in  that  fight,  and  ten  thousand  of  them  fell  therein, 
as  has  been  already  told.  There  were  thirty  years  between  this 
engagement  and  the  battle  of  North  Magh-Turedh,^^  as  the  bard 
thus  observes, — 

'  °  "  For  a  more  particular  account  "   ''Magh-Turedh.    This    name  is 

of  these  talismans,  see  appendix.  now  applied  to  a  towuland  in  the  parish 

"  This  duan  begins  and  ends  with  of  Kilmactranuy,  barony  of  Tirerrell 

the 'word  "  Tuath."     In  the  first  in-  and  county  of  S'ligo.    There  are  very 

stance,  it  means  "  country,"  in  the  lat-  curious  monuments  still  to  be  seen  on 

ter,  "  of  tribes."     It  is  very  usual  for  this    battlefield." — O'D.'s  Notes  to  the 

Gaelic  duans  to  begin  and  end  with  the  Four  Masters. 

same  word.  There  was  a  long  tale  founded  upon 

12    Sliabh-an  Iranrt,  i.   e.    the    Iron  this  battle,  as  well  as  upon  that  of 

Mountain,  now  Slieve-an-ieren,  in  the  South  Magh-Turedh.     Baior  Bemenn, 

the  county  of  Leitrim.  or  Balcbeimnoch,  i.  e.  of  stout  blows, 


140  THE   HISTORY   OF  IRELAND. 

"  We  know,  that  thirty  years  had  passed, 
From  the  fight  at  South  .Matih-Turedh, 
To  the  fight  of  North  Magli-Turedh, 
In  which  fell  Balar  of  the  great  host."  f 

Some  antiquaries  say,  that  the  nation,  of  whom  we  are  now 
treating,  were  called  Tuatha-De-Danann  from  Brian,^*  luchar  and 
Incharba,  the  three  sons  of  Dana,  daughter  of  Delbaeth,  son  of 
Elathan,  son  of  Niadh,  son  of  Indae,  son  of  Allae,  son  of  Tath, 
son  of  Tabarn,  son  of  Endaor  Enna,  son  of  Bathach,  son  of  Ibaath, 
son  of  Beothach,  son  of  Jarbanel,  son  of  Nemedh,  These  three, 
namely,  Brian,  luchar  and  lucharba,  were  so  very  famous  for 
their  great  skill  in  all  Ileathen  arts,  that  the  whole  of  the  Tuatha 
.(i.  e.  Tribes)  would  have  themselves  called  after  them.  Here 
follows  a  quotation  which  asserts  that  these  three  personages 
were  the  three  gods  (Dee)  of  Dana.^^  We  read  it  in  the  daan  com- 
mencing, "  Hearken,  ye  sages  without  stain." 

"  Brian,  lucharba  and  the  great  luchar, 
The  three  gods  of  the  Sacred  Race  of  Dana, 
Fell  at  Mana,'"  on  the  resistless  sea, 
By  the  hand  of  LugaiJh,  son  of  Ethlenn." 

It  is  also  from  Dana,  the  mother  of  these  three,  that  we  call 
those  two  hills  in  Liiachair  Degaidh  in  Desmond  {SLieve  Loughra 
in  KerriJ)^  the  Paps  of  Dana. 

Other  antiquarians  will  have  it  that  they  received  the  name 
Tuatha-De-Danann  from  having  been  divided  into  three  orders 
or  castes.  The  first  of  these  was  called  the  "  Tuath  :"^*  it  was  to 
it  that  the  rank  of  nobility  and  chieftainship  belonged ;  even  to 
this  day  the  word  "  Tuathach,"  is  synonymous  with  "  Lord." 
And  this  is  the  more  credible,  from  the  fact  that  B^'choill  and 

the  leader  of  theFomorians,  was  killed  mytliological  or  allegorical,  I  will  offer 
therein  by  a  stone  thrown  at  him  from  but  little  coram2nt.  Their  enigmatical 
a  sling  by  the  S3n  of  his  own  d lughtiT,  m;ianing  was  evidently  not  understood 
namjly  L-igaidh  Lamfada.  Kethlen-.i,  by  the  Gaelic  bards,  wlio  handed  them 
the  wife  of  iJ.il')r,  f  )ught  witli  desperate  down.  To  attempt  tlieir  solution  now, 
valor,  and  woandi^il  the  Dagh  la,  who  while  all  that  relates  to  this  mystic 
afterwards  became  king  of  the  Dananns.  people  is  so  very  obscure,  would  lead 
Nuadath  of  the  Silver-hand,  Ogma,  and  to  a  wide  and  too  wild  a  field  of  con- 
several  other  Dananns  of  note,  were  jecture  for  the  limits  of  these  notes, 
killed.  In  it  ah)  fell  the  heroine  Ivet'i-  Let  the  reader  form  his  own  judgment 
lenu.     The   battle  had  be>n   brought  thereupon. 

about  by  the  intrigues  of  lires,  son  of  "^  Diaa.     I  write  this  name  Dana 

Elathan,  who  had   been   monarch   of  in  En.;lish,  for  .such  I  conceive  to  be  its 

Ireland  while  Nuadath's  hand  wa^  un-  nominative  form, 

der  euro.     He  fell  himself  therein,  and  '"  Muvi — the  Isle  of  Man. 

his  fall  gave  the  victory  to  the  Dananris.  "   Taú\  means    also  a  "tribe,"  a 

*•*  Jiriaii,^c.     Upon  these  names  an  I  '•  district,"  a  "  country" — the  country  iu 

the  following,  nearly  all  of  which  are  oppDsition  to  the  town,  &c. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  141 

Danann,  two  of  tbeir  heroines  or  female  rulers,  were  styled  the 
Ban-TucUhachs,^^  or,  in  English,  the  "female  chiefs."  It  is  thus 
the  bard  designates  them  in  the  following  o-anyi — 

"  The  beloved  Beclioill  and  Danann, 
Killed  wore  these  two  Ban-tuathachs — 
The  evening  of  their  magic  came  at  last 
Through  the  pale  demons  of  the  air." 

Those  of  the  second  caste  were  called  "Dee;"  and  these  were 
their  Druids,  (i.  e,  the  priests  and  diviners.)  The  third  caste,  called 
Danann,  was  composed  of  such  as  were  devoted  to  the  arts,  for 
"dan"  {daun)  and  "card"  {caird)  mean  the  same  thing,  i.  e.  art 
or  handicraft:  thus  they  were  named  Dananns  from  their  "dans" 
or  arts.^^ 

Here  follows  an  enumeration  of  the  most  famous  and  noble 
persons  of  the  Tuatha-De-Dananns,  viz.,  Eocaidh  the  Ollamh, 
called  The  Daghda,  Ogina,  Alloid,  Bres  and  Delbaeth,  the  five 
sons  of  Elathan,  son  of  Niad;  and  Manannan,  son  of  Alloid,  son 
of  Delbaeth;  the  six  sons  of  Delbaeth,  son  of  Ogma,  namely  Fia- 
cadh,  Ollamh,  Indaei,  Brian,  luchar  and  lucharba ;  Aengus 
Aedh,  Kerinad  and  Midir,  the  four  sons  of  the  Daghda  ;  Lugaidh, 
son  of  Kian,  son  of  Diankect,  son  of  Esarg,  son  of  Niad,  son  of 
Indaei.  Grobnenu,  the  smith;  Credni,  the  artist;  Diankect,  the 
physician  ;  Luctan.  the  mason,  and  Carbri  the  poet,  son  of  Tura, 
son  of  Turell ;  Begreo,  son  of  Carbri  Cat-kenn,  son  of  Tabarn  ; 
Fiacadh  son  of  Delbaeth,  with  his  son  Ollamh ;  Caicer  and  Nec- 
tan,  the  two  sons  of  Namath;  Eocaidh  Garb,  or  the  Eough,  son  of 
Duach-Dall ;  Sidomall  the  son  of  Carbri  Crom,  son  of  Elemar, 
son  of  Delbaeth ;  ERI,  FODLA^"  and  BAND  A,  the  three  daugh- 
ters of  Fiacadh,  son  of  Delbaeth,  son  of  Ogma,  and  Ernin  daughter 
of  Edarlamh  the  mother  of  these  women.  The  following  are  the 
names  of  their  three  goddesses,  viz.,  Badb,^^  Macha  and  Morig- 
han.^^     Bechoil   and   Danann  were  their   two    "  ban-tuathachs" 

^^  Ban-tunthach  {Ba7itoohagh),\s  hj  sitive     adjective    "Degh,"    anciently 

some   understood   to    mean   sorceress.  "  Dech,"  and  now  pronounced  Di  and 

The  succeading  rann  seems  to  support  Dii.     Thus  we  say  "  Degh-Mhuinter," 

this  msaning.  (Di-vuinter),  good  people,  "  Deigh-bhou" 


^'  The  explanations  above  given  of  (DiZ-uaft),  a  good  or  a  beautiful  woman, 

the  national  nana  of  this  people  are  l)anann  is  the  only  part  of  the  sentence 

most  unsa+isfactiry.     No  doubt  they  that,  in  his  opinion,  is  generic,  or  that 

had  been  dividad  into  three  orders  or  refers  to  the  origin  of  this  people, 

castes,  but  still  thit  does  not  explain  ^"  Eri,  ^c.     From  these  Ireiand  is 

the  name.     The  editor  thinks  that  the  said  to  have  received  its  tln-ee  names, 

following    is    the    translation    of    the  as  above  seen. 

phrase,  viz.,  "  the  Good"  or  "  Sacred  -'    Badb,   or  Badlib  is  pronounced 

Tribes  of  Dana."    Thus  he  takes  "  De,"  "  Bibe." 

the  second   word  in  the  sentence,  to  "    Morrighan,  [Mbr-reen),  i.  e.  the 

be  a  form  of  the  comaija  Irish  prcpo-  great  quoen. 


142  TEfÉ  HISTORY  OF  IRELAND. 

{han-ioohagJis)  or  chief  ladies.  BrighicP  {Bree-yith)  wns  their  po- 
etess. Fe  and  ^[en  were  the  ladies  or  "  ban-tuathachs"  of  their 
two  king-bards,  and  from  them  Magh-Femen^  in  JMunster  has  its 
name.  Of  them  also  was  Trialhri  Tore,  from  whom  Tretherni 
in  Munster  is  called.  Cridinbél,  Brunni  and  Casmael  were  their 
three  satyrists. 

It  was  this  nation  that  vanquished  the  Fomorians  in  the  battle 
of  North  Magh-Turedh,  and  that  had  previously  conquered  the 
Fer-Bolgs,  in  the  battle  of  South  Magh-Turedh. 


OP  THE   KINGS  OF  THE   TUATHA-DE-DANANN. 

NuADATH,^^  stjded  Argedlamh^''  or  the  Silver-handed,  son  of 
Ectach,  son  of  Edarlamh,  son  of  Ordan,  son  of  Indaei,  son  of  Al- 
iaei,  son  of  Tath,  held  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland  for  thirty  years, 
until  he  fell  in  the  battle  of  North  Magh-Turedh  by  the  hands  of 
Elathan,  son  of  Delbaeth,  and  of  Balar,  styled  of  mighty  blows, 
the  grandson  of  Niad. 

BuES,^^  son  of  Elathan,  son  of  Niad,  son  of  Indaei,  son  of  Allaei, 
ruled  the  kingdom  of  Ireland  f  )r  seven  years. 

LuGAlDii,  surnamed  Lamfada,  i.  e.  the  Long-handed,  son  of 
Diankect,  son  of  Esarg  Brcc,  son  of  Niad,  son  of  Indaei,  reigned 
as  king  of  Ireland  for  forty  years.  It  was  this  Lugaidh  that  first 
instituted  the  Assembly  or  Fair^^  of  Talti  {Aenach  Tailtenn),  as 

^  Brighid,  otherwise  Brif^hitt,  i.  e.,  the  intrigues  of  Bros  with  the  subject 

"  arrow  of  fire,"  was  the  Druidic  god-  Belgians  and  Fomorians,  that  lecf  to 

dess  of  poetry.  the    battle  of    North  Magh-Turedh, 

"^    Magh-Femen,  otherwise     Magh-  where  both  himself  and  his  rival  lost 

Feimhen  {Moy  Faiven),  is  now  called  their  lives.     O'Flaherty  calls  Brcs  him- 

the  barony  of  Iffa  and  0£fa  East,  in  the  self  a  Fomorian. 

county   of    Tipperary.      Slievenaman  ''"  "  Arged-lamli,"  i.  e.  Silver  Hand, 

was  anciently  called  Sliabh  na  mBan  was  perhaps  originally  intended  nothing 

Feimhen,  or  the  mountain  of  the  women  more  than  to  express  his  bounteous  and 

of  Femen.  generous  sjiirit.     In  course  of  time  a 

'^  Xuadath,  the  chief  of  this  colony,  popular  fable  was  founded  thereupon, 

is  not  placed  in  the  book  of  Invasions  '■"   Bres   is   set   down    before    Nud- 

as  the  first  monarch  of  the  Dananns.  dath  by  all  our  other  Irish  authorities 

He  was  incapacitated  from  sitting  on  The  Four  Masters  set  down  his  reign 

the  throne,  by  the  loss  of  his  hand  at  thus — "  The  age  of  the  world  3301 — 

Magh-Turedh  ;  for  at  this,  as  at  every  the  first  year  of  the  reign  of  Brcs,  son 

period  of  Irish  history,  any  corporal  of  Fiathan  ;  for  the  Tuatha-dc-I)anann 

defect  was  a  sufficient  cause  for  cxclu-  gave  him  the  sovereignty,  after  they 

sioii  from  the  monarchy.     His  cousin  gained   the   battle    of    Magh-Turedh, 

Bres  was  then  the  first  king  of  Ireland,  while  the  hand  of  Nuadath  was  under 

inaugurated  on  tlie  famous  I^ia  Fail,  cure." 

When  furnished  with  the  artificial  hand  -'  "  This  fair,  at  which  various  games 

of  silver,  Nuadath  claimed  the  king-  were  celebrated,  continued  down  to  the 

dom,  and  Bres  was  forced  to  resign,  time  of  Roderic  O'Connor,  the  last  king 

after  a  reign  of  seven  years.     It  was  of  Ireland.     The  remains  of  a  large 


THE   HISTORY  OF   IRELAND. 


143 


an  annual  commemoration  of  Talti,  daughter  of  Maghmor,  king 
of  Spain,  Avho  had  been  at  first  the  wife  of  Eocaidh,  son  of  Ere, 
the  last  king  of  the  Fer-Bolgs,  but  was  afterwards  married  to 
Eocaidh  Garb,  a  chieftain  of  the  Tuatha-De-Dananns.  It  Avas  by 
this  lady,  that  Lugaidh-Lamfada  had  been  fostered  and  educated 
until  he  became  fit  to  bear  arms.  For  this  reason,  Lugaidh  in- 
stituted the  games  of  the  Fair  of  Talti,  in  remembrance  and 
lionor  of  her  name.  These  games,  which  resembled  those  called 
Olympic  in  Greece,  were  celebrated  for  a  fortnight  before  and  a 
fortnight  after  Lammas  ;  and  it  is  from  this  commemoration,  so 
inaugurated  by  him,  that  the  calends  of  August  are  called  Lugh- 
nasa  (Loonasa),  i.  e.  the  "Nasadh"  or  memorial  of  Lugaidh;  this 
is  the  day  on  which  is  now  celebrated  the  feast  of  St.  Peter's 
Chains  {Aug.  1st).  He  fell  at  last  by  the  hand  of  Mac  Coill,  at 
Caen-drom.^ 

The  Great  Daghda.^"  son  of  Delbaeth,  son  of  Mad,  held  the 
sovereignty  of  Ireland  for  seventy  years.  He  died  at  Brugh,  of 
the  effects  of  the  wound  he  had  received  from  the  shaft  cast  at 
him  by  Kethlenn,^i  in  the  battle  of  (North)  Magh-Tiiredh. 
Eocaidh  Ollathar  was  his  real  name. 

Delbaeth,  son  of  Ogma  ^^  the  Sun-sage,  son  of  Elathan,  son  of 

earthen  rath  and  traces  of  three  arti- 
ficial lakes,  and  other  remains,  are  still 
to  be  seen  there.  To  the  left  of  the 
road  as  you  go  from  Kills  to  Donagh- 
patrick,  there  is  a  hollow  called  '  Lag 
an  Aenaig,'  i.  e.  the  hollow  of  the  fair, 
where,  according  to  tradition,  marriages 
were  solemnized  in  pagan  times.  Tel- 
town  was,  until  recently,  resorted  to  by 
the  men  of  Meath  for  hurling,  wrest- 
ling and  other  manly  sports." — O'D.'s 
Notes  to  the  Four  Masters. 

^"  Kaendrum,  i.  e.  "  the  fair  ridge,"  or 
"  hill,"  was  an  ancient  name  of  the  hill 
of  Usnagh,  in  Westmeath. 

'*  Daghda .  In  the  account  of  the  Tu- 
atha-de-Dananns,  preserved  in  the  book 
of  Leean,  it  is  stated  that  the  Daghda 
Mor  (i.  e.  the  Great  Good  Fire,  so 
called  from  his  military  ardor) ,  was  for 
eighty  years  king  of  Ireland,  and  that 
he  had  three  sons,  Aengus,  Aedh  and 
Kermad,  who  were  buried  with  their 
father  at  Brugh-na-Boinne,  where  the 
mound  called  '' Sidh  an  Brogha"  {Shea 
an  Vrowa)  was  raised  over  them  as  a 
monument.  Aengus  an  Bhrogha  was 
considered  the  presiding  fairy  of  the 
Boyne  until  recently.  For  some  account 
of  the  monuments  which  anciently  existed 


at  Brugh  na  Boinue,  see  Petrie's  Round 
Towers.  The  monuments  ascribed  by 
the  ancient  Irish  writers  to  the  Tuatha- 
de-Dananns  still  remain,  and  are  princi- 
pally situated  in  Meath,  near  the  Boyne, 
as  at  Drogheda,  Dowth,  Knowth  and 
New  Grange.  There  are  other  monu- 
ments of  them  at  Cnoc-Aine  and  Gnoc- 
Greine  [Knockany  ííXiú.  Knockgrairy) ,  in 
the  county  of  Limerick,  and  on  the 
Pap  mountains,  Da  cich  Danainnc,  in 
the  south-cast  of  the  county  of  Kerry. 
These  monuments  are  of  the  most  re- 
mote antiquity,  and  prove  that  the 
Tuatha-de-Dananns  were  a  real  people, 
though  their  history  is  so  much  wrapped 
up  in  fable  and  obscurity." — O'D.'s 
Notes  to  the  Four  blasters. 

The  Daghda  was  one  of  their  most 
famous  magicians.  He  might  have  got 
his  title  from  having  been  priest  of  the 
"  Great  Good  Fire,"  i.  e.  the  Sun. 

"  Kethlenn,  the  wife  of  Balor  Balo- 
beimnach  the  Fomorian,  and  the  grand- 
mother of  Lugaidh  Lamfada.  who  slew 
Balor  in  the  same  battle.  Inis  Keth- 
lenn, now  Knniskillen,  is  called  after  the 
heroine.  Sje  O'D.'s  Notes  to  the  Four 
Masters,  p.  23. 

"  Ogina  Grtan  Eiges  {Owma  Green 


144  THE  HISTORY'   OF   IRELAND. 

Delbaeth,  son  of  Niad,  was  king  of  Ireland  for  ten  years,  at  the 
end  of  winch  he  died  bv  the  hand  of  his  own  son,  Fiacadh. 

FiACADH,  son  of  Delbaeth,  I'eigned  ten  years,  and  then  was 
killed  by  Eogan,  at  Ard-Brec. 

Mac  Coll,  Mac  Keact,  and  Mac  Greni,  the  three  sons  of 
Kermad  MilbeoP  or  Milbel,  son  of  the  Daghda,  reigned 
thirty  years.  Some  antiquarians  say,  that  these  kings  divided 
Ireland  into  three  parts  between  them,  and  that  each  of  them 
ruled  his -own  share  independentl3^  So  a  certain  historic  bard 
tells  us,  in  the  following  verse : 

"  Mac  Coll,  Mac  Keact  and  Mac  Greui, 
Those  chieftains  of  proud  deeds, 
Into  three  parts  divide  her  soil, 
Though  countless  the  hosts  of  Eri." 

Nevertheless,  there  was  no  such  division  of  the  country  between 
these  kings,  but  each  of  them  held  the  sovereignty  alternately 
for  one  year,  as  we  have  before  observed,  in  speaking  of  the 
names  of  this  island.  They  were  all  three  killed  in  the  battle  of 
Talti  or  Taltenn  {noio  Telltown  in  Meath). 

The  reason  why  these  three  sons  of  Kermad  were  called  Mac^* 
Coill,  Mac  Keact  and  Mac  Greni,  was  because  Coll  {the  hazel  tree), 
Keact  {ihe  plouf/h?),  and  Grian  {the  sun),  Avcre  the  three  gods  they 
adored.  Coll,^^  then,  was  the  god  of  Mac  Coill,  but  Ethor  was  his 
real  name,  and  Banba  was  his  wife.  Mac  Keuct,  too,  Keact^^ 
was  his  god,  Tóthor  his  name,  and  Fodla  his  wife.  Mac  Greni, 
lastly,  had  Grian  for  his  god,  KtHhor  was  his  name,  and  Eri  his 
wife.     The  proper  name  of  Manannán,^'  likewise,  was  Orbsen ; 

.'lin-ess),!.  e.  "0^ma,learnedinthc  Sun.''  ed  plough,  is  the  usual  name  for  the 

This  name   is  mythological.     Ogniius  constellation  Ursa  Major.      Cormac's 

was  the  Apollo  or  God  of  Eloquence  Glossary,  also,  in  explaining  the  name 

of  the  Gauls.     Ogham  by  {Owam),  is  Dian  Kecht,  tells  us  that  "  Cecht  "  or 

the  name  of  the  Mystic  Druid  alpha-  "  Coacht"  means  medicine  likewise.— See 

bet  of  the  Gaols,  of  which  some  say  notn  upon  Dinnkect  given  above. 
that  this  Ograa  was  the  inventor.  "  This   Manannan   is   a   ])ersonage 

"  Mil-Blicol  {Mil-veoD,  MU-vail,  i.  e.  famous    in  Irish  legendary  mythology. 

"Honey  Mouth,"  i.  e.  "the  eloquent  iie  would  seem  to  have  presided  over 

or  sweet-voiced.  the  sea  and   the  tempests.      Of  him 

'*  Mac     Coin.      Some    understand  0'Flahertymakesthefollo\vin:r  mention. 

"Mac"     to  mean   "priest,"    in    these  "The  emerchant  Orbsen  was  remarkable 

titles.     It  is  however  f:ir-fetched.  for  carrying  on  a  commercial  intercourse 

'^  Coll  was  apparently  a  name  for  l)etween  Ireland  and  (J roat  Krltain.    He 

the  divinity  who  presided  over  fruit-  was  commonly  called  Afanannan  Mac 

bearing  trees,  the  Irish  Pomona.     The  Lir,   that  is,  Manannan   {jM mksman), 

word  is  now  applied  to  the  hazel.  from  his  intcrcoursíí  with  the   Isle  of 

'=  Ceacitt  would  seom  to  meaa  here  the  Man  ;  and   Mac  Lir,  {son  of  Ler),  i.  e. 

divinity  presiding  over  agriculture,  i.e.  offspring  of  the  sea,  because  he  was  an 

the  Celtic  Ceres.    Ceachta  (/Cii/yg/tia),  expert  diver;   besides,  he  understood 

is    the    common   Irish    name  for   the  the  dangerous  parts  of  harbors  ;  and 

plough.     Cam-Ceachta,  i.  e.  the  crook-  from   his  prescience  of  the  change  of 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


145 


and  it  is  from  him  that  Loch-Orbsen  {now  Lough- Corrih)  is  called, 
for  it  was  when  they  were  digging  his  grave  that  this  lake  burst 
over  the  land.  It  was  of  these  people,  that  the  following  historic 
laj  was  sung : 

"  Ethor  was  lordly — glory  gained  he — haughty  the  man — - 
Coll  was  his  God — 0^*  of  bright  Daghda — Banba  his  wife. 
Tethor  was  bold — strong  the  fight- — ruthless  smote  he — 
Fodia  his  wife^great  deeds  he  wrought — in  Keact  he  believed. 
Kethor  was  comely — beauteous  his  form — generous  was  he — 
Eri  his  wife — queen  of  bounty  was  she — Griau  was  his  God. 
Manannan,  from  the  lake — son  of  Lcr,  of  the  endless  expanse — 
Orbseu  his  name — after  a  hundred  fights — the  man  found  Death."'^' 

According  to  the  Psalter  of  Cashel,  the  Tuatha-De-Danann 
held  the  sovereign  power  in  Ireland  for  two  hundred  years,  less 


weather,  always  avoided  tempests.  But 
he  fell  in  a  battle  at  Moy  Cullin  {Magh 
TJlUnn),  on  the  banks  of  the  spacious 
lake  Orbsen,  which  falls  into  the  bay 
of  Galway  by  the  river  Galway,  having 
been  run  through  by  Ullinn,  grandson 
or  Nuad  or  Nuadath,  monarch  of  Ire- 
land, by  his  son  Thady  {Tadg).  The 
place  of  the  engagement  was  called  after 
Ullinn,  and  the  lake  (Lough  Corrib), 
after  Orbsen. 

'*  0  is  here  to  be  understood  in  its 
literal  sense ;  that  is,  "  Grandson." 
This  word  is  otherwise  written  "  |a." 

''  The  language  and  style  of  this 
mystic  lay  belongs  to  the  most  ancient 
class  of  Gaelic  composition.  Its  allu- 
sions, with  the  exception  of  those  that 
may  be  contained  in  the  hidden  mean- 
ing of  the  proper  names  themselves, 
are  sufiBciently  explained  by  what  went 
before.  To  pursue  them  further,  would 
lead  into  an  endless  labyrinth  of  con- 
jecture. 

Of  this  Colony,  the  learned  Dr.  0'- 
Donovan  makes  the  following  judicious 
remarks  :  "  From  the  many  monuments 
ascribed  to  this  colony  by  tradition  and 
in  ancient  Irish  historical  tales,  it  is 
quite  evident  that  they  were  a  real  peo- 
ple ;  and  from  their  having  been  con- 
sidered gods  and  magicians  by  the  Ga- 
eidhil  or  Scoti,  who  subdued  them,  it 
may  be  inferred  that  they  were  skilled 
in  arts  which  the  latter  did  not  under- 
stand. Amongst  these  was  Danann, 
the  Mother  of  the  Gods  ;  Buannan,  the 
goddess  that  instructed  heroes  in  mili- 

10 


tary  exercises ;  the  Minerva  Irish. 
Badhbh  [Boive)  the  Beloua  of  Irish  ; 
Abortach,  the  God  of  Music  ;  Ned,  the 
God  of  War,  and  Nemon  his  wife  ; 
Mauanuan,  the  God  of  the  Sea  ;  Dian- 
cecht,  the  God  of  Physic  ;  Brighit,  the 
Goddess  of  Poets  and  Smiths,  ifec." 

It  appears,  from  a  very  curious  and 
ancient  tract  written  in  the  shape  of 
a  dialogue  between  St.  Patrick  and 
Caoilti-MacRonain,  that  there  were 
very  many  places  where  the  Tuatha- 
De-Dananns  were  then  supposed  to 
live  as  sprites  or  fairies,  with  corporal 
or  material  form,  but  endued  with  im- 
mortality. The  inference  naturally  to 
be  drawn  from  these  stories  is,  that  the 
Tuatha-De-Dannans  lingered  in  the 
country  for  many  centuries  after  their 
subjugation  by  the  Gaeidhil,  and  that 
they  lived  in  retired  situations,  where 
they  practiced  abstruse  arts,  which  in- 
duced the  others  to  regard  them  as  ma- 
gicians. So  late  as  the  third  century, 
Aine,  daughter  of  Eogabal,  a  lady  of 
this  race,  was  believed  to  be  resident  at 
Cnoc-Aiue,  in  the  county  of  Limerick, 
where  she  was  ravished  by  Olild  Olum. 
king  of  Munster. 

It  looks  very  strange  that  our  gene- 
alogists trace  the  pedigree  of  no  fam- 
ily, living  for  the  last  thousand  years, 
to  any  of  the  kings  or  chieftains  of  the 
Tuatha-De-Dananns,  while  several  fam- 
ilies of  the  Fir-Bolgic  descent  are  men- 
tioned as  in  Hy-Many  and  other  parts 
of  Connaught. — Notes  to  Four  Mas- 
ters. 


X46  THE  HISTORY    OF   IRP^LAND. 

by  three,  that  is  for  one  hundred  and  ninetj^-seven  years,  in  all. 
Here  follows  a  rann^  quoted  in  proof  of  this  reckoning : 

One  hundred  years  and  ninety-seven, 
This  recliouing  is  most  true, 
The  Tuatha-Iié-Danann  strongly  reigned 
Over  Eri  in  supreme  sway. 


END    OF  THE   FIRST  TRACT. 


i>iS.RT   11/ 


CHAPTER  I. 

OF    THE    TRACING    OF    THE    SCOTIC    EACE    TO    ITS    FOUNDER, 

JAPHET. 

To  enable  us  to  trace  the  Scotic  race  to  its  root,  that  is,  to 
Japhet,  we  must  observe  that  his  two  sons,  Gomer  and  Magog, 
were  the  most  distinguished  of  his  offspring.  Moses,  in  the  tenth 
chapter  of  Genesis,  where  he  gives  the  genealogy  of  the  race  of 
Japhet,  tells  us  that  Gomer  had  three  sons,  whose  names  were 
Aschenez,  Riphath,  and  Togarmah ;  but  he  does  not  specially 
mention  the  sons  of  Magog  by  their  names.  Besides,  as  it  is  on 
the  historians  of  the  tribe  of  iScot,  that  it  is  peculiarly  incumbent  to 
trace  the  lineage  of  the  princes  sprung  from  Magog,  and,  particu- 
larly those  of  the  race  of  Fenius  Farsa,  we  shall  here  set  down  a 
detailed  account  of  the  descendants  of  Magog,  according  to  the 
Book  of  Invasions,  which  is  called  {the  Book)  of  Drom-Snecta,^ 
an  authority  which  existed  before  the  arrival  of  St,  Patrick  in 
Ireland. 

This  states  that  Magog  had  three  sons,  namely,  Baath,  Ibaath, 
and  Fathacta.  From  Baath  descended  Fenius  Farsa,  the  ancestor 
of  the  Gaelic  nation.     From  Ibaath  sprang  the  Amazons,^  Bactri- 

^  Part  II.   The  present  division  of  the  tended  their  empire  from  Cappadocia, 

Foras  Feasa,  is  headed  Book  1,  Part  eastwards,  along  the  Euxine  or  Black 

II,  in  Halliday's  edition,  and   in  one  Sea,  and  thence  to   the    Caspian,  and 

of  three  MSS.  from  which  this  trans-  northwards  again  to  the  river    Tanais 

lation  is  made.    In  the  other  two,  which  or  Don.     Their  women  were  fabled  to 

are  the  raoi-e  ancient  and  correct,  no  have  monopolized  the  trade  of  arms, 

such  heading  is  found.  Penthesilia,  one  of  their  queens,  came 

^  Drom-Snecta.     This   book   is  un-  to  assist   Priam   at   the   Trojan   war, 

known  to  modern  Irish   scholars.      It  where  she  was  slain  by  Achilles.     The 

has  possibly  been  lost,  since  Keating's  Amazons  were  said   to  have  founded 

time.     Drom   Snecta,  i.  c.  the  Snowy  Smyrna,   Ephcsus,   and   several    other 

Ridge,   is   now  called    Drumsnat,   co.  distinguished  cities  of  Asia  Minor. — 

Monaghan,  where   there   was   once   a  Some  of  the  adventures  attributed  to 

monastery,  founded  by  St.  Molua.  the  ancestors  of  the  Gaels,  must  have 

'  Amazons.     The  Amazons  were  a  taken  place  within  their  territories,  or 

famous  nation  of  antifjuity,  who  flour-  rather,  within  the  territories  assigned 

ished  in  Asia  Minor  (Turkey  in  Asia),  to  them  by  primeval  tradition,  if  they 

previous  to  the  Trojan  war.     They  ex-  took  place  anywhere. 


148 


THE    HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


ans,*  and  Parthians  f  and  from  Fatliacta  came  Partholan,  who  was 
the  iirst  colonizer  of  Ireland  after  llie  Deluge,  as  well  as  jN'emedh, 
son  of  Agnaman  or  Aduamau,  and,  consequently,  the  Fer 
Bolgs,  and  Tuatha-Dc-Dananns,  as  we  have  mentioned  above,  in 
giving  an  account  of  their  conquests  of  the  island.  Of  the  race 
of  this  Fathacta,  too,  came  Attila,  who  subjected  Pamionia  to  his 
sway,  and  who  continued  long  to  harass  the  Eoman  Empire,  and 
who  laid  waste  and  depopulated  Aquileia,  and  made  many  inva- 
sions into  Germany,  From  Scythia,  too,  and  of  the  race  of  jNIa- 
gog,  was  Zeliorbes,  king  of  the  lluns,*'  who  niade  Avar  upon  the 
Emperor  Justinian.  Hence,  too,  came  the  Longobardi'  or  Lom- 
bards, and  the  Hungarians  and  Goths.®     From  Scythia  came  the 


■'  Bactrians.  The  country  of  the 
Bactrians  lay  to  the  east  of  Persia. 
They  seem  to  have  been  originally  of 
the  same  race  with  the  Persians.  They 
claimed  the  great  Persian  lawgiver, 
Zoroaster,  as  their  first  king.  They 
bordered  upon  that  indefinable  region 
which  the  ancients  called  Scythia. 

^  Farthiam.  This  indomitable  na- 
tion fixed  its  dwelling  south-east  of  the 
Caspian  Hoa,  on  the  norlli-wcsfern  bor- 
ders of  Persia  pri)])er.  They  were,  in 
the  beginning,  undoubtedly,  the  same 
people  as  the  I'ersians,  of  whose  name 
Parthian  is  but  a  dialectic  variatiem. 
The  Parthians  were  said  to  be  of  Scyth- 
ian origin,  as  in  truth  they  might,  for 
their  ancestors  (as,  perhaps,  the  ances- 
tors of  all  mankind)  were  originally 
"Scythians,"  i.  e.  "Nomads,"  living  in 
tents,  as  the  Arabs  and  Tartars  do 
still.  'J"he  Teutonic  or  Germanic  na- 
tions of  Europe  are,  with  considerable 
probability,  supposed  to  be  descended 
*'rom  portions  of  the  Parthian  or  Per- 
sian people,  who  had  proceeded  north- 
wards and  west  wards  on  the  track  of 
the  Celts  and  Kimri,  in  search  of  new 
settlements,  or,  perhaps,  to  avoid  the 
yoke  of  their  bretlir(;n,  who  began  to 
build  themselves  towns,  and  who  had 
changed  the  "  Scythic"  for  a  more  seU 
tied  mode  of  living. 

°  Huns.  The  JIunswere  originally 
a  Tartar  race  of  Mongolian  type  and 
origin,  speaking  a  language  resembling 
somewhat  those  of  the  Semitic  races, 
and  akin  to  the  tongues  spoken  Ijy  the 
Finlandersand  Laplanders  in  the  north 
of  Europe.      The   Hung   who   invaded 


the  Roman  empire,  came  from  the  north 
of  the  Great  AVall  of  China.  The 
great  family  of  languages,  one  of  which 
is  spoken  by  the  Huns,  i.  e.  the  Hun- 
garians of  the  present  day,  is  styled 
Uralian  by  philologists.  If  the  word 
"  Scythic  "  be  ccpially  applicable,  as  a 
title  implying  national  descent,  to  the 
Scots,  the  Huns,  and  the  two  next 
mentioned  nations,  it  might,  without 
losing  much  of  its  distinctive  signili- 
cancy,  be  exchanged  ibr  that  of  Adam- 
ite or  Noachic. 

'  Longobardi.  These  people,  other- 
wise called  Lombards,  were  a  Germanic 
nation  of  the  Saxon  race,  who  in  A.  D. 
568,  conquered  a  settlement  in  the 
north-east  of  Italy,  ^riie  pure  Saxon 
type,  whence  they  sprung,  may  be  .still 
seen  in  the  north-west  of  (jcrmany  and 
the  south-eastern  .shires  of  England. — 
Fair-haired  Scythians,  such  as  they 
must  have  been,  coidd  not  have  partici- 
pated in  the  blood  of  the  ]\longolian 
Huns  since  the  days  of  Nimrod,  who, 
according  to  Pinkerton,  was,  it  would 
seem,  not  only  a  Scythian  and  Scot,  but 
also  a  Goth. 

"  Goths.  The  Goths  or  (Jothi,  who 
arc  also  called  Gothoncs  and  Gythones, 
were,  like  the  hust-mentioned.  a  Teu- 
tonic or  Germanic  nation.  They  first 
appear  in  history  under  the  name  of 
(jets,  a  people  of  iMU'opean  Scythia, 
dwelling  near  the  borders  of  Thrace. 
A  dialect  of  the  (iothic  language,  as 
spoken  in  the  fourth  century,  has  been 
preserved  in  the  translation  of  the 
Bible  made  by  UI])hilas,  styled  the 
"  Liber  Argentus,"  or  Silver.Book.     If 


THE  HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


149 


Dauni,®  from  whom  Daunia,  in  Italy,  wliich  is  now  called  Apulia, 
has  its  name.  The  Turks, ^^*  also,  came  from  Scythia.  But,  in 
short,  Buchanan,  an  investigator  into  the  ancient  history  of  the 
world,  asserts,  after  Epiphaaius,^^  that  the    Scythians   obtained 


it  be  Scythian,  it  differs  from  the  Scyth- 
ian of  the  Huns,  as  represented  by  the 
modern  Hungarians,  and  also  from  the 
Scythian  of  the  Turks  and  Tartars,  as 
widely  as  any  one  language  can. 

At  a  period  supposed,  with  good  rea- 
son, to  be  long  subsequent  to  the  Celtic 
and  Cimbric  or  Kimric  occupation  of 
Northern  and  Central  Europe,  a  portion 
of  the  Gothic  nation  settled  in  Scandi- 
navia, and  gave  the  name  of  Gothia  to 
a  province  of  Sweden,  and  Gothland  to 
an  isle  in  the  Baltic  Sea.  Still  more 
recently,  in  A.  D.  452,  another  portion 
of  the  same  race  conquered  Spain,  and 
gave  the  name  of  Gotalaunia  or  Cata- 
lonia to  one  of  its  provinces.  Many 
of  the  geographical  and  historical  im- 
possibilities recorded  by  our  later  bards 
and  Shenachies,  of  the  wanderings  and 
adventures  of  the  early  colonists  of 
Ireland  previous  to  their  several  arriv- 
als in  that  country ;  and  more  especially 
of  the  Gaelic  or  Scotic  colony,  are  justly 
attributed  to  the  Latinizing  of  the 
'■Gaethlaeimh"  or  "Gethlaeimh"  [Gaih- 
lucevc)  and  "  Gaethluidhe"  (Gaihhice) 
of  the  early  pagan  bards,  by  "  Gothia" 
and  "  Gothi."  According  to  the  learned 
C  Flaherty,  in  his  Ogygia,  "  Gaeth- 
laeimh" meant  '-Gaetulia,"  a  country  of 
Northern  Africa.  That  it  did  so,  is  ev- 
ident both  from  the  form  of  the  word 
itself  and  from  the  descriptions  given  of 
its  situation  in  our  old  historic  duans. 

When  the  Irish  or  Scots,  after  their 
conversion,  came  first  into  close  contact 
with  contiuental  Europe,  they  found  the 
"  Gothi"  settled  in  Spain,  and  without 
any  other  authority  than  the  identity 
of  the  two  first  consonants  of  their 
name  with  those  of  the  name  of  the 
"  Gaethluidhe,"  they  might  have  con- 
cluded, that  those  -were  the  people  with 
whom  their  remote  ancestors  had  con- 
tended for  the  masterdom,  both  of  that 
country  and  Northern  Africa.  Hence 
came  the  Gaelic  rule  in  Gothia  (Gaeth- 
laeimh), during  eight  generations,  and 
their  impossible  voyage  thither  from 


Egypt  by  the  way  of  Crete,  and  thence 
northwards  through  the  Euxine,  Cas- 
pian, and  the  narrow  sea  by  the  Riphean 
Mountains,  leading  int'i  the  ocean,  which 
Dr.  Keating  so  naively  repeats  to*  us  a 
little  further  on. 

°  Dauni.  This  people  settled  in 
Apulia  before  the  Trojan  war,  came,  as 
we  are  told,  originally  from  Illyricum, 
a  country  lying  along  the  Eastern  coast 
of  the  Adriatic  Sea  or  Gulf  of  Venice. 
They  were  ruled  by  Daunus,  son  of 
Pilumnus  and  Danae,  when  the  Grecian 
hero  Diomede  came  to  plant  his  colony 
amongst  them.  They  were  themselves 
probably  of  the  Pelasgic,  that  is,  of 
the  Greek  race.  Their  ancestors  were 
Scythians,  of  course,  for,  at  this  early 
period,  European  Scythia  must  have 
extended  southward  as  far  as  the  Gre- 
cian frontier.  The  modern  provinces 
of  Croatia,  Bosnia,  and  Slavonia  com- 
prehend the  ancient  Illyricum.  They 
are  now  inhabited  by  Slavonic  tribes ; 
tribes  of  rather  recent  Scythian  origin, 
and  differing  extremely  from  all  the 
Scythians  yet  mentioned. 

'"  Turks.  The  Turks  of  Europe  are 
a  branch  of  a  nation  of  Nomadic  Tar- 
tars from  the  region  of  Asia,  north  of 
the  Persians,  by  whom  they  were 
anciently  called  Touranians.  They  are 
men  of  repulsive  aspect,  according  to 
European  notions,  and  the  majority  of 
them  still  continue  to  dwell  in  tents,  and 
lead  migratory  lives — -the  only  points 
in  which  they  can  be  said  to  resemble 
those  other  Scythians  already  spoken  of, 
with,  perhaps,  the  exception  of  the 
Huns. 

"  Epiphanius,  Bishop  of  Salamis, 
wrote  in  the  second  century.  His  works 
contain  some  valuable  historical  frag- 
ments. The  universal  dominion  spoken 
of  by  him  in  the  passage  here  referred 
to,  can  only  mean  that  founded  by 
Nimrod,  or  his  son  Ninus,  in  Assyria. 
Thus  we  have  another  family  of  the 
human  race  included  under  the  denomi- 
nation of  Scythian,  and  see  Scythia  ex- 


150  THE    HISTORY    OF   IRELAND. 

universal  dominion  shortly  after  tlie  Flood,  and  that  their 
sovereignty  existed  until  after  the  captivity  of  Babylon ;  and 
the  same  authors  inform  us  that  other  nations  received  insti- 
tutions, laws  and  ordinances,  from  the  Scj^thians,  and  that  they 
were  the  first  people,  who  rose  to  dignity  and  glory  after  the  Del- 
uge. Johannes  liaronius,  in  the  ninth  chapter  of  the  second 
book  of  his  History  of  the  Manners  of  all  Nations,  says  that  the 
Scythians  were  never  subjected  by  any  other  power,  while  Jose- 
phus  tells  us,  that  the  Greeks  designated  Scythia  by  the  name  of 
Magogia.  Johaimes  Nauclerus  informs  us,  that  there  were  many 
of  the  Scythian  descent,  that  performed  very  glorious  exploits. 
Herodotus  bears  testimony  to  this  in  his  fourth  book,  where  he 
mentions,  that  the  Scythians  repelled  Darius  disgracefully  from 
Scythia.  Justin  also  bears  testimony  to  it,  where  lie  proclaims 
the  greatness  of  the  actions  performed  by  the  inhabitants  of 
Scythia.  These  are  the  words  of  this  autlior:  "The  Scythians 
remained  always  free  from  all  foreign  subjugation.  They  repelled 
Darius,  king  of  Persia,  disgracefully  from  Scythia;  they  slew  Cy- 
rus with  his  whole  army;  they  destroyed,  in  like  manner,  Zophi- 
ron,  the  general  of  Alexander  the  Great,  with  all  his  forces. 
They  had  heard,  indeed,  of  the  Roman  power,  but  never  felt  it."^ 
From  these  words  it  may  be  understood  that  the  Scythians  re- 
tained their  great  valor  and  coui-age  to  this  author's  time. 

Scots — Tlie  Gaels,  so  called  from  Scythia. 

It  is  also  asserted,  in  the  first  book  of  the  Polichronicon,  that  it 
is  from  this  Scythia^^  that  the  descendants  of  Gaedal  Glas  are 

tending   its  bounds  southward  to  the  it  a  Gothic  Empire)  previous  to  Nim 

banks  of  the  Tigris  and   Euphrates,  rod.     Its  obvious  meaning  is,  that  the 

Pinkerton,  in  his  endeavor  to  prove  that  mode  of  life  called  "  Scythisin"  pre- 

his  favorite  Gothic  race  were  the  earli-  vailed  over  the  earth  immediately  after 

est  rulers  of  the  Avorld,  and  the  cream  the  Deluge.     Scythia  must  then  have 

of  humanity  ever  since,  quotes  several  comprehended     the    whole     inhabited 

ancient  authorities  to  prove  that  the  world.     Neither  Gaels,  nor  Goths,  nor 

"  Scythic,"  by  which  he  would  have  un-  Greeks  liad  then  distinct  existence  as 

derstood  the  Gothic  empire,  lasted  from  nations  of  men  ;  Jew  and  Gentile  were 

the  Deluge  to  the  building  of  the  'I'owcr  alike  Scythian,  or,  if  it  so  be,  Gothic, 
of  Babei.     AVhat  that  Scythic  empire        r.  Scythac  ipsi  perpetuo  ab  alieno 

means  may  be  collected  by  comparmg  imperio  aut  intacti  aut  invicti  manse- 

the  words  of  Eusebnis,  quoted  also  by  ^unt;  Darium,  regem  Persarum,  turpi  ab 

him,    with    the     traditions    of    Holy  Seythia   sunnnovcruut   fuga ;    CvTum, 

Writ.      Euscbius    says  :    Ix^Oioiwg  cum  omni  exercitu,  trucidarunt ;  Alex 

ana  rov   -nvpyov  axpi  rov  Kara-  andri    Magni    duccm    Zopirona,    pari 

KXyofiOV,  which  he  correctly  translates,  ratione  cum  copiis  univcrsia  deleverunt ; 

"  From  the  Deluge  to  the  building  of  Ilomanoruni  uudivere  sed  uon  sonscre 

the  Tower  of  Babel  Scijthism  prevailed."  arma. 

But  this,  surely,  does  not  mean  that        "  Scythia.     This    extensive    region 

there  was  a  Scythic  (as  he  would  Lave  comprised,  wilhiu    the    better  kaown 


THE    HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


151 


called  Scots ;  and  as  far  as  I  know,  it  is  not  more  proper  to  call  the 
people  of  Gallic  extraction  who  are  now  dwelling  in  Ireland, 
*'  Goill,"  i.  e.  Galli  or  Gauls,  from  Gallia  or  France,  whence  they 
derive  their  origin,  than  to  name  the  Gaelic  nation  Scots  from 
Scythia,  the  country  whence  they  had  sprung.  And  this  is  the 
reason  why  those  of  the  posterity  of  Fathacta,  son  pi  Magog, 
who  obtained  sovereignty  in  Gothia,  Thrace  and  Achaia,  namely, 
Partholan,  son  of  Sera,  with  his  people ;  Nemedh,  son  of  Ag- 
naman,  from  whom  the  Nemedians  have  their  name ;  the  Fer- 
Bolgs  and  the  Tuatha-De-Dananns,  are  all  named  Scythian  Greeks 
(Gregaigh  Scitia),  because  Scythia  was  the  land  from  which 
they  had  first  migrated  in  the  beginning ;  and  I  likewise  think, 
that  the  reason  why  the  posterity  of  Gaedal,  son  of  Niul,  son  of 
Fenius  Farsa,  are  more  especially  called  Scots,  is  because  it  was 
this  Fenius  Farsa  here  mentioned,  and  his  descendants,  that  ob- 
tained the  sovereignty  of  Scythia.  Niul  was  the  youngest  son  of 
Fenius,  and  did  not  obtain  any  portion  of  his  father's  territories, 
whence  he  could  name  himself  and  his  descendants,  though  Fenius 
himself,  and  his  own  brothers,  had  previously  got  for  their  shares 


periods  of  ancient  history,  all  the 
countries  in  Europe  and  ^Vsia,  contained 
in  the  modern  Russian  Empire,  includ- 
ing Poland,  and  all  the  region  known 
as  Great  Tartary  therewith.  In  addi- 
tion to  this,  it  contained,  in  Europe,  the 
centre  and  North  of  Germany,  and  the 
whole  of  Scandinavia,  and  extended, 
apparently,  from  the  Atlantic  to  the 
Pacific  Ocean,  and  from  the  Danube, 
the  Black  Sea,  the  borders  of  Persia, 
the  Himalaya  Mountains  and  China  to 
the  Northern  Ocean.  In  still  earlier 
times,  it  comprised  a  great  part  of  Asia 
Minor.  It  was  inhabited,  or  rather 
roamed  over  by  numerous  and,  as  before 
shown,  widely  distinct  races  of  men.  In- 
somuch that  the  term  Scythian  must 
cease  to  have  any  precise  meaning,  as  in- 
dicative of  any  peculiar  race  or  breed  of 
liuman  beings.  The  Scythian  region 
was  the  backwood  region  of  antiquity, 
and  was  constantly  narrowing  its  limits 
as  men  settled  down  in  fixed  dwellings, 
and  dropped  their  primeval  usage  of 
dwelling  in  movable  tents.  So  that 
when  we  read  of  Scythian  conquests  in 
ancient  times,  we  can  only  understand 
thereby  that  some  people  yet  leading  a 
pastoral  or  nomadic  mode  of  life  con- 
quered some  others  that  had  already 
given  up  its  "  Scythic"  habits.     Some 


derive  the  word  Scythian  from  a  root 
akin  to  the  Greek  ox^Saw,  the  Eng- 
lish "  scatter,"  or  the  Irish  "  Sgeith" 
{Skeh).  If  so,  it  would  be  equally  ap- 
plicable to  all  the  tribes  scattered  from 
before  Babel.  Its  being  akin  to  the 
national  name  of  the  "  Goths"  or  the 
"  Geta;"  is  very  doubtful,  (though  they 
certainly  were  a  "  Scythic"  people),  and 
its  immediate  kindred  with  that  of  the 
Scots  is  scarcely  less  so.  The  Gaels  do 
not  appear  to  have  ever  taken  any  of 
their  names  from  any  country  they  had 
dwelt  in.  All  their  names  are  ances- 
tral ;  and  as  the  names  of  Scot  and 
Scota  occur  more  than  once  in  their 
genealogy,  we  may  rest  satisfied,  that  it 
was  from  some  of  the  persons  so  de- 
nominated they  took  the  name,  and  not 
from  Scythia,  a  name  which,  to  borrow 
a  comparison  from  a  learned  opponent 
of  Gaelic  tradition,  who  would  make 
the  Scots  out  to  be  Goths  not  Gaels, 
seems  to  have  been  appli^-^d  with  as 
little  discrimination  by  the  writers  of 
antiquity  to  all  the  nomadic  tribes 
of  Europe  and  Central  Asia,  as  the  term 
Indian  is  applied  at  the  present  day  at 
once  to  the  wild  red  men  of  Anierica, 
and  to  the  polished  natives  of  Hindo- 
stan. 


152  THE    HISTORY    OF    IRP:LAND. 

countries,  from  wliich  both  tlicmseive.s  and  their  respective  races 
were  designated.  On  this  account  Niul  enjoined  his  posterity  to 
name  themselves  after  Scythia,  and  to  keep  alive  the  memory  of 
their  original  home,  by  forever  calling  themselves  Scots ;  for,  they 
had  received  no  laud  as  their  inheritance,  Niul  having  been  left  no 
other  possession  by  his  father  but  the  knowledge  of  the  sciences 
and  of  the  various  tongues ;  for  the  undivided  sovereignty  of 
Scythia  had  been  left  to  the  eldest  son. 

Gaedal  not  the  Son  of  Argus  or  of  Cecrops. 

Some  Latin  authors  say  that  Gaedal  was  the  son  either  of  Argus^* 
or  of  Cecrops,'^  Avho  reigned  over  the  Argivi ;  but  that  cannot  be 
true,  for  St.  Augustine  tells  us  that  that  family  began  to  reign 
about  the  time  that  Jacob  was  born,  that  is,  about  four  hundred 
and  thirty-two  years  after  the  Flood;  and  again,  the  same  author 
informs  us,  that  the  sovereignty  of  that  family  lasted  but  two 
hundred  and  fifteen  years ;  from  which  it  follows,  that  the  rule 
of  the  Argive  line  terminated  about  six  hundred  and  sixty-seven 
years  after  the  Deluge.  It  is  impossible,  then,  that  the  last-men- 
tioned facts  can  be  true,  if  we  admit  that  Gaedal  was  descended 
from  Argus  or  Cecrops,  for  Hector  Boetius,  in  his  Ilistory  of 
Scotland,  and  all  the  books  that  treat  of  the  conquests  of  Ire- 
land, assert  that  the  Gaels  were  in  Egypt,  at  the  time  that  Moses 
ruled  the  Children  of  Israel  in  that  land.  The  Book  of  Con- 
quests informs  us,  moreover,  that  it  was  about  this  time  that  Scota, 
daughter  of  Pharoah  Ciugris,  bore  Gaedal  or  Gael  to  Niul,  sou 
of  Fenius  Farsa,  son  of  Baath,  son  of  Magog.  The  time  that 
Moses  began  to  govern  the  Children  of  Israel  in  Egypt,  was 
about  seven  hundred  and  ninety-seven  years  after  the  Flood ; 
and,  according  to  this  computation,  there  were  about  three  hun- 
dred and  forty-five  years  from  the  time  of  Argus  or  of  Cecrops,  un- 
til Gaedal  was  born.  It  is,  then,  impossible,  that  the  latter  could 
have  been  the  son  of  eitlicr  of  those-  kings.  It  is  also  false  to 
assert,  that  it  was  from  Greece  that  Gaedal  went  into  Egj-pt ;  and 
that  the  reason  why  it  was  said,  that  it  was  from  Scythia  he  went 
thither,  was  because,  according  to  a  certain  author,  it  was  from 
Setin^"  that  he  had  emigrated,  and  hence  they  say  that  Scythia  is 
the  same  as  "iath  na  Seech"  ('-ea/i  na  SIcagh\  i.  e.  "the  land  of 
thorns."  But  "iath,"  when  it  means  "land,  terminates  in  "th" 
or  "  dh;"  and  also,  in  writing  the  word  Scythia,  there  is  no  "c" 

"  Argus  w;ia  the  fourth    kinjf  of  K,t,'ypt.     lie  led  liia  colony  to  Attica 

Art^os,  a  city  fouiidevl  by  luachus,  about  about  155G  years  before  tlie  Christian 

18.56  years  belbrc  Christ.  era. 

'^  CscToj)^   was  the   founder  of  the        "  Setin.     It  is  unknown  to  the  editor 

Athenian  nation.     lie  was  a  native  of  what  place  ia  here  called  by  this  name. 


THE    UISTORY    OP    IRELAND,  153 

in  the  middle  of  the  word,  as  would  be  necessary  in  a  compound 
word  of  the  supposed  formation ;  neither  does  Scythia  terminate 
in  a  "  dh"  or  "  th."  Hence  it  is  an  unfounded  conjecture  to  sup- 
pose, that  Scythia  could  mean  "the  land  of  thorns,"  according  to 
any  Gaelic  etymology. 

It  is  also  a  very  weak  proof  of  the  Gaels  having  drawn  their 
origin  from  Greece,  to  argue  that  there  exists  a  resemblance 
between  the  Irish  and  the  Greeks  in  their  manners,  customs,  and 
games,  and  that  they  must  be,  consequently,  derived  thence; 
for  every  colony  that  came  and  occupied  Ireland,  since  the  Del- 
uge, had  set  out  from  Greece,  except  those  of  the  Gaels  and 
Nemedians.  Partholan  had  set  out  from  Migdonia  ;^''  the  Fer- 
Bolgs  from  Thrace,  and  the  Tuatha-De-Dananns  from  Achaia, 
near  Beotia  and  the  city  of  Athens.  For  which  reason,  though 
the  Gaels  did  not  observe  any  of  the  manners  and  customs  of 
the  Greeks,  on  their  arrival  in  Ireland,  still  they  might  have 
acquired  them  from  such  of  the  Tuatha-De-Dananns  and  Fer- 
Bolgs,  their  predecessors,  as  yet  remained  in  the  country,  although 
they  had  never  been  in  Greece  themselves,  nor  their  founder 
Gaedal,  nor  any  of  his  forefathers. 


CHAPTER  n. 

HERE    FOLLOWS    AN    ACCOUNT    OF     SOME    FACTS    RELATIVE    TO 
FENIUS  FARSA,  THE   GRANDFATHER  OF   GAEDAL. 

Fenius  Farsa,^  having  become  king  of  Scythia,  determined 
to  acquire  a  perfect  knowledge  of  the  various  languages  that  had 
sprung  long  before  his  time  from  the  confusion  of  tongues  at  the 

'•     Migdonia,     perhaps     Mseonia,  letters  into  Greece.     This  is  rather  a 

i.  e.  "  Grreig    Medhonach  "   [Graigue  remarkable  coincidence  with  the  bardic 

3Iai/bnagh)  account  given   of  our  great   ancestor 

'Fcnms       Farsa.      Fenius     Farsa,  Fenius.       The     name    Fenius    itself, 

otherwiss  Farsaidh,   was  possibly   the  coupled  with  the  legend  attached  to  it, 

same  as  that  Phoenix  who,  according  prove  at  least  the   intimate   connection 

to  the  fragments  attributed  to   Sanco-  of    our   remote   progenitors   with   the 

niathon,  was  the  second  of  the  Phceni-  Phoenicians.      The  universality  of  the 

clan  kings.      Grecian  legend   tells   us,  tradition  regarding  him,  and   the  fact 

that  Phoenix  was  the   son  of  Agenor  that  his  descendants,  who,  as  before  said, 

and  the  brother  of  Cadmus,  the  founder  neve-  took    any  but    ancestral  names, 

of  Thebes  in  Beotia,  and  also  the   in-  calling  both  themselves  and  a  dialect  of 

ventor,  or  rather    the    introducer  of  their  language  Feinni    {Faynni)  from 


154  THE   HISTORY   OF    IRELAND. 

Tower  of  Babel,  which  Nimrod,  tlirough  jiridc,  liad  spent  forty 
years  in  erecting;  for,  from  the  time  of  Adam  until  the  confiision 
of  tong-ucs  at  the  Tower,  there  had  been  but  one  universal  lan- 
guage known  amongst  mankind.  This  language  is  called  Goir- 
Tighern  {Gor-leeyern)^  as  the  bard  tells  us  in  the  following  verse : 

"  Goir-Tighern,^  that  tongue  was  called, 
Used  by  the  gifted  sons  of  God, 
And  by  all  great  Adam's  seed, 
Ere  Nimrod  reared  his  fatal  Tower." 

This  language  the  Latin  writers  call  the  "Lingua  Humana," 
i.  e.  the  Human  Language.  But  when  Nimrod,  with  his  kindred, 
were  attempting  to  erect  the  Tower,  their  language  was  con- 
founded, in  order  to  prevent  their  finishing  the  structure  which 
their  pride  had  prompted  them  to  begin ;  and  the  original  lan- 
guage, received  from  Adam,  was  taken  from  all  that  were  con- 
cerned in  building  it.  It  was,  however,  retained  by  Ileber,  the 
son  of  Selah,  and  by  his  tribe,  and,  from  him,  it  has  been  called 
Hebrew. 

The  principal  motive  that  induced  Fenius  to  go  dwell  on  the 
plain  Shenaar  with  his  school,  was  in  order  that  he  might  there 
be  constantly  in  intercourse  with  those  whose  native  language 
was  the  Hebrew,  and  thus,  that  both  himself  and  his  school 
might  obtain  a  full  and  perfect  knowledge  of  that  tongue.  But, 
when  Fenius  had,  as  we  have  mentioned,  resolved  upon  becom- 
ing a  perfect  master  of  those  various  tongues,  he  dispatched,  at 
his  own  expense,  seventy-two  persons  of  learning  to  the  several 
countries  of  the  three  parts  of  the  world  that  were  then  inhabited. 
These  he  commanded  to  remain  abroad  seven  years,  so  that  each 
of  them  might  learn  the  language  of  the  country  in  which  lie 
was  to  reside,  during  that  time.  Upon  the  return  of  these  men 
to  Scythia^  at  the  end  of  the  seven  years,  Fenius  set  out  with 
them  to  the  plain  of  Shenaar,  bringing  with  him  a  great  number 
of  the  Scythian  youth,  having  left  his  eldest  son,  Nenual,  to  rule 
in  his  stead,  as  the  poet*  relates  in  the  following  duan  : 

Iiim,  prove   that  lie  was  a  real  person-  where   on   the  borders   of  the  Enxiiic 

age,  whenever  and  wherever  ho  did  live.  Sea.     Perhaps  between  the   C;ispian, 

The  epithet  "  Farsa"  or  Farsaidh,"  is  and  Eu.xine,  in     the  neighborhood   of 

usually  rendered   by  "  sage."     It  may,  Colchis.        There    are    two    adjacent 

however,  be    a  form  of  "  Fer?a"  i.  e.  countries  in  that  region,  whose  ancient 

Persian,  or  of "  Parthian."  names,   Iberia  and      Albania,   bear  a 

"  Goir-Tighern.  'J'liis  name  means  striking  resemblance  to  Hibernia  nml 
the  "  Word"  or  '-('all  of  the  I^ord."  Alba,  iicmtWc  Alban — nainea  of  the  ad- 
It  is  compounded  of  the  words  "  goir,"  jacent  countries  Ireland  and  Scotland — 
call,  and  "  tigherna"  (tceyerna),  "  a  but  chance  does  sometimes  work  out 
lord."  strange  coincidences. 

'  Scythi-7.    The  country  from  which  *   Tlic  poe>.     'i'iie  author  of  the  on- 

Penius   came,   may    have    lain   some-  suing   lay   was   {Mael-M.kuiri     Othna) 


THE  HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  155 

Feuius  set  out  from  Scytbia 

With  his  great  host — 
A  glorious  hero,  wise  aud  learned, 

Siroug,  triumphant. 
There  was  but  one  tongue  in  the  world 

When  they  began  it — 
There  were  full  twelve  tongues  and  thrice  twenty 

When  they  were  scattered. 
A  great  school  of  learning  formed  sage  Fenins 

For  every  science — 
A  divine  hero,  sage  and  learned 

In  all  language. 

Our  Shenachies  tell  us  that  sixty  years  had.  passed,  from  the 
building  of  the  Tower  of  Babel  to  the  time  when  Fenius  came 
southward  with  his  school,  from  Scythia,  to  the  plain  of  Senaar, 
as  a  poet  thus  recounts: 

"  Thrice  twenty  well-told  years  had  passed, 
('Tis  thus  our  sages  tell  the  story), 
When  Fenius  from  the  north  came  down, 
Since  haughty  Nimrod  reared  his  tower." 

Fenius  then  founded  a  school  for  the  various  languages  on  the 
plain  of  Senaar,  near  a  city  which  the  Book  of  Drom-Snecta 
calls  Athente,^  as  the  bard  thus  tells  us : 

"  On  Seuilr's  plain,  when  the  Tower  was  strown, 
The  earliest  school  was  held  ; 
There  sages  taught  in  every  tongue — 
To  Athens  thence  has  science  sped." 

Hither  all  the  youth  of  the  neighboring  countries  came  to  re- 
ceive instruction  in  the  various  tongues,  from  him  and  his  pro- 
fessors. The  three  sages  that  held  the  chief  direction  of  this 
great  school  were  Feuius  Farsa,  from  Scythia;  Gaedal,  son  of 
Ethor,  of  the  race  of  Gomer,  from  Greece;  and  Caei,  the  Elo- 

called  otherwise  Mael-Muiri  of  Fathan.  wit,  "  near  a  city  called  Athena;."    Its 

He    died,    according    to     the    Four  exact  words  are,  "  I  g-cathair  Athenaa 

Masters,  in  884.      In    the    book  of  iar  Sin,"  i.  e.  verbatim, "  In  the  city  of 

Invasions  he  is  described  as  a  "  truly  Athenae  after  that."     It  is  not  kno^vn 

learned  and  skilful  poet."  whose  works  whether  there  was  any  ancient  city  called 

are  distinguished  for  loftiness  of  thought  Athenie  in  that  quarter,  but  there  was 

and  strength  of  expression     Three  val-  one  called    "  Scythopolis,"    i.   e.  the 

uablc  historical  poems   by  Mael-Muiri  Scythian  city — a  name  that   might  bo 

are  preserved  in  the  books  of  Invasions  rendered  into  modern  Gaelic  by   "  Ca- 

and    Lecan. — Hardiman's   Irish   Mia-  thair"   or   "  Eaile  na  Sgot,"  or   Scot- 

strelsy.  bhailé  (Balli'  na  Skot  or  Scotvallj) ,  i.  e, 

*  Athene.       The    ensuing     "rann,"  the   town  of  the  Scots.      The   Greek 

which  has  not  been  given  in  Halliday's  iroXiq,    the    Latin   "  villa,"    and    the 

edition,  does  not  bear  out  the  construe-  Gaelic  "  baili"  or   "  baile"  {ha'l'.y),   are 

tion  given  to  it   in   Keatiug's  prose,  to  words  derived  from  a  common  root. 


156  THE   HISTORY   OF  IRELAND. 

quent  (or  the  Just),  from  Judea,  or  lar,  son  of  Nemha,  as  others 
call  him,  and  as  the  Lard  tuuá  relates : 

"  The  names  of  those  three  learned  sages 
To  you  I  quickly  can  reveal — 
Gaedal,  the  sou  of  the  worthy  Ethor, 
Feuius,  and  lar  the  son  of  Neuiha." 

Another  poet  records  the  names  of  these  sages  thus : 

"  Fenius,  sage  of  the  flowing  tongue, 
Caedal  and  Caei,  of  truthful  words, 
Were  th(!  three  chiefs  of  this  scholar  band. 
That  followed  the  true  paths  of  the  authors." 

.  These  three  inscribed  the  alphabets  of  the  three  principal  lan- 
guages upon  wooden  tablets,  namely :  the  Hebrew,  the  Greek, 
and  the  Latin.  Thus  we  are  informed  by  Kcnnfaela,  the  learned 
in  the  Uraicept  or  Grammar,  which  be  wrote-  in  the  da3's  of  St. 
Columbkille.  The  same  author  says  that  Nin  mac  Peil,  or  Ninus, 
sou  of  Belus,  sou  of  Nimrod,  was  monarch  of  the  world  at  that 
time ;  and  he  further  informs  us,  that  it  was  about  this  time  that 
Niul,  son  of  Fenius  Farsa,  was  born;  and  that  Fenius  continued 
twenty  years  president  of  the  school,  in  order  that  his  son  might 
become  perfectly  skilled  in  the  various  languages.  As,  according 
to  some  of  our  liistorians,  it  Avas  in  the  forty-second  year  of  the 
reign  of  Ninu^,  son  of  Belus,  that  this  gi-eat  school  was  estab- 
lished by  Fenius  Farsa  on  the  plain  of  Senaar,  I  judge  that  he 
continued  there  for  ten  years  of  the  reign  of  Ninus,  and  ten 
years  after  that  king's  death,  before  he  returned  to  Scythia;  for, 
all  historians  agree,  that  he  spent  twenty  years  presiding  over  his 
school,  previous  to  his  return  to  his  kingdom.  I  am  also  of  opin- 
ion, that  it  was  about  two  hundred  and  forty-two  years  after  the 
Flood,  that  this  school  was  founded  b}^  Fenius,  on  the  pLiin  of 
Senaar ;  for  I  find  by  the  computation  of  nelarmine,"  in  his  Chron- 
icle, that  it  was  in  the  year  of  the  world  1856,  that  Ninus,  son 
of  13elus,  began  his  reign,  which  would  leave,  according  to  the 
Hebrew  computation,  which  Bclarmine  followed,  sixteen  hundred 
and  fifty-six  years  from  the  b  'ginning  of  the  world  to  the  Del- 
uge. To  this  wo  must  add  the  f  )rty  years  of  the  reign  of  Ninus, 
that  had  been  spent  before  Fenius  began  his  school;  so  that, 
according  to  this  reckoning,  he  founded  his  school  two  hundred 
and  forty -two  years  after  the  Flood,  and  sj)ent  twenty  years  in  gov- 

*  Bclarmine.       Cardinal   Bclarmine,  Catholicity,  the    "  Eochair  Sciath   an 
an  eminent   champion  of  the   Catholic  Arfrinn,"  must  have  made  him  well  con- 
Church     and   archbishop     of    Caj)ua,  versant  witli  the  works  of  this  learned 
lived  between  the  years  1542  and   1C25.  and  distinguished  prelate. 
Dr  Keating's  own  work  ia  defence  of 


THE   niSTORY    OF   IRELAND. 


157 


erning  it ;  that  is,  ten  years  of  the  reign  of  Ninus,  and  ten  after- 
wards. Then,  at  the  end  of  these  twenty  years,  Fenins  returned 
to  Scytbia  and  founded  other  schools  of  learning  in  that  country, 
and  he  set  Gaedal,  son  of  Ethor,  as  president  over  them. 

Fenius  then  commanded  (jacdal,  son  of  Ethor,  to  regulate  and 
arrange  the  Gaelic,  or  Irish  language,  into  the  five  dialects,'  in 
which  we  find  it  at  the  present  day,  to  wit:  the  Berla  FOni^ 
{Bairla  Faineh),  Berla  na  ffiledh^  {velkh\  the  Berla  Edarsgartha^" 
{adarskarha),  the  Berla  Thébide^^  {Thaibee\  and  the  Gnath-Berla^ 
(Gnah-vairla)^  and  to  name  them  all  in  common  from  himself. 
Thus  it  is  from  Gaedal,  son  of  Ethor,  that  our  language  is  called 
"Gaeidilgc^^  (G^aT/Z^a- or  Gueelgaj  in  English,  Gaelic  or  Gaedalic, 
and  not  from  Gaedal  Glas,  the  ancestor  of  the  Gaels,  as  some 
imagine.  It  was  also,  through  friendship  for  this  Gaedal,^*  son  of 
Ethor,  that  Niul,  son  of  Fenins  Farsa,  gave  the  name  of  Gaedal 
to  the  son  he  had  by  Scota,  daughter  of  Pharaoh  Cingris;  thus 
we  are  informed  by  the  learned  Kennfaela  in  his  Uraicept. 


'  Dialects.  At  this  period  the  Gael- 
ic, as  afterwards  spoken  in  Ireland, 
could  have  had  no  separate  or  distinct 
existence.  It  is  itself,  though  extremely 
ancient,  but  a  dialect  of  the  Felasgic  or 
Japethian  tongue  of  Europe,  formed 
thereon  by  the  admixture  of  some  for- 
eign element,  as  shall  be  seen  by  the 
vocabularies,  which,  if  space  allow,  shall 
be  given  at  the  end  of  this  work.  The 
arrangement  of  the  Gaelic  into  dialects 
must  then  be  understood,  merely  to  refer 
to  the  introduction  of  letters  amongst 
his  natiou  by  Fenius,  through  the 
agency  of  Gaedal,  son  of  Ethor — that 
is,  by  some  person  whom  the  Gaels  call 
by  that  name. 

°  Berla  Ftni.  The  Fenian  dialect 
may  be  called  the  sacred  language  of 
the  Irish.  Many  tracts  written  therein 
are  still  in  existence. 

"  Berla  na  ffdedh.  This  might  be 
more  appropriately  called  a  style  than 
a  dialect.  The  phrase  means  the  lan- 
guage of  the  poets,  i.  e.  the  Files  [filleh] 
or  Bard-sages. 

'"  Berla  Edarsgartha.  "Edarsgar- 
tha"  may  mean  either  intermediate  or 
selected.  It  is  a  word  of  recent  forma- 
tion, compounded  of  "  cdar,"  or  "  idir," 
between,  and  sgartha  (sgarha),  divided 
or  separated.  The  participle  of  the 
verb  "  sgar,"  divide,  ífc. 

"  Berla  Tiiebide.     This  was  the  phy- 


sicians' dialect,  according  to  some  au- 
thorities ;  others  will  translate  it  the 
"  Theban  dialect." 

'"  Gnath  Berla  means  the  vulgar  or 
usual  language.  It  may  be  translated, 
Common  Language.  To  these,  some 
add  the  "Berlagar  na  Saer"  [Bairlag- 
gar  na  Saijre),  or  Dialect  of  Artisans, 
which  is  still  in  use  amongst  some  old- 
fashioned  masons  in  Ireland.  It  con- 
tains many  old  words,  bearing  a  close 
affinity  to  the  Eastern  languages,  such 
as  that  of  "Aes,"  a  man,  to  the  Hebrew 
"Aish."  A  vocabulary  of  it  should  be 
made  out,  before  it  becomes  altogether 
extinct.  "  Saer,"  the  Gaelic  for  '-Arti- 
san," and  more  especially  for  "  mason," 
means,  also,  "  freeman." 

"  Gaedilgé .  The  fact  here  stated  is 
very  improbable.  The  language  must 
have  had  its  name  ft'om  the  same  source 
with  the  natiou  that  used  it. 

"  Gaedal.  Of  the  derivations  here 
given  for  this  name,  the  Gothic  and 
Irish  ones  are  entirely  inadmissible. 
They  are,  like  most  of  the  derivations 
of  Irish  names  recorded  by  Dr.  Keat- 
ing, mere  puns.  The  derivation  from 
"Gadol"  is  possible  and  natural,  if  the 
name  be  of  Semitic  origin.  1  f,  however, 
it  be  Japethian,  the  root  must  be  some 
word  like  either  "  Gaed,"  "  Gaeth,"  or 
"  Getli,"  upon  which  it  could  have  been 
formed  by  the  simple  addition  of  the 


158 


THE    HISTORY    OF   UiELAND. 


It  is  a  disputed  question  amongst  authors  Avhencc  tliis  word 
Gaedal  is  derived.  Buchanan  says  that  it  comes  from  the  words 
"goethin,"  i.e.  "noble,"  and  "al"i.  e.  all,  and  that  it  thence 
means  "all  noble;"  or  from  the  Hebrew  word  "gadol,"  i.e. 
great,  because  Gaedal,  son  of  Ethor  who,  the  first  that  bore  the 
name,  was  great  in  learning,  in  wisdom  and  in  the  languages. 
But  our  own  shannachies  tell  us,  that  he  was  called  Gaedal  from 
the  Irish  words  "  gaeith"  and  "  dil,"  i.  e.  lover  of  wisdom  ;  for 
"  gaeith"  means  "  wisdom,"  and  "  dil "  means  _  "  loving"  or 
"fond;"  thus  the  Greek  called  a  sage  philosophos,  i.  e.  a  philoso- 
pher, or  a  "lover  of  wisdom."^^ 

To  return  to  Fenius,  we  are  not  told  that  he  had  any  more 
children  than  his  two  sons,  Nenual  and  Niul.  So  the  bard  tells 
us  in  the  following  verse : 

"  Two  sons  liad  Fcuius  (the  truth  I  tell), 
Nenual  and  our  father  Niul ; 
Niul  was  born  by  the  eastern  Tower, 
Nenual  in  Scythia  of  bright  shields." 

When  Fenius^'^  had  reigned  over  Scythia  for  twenty  years,  after 
his  return  from  the  plain  of  Shenaar,  finding  himself  near  his 


regular  Celtic  suffix  "  al,"  just  as  "  Ta- 
raal,"  awhile,  is  derived  from  "  Tam," 
time.  "Gaeth"  means  in  Irish  the 
wind,  a  dart,  arrow,  &c.  It  may  even 
be  a  synonyme  for  "  Scot,"  which,  also, 
in  one  of  its  acceptations,  is  said  to 
moan  an  arrow.  However,  the  original 
derivation  of  the  man's  name  is  of  no 
moment,  as  whatever  be  its  primary 
root,  it  cannot  determine  his  nation. 

"*  Wisdom.  This  is,  also,  a  very 
common  acceptation  of  the  sound  ex- 
pressed by  tlie  above  characters,  i.  c. 
Giiik  or  Guech.  It  must,  liowevcr, 
come  from  some  source  perfectly  dis- 
tinct from  those  of  "Gaeth"  (gaijh), 
the  wind,  which  seems  cognate  with  the 
English  "gust,"  and  "ghost,"  and  of 
"  gaeth,"  otherwise  "  gai,"  an  arroiv, 
shaft,  javelin,  &c. 

'"  Fenius.  Of  this  ancient  sage, 
O'FIaherty  gives  the  following  account : 
•'  Penisius,  Fenius,  Farsaidli,  or  I'hnc- 
nius,  the  great  grandson  of  Japhcl,  by 
his  son,  Magog,  and  tlic  progenitor  of 
the  Irish  of  the  Scottish  line,  from 
whom  they  are  called  Fenii,  Fenisii, 
Phoeni,  and  Fenisiadaj,  was  the  first 
inventor  of  the  Scottish  letters.     He  is 


reported  to  have  newly  formed  the  Irish 
language,  or  to  have  selected  it  from 
the  languages  tlien  just  dispersed,  in  the 
school  held  on  the  plains  of  Seiiaar, 
composed  of  those  sages  learned  in  the 
seventy-two  tongues.  Therefore  it  is 
called  Eerla  Tcbidc,  which,  according 
to  some,  means  the  "  selected  language." 
....  We  are,  indeed,  advised  by  tlie 
mythology  of  the  ancients  to  infer  from 
this  that  Fenius  was  one  of  leaders  of 
families  after  the  confusion  of  tongue,^, 
and  that  the  language  that  fell  to  his 
posterity  was  reduced  by  him  into  a 

literary  form For,  to  compose 

a  language  at  that  time,  would  but 
serve  to  increase  the  confusion  and 
intricacy.  On  this  account  only  is  he 
said  to  have  formed  one^because  he 
eternized  it  by  the  gift  of  letters,  and 
corrected  aixl  improved  it  Ijy  grammati- 
cal rules.  'J'lie  mytliDlogists.  concealing 
trutlis  beneath  the  guisii  of  fiction,  have 
told  us  tliat  nifMi  were  made  by  Prome- 
theus, and  that  the  enclianting  strains 
of  Orpheus  and  Amphion  obliged  the 
trees  to  quit  their  ancient  plantations, 
and  the  rocks  themselves,  animated  by 
the  sound  of  the  lyre,  to  Hock  to  build 


THE    HISTORY    OF    IRELAND. 


159 


death,  he  bequeathed  the  sovereignty  of  Scythia  to  Neuual,  his 
eldest  son ;  but  to  Niul,  his  youngest  son,  he  left  nothing  but  the 
advantages  to  be  derived  from  his  disseminating  and  teaching  the 
knowledge  which  he  possessed  of  the  sciences  and  of  the  various 
languages  in  the  common  schools  of  the  kingdom. 


CHAPTER  in. 

OF  THE    TRAVELS   OF  NIUL    FROM   SCYTHIA   TO   EGYPT,   AND   OF 
HIS   ADVENTURES   THERE   TILL   HIS   DEATH. 


When  NiuP  had  spent  a  long  time  in  teaching  the  public 
schools  in  Scythia,  the  fame 'of  his  learning  and  wisdom  had 
gone  forth  into  all  countries,  insomuch  that  Pharaoh  Cingris, 


the  walls  of  Thebes.  They  tell  us  of 
wild  beasts  divesting  themselves  of  their 
ferocity,  and  of  other  monstrous  and 
incredible  things,  because  by  their  wis- 
dom and  eloquence  these  men  had  civil- 
ized and  humanized  the  rude  manners 
of  their  fellows.    Thus  Horace  says  : 

"  Sylvestres  homines  sacer  iuterpresque 

Deorum, 
Caedibus  et  victu  foedos   deterruit 

Orpheus. 
Dictus  ab  hoc  lenire  tigres,  rapidosque 

leones : 
Saxa  movere  sono  testudinis  et  prece 

blanda 
Ducere  quo  vellet." 

IN    ENGLISH. 

Orpheus,  sacred  prophet  of  the  gods. 
From  carnage  and  from  horrid  meals 
A  rude  and  savage  race  deterred. 
And  hence,  we  sing,  that  with  his 

lyre's 
Soft  music  bland,  he  tigers  fell 
And  bounding  lions  gently  tamed  ; 
That  his  sweet  voice  and  thrilling 

notes 
Moved  sluggish  rocks  to  leave  their 

beds 
And  hear  his  high  commands. 


'  Niul.  This  name  would  seem  to 
be  the  prototype  of  "Niall,"  a  name 
that  afterwards  became  so  frequent 
among  the  descendants  of  this  patri- 
arch, and  that  is  still  preserved  among 
his  descendants  in  its  genitive  form  in 
the  surnames,  "  O'Xeill "  and  "  Mac- 
Neill,"  and,  in  their  Anglicized  forms, 
'•  Nelson  "  and  "  Neilson,"  as  well  as  in 
the  Christian  name  Neale.  The  "  Unel- 
li,"  an  ancient  tribe  of  Armoric  Gaul, 
must  have  derived  their  name,  that  is, 
"  Ui  Xeill,"  or  descendants  of  Niall,  from 
an  ancestor  called  by  this  appellation. 
He  must,  however,  have  lived  ages 
before  Niall  of  the  Nine  Hostages,  who 
ruled  Ireland  from  A.D.  380  to  A.D. 
400,  from  whom  the  Irish  "  Uuelli,"  or 
"  Ui  Neill,"  are  sprung.  The  Niul  of 
Gaelic  tradition  may  refer  to  that  an- 
cient king  of  Thebes,  who,  according  to 
the  Greek,  gave  his  name  to  the  river 
Nile,  which  had  been  previously  called 
^gyptus.  We  are  now,  and  we  shall 
be  for  yet  a  long  while,  in  the  mytholo- 
gical ages  of  the  Gaelic,  as  well  as  of 
all  Human  History,  with  the  sole  ex- 
ception of  that  which  has  been  trans- 
mitted by  Holy  "\^'rit.  We  must,  then, 
expect  to  find  primeval  facts  either 
largely  interwoven  with  poetic  fiction,, 
or  disguised  in  mythic  language.    We 


160 


THE   HISTORY    OF   IRELAND. 


king  of  Egypt,  induced  by  the  fame  of  his  knowledge,  sent  to 
invite  him  to  Egypt,  in  order  to  get  him  to  instruct  the  Egyptian 
youth  in  the  sciences,  and  in  the  various  tongues,  as  the  poet  tells 
us  in  the  following  rami : 

"  The  fume  had  reached  King  Forond, 
With  great  glory, 
Of  Niul  Mac  Fenius,  who  knew  all 
The  tongues  of  mankind." 


Niul  then  came  to  Egypt^  with  Pharaoh's  messenger,  and  that 
king  bestowed  upon  him  the  land  called  Capaciront.^  or  Campus 
Cirit,  near  the  Red  Sea.  He  gave  him,  also,  his  own  daughter, 
Scota,  in  marriage,  as  Gilla-Kaemhan  tells  us,  in  the  jjoem  that 
begins  with  the  line  "Gaedal  Glas,  from  whom  the  Gaels  are 
sprung:" 

"  He  then  went  into  Egypt, 
And  reached  the  potent  Forond,* 
And  married  Scota,'^  not  scant  of  beauty, 
The  lovely  child  of  generous  Forond." 


should  then  neither  accord  them  too 
implicit  a  belief,  nor  reject  them  alto- 
gether. We  are,  in  truth,  in  those  Ho- 
meric times,  over  which  the  olden  poets 
have  thrown  a  magic  veil.  But  we 
should  bear  in  mind,  that  the  lioraeric 
bard  was  esteemed  an  inspired  prophet 
as  well  as  a  poet — tjiat  he  had  a  sacred 
character  to  maintain,  and,  perliaps,  a 
sacred  mission  to  fulfil.  He  must,  then, 
have  taken  care  to  have  had  real  ])er- 
sonagcs  and  real  facts  for  the  ground- 
work of  his  lay.  The  principles  he 
enunciated  must  have  been  founded 
upon  eternal  truth.  The  sons  of  the 
Muses  had  not  yet  run  wild,  and  as- 
sumed to  themselves  the  license  of  coin- 
ing persons  and  things  without  end. 
His  mental  eye  nuist  be  dim,  indeed, 
who  would  judge  of  them  l)y  the 
<;oncoctcrs  of  modern  fiction.  ^J'hen,  a 
fair  and  candid  narrator  of  the  early 
adventures  of  the  ancestors  of  the  Gaels, 
as  of  all  otlier  nations,  should,  at  least, 
say  with  the  great  Roman  historian  ; 
•'  Qua2  ante  conditain  condendamve  ur- 
bem,  poeticis  magis  decora  fabulis  quam 
incorruptisrerum  gestarum  monumentis, 
ea  nee  refellere  nee  afTn-mare  in  animo 

'^  E^ijpt.     According  to  Justin,  Epi- 
phanius,  Eusebius,  and  the  Chronicon 


Paschalc,  the  Scythians  [that  is,  a  tuition 
thei/  call  by  that  name,  the  Hycsos  or  Shep- 
herd kings,  perhaps),  invaded  Egypt 
from  their  original  seat,  3,660  years  be- 
fore the  Christian  era.  The  settlement 
of  Nial  (Neeul)  in  Egypt,  may  possibly 
be  connected  with  that  event. 

"  Capaciront.  This  territory  is  said 
to  have  been  situated  in  Lower  Egy])t. 
near  Heliopolis  or  the  City  of  the  tSwi, 
now  called  Matarra. 

*  Forond.  This  name  is  otherwise 
written  "  Foronn,"  for,  as  before  stated, 
the  "  nd"  of  the  ancients  is  always  re- 
placed by  "  nn"  in  modern  Gaelic. 

^  Scota.  Here  we  first  meet  with  a 
form  of  word  akin  to  "  Scot,"  in  the 
name  of  this  great  progenetrix  of  the 
"  Scotic"  nation.  The  name  is  here- 
after derived  by  Keating,  from  "  Scy- 
tha,"  i.  e.  a  Scijthinn  tcnman,  and  he 
adds  that  she  was  so  called  from  her 
husband's  nation.  A  more  natural  and 
poetic  one  would  be  from  "  Scoth," 
(Shdh,)  a  blossom  or  flower,  like  the 
Eatin  name  "  Kosa,"  or  the  English 
"  Rose."  The  aspiration  of  the  final 
"t"  in  "  Sgoth,"  a  flower,  Avhich  causes 
the  word  to  be  jimnounced  "  Sgoh," 
can  scarcely  militate  against  this  ety- 
mology ;  for  it  is  not  likely  that  in  the 
earlier  stages  of  our  language  it  was 


THE   HISTOUr   OF   IRELAND.  161 

When  Niul  had  thus  married  Scota,  he  established  schools 
at  Capacirout,  and  therein  disseminated  the  sciences,  and  the 
various  languages,  amongst  the  youth  of  Egypt.  It  was  there 
that  Scota  gave  birth  to  Gaedal,  son  of  Niul. 

It  may,  perhaps,  appear  strange  to  some  people,  that  Niul, 
who  was  the  fifth  in  descent  from  Japhet,  should  have  lived  in  the 
time  of  Moses,  when  a  period  of  seven  hundred  and  ninety-seven 
years  had  elapsed  from  the  Deluge  to  the  time  that  Moses  took 
U[)on  him  the  leadership  of  the  children  of  Israel.  But  my  an- 
swer to  them  is,  that  it  is  not  incredible  that  Niul  might  have 
lived  some  hundred  years;  for,  in  those  days,  men  lived  a  long 
time.  For  instance,  Eber,  or  Heber,  son  of  Salah,  the  fourth  in 
descent  from  Shem,  son  of  Noah,  lived  four  hundred  and  sixty 
years,  and  Shem  himself,  who  lived  for  five  hundred  years  after 
his  son  Arphaxad  had  been  born,  as  we  read  in  the  eleventh 
chapter  of  Genesis:  therefore,  it  is  not  incredible  that  Niul 
ishould  have  lived  from  the  forty-second  year  of  the  reign  of 
Ninus,  son  of  Belus,  to  the  time  of  Moses,  as  we  have  mentioned; 
and  it  is  still  less  to  be  wondered  at,  that  Niul  should  have  lived 
up  to  that  time,  if  we  may  believe  Marianus  Scotus,  who  says 
that  it  was  three  hundred  and  thirtj^-one  years  after  the  Deluge, 
when  the  language  of  mankind  became  confounded  at  Babylon. 
Now,  as  we  have  already  said  that  Niul  was  not  born  for  a  con- 
siderable time  after  that  confounding  of  the  tongues  at  Babylon, 
we  may  give  credit  to  what  the  authors  of  the  history  of  the  Scotia 
nation  say  of  the  age  in  which  he  lived,  and  believe  them  as 
to  the  fact,  of  his  having  been  really  born  cotemporary  with 
Moses  in  Egypt.^ 

But,  to  return  to  Niul;  it  was  during  the  time  that  this  sage 
<  I  welt  at  Capaciront,  near  the  Bed  Sea,  and  after  his  wife,  Scota, 
had  given  birth  to  Niul,  that  the  children  of  Israel  escaped  from 
Pharaoh,  and  marched  to  the  Eed  Sea,  when  they  pitched  their 
\cuU  not  ÍAV  from  the  residence  of  Niul.     When  Niul  had  been 

so  asp i rated.  In  words  of  undoubtedly  kind.  But  the  investigation  of  sucn 
common  etymology,  we  find,  even  in  subjects  can  lead  to  no  satisfactory  re- 
modern  Gaelic,  that  the  radical  letters  «ults.  The  links  connecting  our  au- 
are  sometimes  aspirated,  and  sometimes  cestor  Fenius  or  Phoenix,  (from  whom 
not — ex.  "  Sgaeith"  (Skueeh),  a  flock,  we  are  called  Feni,)  with  Noah,  may 
drove,  or  band,  and  "  Sgata"  (Skotta).  either  have  been  lost,  or  his  name  may 
— td.  have  represented  a  fact,  not  a  man. 
'  Niid  and  Moses  cotemporaries.  Our  Some  names  also  may  have  been  mis- 
antiquaries  have  been  sorely  puzzled  to  placed  on  the  genealogical  tree.  The 
reconcile  the  legend  that  makes  Niul,  Gaels  must  then  rest  satislied,  that  the 
Bon  of  Fenius,  the  sixth  in  descent  from  same  dark  abyss  that  separates  every 
Noah,  cotemporary  with  Moses,  who  other  human  race,  except  the  chosen 
■was,  according  to  Sacred  History,  the  seed,  from  the  favored  builder  of  the 
'eLxteenth  from  the  patriarch  of  man-  ark,  should  separate  tJieirs  likewise. 
11 


162  THE  HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 

told  that  the  Israelites  were  in  his  neighborhood,  he  -went  to  meet 
and  have  discourse  with  them,  so  that  he  might  learn  who  thej 
were.  Aaron  met  him  outside  the  camp,  and  told  him  of  the 
children  of  Israel's  adventures,  and  of  Moses,  and  of  the  testifying 
miracles  wrought  bj  God  upon  Pharaoh  and  his  host,  by  reason 
of  the  bondage  of  the  Israelites.  Upon  this  Niul  and  Aaron 
formed  a  friendship  and  alliance.  Ninl  a,sked  the  Israelite  if  his 
people  had  enough  of  food  and  provisions  with  them,  and  at  the 
same  time  told  him,  that  all  the  corn  and  wealth  he  possessed  him- 
self were  at  the  service  of  the  fugitive  "host.  The  night  then 
came  on,  and  Aaron  returned  to  Moses,  and  inforined  him  of 
the  offers  made  to  him  by  Niul.  Niul  likewise  went  home  to  his 
own  people,  and  told  them  all  that  he  had  heard  concerning  the 
Children  of  Israel. 

Upon  that  same  night  a  serpent  chanced  to  bite  Gaedal,  Niul's 
son,  while  he  was  swimming,  and  his  life  was  endangered  thereby. 
Others  will  have  it  that  the  reptile  came  out  of  the  desert,  and 
bit  the  child  in  hLs  bed.  Niul's  household  advised  him  to  bring 
the  boy  to  Moses,  which  he  does  without  delay.  Moses  there- 
upon prays  to  God ;  lays  the  rod  he  held  in  his  hand  upon  the 
wound,  and  it  was  immediately  healed.  Moses  then  foretold  that 
no  venomous  creature  should  have  any  power  in  any  country  the 
posterity  of  that  youth  should  dwell.  And  this  prophecy  has 
been  fulfilled  in  the  isle  of  Crete,  or  Candia,  where  some  of  his 
posterity  retnain,  in  which  island,  as  in  Ireland,  no  venomous 
serpents  can  exist;  for,  although,  according  to  some  authors,  we 
have  had  some  serpents  in  Ireland  before  St.  Patrick's  time,  I 
am  yet  of  o])inion  that  they  were  not  venomous.  I  am  likewise 
inclined  to  think,  that  infernal  demons  are  meant  by  those  ser- 
pents spoken  of  in  the  life  of  St.  Patrick.  Some  of  our  historians 
tell  us,  that  Moses  locked  the  bracelet  (Jlesg)  he  had  on  his  own 
arm  round  the  neck  of  Gaedal,  and  that  such  was  the  reason  of 
his  being  styled  Gaedal  Glas  {for  "  glris^'''  w  the  Gaelic  for  a  "  lockr) 
In  those  days  every  chieftain  wore  a  "  flesg,"  or  bracelet,on  his  arm, 
as  a  mark  of  his  dignity  as  "  Kenn  Fedna"  (Kenn  Faana),  or 
head  of  a  sept.  Hence,  at  this  da}^,  the  head  of  a  tribe  is  called 
in  Irish  a  "  flesgach  nasal"  {Jlas'jafjh  oosalX  i.  e.  a  "  noble  bracelet- 
bearer."  It  is  also  said,  that  it  was  from  the  poison  of  the 
serpent  that  adhered  to  the  neck  of  Gaedal,  that  he  got  his 
surname  of  glas  (which  means  also  livid  or  bluish  gi'cen).  In 
proof  of  this,  as  well  as  of  his  having  been  healed  by  Moses,  tho 
following  verses  have  been  handed  down  to  us  b}"  the  bards  : 

'  Glas.  Would  not  •'  glas"  bo  appli-  by  "  fuscus,"  swarlhy  ?  Even  epitheti 
cable  to  the  complexion  of  the  (Juotu-  like  this  may  sometimes  guide  the  etb- 
lian  or  Moor  ?     Could  it  be  traaslatc<J    nologist. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND, 

"  The  livid  Gaedal,  could  men  say 
To  that  bright  and  comely  hero  ? 
The  lact  whence  came  his  surname  Glas, 
Few  are  those  that  know  its  story. 

"  Whilst  bathing  in  the  swelling  wave, 
Was  generous  Gaedal,  son  of  Niul, 
By  baleful  reptile  he  was  smote. 
With  wound  most  difficult  of  healing. 

"  The  '  livid  '  spot,  aye,  marked  the  man. 
Though  Moses  well  his  wound  had  healed — 
By  this  some  sages  understand. 
That  Gaedal  thence  was  surnamed  '  Livid.' 

"  *No  serpent  nor  vile  venomed  thing, 
Since  then  can  live  on  Gaelic  soil — 
This  blessing  that  great  son  of  light 
To  Gaedal,  with  his  bracelet,  gave. 

"  Another  heirloom  to  the  youth 
Left  Moses,  that  great  wonder-worker — 
No  bard  nor  stranger^  since  has  found 
A  cold  repulse  from  son  of  Gaedal." 

Others  again  tell  us  that  Gaedal  was  styled  "  Glas  "  from  the 
"  blue-green  "  color  of  his  arms  and  vesture.  In  support  of  this 
opinion,  a  bard  has  left  us  the  following  rann : — 

"  To  mighty  Niul  Scota  bore, 
A  son  whom  nations  claim  as  father. 
The  man  was  named,  Gaedal  the  Green, 
From  his  green  arms  and  his  vesture." 

It  is  from  this  Gaedal  that  all  the  Gael  or  Gaedalians  are 
called ;  it  is  thus  the  bard  tells  us  the  fact  in  the  following 
rann : — 

'  No  serpent.  This  and  the  follow-  it  is  also  a  remarkable  fact,  even  in 
ing  verse  have  been  omitted  by  Halli-  this  material  age,  when  all  that  is  poetic 
day,  but  Dermod  O'Connor  has  given  a  seems  to  vanish  before  "  iron  wonders," 
version  of  them.  The  editor  has  found  that  the  serpent  is  fast  fleeing  from  the 
them  in  two  of  his  manuscript  copies,  presence  of  the  sons  of  Gaedal  in  the 
and  has  deemed  it  right  to  give  them  in  transatlantic  wilds. 
his  text,  because  they  relate  to  a  re-  '  No  bard  nor  stranger.  No  one 
markable  fact  with  regard  to  lower  that  knows  anything  of  Irish  or  Scot- 
animal  life  in  Ireland.  Would  that  it  tish  history  will  deny  that  this  heirloom 
were  equally  so  with  regard  to  human  was  held  in  the  highest  veneration  by 
life!  For,  though  it  is  corroborated  the  Gaels.  Exceptions  have  been  seen, 
by  the  other  tradition,  which  says  it  is  true,  amongst  persons  bearing 
that  Gaelic  names,  but  these  must  be  deemed 

either  mongrels  or  "  tods  i'  the  fauld," 

"AtSt  Patrick-i.  command  f^    ^^^^,„  }jave  not  the  mark  of  Gaedal 

Vipers  q'litted  that  laml,  j^ 

Yet  he's  wanted  again  in  our  Island;''  opon  them. 


l&i  THE  HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 

"  Feni,'"  from  Fonius  they  are  called — 
Not  force.]  the  meaning — 
From  Gaedal  Glas,  we  call  them  Gaels, 
And  tícots,  from  Scota." 

Others  do,  however,  assert  that  Gaedal's  mother  was  called 
Scota,  because  his  father  Niul  was  of  the  Scotic  race  from 
Scythia,  where,  according  to  them,  it  was  the  custom  to  call 
women  after  thrir  husbands,"  You  must  now  understand,  that 
this  woman  was  not  the  same  Scota  who  was  the  Avifc  of 
Galamh,  called  Miledh  of  Spain,  and  who  bore  him  six  sons. 
For  the  mother  of  Gaedal  was  the  daughter  of  Pharaoh  Cingris 
— the  same  that  held  the  Israelites  in  bondage  ;  but  the  Pharaoh 
who.s3  daughter  was  married  to  Miledli,  was  the  fifteenth  Pharaoh 
after  him,  and  he  was  styled  Pharaoh  Nectonibus. 

But  Niul  now  informed  Moses,  that  the  anger  of  Pharaoh 
Cingris  would  be  directed  against  himself  for  the  welcome  ho 
gave  to  the  Children  of  Israel.  Then  Moses  said  to  him,  "Come 
thoti  with  us,  and  when  we  shall  have  reached  the  land  which 
God  has  promised  us,  thou  receive  a  portion  thereof;  or,  if 
thou  wilt,  we  shall  give  up  the  fleet  of  Pharaoh  into  thy  hands 
to  embark  thereon,  and  remain  at  sea  until  it  be  seen  how  it 
shall  end  between  Pharaoh  and  our  host."  Niul  adopted  the 
latter  Counsel. 

A  thousand  armed  men  were  then  sent  to  seize  the  fleet,  and  it 
was  delivered  into  his  hands.  lie  then  embarked  tliereupon  and 
thence  witnessed  the  deeds  of  the  ensuing  day,  to  wit,  the  open- 
ing of  the  sea  before  Moses  and  the  Children  of  Israel  and  its 
closing  up  after  they  had  passed,  upon  Pharaoh  and  his  host,  by 
which  the  latter  were  all  drowned.  They  amounted  to  threescore 
thousand  foot  and  fifty  thousand  horse,  as  we  are  informed  by 

"  Feni.    In  these  four  lines  are  con-  came  originally  from  the  rival  of  ancient 

tained  all   that  can  perhaps  ever  be  Rome,  when  we  know  that  they  have 

known   of   the   origin   of  these  three  taken  their  name  from  (Jarthach,  son 

names,  upon  which  so  mucli  idle  dis-  of  Sacrbretach,  a  Munstor  prince,  who 

quisition  has  been  made,  and  so  much  was  burned  in  his  house  by  the  O'Lon- 

learning  wasted.     That  the  last  con-  nargans  in  the  tenth  century,  and  that 

querors  of  Ireland  before  the  Normans,  previously  they  wore  called  Eoghanigh 

called  themselves  "Feni,"  "  Gaedhail,"  or  Eugeuians,  and  Dergihini  before  that 

"  Scuit,"  and  other  names  hereafter  to  again,  and   then  Iberians  or  Eberians, 

be  met  with,  from  the  personal  names  Milesians,  Brigantes,  Hcots,  Gaels,  and 

of  their  ancestors,  can  be  proved   l)y  Feni.      About  as  well-founded  as  the 

th:}  invariable  practice  of  their  d<;scend-  derivation  above  mentioned  have  been 

ants  in  more  recent  and  better  known  a!l   the  theories  broached  upon  the  na- 

times.      "  Carthaigh,"  the  genitive  of  tional  names  of  Scot,  Gael,  and  Feni. 
"  Carthach,"  is   not  unlike  Carthage.         "  The  fact  here  mentioned  ofhaving 

Still  we  are  not,  on  the  strength  of  that  women  called  after  their  husbands,  or 

rather  close  resemblance,  to  argue  that  rather  after  their  husband's  country,  ia 

the"Clann  Carthaigh"  or  Mac  Carthieg,  at  variance  with  all  known  history. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  165 

Ectgus  O'Cuanain^  Arkinnech  (archdeacon  of  Roscrea),  in  the 
following  wer^o^  taken  from  the  duan  that  begins  thus — "  0,  man 
that  believest  not  truth :" — 

"  There,  sixty  thousand  men  on  foot, 
With  fifty  thousand  cavalry, 
A  storm  of  the  strong  Red  Sea 
Engulphcd  all  right  suddenly." 

We  have  mentioned  above,  that  it  was  in  the  seven  hundred 
and  nmety-ssventh  3'ear  after  the  Flood  that  Pharaoh  was  thus 
overwhelmed  with  his  host. 

Now,  when  Niul  had  seen  Pharaoh  and  his  forces  thus  drown- 
ed, he  continued  to  dwell  in  the  country  himself;  for  he  felt  no 
longer  afraid,  after  the  destruction  of  that  king.  There  his 
children  and  progeny  grew,  until  they  were  fit  to  bear  arms. 
Niul  died  some  time  after  this,  and  Gaedal,  son  of  Niul,  and  his 
mother,  took  possession  of  his  territories. 

After  this,  a  son  was  born  to  Gaedal,  in  Egypt,  and  he  was 
named  Esru;  and  again,  in  progress  of  time,  a  son  was  born  to 
Esru,  and  he  called  him  Sru,^^  and  they  continued  to  hold  the 
same  territor}^,  and  to  dwell  therein. 

As  to  the  Egyptians,  another  Pharaoh,  styled  Intur,  or  An 
Tuir,  took  possession  of  the  sovereignty  ujDon  the  drowning  of 
Pharaoh  Cingris  in  the  Red  Sea.  In  like  manner  was  every 
king  that  roigned  over  Egypt  called,  also,  Pharaoh,  from  the  time 
of  the  above-mentioned  Pharaoh  Cingris,  so  drowned,  down  to 
Pharaoh  Ncctonibus,  the  fifteenth  king  after  Cingris,  who  was 
called  Pharaoh. 

'-  Et^iis  O'Cuanain.     He  was  other-  have  been  nlso  likened  to  the  Egyptian 

wise  called  Isaac,  and  was  Bishop  of  Osiris  and  Siris.     The  Nile  was  called 

Eli  and  Ros-Cre,  now  Roscrea.      He  Siris  by  the  Ethiopians.     Osiris  wa-s 

died  in  A.  D.  1161.    The  name  •'  O'Cua-  an  ancient  Egyptian  king,  who,  having 

nain,"  is  now  spelled  "  Counan."  reformed  his  subjects  at  home,  went 

"  Esru—Sru.      These  names   have  forth   to   spread   civilization  over   the 

some  resemblance  to  the  Scriptural  earth.  He  was  deified  after  his  death, 
ones  Rcu,  Serug,  and  Ashur.     They 


CHAPTER  IV. 

OF  PHARAOU  INTUE's  BANISHMENT  OF  THE  CHILDREN  OF 
GAEDAL  FROM  EGYPT;  AND  OF  THEIR  CHIEFS,  AND  OF  THEIR 
ADVENTURES  THEREAFTER  DOWN  HERE. 

Pharaoh  Intur^  and  the  Egyptians,  in  time,  remembered  their 
old  grudge  to  the  descendants  of  Niul  and  the  family  of  Gaedal, 
namely,  their  resentment  for  the  friendship  the  latter  had  formed 
with  the  Children  of  Israel.  They,  then,  made  war  upon  the 
Gaels,  who  were  thereby  compelled  to  exile  themselves  from 
Egypt.  With  this  account  Thomas  Walsingham  agrees,  in  the 
book  called  Hypodcigma,  where  he  states  that,  "  When  the  Egyp- 
tians had  been  drowned  in  the  Red  Sea,  those  of  their  country- 
men who  survived,  drove  out  a  certain  chieftain  of  the  Scythian, 
nation,  who  lived  among  them,  that  he  might  not  assume  sover- 
eignty over  them.  Banished  with  his  tribe  he  came  to  Spain, 
where  he  resided  many  years,  and  where  his  posterity  gTCw  nu- 
merous, and  that  thence  he  came  at  last  to  Ireland." 

Know,  reader,  that  this  chieftain  was  Sru,  son  of  Esru,  son  of 
Gaedal,  and  not  Gaedal  himself,  notwithstanding  the  false  asser- 
tion of  Hector  Boethius ;  and  also,  in  contradiction  to  the  modern 
English  writers,  wlio  suppose  that  it  was  Gaedal  himself;  that  led 
the  migration  to  Spain;  for,  according  to  the  truth  of  Irish  his- 
tory, which  we  should  rather  trust  to  in  this  matter,  it  is  a  fact 
that  it  was  in  Egypt  that  Scota,  daughter  of  Pharaoh  Cingris, 
gave  birth  to  Gaedal;  and  in  that  land  he  resided  until  his  death. 
Nor,  as  others  as.sert,  was  it  from  Greece  that  he  had  come  thither, 
but  from  Scythia.  And  although  the  author  we  have  just 
quoted,  does  assert  that  it  was  to  Spain  that  the  Gaelic  prince, 
mentioned  above,  had  come,  yet  the  fact  was  not  so,  for  it  was  to 
Scythia  that  he  went ;  and  it  was  the  fifteenth  generation  from 
hirn,  namel}^,  Bratlia,  son  of  Degatha,  that  first  reached  Sj)ain. 
Ilere  follows  a  quotation  from  the  antiquary,  Gilla-Ca^mhan,  in 
proof  tliat  it  was  Sru,  son  of  Esru,  that  was  leader  in  this  emi- 
gration from  the  land  of  Egypt: — 

Pharaoh  Intur.     Tlio  cpithot  ap-    in  the  manuscript  copies.     It  may  refer 
plied  to  this  prince   is  found  written    to  the  founder  of  some  of  the  Pyramida 
"  an  tuir,"  [an  tooir,)  i.  c.  of  the  Tovjer, 
[166] 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  167 

"  Sru,  son  of  Esru,  son  of  Gaedal, 
Gmiidfiither  of  our  learned  host, 
'Twas  he  from  home  that  wended  northward 
Over  the  Red  Sea's  stormy  wave. 

"  Four  vessels  then  contained  his  household 
Upon  tlie  Red  Sea's  stormy  wave  ; 
The  number  in  each  wooden  dwelling 
Was  four  and  twenty  wedded  pairs." 

Observe  that  it  was  Sru,  son  of  Esru,  that  was  the  leader  of 
this  migration,  until  they  had  reached  the  isle  of  Crete,  where  he 
died. 

His  son  Eber  Scot^  then  assumed  the  chieilainship  of  the 
people,  until  they  arrived  in  Scythia.  For  that  reason,  a  certain 
author  sa3^s  that  Eber  Scot  was  the  leader  of  their  emigration, 
and  that  it  was  from  this  chieftain's  surname,  "Scot,"  that  the 
Gaels  or  Gaedalians  o.tq  called  the  Scotic  race.  Some  authoiities 
tells  us  that  the  word  "Scot"  means  archer^  and  that  he  got  the 
surname  from  the  fact,  that  there  was  no  bowman  superior  to  him 
in  his  day,  and  thus,  from  the  word's  having  been  given  as  a 
nickname  to  this  chief,  that  it  continued  to  be  applied  to  his  pos- 
terity, who  practiced  the  use  of  the  bow  as  a  common  weapon, 
in  imitation  of  their  ancestors,  until  a  very  late  period,  that  is 
within  our  own  memory.  But  I  do  not  adopt  the  opinion  of  this 
author,  for  I  find  that  most  antiquarians  believe,  that  the  reason 
for  calling  the  Gaedalians  the  Scotic  race,  is  because  they  had 
drawn  their  origin  from  Scythia. 

The  reader,  must  understand  that  Moses  and  Gaedal  were 
cotemporaries,  and  therefore  that  Gaedal  was  fourscore  years  of 
age  when  Pharoah  was  drowned,  and  that  the  fourth  generation 
from  his  birth,  namely,  Eber  Scot,  son  of  Sru,  son  of  Esru, 
son  of  Gaedal,  was  then  in  existence,  when  the  children  of  Gae- 
dal emigrated  to  Scythia.^ 

Some  historians  tell  us  that  there  were  four  hundred  and  forty 
years,  from  the  drowning  of  Pharaoh  in  the  Red  Sea,  until  the 
arrival  of  the  Children  of  Miledh  in  Ireland;  so  a  bard  relates 
in  the  following  lav  : 


''  Eber  Scot.    This  is  most  probably  attenuation."      The    regular    form    is 

the  ancestor  from  whom  the  Scottish  "  Scoit." 

name  is  derived.    The  translator  thinks        '  We  see  our  author  here  puzzled  in 

that    the    epithet  means   "  wanderer,"  endeavoring  to  reduce  into  chronologi- 

which  he  deems  of  the  same  signification  cal  order  the  dim  traditions,  that  tell  of 

with  Scythian.     "  Scuit  "is  the  nomina-  the  Fenian  sojourn  in  the  land  of  ligypt. 

live  case  plural,  and  the  genitive  siugu-  He  even  contradicts  what  he  has  before 

lar  of  Scot,  being  formed  therefrom  by  told  us  of  G-aedal's   being   yet  but   a 

what  Irish  grammarians  call  '•  irregular  child,  when  Moses  fial  out  of  Egypt. 


168  THE   HISTOEY    OF   IRELAND. 

"  Forty  years  above  four  hundred, 
(You  know  1  tell  no  idle  tale,) 
There  were,  since  came  the  tribes  of  Dana 
Across  the  straits  of  the  great  sea, 
Till  Miledh's  sons  first  heard  dread  Ocean 
His  music  beat  on  Eri's  shores." 

However,  according  to  tlie  computation  made  in  the  Book  of 
invasions,  there  were  but  three  hundred  years,  less  by  seven- 
teen, from  the  time  that  Moses  took  the  command  of  the  Chil- 
dren of  Israel  in  Egypt,  until  the  sons  of  iililedh  invaded  Ire- 
land ;  for  Moses  assumed  his  sovereignty  over  the  Children  of 
Israel,  in  Egypt,  at  the  end  of  seven  hundred  and  eighty  yeari* 
after  the  Flood ;  and,  according  to  the  time  idlowed  by  Irish  his- 
tory to  the  several  occupations  of  Ireland,  it  was  at  the  end  of 
one  thousand  and  eighty  years  after  the  Flood,  that  the  sons 
of  Miledh  took  possession  of  this  island.  The  Book  of  Inva- 
sions states,  that  it  was  at  the  end  of  three  hundred  years  after 
the  Flood,  that  Partholan  landed  in  Ireland,  and  that  his  pos- 
terity held  possession  of  the  country  for  three  hundred  years 
after  his  time.  Then  Ireland  continued  waste  for  thirty  years, 
until  the  race  of  Nemedh  ariived  therein.  This  people  again 
ruled  the  island  for  two  hundred  and  seventeen  years.  After 
them  the  Fer-Bolgs  held  possession  of  the  land  for  thirty-six 
years;  and,  lastly,  the  sway  of  the  Tuatha-Dé-Dananns  lasted 
for  two  hundred  years,  wanting  three.  Now,  the  summing  up 
of  the  whole  of  these  periods  gives  us  one  thousand  and  eighty 
years,  from  the  Flood  to  the  landing  of  the  sons  of  Miledh  in 
Ireland.  And  if  from  this  calculation  there  be  deducted  the 
seven  hundred  and  ninety-seven  years  there  were  from  the  Flood 
to  the  authority  which  Moses  received  over  the  Children  of  Israel, 
it  is  evident  that  there  was  from  tliat  time  to  the  arrival  of  the 
children  of  Miledh  in  Ireland,  but  three  hundred  years,  less  by 
seventeen.  Therefore  the  above-quoted  opinion  must  í)e  false, 
when  it  asserts  that  it  was  at  the  end  of  four  hundred  and  forty 
years  after  the  Children  of  Israel  passed  through  the  Red  Sea, 
that  the  sons  of  Miledh  reached  Ireland. 

Migration  of  the  Oaels  to  Crete,  under  Sni,  son  of  Esru. 

Some  antiquarians  assert  that  the  direction  taken  by  Sru,  son 
of  Esru,  and  his  followers,  was  through  the  Red  Sea,  south-east- 
wards,*   into  the   ocean,  and  thence  eastwards,  leaving  Tapra- 

*  Sonth-eaííwardii.     The  ancients  as-  Ptolemy,  relates  this  tradition,  without 

serted  that  Asia  was  circumnavifiable,  even   hinting   at   its    imiiracticability. 

and  Dr.   Keating,  whose  geographical  Notwithstanding  the  f(jrni  in  wliich  the 

knowledge   does   not  appear   to   have  tradition  luis  come  down  to  us,  it  may 

much  exceeded  that  of  the  days  of  yet  refer  to  some  important  fact  that 


THE    HISTORY   OF    IRELAND. 


169 


bana*  and  Asia  on  their  left,  and  then  northwards,  leaving  Asia 
still  on  their  left,  until  they  rounded  it  at  the  north  f  thence  they 
proceeded  westward,  until  they  reached  the  extremity  of  the  Eip- 
hean  mountains,  in  the  north-west  part  of  Asia,  and  got  into  the  nar- 
row sea,  that  leads  southward,  separating  Europe  from  Asia,  and 
they  thus  arrived  at  Scythia.  Ilowever,  this  was  not  the  route 
that  Sru  took  in  his  voyage  from  Egypt  to  Scythia,  with  the  crew^s 
of  his  four  ships,  each  containing  thirty  men,  but  from  the  mouth 
of  the  Nile,  through  the  Mediterranean  to  Crete,'  which  is  now 
called  Candia,  where  he  dwelt  for  some  time,  and  then  died.  In 
this  island  he  likewise  left  some  of  his  posterity,^  who  remain 
there  to  the  present  day  ;  and  hence  it  happens,  according  to  our 
ancient  historians,  that  no  venomous  reptile  can  exist  in  that 
island,  just  as  is  the  case  in  our  own  island. 


Migration  of  the  Gaels  to  Scythia  under  Eher  Scot,  son  of  Sru. 

From^  Crete  they  emigrated  to  Scythia,  under  the  guidance 
of  Eber  Scot.  Now,  whosoever  may  assert  that  it  would  be  im- 
possible to  reach  Scythia  from  Egypt  in  ship  or  vessel,  should 


took  place  during  the  time  the  Fenians 
stayed  in  Egypt — ^such  as  to  the  circum- 
navigation of  Africa  by  the  Phoenicians, 
the  expeditions  of  Bacchus  to  the  East, 
or  to  those  of  Osiris,  Hercules,  or  Se- 
Bostris.  The  Gaels  have  just  as  much 
right  to  their  versions  of  the  exploits  of 
these  heroes  as  other  nations — especially 
as  it  is  most  likely  they  wended  their 
way  slowly  to  Ireland  by  Crete,  the 
Mediterranean  Islands,  Northern  Africa 
and  Spain,  while  the  pure  Celts  and 
Cimbri  were  proceeding  thither  over- 
land, through  Euroijean  Scythia. 

*  Taprabana.  Taprobane,  which  is 
here  meant,  was  the  name  by  which  the 
island  of  Ceylon  was  known  to  the 
ancients. 

*  At  the  north.  The  old  maps  would 
make  it  appear,  that  the  Northern  Sea- 
board of  Asia  ran  in  a  north-westerly 
direction  from  China  to  the  Baltic  Sea. 
This  would  make  narrow  seas  of  the 
mouths  of  the  Volga,  the  Ural  or  the 
Don.  Indeed,  the  "Narrow  Sea,  pro- 
ceeding southward,"  so  often  spoken  of, 
must  mean  the  Sea  of  Azof. 

'  Cretf.  Crete,  or  Creta,  is  now 
called  Candia  It  is  one  of  the  larg-est 
islands  in  the  Mediterranean.     It  m  the 


southernmost  of  all  the  Greek  Isles.  It 
was  famed  for  its  hundred  cities,  and  for 
the  laws  of  Minos.  Jupiter  was  fabled  to 
have  been  educated  in  Crete.  It  was 
also  famous  for  the  Corybantes,or  priests 
of  Cybele,  whose  worship  was  intro- 
duced from  Crete  into  Phrygia,  in  Asia 
Minor.  The  connection  between  Crete 
and  Asia  Minor  was  intimate  ;  hence  we 
meet  with  a  Mount  Ida  in  Crete,  and  a 
Mount  Ida  in  the  Troade. 

*  Poste'-itij.  The  race  of  Fenius  must 
have  colonized  many  lauds  during  its 
long  passage  from  Egypt  to  Ireland. 
Their  traditions  during  this  period 
should  consequently  belong  to  many 
nations  besides  the  Irish ;  in  fact,  we 
seem  to  read  the  migrations  of  that 
Iberian  race,  which  planted  its  roots 
so  widely  in  Italy,  Sicily,  and  Spain,  &c., 
and  which  sent  its  last  and  remotest 
oiFshoot  to  our  island.  No  venomous 
serpent  exists  in  Crete. 

^  The  Scythia  of  Fenius  Farsa  and 
his  posterity,  to  which  the  wanderer. 
Eber  Scot,  migrated,  might  have  been 
in  Asia  Aliuor.  It  could  not  have 
lain  far  from  the  borders  of  that 
country. 


Í70  THE    HISTORY    OF    IRELAND. 

consider  that,  according  to  the  extent  of  Scythia  as  it  then  ex- 
isted, the  Tanais  or  Don  is  mentioned  as  one  of  the  rivers  of 
Scythin,  in  the  respectable  history  of  Herodotus,  who  states  in 
his  fourth  book,  that  "  the  river  Tanais  divides  Asia  from  Europe, 
and  it  is  reckoned  as  one  of  tiie  rivers  of  Scythia."^* 

When  the  Gaels  had  settled  in  Scj'thia,  a  war  broke  out,  in 
time,  between  them  and  their  kinsmen,  the  descendants  of  Nenual, 
son  of  Fenius  Farsa.  This  warfare,  which  was  for  the  sovereignty 
of  the  country,  continued  for  seven  years,  until  Agnon,  son  of 
Tath,  the  fifth  in  descent  fi'om  Eber  Scot  downward,  succeeded 
in  killing  his  cousin  Refloir,  son  of  Rifill,  of  the  house  of  Nenual, 
who  was  then  king  of  Scythia,  as  Gilla-Caemhan  tells  us  in  the 
following  verse : 

"  Refloir  and  the  stainless  Affnon 
Seven  years  contended  for  the  throne, 
Till  king  Refloir  lell  with  glory 
By  Aguon's  fortuuc-favored  hand." 

Expulsion  of  the  Gaels  from  Scytlna — Their  Wanderings — Catcher's 
Prophecy — /Sojourn  in  Gothia. 

Now,  concerning  the  children  of  Refloir :  this  king  had  two 
sons,  named  Nenual  and  Refill.  These  princes  collected  an  army 
against  the  posterity  of  Gaedal,  to  banish  them  utterly  out  of  the 
country.  Upon  this  the  Gaels  assembled  together  and  left  the 
Scythian  land  in  a  body,  passing  through  the  country  of  the 
Seared-breasts,"  who  are  called  Amazons,  to  the  border  of  the 
Caspian  Sea.  There  they  took  shipping  and  landed  on  an  island 
in  the  Caspian,  wdiere  they  stayed  for  one  year.  Their  leaders 
upon  this  emigration  w^ere  Agnon  and  Eber,  the  two  sons  of  Tath, 

'"  Tanais  flumen  dividens  Asiam  ab  miscjTa,  on  the  Euxinc  Sea,   at  the 

Earopa,  enumeratur  inter  fluniina  quaj  mouth    of    the    Thermodon,   now   the 

apud  Scythas  sunt.  Termeh,  a  famous  river  of  Cappadocia, 

"  Seared  breasts.     It  was  fiibled  that  was  the  capital  city  of  the  Amazons, 

the  Amazons  seared  or  burnt  off  the  From  the  route  here  traced,  the  Scythia 

right  breast  of  their  female  children,  in  of  lOber  Scot  must  have  Ikhmi  south  of 

order  that  they  might  be  able  to  throw  Paphlagonia.      Cilicia,  which  had  re- 

the    javelin    with   more   force.      This  ceived  its  name,  according  to  the  Greek 

fable  is  founded  upon  the  resemblance  mythologists,  from   Cili.v,  the  brother 

in  sound  between  the  word  Amazon,  of    I'hcenix    (Fenius?),   would  accord 

which   is   not   Greek,   and   the  (ireek  with  the  Scythia  f)f  the   Irish   bards, 

words  "a."  without,  and  "fia^a,"  a  brast.  Classic  mythology  tells  us  that  I'hoinix, 

The  process  would  prevent  the  desired  Cilix,    (^admus     and     Europa    (from 

effect.     Their  country,  a.s  before  shown,  whom  Europe  is  called),  were  the  chil- 

lay  from  Cappadocia  and  the  Kuxine  to  «In-n   of    Agenor.   king  of  I'hcenicia, 

the  Caspian  Sea,  and,  roundin-,'  thceast-  and  brother  of  IJcius,  who  founded  the 

ernann-leof  theEuxine,  it  reached  the  Assyrian  Empire,  about   2,000    years 

Palus  Ma;otiá  on  the  north-west.     'J'be-  before  the  Christian  era. 


THE   HISTORY  OF   IRELAND. 


171 


son  of  Agnaman,  son  of  Bcogaman,  son  of  Eber  Scot,  son  of  Sru, 
son  of  E.sru,  son  of  Gaedal.  Agnon  had  three  sons  witli  him  on 
this  migration.  These  were  named  EUod,  Lamfinn,  andLamglas.^^ 
Eber,  son  of  Tath,  had  two  sons,  namely,  Caicher  and  King. 
Agnon  died  in  tlie  Caspian  island,  just  mentioned. 

At  the  end  of  the  year  the  wanderers  left  the  island.  Upon 
this  voyage,  their  host  was  led  by  six  chieftains.  They  formed 
the  crews  of  three  ships.  In  each  ship  were  threescore  persons, 
and  every  third  man  had  a  wife  with  him.  They  then  steered 
along  the  strait  leading  from  the  Caspian,  westwards,^^  for  the 
narrow  sea  that  comes  in  from  the  Northern  Ocean ;  and  when 
they  had  reached  that  sea,  a  storm  came  upon  them,  by  which 
they  were  driven  upon  an  island  in  the  Pontic  Sea,  called  Caronia,''* 
where  they  abode  for  one  year  and  three  months.  It  was  in  this 
island  that  Eber,  son  of  Tath,  and  Lamglas  died. 

They  emigrated  thence  under  four  chieftains,  namely,  Ellod, 
Lamfinn,  King,  and  Caicher.  They  now  met  Mermaids  or  Sirens*^ 
at  sea,  who  began  to  sing  soft  music  to  the  sailors  as  they  passed 
them,  by  which  means  they  intended  to  lull  them  to  sleep,  and  then 
to  fall  upon  and  destroy  them.  Caicher  the  Druid,  found  a  remedy 
for  this  danger  by  melting  wax'®  into  the  ears  of  the  men,  by 
which  they  were  prevented  from  hearing  the  music  of  the  sor- 
ceresses. 


'^  Lamfinn  and  Lamglas.  These 
names  siguify  the  "  Fair  Hand,"  and 
the  "  Blue"  or  "  Green  Hand."  The 
Irish  pronounce  them  Luuvinn  and 
Lauvlass. 

''■"  The  Stmit  leading  Westwards. 
It  is  idle  to  speculate  upon  the  route 
here  traced,  as  it  is  evident  the  later 
narrators  of  the  tradition  knew  noth- 
ing of  the  geographical  position  of  the 
localities  of  which  they  treated.  The 
lower  bend  of  ths  Wolga  might  have 
brought  them  westwards  to  within  a 
short  distance  of  the  Don,  by  which 
they  could  have  got  in  to  the  Pontic, 
that  is,  the  Euxine  Sea,  through  the 
Narrow  Sea,  i.  e.  the  Palus  Maeotis,  or 
Sea  of  Azof. 

"  Caronia.  There  were  several 
places  in  Asia  Minor  that  might  be 
assimilated  to  this  name.  Caria,  or 
some  Caria  colony,  was  possibly  meant, 
The  boundaries  of  this  country  varied 
extremely  at  different  times.  It  was 
also  called  Phcenia,  from  a  Phojnician 
colony  settled  there.  Caria  is  now 
called    Adinelli.     It  is  true  that  Caria 


is  not  on  the  Pontic  Sea,  but  then  the 
mention  of  the  "  muirdiuchoin  "  [mur- 
yooghin),  i.  e.  mermaids,  or  sirens,  as 
their  next,  would  show  that  the  wander- 
ing clan  of  Eber  Scot  sailed  from 
Caronia  into  the  Mediterranean,  which 
they  could  not  so  readily  do  if  that 
place  lay  in  the  Pontic  Sea. 

"  Sirens.  The  sirens  were  fabled 
sea  nymphs  of  such  melodious  voices 
that  all  who  heard  them  forgot  every- 
thing else  in  attending  to  their  enchant- 
ing song,  and  at  last  died  through 
want  of  food.  Their  Irish  name  was 
muirdhuichoin  {mur-yoog'ii").  The  story 
of  the  sirens  was  so  universal  during 
the  heroic  ages,  amongst  all  peoples, 
that  the  Irish  bards  had  no  need  to 
borrow  it  from  the  Latins  or  Greeks. 
The  sirens  were  said  to  dwell  in  a  small 
island  off  Cape  Pelorus,  in  Sicily.  This 
shows  the  direction  in  which  our  Scots, 
or  wanderers,  were  then  steering. 

1*  Wax.  This  story  is  also  told  by 
Homer,  of  Ulysses.  It  was  apparent- 
ly one  of  the  wonderful  yarns  of  the 
primitive  mariners,  and  said  of  all  those 


172 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


Thus  they  continued  their  voyage,  until  they  had  reached  the 
point"  of  the  Eiphean  mountains,  in  the  North,  where  they  cast 
anchor  and  Lnided.  It  was  here  that  Caicher  prophesied  to  tlicm, 
that  they  should  find  no  fixed  settlement  to  dwell  in,  until  they 
had  landed  in  Eri ;  mentioning,  at  the  same  time,  that  it  was  not 
themselves,  but  their  posterit}-,  that  were  destined  to  possess  that 
land. 

From  this  point  they  then  wandered,  until  they  came  to  Gothia, 
where  Larnfinn  had  a  renowned  son,  who  was  named  Eber  Glun- 
Finn,**  i.  e.  Eber  of  the  whitedinee.  For  thirty  years  they  abode 
in  Gothia,  and  there  some  of  their  race  remain  to  the  present  day. 
In  testimony  of  this  Gilla-Caemain  has  left  us  the  following 
rann: 

"  The  skilful,  truthful  race  of  Gaedal 
Dwelt  thirty'''  years  in  that  land, 
And  some  of  them  abide  still  yonder, 
And  there  shall  dwell  'till  earth's  last  doom." 

But  some  others  of  our  historians  are  of  opinion,  that  one 
hundred  and  thirty  years  was  the  period  that  the  Gaels  dwelt  in 
Gothia,  to  wit,  from  Eber  Glun-Finn  to  Bratha,  son  of  Degatha  or 
Degh-ííitha,2o  son  of  Ercadh,  son  of  Alloid  or  Ellod,  son  of  Nu- 


that  made  distant  voyages.  As  the 
Phccnicians  were  the  first  mariners,  it 
must  have  originated  with  them,  and 
from  them  most  likely  the  Gaels  re- 
ceived it. 

"  Riphean  Mountains,  in  the  North. 
Tliis  is  evidently  in  contradiction  with 
what  has  gone  before.  ^Ve  have  seen 
them  get  into  the  Narrow  Sea,  or  Sea 
of  Azof,  from  the  east,  thence  they  w-ere 
driven  by  a  storm  into  the  Pontic  Sea, 
and  land  in  Caronia  :  wo  next  see  them 
in  the  neighborhood  of  Sicily,  where  the 
sirens  were  said  to  be.  As  we  are 
never  told  that  they  got  back  again 
into  the  Narrow  Sea,  their  course  must 
have  been  still  southward,  and  the 
point  of  the  Riphean  Mountains  in  the 
north,  if  it  be  not  altogether  imaginary, 
can  only  mean  the  Northern  Pillar  of 
Hercules,  or  Mount  Calpe,  now  (Jib- 
raltar,  which  lies  opposite  Abyla,  on 
theAfricaii  coast,  which  was  the  South- 
ern Pillar  of  Hercules.  The  translation 
or  version  of  the  "  Gaerthluighe'' 
{Gaylducc)  of  Gaelic  legend  into  "  Go- 
thia," by  some  bard  who  had  received 
a  smattering  of  Latin,  was  the  origin  of 


the  absurdities  here  recounted.  To 
bring  the  clan  of  Eber  Scot  to  a  land 
that  could  not  have  been  called  'Go- 
thia' '  for  ages  after,  our  poets  follow- 
ing the  track  of  this  dabbler  in  Latin, 
fancied  that  the  Sea  of  Azof  was  con- 
nected with  the  Northern  Ocean,  by  a 
Narrow  Sea  by  the  Riphean  Moun- 
tains, which  existed  only  in  their  imagi- 
nations. 

1«  Eber  Glun-Finv.  This  is  the 
third  time  we  meet  with  the  name  Eber, 
amongst  the  (iaelic  chieftains.  Lam- 
finn's  own  name,  also,  was  probably 
Eber,  for  •'  Larnfinn,"  i.  e.  "  Fair  Hand," 
was  most  probaljly  an  epithet  given  for 
the  sake  of  distinction. 

**  Thirty.  "  Trichad"  {Tlirceghud) 
tJihti/  may  have  been  written  by 
mistake  for  "  tri  ched"  (three  ghayd) 
three  hundred,  and  led  to  the  discrep- 
ancies discussed  in  the  next  paragraph. 

"  J)c<rh-Fiitk(i.  This  word  means 
"  good  cause"  or  "  good  fate,"  i.e.  pros- 
perous. Willi  all  its  aspirations,  it  is 
writttMi  "  L>egh-fhatha,"  [Dayaha  or 
Dyuhct .) 


THE   HISTORY  OF   IRELAND.  173 

adath,  son  of  Nenual,  son  of  Ebric,^'  son  of  Eber  Glun-Finn,  who 
was  born  in  Gothia,  son  of  Larafinn,  who  was  the  first  of  their 
chieftains  that  came  to  that  country.  Now,  as  so  many  gener- 
ations coukl  not  have  passed  by  in  thirty  years,  I  am  convinced 
that  the  hitter  opinion  is  the  true  one.  There  are  othei-  historians, 
aorain,  who  assert  that  the  Gaels  resided  in  Gothia  for  three 
hundred  years.  But  this  assertion  cannot  be  true,  for  we  have 
seen  above,  that  according  to  the  dates  of  the  saveral  invasions, 
there  were  not  three  hundred  years  in  full  from  the  drowning  of 
Pharaoh  in  the  Red  Sea,  to  the  landing  of  the  sons  of  Miledh  in 
Ireland.  Then  the  opinion  last  mentioned  cannot  be  correct;  for 
the  Gaels  went  through  the  whole  of  their  wanderings  in  less 
than  that  time,  to  wit,  from  Egypt  to  Crete  or  Candia,  from 
Crete  to  Scythia,  from  Scythia  to  Gothia,  from  Gothia  to  Spain, 
from  Spain  to  Scythia,  from  Scythia  to  Egypt,  from  Egypt  to 
Thrace,  from  Thrace  to  Gothia,  and  from  Gothia  to  Spain,  and 
finally  from  Spain  to  Ireland. 


CHAPTEK  y. 

OF  THE  MIGRATIONS  OF  THE  GAELS  FROM  GOTHIA  TO  SPAIN,  &C. 

Bratha,  son  of  Degatha  or  Degh-Fatha,  the  eighth  in  descent 
from  Eber  Glun-Finn,  i.  e.  of  the  White-Knee,  emigrated  from 
Gothia,  near  Crete  and  Sicily,^  to  Spain,  in  the  South  of  Europe, 
with  the  crews  of  four  ships,  as  Gilla-Caemhain  tells  us  in  the 
following  verse : 

"  Ebric.  The  aspirated  form  of  Eastern  Iberi,  through  the  Poutic  Sea  to 
thisnamo  is  "  Ebhric"  (Aivric).  It  is  the  quarter  of  the  sirens  (Sicily),  and 
otherwise  written,  Febhric  (Fdivric).  leaving  them  in  Gaethluighe,  under  his 
It  is  clearly  a  derivative  from  Ebher  or  son  Eber  Glun-Fin,  and  in  that  same 
Eber  {Aiver),  a  name  already  become  Gaethluighe,  near  Crete  avd  Sicily,  we 
frequent  amongst  the  Clan  of  Eber  the  now  find  them  again,  under  his  ninth  de- 
Scot,  scendant,  Bratha.     Hence  it  is  obvious 

1  Gothia  near  Crete  and  Sicily.    We  that  '"Gactulia,"  not  Gothia,  must  be 

here  see  the  great  mistake  of  having  the  country  meant,  and  that  our  "  Clan- 

tran^lated  "  Gaethluighe"  by  "  Gothia,"  na  Ebir"  were  all  this  time  spreading 

to  whicli  it  has  but  slight  resemblance,  themselves    in  Northern    Africa  and 

even  in  letters.    "W^e  have  seen  LamSnn  Southern  Europe,  in  the  region  of  the 

leading  the    Clan   of  Eber  from   the  Western  Ibcri.     The   following  is  the 

neighborhood    of    the     Caspian    and  learned    and    venerable     O'Elaherty'a 

Euxine  Seas,  and  the  land  of  the  Ama-  opinion  on  this  subject  : 

zons — in  fact,  from  the  vtry  region  of  the  "Therefore    Lamiinn,    having    left 


174  THE   niSTORY    OF    IRELAND. 

"  Dogatha's  son,  our  honored  Bratha, 
His  host  from  Crete  to  Sicily 
Brought  in  four  stout,  swift-sailing  vessels, 
And  thence  to  Southern  Ilispany." 

It  is  from  t"his  our  Bratha,  that  Bragantia,  in  Portugal,  (or 
Port-na-n  Gall,)  wlierc  lies  the  present  dukedom  of  Braganza,  has 
received  its  name. 

These  are  the  four  chiefs  that  accompanied  Bratha  in  his  voy- 
age to  Spain,  namely,  Oghi  and  Ughi,  the  two  sons  of  Allod, 
son  of  Nenual,  with  Mantan  and  Caicher,  There  Avere  fourteen 
wedded  couples,  and  six  hired  soldiers  in  each  ship.  Upon  their 
landing  they  gave  three  defeats  to  the  previous  inhabitants  of 
the  country,  that  is,  to  the  posterity  of  Tubal,  son  of  Japliet.  But 
a  sudden  plagTie  came  upon  the  sons  of  Allod,  so  that  they  all 
perished,  with  the  exception  of  ten. 

Brebgan,  son  of  Braiha,  estaUishes  his  sivay  in  Spain — Founds 
Brigantium. 

However,  they  soon  multiplied  again,  and  Breogan,*  son  of 
Bratha,  Avas  born.  This  was  that  Breogan  who  shattered  the 
power  of  Spain,  in  so  many  fights.  It  was  he  also  that  founded 
or  built  Brigantia,'  near  Corunna,  and  Breogan's  Tower  in  Corunna 
itself 

Scythia,  and  his  father  having  died  on  the  first  inhabitants    of  Africa,  whose 

the  voyage  thence,   settled   in   Gaeth-  king,  larbas,  granted  Byrsa,  the  ground 

luio-he,  where  a  son  was  born  for   him,  whereon  Carthage  was  built,  to  Dido." 

named  Eber   Glun-Finu,  of  whom  the  '■'  Breogan.     From  this  chieftain  the 

bard  has  sung  :  Gaels  are  said  to  have  taken  the  name 

•  ii,«,„  1.,  a\r.  "  Clanna  Brcogain,"  latinized  "  Brigan- 
Oenar  CO  n-oirdhorc  in  sin  "  i         .i  •  •* 

Do  Laiiihihinii  miiac  A<;imomhain,  tcs.      1  he  name  may  be  Otherwise  writ- 

Ehhor  fjiun-flnn,  gian  a  tiriirh  \jQn    "  Bregan,"    the   long   "  c''   being 

Ben-athairfolt-cl.a.sFliobhrigh.  commutablo  with   CO  in   the.  Irish  lai^ 

In  Fngiinh.  g'lage.     Thus  we  say  "  fcr"  {fair)  and 

In  that  land  gloriously  was  born  „  f^^^,.  (^fe>,re),  i.  e.  grass,  indiscrimi- 

T<i  LamHnn,  son  of  Aiínornhan,  V        ,/'  /  t)      -      \    •      i     •       i 

The  whitf-kniMii  Eber  of'lirif:litBway,  natcly.     JJrcoghan  (yjreoini)  is  derivca 

Tlio  curly-haired  grandslre  of  Fcbric.  cither  from  "  brigh"   {hrrr)  strength,  OT 

"  Some  will  have  this  country  Gothia,  from  "  bre6,"y?/7',  and  not  from  "  brugh" 

though  it  is   everywhere  called  Gaeth-  (broo)  or  "hrog"  (hrngg), ii dwelling, as 

lui'rh'ri  by  our  writers.     Golhia  has  not  some  have  supposed,  in  guessing  at  the 

the^  smaiicst  resemblance  to  the  word  ;  etymology  of  the  name  of  the  Brigantes. 

and  to  translate  it  so,  inverts  the  order  '    lirignntin.     Brigantium   was   the 

of  history.     Gothia   is  an  island  in  the  name  l)y  which  this  city  was  known  to 

Baltic  Sea,  of  no  antif|uily.     Galatia  is  the  Romans.     To   it   they   added   the 

not  unlike  it,  in  sound,  but  that  name  of  title   "  Flavium"   or  "Flavian,"   from 

the   country   of  the  Asiatic   (ialli    is  the  family-namt!  of  one;  of  thiiir  empe- 

much  more  modern.  *      *    *     I    am  rors,   in   order  to   distinguish  it  from 

really  of    opinion    that   those   people,  other  citi(«  of  the   15rigantis,  one  of 

whom  our  writers  have   called  Ga'jth-  which  is   now  called   r.regcntz,  in  the 

luighi,  are  Gaetulians,  descended  from  Tyrol.  The  Brigantium  founded  by  Bre- 


THE  HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  176 

"  Many  conflicts,  many  wars 
Upon  the  proud  host  of  Esbain, 
Broke  Breogan  of  the  battle's  din, 
The  builder  of  Brigantia." 

This  Breogan  Lad  ten  sons,  namely,  Breoga,  Fuad,  Murtliemni, 
Cuailgni,  Cuala,  Bladh,  Ebleo,  Nar,  Ith  and  Bili,  {Billeh.)  In 
memory  of  these  Gill  a  Caemhan  made  the  following  rann : 

"  Breogan's  ten  sons,  whose  fame  shall  live, 
AVere  Bregha,  Fuad,  Murthemni, 
Cuailgni,  Cuala,  with  Bladh,  the  brave, 
Eblind  and  Nar  and  Ith  and  Bili." 

Galamh,*  who  is  called  "  Miledh  Esbaini,"  i,  e.  the  hero  of 
Spain,  in  Gaelic,  and  in  Latin,  Milesius,  was  the  son  of  the  Bili 
here  named.  Now,  although  Bili  be  the  last  named  of  the  sons 
of  Breogan  in  the  list  here  given,  still  our  ancient  authors  all 
assert  that  lie  was  the  eldest  son  of  this  chieftain. 


Miledh  of  Spain,  or  Milesius,  i.  e.  Galamh,  son  of  Bili,  son  of 

Breogan. 

When,  then,  the  race  of  Breogan  Lad  increased  and  multiplied, 
and  had  acquired  the  masterdom  of  nearly  all  Spain,  there  was 
born  to  Bili,  son  of  Breogan,  a  renowned  son,  of  most  glorious 
deeds,  and  he  was  then  called  Galamh ;  but  he  has  been  since 
styled  Miledh  of  Spain.  This  youth  was  seized  with  the  desire 
of  sailing  to  Scythia,  in  order  to  visit  his  kinsmen  and  to  do 
them  service,  in  a  fleet  well  manned  with  the  young  men  of 
Spain.  Having  resolved  upon  this  voyage,  he  equipped  thirty 
ships,  in  each  of  which  he  placed  its  requisite  crew  of  warriors. 
.He  then  launched  his  fleet  upon  the  Mediterranean  Sea,  and 
sailed  directly  North-east'  by  Sicily  and  Crete,  until  he  arrived 
at  Scythia.  When  he  had  reached  the  Scythian  land,  he  sent 
word  to  Refloir,  son  of  Neman,  who  was  then  king  of  Scythia, 
and  who  Avas  descended  from  that  Refloir,  son  of  Rifill,  whom  we 
have  mentioned  heretofore.  When  Miledh  appeared  before  the 
king,  he  got  a  Idndly  welcome,  and  in  time  he  was  made  general 

ogan  is  now  called  Betanzos.  It  is  situ-  derived  from  "  Gal,"  hatth,  bravery,  &c., 

ated  in  Galicia,  on  the  Bay  of  Coruuna,  by  the  addition  of  the  suffix  "  mh" — 

about  five  leagues  south  of  the  latter  just  as  "brethemh"  {brthtv),a,  judge, 

city.     It  is  named  Cathair  Bhreoghain  is  formed  from  "  breith"  (brth),  judge- 

[Cuhir  Vrcowinn),  i.  e.  Breogan's  For-  7neiit. 

tress,  by  some  Irish  writers.  °  North-east.    This  route  would  have 

*  Galamh.  The  name •' Galamh"  {Gal-  taken  him  to  Phoenicia  or  Cilicia  di- 

lav)  may  mean  the  same  thing  as  "  Mi-  rect. 
Icdn"  (Meeleh),  i.  e.  hero  or  warrior. 


176  THE    HISTORY    OF    IRELAND, 

of  the  Sc3^tliian  army,  and  he  received  in  marriage  a  daughter  of 
the  king,  whose  name  was  Seng,  and  who  bore  him  two  sons 
named  i)oau®  and  Arech  Februadh.  Now,  when  Milcdh  had 
dwelt  for  some  time  in  Scythia,  his  success  against  the  tyrants 
and  robbers  of  that  country  was  so  great,  tliat  he  became  very 
much  beloved  by  the  inhabitants.  When  King  Ecfloir  perceived 
this,  he  was  seized  with  fear,  lest  Miledh  might  rise  up  against 
himself,  and  strive  to  deprive  him  of  the  kingdom  of  Scythia. 
For  this  reason  he  plotted  the  death  of  Miledh,  notwillistanding 
the  fact  of  his  being  his  own  son-in-law.  But  Miledh  heard  of 
the  plot,  and  thereupon  seized  upon  a  favorable  opportunity,  and 
put  King  Reiloir  to  death  first. 

He  then  called  together  and  assembled  his  own  faithful  follow- 
ers, and  put  out  to  sea  with  the  crews  of  threescore  ships.  And  he 
steered  straight  over  the  Mediterranean  Sea,  until  ho  reached  the 
mouths  of  the  Nile.  There  he  landed,  and  sent  an  embassy  to 
Pharaoh  Nectonibus,  letting  him  know  of  his  arrival ;  and  the 
king  sent  ambassadors  of  his  own  to  meet  Miledh,  and  to  conduct 
him  to  his  presence.  And  when  Miledh  appeared  before  the  king, 
he  was  made  welcome  to  the  land,  and  a  territory  was  granted 
to  him  and  his  people  to  dwell  thereupon.  It  is  in  record  of  this 
voyage  of  Miledh,  from  Scythia  to  Egypt,  that  Gilla-Caemhan 
composed  the  following  rann : 

"  Miledh,  the  sire  of  our  goodly  clans, 
Slew  King  KcHoir,  the  well-befriended. 
Then  hastily  fled  he  yon  hostile  land. 
And  found  other  iiekls  by  the  bounteous  Nilus." 

The  reader  must  licre  observe,  that  the  two  sons  which  Seng, 
daughter  of  Refloir,  had  borne  to  Miledh,  namely,  Donn  and 
Arech  Feliruadh,  accompanied  him  in  his  voyage  to  Egypt,  their 
mother  having  previously  died  in  Scythia. 

At  this  time,  there  was  a  great  war  between  Pharaoh  and  the 
king  of  Ethiopia.  Pharaoh  made  Miledh  the  commander  of  his 
army,  when  he  had  estimated  his  bravery  and  valor,  and  sent 
him  to  meet  the  forces  of  Ethiopia  therewith.  There  then  ensued 
many  engagements  and  conflicts,  between  the  forces  under  the 
command  of  Miledh  and  tliose  of  the  Ethiopians.  In  these  he  was 
80  successful  that  his  f  ime  and  renown  spread  through  all  ua- 

*  Donn.    This  chieftain,  the  eldest  Arech    Februadh    (Ara;jh    Fcvrooh), 

son  of  Miledh,   was   othcTwise   called  were  aftcrwai-ds  lost  off  the  coast  of 

Ebcr  Donn,  i.  c.  the  I'rown  Ebcr,  to  Ireland.     "  Februadh"  may  mean  red- 

distin;^,iish  him  from  his  brother,  I^bcr  brewed,  or  it  may  be  a  contracted  form 

Finn,  i.  e.  the  Fair  Ebcr,  Miledh's  eld-  of  "  Ebcr"  or  "  Febric  niadh,"  i.  c.  tho 

eat  son  by  Scota,  the  lO^yptian  prin-  red  Ebcr. 
cass.     Both    Donn    and    his    brother, 


THE    iHSTOKY    OF    IRELAND.  177 

tions,  whereupon  Pharaoh  gave  him  one  of  his  own  daughters 
to  wife.  This  lady  was  called  Scota,  from  being  the  wife  of 
Miledh,  who  was  of  the  Scotic  race.  She  bore  her  husband  two 
sons  in  Egypt,  namely,  Ebcr  Finn  and  Amerghin. 

As  soon  as  ever  Miledh  had  landed  in  Egypt,  he  sent  twelve 
of  the  young  men  that  had  accompanied  him,  to  learn  the  prin- 
cipal arts  of  Egypt.  Thus  each  of  them  had  become  expert  in 
his  own  particular  profession,  by  the  end  of  the  seven  ^^ears  that 
Miledh  resided  in  the  land  of  the  Pharaohs. 

Miledh  at  length  remembered  him,  that  the  druid  Caicher  had 
prophesied  long  before,  to  his  ancestor,  Lamfinn,  that  Ireland 
was  the  land  in  which  it  was  destined  that  his  posterity  should 
obtain  a  lasting  sovereignty.  Upon  this  he  fitted  out  three  ships, 
supplied  them  with  crews,  and  took  his  leave  of  Pharaoh.  He 
then  set  sail  from  the  mouth  of  the  Nile,  into  the  Mediterranean, 
and  landed  on  an  island  near  Thrace.  It  is  called  Irena,'  and 
there  it  was  that  Ir,  son  of  Miledh,  was  born.  Thence  he  sailed 
to  an  island^  called  Gothia,  in  the  strait  leading  into  the  northern 
ocean.  There  he  made  some  stay,  and  there  it  was  that  Scota 
bore  him  a  son,  namely,  Colpa,  styled  the  Swordsman.  Thence 
he  set  sail  into  the  northern  strait  which  separates  Europe  from 
Asia,  and  passed  onward,  leaving  Europe  on  the  left,  to  the 
west,  until  he  reached  Cruthin-tuath,^  i.  e.  the  land  of  the  Cruth- 
nigh  or  Picts,  which  is  called  Alba.  He  plundered  the  coasts 
of  that  country,  and  thence  sailed  along  the  coast  of  Great  Brit- 
ain, leaving  it  on  the  right,  until  he  reached  the  mouth  of  the 
river  Ren  (i.  e.  the  Rhine) ;  thence,  sailing  westward  and  south- 
ward, he  leaves  France  on  his  left,  and  at  length  lands  inBiscay.*" 

'  Irena.    Samotbrace  maj'  be  the  isle  arrival  of  the  Crutlinigh  in  the  British 

meant.     This    isle    was    peopled    by  Isles,  during  the  reign  of   the  Irish 

Pelasgians,  Thraciaus,  and  Phoenicians.  kingErimhon,  be  correct.  "  Cruthnech" 

It  was  famed  for  its  religious  mysteries.  [Cruknagh)  is  the  nominative  singular 

Its  soil  was  deemed  sacred,  and  hence  of  Cruthnigh. — It  is  to  be  noted,  that 

it  was  an  inviolable  asylum  to  all  fugi-  thetermination  "  igh"  [ih  and  ig),  when 

tives.     From  this  possibly  comes  the  ending  a  word,  applied  as  a  national  or 

name  Irena,  which  means  peace,  i.  e.  family-name,  throughout  this  iransla- 

"  eiprjvrj,''    given  to  it  in  the  text,  tion,  is  to  be  taken  in  the  plural ;  that 

Miledh  may  well  have  put  in  there  in  is,  if  it  has  no  Irish  nominative,  such  as 

this,  which  seems  to  have  been  a  pi-  "  ^"  "  Mac,"  "  Ui,"  "  Clann,"  &c.,  be- 

ratical  expedition  of  his.  fore  it ;  in  the  latter  case  it  is  used  in 

'  All  island.     Here,  again,  we  have  the  genitive  singular.     The  nominative 

"  Gothia"  put  for  "  Gaethluighe,"  and  singular  of  all  such  words  ends  invari- 

Sgagerackc  for  the  Straits  of  Gibraltar,  ably  in  "  ach"  or  "  ech"  (ngh).     These 

■  ^'  Crutkin-tiiath.     This  name  is  pro-  terminations  correspond  with  the  "  us" 

nounced    Chrulun-tooali,  and    the    in-  ^^d  "  i"  «f  the  Latins,  and  the  "  of" 

habitants   of    the  land    so-called    are  and  ''  ot''''  of  the  Greeks, 

styled  Cnitlmigh  {CruhnigOT  Cruhnih).  '"  Biscay.     A  province  in  the  north- 

The  name  is  prematurely  applied  in  this  west  angle  of  Spain,  lying  on  the  A1> 

iastance,  if  the  account  criven  of  the  lantic  Ocean,  and  bordering  on  France, 
12 


178  THE    HISTORY    OF   IRELAND. 

Now,  when  lie  had  arrived  in  this  hind,  his  kinsmen  come  to 
bid  him  -welcome,  and  they  tell  him  that  the  Gothi,  and  several 
other  foreign  nations,  were  harassing  both  their  country  and  all 
Spain.  Upon  hearing  this,  Miledh  summoned  his  own  jjartisans 
Throughout  Spain,  and  when  they  had  come  together  he  marched 
with  them,  and  Avith  the  forces  he  had  brought  with  him  in  his 
fleet,  against  the  foreigners  and  the  Gothi,  and  routed  them  in 
fifty-four  battles,  and  thus  di'ove  them  completely  out  of  Spain. 
xVfter  this,  both  he  and  his  kinsmen,  the  sons  of  Breogan,  son 
of  Bratha,  held  the  sovereignty  of  the  greater  part  of  that 
country. 

Miledh  had  now  thirty-two  sons,  as  the  bard  informs  us,  in  the 
following  verse : 

"  Thirty  sons  and  two 
Had  Miledh,  the  white-handed, 
Of  these  there  came,  we  know, 
But  eight  brave  sons  to  Eri." 

Twenty-four  of  these  sons  had  been  born  to  him  of  concubines, 
before  he  had  left  Spain  for  Scythia.  The  other  eight  were  born 
of  the  two  wives,  who  had  been  successively  married  to  him. 
Seng,  daughter  of  Eefloir,  king  of  Scythia,  bore  two  of  them  to 
him  in  Scythia,  namely,  Donii  and  Arech  Februadh,  and  Scota, 
daughter  of  Pharaoh  Nectonibus,  bore  the  other  six,  namely, 
two  in  Egypt,  Eber  Finn  and  Amerghin,  Ir  on  the  sea  of  Thrace, 
Colpa  of  the  Sword,  in  Gothia,  Arannan  and  Erimhon,  in  Gal- 
licia. 

As  the  bard  has  sung  in  the  following  lay : 

"  Those  sons  of  Galamh  of  bright  smile, 
Of  him  called  Miledh  of  Esbain, 
Eight  victors  in  a  thousand  fields, 
Say,  what  land  saw  those  heroes'  birth  ? 

from  which  it  is  st^parated  by  the  Py-  in,  there  can  be  no  doubt  but  that  the 

renees.     Jt  is  inhabited   by  a  people  Gaels,  Scots  and  Iberi  were  all  of  one 

speaking  a  language  peculiar  to  them-  and  the  same  stock.    It  only  remains 

selves,  that  is,  completely  diliereiit  from  to  prove  to  what  race  of  men  the  latter 

any  tongue  in  Europe  whose  forms  have  pcoi)Ie   belonged.      This   can   now   bo 

yet  Ijecn  investigated  l)y  competent  per-  done  by  comparative  etynnology  alone. 

souB.     If  these  peoi)lc  be  the  represent-  Any    person   who    presumes    to    pro- 

atives  of  the  old  Iberi,  the  idiom  of  nouiice  against  the  Irish  tradition  on 

the  Gaels  must  certainly  have  been  this  subject,  witliout  having  made  u 

lost  in  that  of  the  Celts,  who  inhabited  scientific  comi)ari.>on  of  the  Basque  and 

Ireland  before  them.     To  any  srhohr,  (Jaelic.  and  without  finding  outwhether 

who  can  understand  the  Irish  language,  the  Ba.«(iues  are  rciilly  the  Iberi,  is  here 

and  can  read  the  old  traditional  frag-  but  an  ignorant  ]jretender,  whatever  tx; 

meati?  of  hi.story  remaining  extant  tlierc^  his  learning  on  other  matters. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  179 

''  R«cl-browed  Arecli  and  warlike  Donn 
Were  born  both  on  Scythian  soil — 
In  Egypt's  sunny  clime  were  born 
The  fair-haired  Eber  and  Amerghin. 

•'  And  Ir,  that  brave  beyond  compeer, 
Was  born  off  the  Thracian  shore — 
The  swordsman,  Colpa,  first  saw  light. 
When  Miledh  camped  in  Gaethlia's'^  glens. 

"  At  Brcogan's  lofty  tower  were  born 
Arannan  and  great  Erimhon, 
The  youngest  of  those  faultless  braves. 
Whose  worth  has  swelled  the  voice  of  song." 

Now,  when  the  children  of  Brcogan,  son  of  Bratha,  had  thus 
increased,  they  were  of  sufficient  strength  and  numbers  to  cope 
with  any  power  in  Spain,  Not  satisfied,  however,  with  the 
greatness  of  their  power  there,  they  resolved  upon  extending 
their  sway  over  other  lands.  They  had  also  another  motive  for 
this.  Ther3  was,  at  that  period,  a  scarcity  of  food  in  Spain, 
which  had  lasted  for  twenty-six  years ;  it  was  caused  by  the 
great  drought  of  the  seasons.  They  were  prompted  to  it,  also, 
by  the  number  of  conflicts  they  had  to  maintain  with  the  Gothi,^ 
and  the  several  other  foreign  nations,  with  whom  they  had  to 
contend  for  the  sovereignty  of  Spain,  They  then  held  council 
as  to  what  country  they  should  invade,  and  as  to  whom  they 
should  send  to  reconnoitre  it.  Upon  this,  they  resolved  to  choose 
Ith,  son  of  Breogan,  son  of  Bratha,  who  was  both  a  valiant 
champion  and  an  intelligent  man,  well  instructed  in  the  sciences, 
to  reconnoitre  the  isle  of  Eri.  The  place  where  they  adopted 
this  counsel  was  the  Tower  of  Breogan,  in  Gallicia.  Thus  it 
happened  that  they  sent  Ith  to  Eri.  It  was  not,  as  some  assert, 
that  he  had  seen  it,  like  a  white  cloud,  on  a  winter's  night,  from 
the  top  of  Breogan's  Tower.  There  had  been  an  acquaintance 
and  intercourse,  long  previous  to  this,  between  Eri  and  Esbain ; 
for  we  have  seen  that  Eocaidh,  son  of  Ere,  the  last  king  of  the 
Fer-Bolgs,  had  married  Talti,  daughter  of  Maghmor,  king  of 
Esbain.     They  had  been,  then,  in  the  habit  of  mutually  trading 

"  Gaethlia's.  The  word  used  in  the  since.     These  '•  Gaethluigli''  might  be 

original    old   duan    quoted    above,   is  Gaetulian  mercenaries  of  the   Phoeni- 

"  Gaethluighe."     It  shows  where   Mi-  cians   or    Carthagenians.      The   latter 

ledh  was,  when  he  was  said  to  be  in  nation   nearly   always    carried    on   its 

Gothia.  wars  by  mercenaries.     Could  the  Gae- 

"  Gothi.    Here,  again,  we  meet  the  tulian  nation  be  a  branch  of  the  Gaels 

"  Gaethluigh"    of   the    Pagan    bards,  themselves?  "  Gaedhalach"  (Gí7)//ag,^), 

transformed  into  "  Gothi."    Spain  was,  Gaelic,  differs   but  very  sHglitly  from 

no  doubt,  then  subject  to  the  invasion  "  Gaethalach"  ((?aí//ia/ag-/í),  Gaetulian. 
of  African  hordes,  as  it  has  been  often 


180  THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 

one  with  the  other,  and  of  exchanging  their  wares  and  vahiahlcs, 
long  before  Ith,  son  of  Breogan,  had  been  born.  Thus  the 
Esbainigh  (or  Spaniards)  knew  Eri,  and  the  Erinnigh  knew  Es- 
bain,  long  before  Ith,  son  of  Breogan,  had  come  into  existence. 

/cA,  son  of  Breogan,  visits  Ireland — Ilis  death. 

Ith  then  got  his  ship  ready,  and  manned  it  with  one  hundred 
and  fifty  men.  He  then  set  sail  and  landed  in  the  north  of  Ire- 
land, having  cast  his  anchor  in  the  swampy  harbor  of  Magh- 
Itha.^^  As  soon  as  he  had  landed,  he  sacrificed  to  Neptunus,^* 
the  god  of  the  sea,  and  the  -demons  gave  him  evil  omens.  Then 
some  of  the  folk  of  the  country  came  to  meet  him,  and  they  ac- 
costed him  in  the  "  Scot-b^rla,"^^  or  Scotic  tongue,  that  is,  in  the 
Gaelic  or  Irish,  and  he  answered  them  in  the  same  language, 
telling  them  that  he  was  of  the  race  of  Magog,  as  well  as  they, 
and  that  the  Scotic  was  his  native  language  as  well  as  theirs. 

Our  historians  infer,  from  this  passage  in  the  Book  of  Con- 
quests, that  the  "  Scot-bcrla,"  called  also  the  Gaelic,  was  the  na- 
tive tongue  of  Nemcdh  and  his  people,  and  consequently  of  his 
descendants,  the  Fer-Bolgs,  and  accordingly  of  the  Tuatha-Dé- 
bananns.  This,  indeed,  is  credible,  from  wliat  we  stated  above, 
to  wit,  that  it  was  Gaedal,  son  of  Ethor,  that  regulated  and  ar- 
ranged the  Scotic  language,  at  the  command  of  Fenius  Farsa  ; 
and  that  from  him,  as  we  have  said  before,  the  Scotic  tongue  is 
named  Gaeidilgi  or  Gaelic.  Now,  this  Gaedal  had  been  teaching 
his  schools  in  Scythia,  before  Neinedh  had  emigrated  from  Scy- 
thia  to  Eri,  or  Ireland;  and,  as  the  "Scot-bérla"  was  the  general 

'^   The  Swampi/  Ilarhorof  Magh-Tlh.  cncos."    Whether   liis  kinsmen    spoke 

There   was    a    place    called    Sleoihna  Celtic  or  not  (for  Celtic  is  here  meant  by 

Maighe    n-Itha    {S'tlevna    or    SIdewna  Scot-Btrla),    he   must  have  known  a 

3Ioye  n-Ika)    near   Loch-Febail,   now  language   then   universal    in   Wosteru 

JjO\i«-h  Foyle.     Perhaps  the  mouth  of  Europe,  to  have  nieritetl  the  title  given 

the    Finn   was  so  called.     The   name  him  in  the  text.    The  name  Edirsgel  or 

means  the  "  Slimes,"  or,  rather,  "  Slip-  Jiidirsgcol,  whence  the  O'DriscoIl's  or 

pings  of  the  plain  of  Ith."  O'   h-Kidirsgooils,  who   were   amongst 

^*  Neplunus.  Irish  etymologists  have  the  most  distinguished  of  Ith's  de- 
derived  the  name  Neptunus  from  the  sccndants  in  the  latter  times,  have 
Gaelic  words  "  naemh"  {naijv),  sacred,  taken  their  surname,  signifies  in- 
and  "  Tonn,"  a  wiivc,  as  if  "  Nacmh-  terjirelcr.  It  was  a  name  very  fre- 
thonn"  {Nai/phonn).  The  etymology  is  quent  amongst  the  tribe  in  ancient 
fanciful,  but  not  likely.  times,   and   may  have   been   originally 

'^  Scot-Berla.    It  is  not  necc&sary  to  taken  in  comniemora' ion  of  Ith's /lar/iig 

suppose  that  the  Gaels  and  Tuatha-De-  acted  as  interpreter  between   his  kins- 

Dananns  spoke  the  same  language  in  men  and  the  Irish.    Ith  has  been  called 

order  to  account  for  Ith's  converse  with  a   PhcDnician.     If  he   was,   Edirsgeol 

that  people.     He  had  been  chosen  for  might  bear  the  (U)ristruction  of  "  double- 

the  leader  because  lie  was  "  an  jntelli-  tongued"   aj»plied  to  the    Phccuiciaus 

gent  man,  well  instructed  in  the  sci-  and  Tyriaus  of  old. 


THE   IIISTOKY   OF   IRELAND. 


181 


language  of  Scythia,  when  Nemedli  migrated  tlicnce,  our  xinti- 
quaries  infer,  that  the  Scotic  language  was  the  proper  language 
of  Nemedh  and  his  people  on  their  arrival  into  Ireland,  and 
thence  of  all  his  posterity.  It  w\">s  also  that  of  the  sons  of  Miledh, 
whose  native  tongue  has  ever  been  the  "  Scot-berla,"  from  the 
time  that  Niul  first  left  Scythia  to  the  present  day.  Eistard  Crae- 
bach^''  (Richard  Creagh),  Primate  of  Ireland,  agrees  in  this  opinion, 
in  the  book  which  he  has  written  on  the  origin  of  the  Gaelic 
tongue  and  nation.  He  speaks  thus  on  the  subject:  "The  Gaelic 
tongue  has  been  constantly  used  in  Ireland,  from  the  arrival  of 
Nemedh,  six  hundred  and  thirty  years  after  the  Flood,  unto  the 
present  day.""  From  what  we  have  now  said,  it  will  not  seem 
improbable,  that  it  was  in  the  Scotic  tongue  that  Ith  and  the 
Tuatha-De-Dananus  held  converse  together. 

As  to  Ith,  he  first  asked  them  both  the  name  of  the  country 
itself,  and  who  they  were  that  held  the  sovereignty  thereof. 
Upon  which,  the  folk,  whom  he  had  met,  told  him  that  the  kings, 
who  then  held  its  sovereignty,  were  the  three  sons  of  Kermad 


'"  Ristard  Craehach.  Properlv,  Ris- 
tard  O'Mael-Chraobhaigh  (O'Muijl- 
chrayv'e).  This  distinguished  prelate 
aud  Catholic  martyr,  whose  uarae  has 
been  ah-eady  meiitioued  in  the  notes  on 
the  preface  of  this  work,  was  in  his 
youth  reared  to  the  profession  of  mer- 
chant, which  was  that  of  his  father. 
While  in  a  Spanish  port,  whither  he 
had  gone  on  a  mercantile  voyage,  the 
ship  to  which  he  was  attached  founder- 
ed in  the  harbor,  and  all  its  crew  per- 
ished with  it,  except  the  young  O'ilael- 
Craevie,  who  escaped  the  catastrophe 
by  having  come  ashore  to  attend  the 
holy  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass.  Struck  by 
his  ]ireservation,  he  renounced  •  the 
world,  studied  for  the  priesthood,  and 
was  in  due  time  ordained  a  member  of 
that  body.  Becoming  distinguished  for 
his  piety,  zeal  aud  great  literary  attain- 
ments, he  was  consecrated  Archbishop 
of  Armagh  and  Primate  of  Ireland,  as 
a  man  well  fitted  to  console  and  support 
his  Catholic  countrymen  under  the 
grievous  persecution  then  raging  against 
them  by  order  of  their  merciless  fofeign 
tyrant,  Elizabeth  of  England. .  The  holy 
prelaie  soon  fell  into  the  hands  of  the 
minionsof  that  ruthless  enemy  of  Ireland 
and  of  Ireland's  Church.  By  them  he 
was  sent  prisoner  to  England,  where  he 
long  languished  in  ciiaius.     Not  being 


able  to  force  him  into  a  denial  of  his 
ancestral  faith,  his  heretic  enemies, 
finding  no  fault  in  the  man,  sought  to 
trump  up  a  false  accusation  against 
him,  of  which  his  jailer's  daughter  was 
to  have  been  the  iustrumeut.  By  this 
plan  they  hoped  to  take  away  his  life 
under  the'cover  of  English  law.  But 
when  his  young  and  beautiful  accuser 
was  brought  into  court  and  placed 
upon  the  bench,  either  struck  with  the 
august  appearance  of  tjie  prelate  or 
frightened  at  the  awful  crime  they  were 
forcing  her  to  commit,  she  became  si- 
lenced, and  refused  to  utter  a  word 
against  him.  When  urged  to  speak  by 
her  wicked  suborners,  she  but  bore  tes- 
timony to  the  purity  and  sanctity  of 
their  victim,  aud  declared  that  she 
would  not  bear  false  witness  against 
him,  even  were  she  to  forfeit  her  life 
for  her  adherence  to  truth.  His  wicked 
persecutors  being  thus  disapjiointed, 
aud  their  thirst  for  Catholic  aud  Irish 
blood  being  still  unslaked,  sent  O'Mael- 
Craevie  back  again  to  his  dungeon, 
where  he  soon  rendered  up  his  spirit  to 
him  whose  faithful  minister  he  had 
been. — See  O'SuUivan's  Histcrice  Catho- 
licx  Ibcrnla. 

"  Gallica  locutio  est  in  usu  in  Hiber- 
nia,  ab  adventu  Nemedi,  anno  630  a 
Diluvio,  in  hunc  usque  diem. 


182  THE    HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 

Mil-beol,  son  of  the  Daghda,  who  reigned  alternately  year  about, 
as  we  have  mentioned  heretofore,  and  that  these  princes  were 
then  at  Ailech-Neid,  in  the  north  of  Ulster,  and  also  that  they 
were  then  in  contention  about  the  wealth  of  their  ancestor. 
Uaving  heard  this,  Ith  set?  forth  to  meet  them,  attended  by  two- 
thirds  of  the  crew  that  had  manned  his  ship,  and  when  he  had 
arrived  in  the  presence  of  the  sons  of  Kcrmad,  from  whom  he 
received  a  courteous  welcome,  these  princes  explain  to  him  the 
cause  of  their  dispute,  lie,  upon  his  part,  told  them  that  it  was 
stress  of  weather  that  had  forced  him  to  land,  and  that  he  meant 
to  make  no  delay,  but  to  sail  back  immediately  to  his  own  home. 

Upon  this,  as  the  Danann  kings  found  Ith  to  be  both  a  learned 
and  experienced  man,  they  made  him  their  judge  in  the  dispute 
that  was  between  them.  His  decision  then  was,  that  the  disputed 
wealth  should  be  divided  into  three  equal  parts,  and  that  each 
should  receive  one  of  them  as  his  share.  lie  then  began  to 
praise  Eri,  declaring  that  it  was  wrong  for  them  to  be  at  strife 
with  one  another,  while  their  country  was  so  abounding  in  honey 
and  in  fruit,  in  fish  and  in  milk,  in  vegetables  and  corn,  and 
while  its  air  was  of  so  happy  a  temperature,  between  heat  and 
cold.  He  added,  that  if  the  country  were  divided  into  three 
parts  between  them,  that  it  were  more  than  sufficient  for  the 
maintenance  of  them  all.  Ith  then  took  his  leave  of  them,  and 
marched  with  his  hundred  warriors  towards  his  ship. 

But  the  sons  of  Kermad  had  taken  account  of  the  praises 
bestowed  by  Ith  upon  the  clime  and  soil  of  Eri;  and  they,  there- 
upon thought  if  he  should  reach  his  own  countrj^,  that  he  would 
bring  back  with  him  a  numerous  host,  in  order  to  make  a  con- 
quest of  tho  isle.  They  then  resolved  to  dispatch  MacCoill  in 
pursuit  of  him,  with  a  host  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  men;  and 
these  overtook  Ith.  Ith  thereupon  placed  himself  in  the  rear  of 
his  people,  and  thus  brought  them  to  northern  Magh-Itha. 
Here  there  was  a  general  conflict  between  Ith's  band  of  Gaelic 
warriors  and  those  of  MacCoill.  Ith  was  mortally  wounded  in 
the  fight,  but  his  companions  bore  him  to  his  ship,  and  he  died 
at  sea,  on  the  voyage  homeward,  and  was  buried  in  Spain,  his 
corpse  having  been  first  exposed  to  the  sons  of  Miledh,  in  order 
to  incite  them  to  wreak  vengeance  upon  the  sons  of  Kermad  for 
his  death. 

It  is  the  opinion  of  some  historians  that  Drom-Lighen^^  was  the 
place  where  Ith  was  slain,  and  that  Magh-Itlia  was  the  place  of 
his  burial ;  but  the  foregoing  account  is  the  more  generally  re- 
ceived, and  the  more  likely  to  be  the  true  one. 

"  Drom-Lighen.     This  place  is  situ-    word  is  prououiiccd  Drum-Leen. 
atcd  ÍQ  the  county  oí'  Donegal.     The 


CHAPTER  VII. 

OF  THE  INVASION  OF  IKELAND  BY  THE  SONS  OF  MILEDH  OR 
MILESIUS,  AND  OF  THE  COUNTRY  WHENCE  THEY  HAD  COME 
THITHER. 


Hector  Boethius  asserts,  in  the  third  chapter  of  his  History 
of  Scotland,  that  Eber  and  Erimhon  were  the  sons  of  Gaedal. 
But  this  cannot  be  true,  for  Cormac  Mac  Culinan  tells  us,  in  his 
Chronicle,  that  Gaedal  was  the  cotemporary  of  Moses.  It  is  as- 
serted in  the  Book  of  Conquests,  also,  that  it  was  at  the  end  of 
two  hundred  and  eighty-three  years  after  the  drowning  of  Pha- 
raoh, that  the  sons  of  Miledh  arrived  in  Ireland.  Therefore 
Gaedal  could  not  be  the  father  of  Eber  and  Erimhon.  It  is  also 
seen  that  Gaedal  was  not  their  father,  by  King  Cormac's  enumer- 
ation of  the  generations  from  Galamh,  who  is  called  Miledh  Es- 
baini,  or  the  Hero  of  Spain. 

Here  follows  the  pedigree  of  Galamh,  called  Miledh  of  Spain, 
or  Milesius,  according  to  the  holy  King  Cormac  Mac  Culinan  : 


Galamh,  son  of 
BiLi,  son  of 
Breogan  or  Bregan, 

son  of 
Bratha,  son  of 
Degatha,  son  of 
Arcadh,  son  of 
Alloid,  son  of 
Nuadath,  son  of 
Nenual,  son  of 


Febric  Glas,  son  of 
Eber   Glun-finn, 

son  of 
Lamfinn,  son  of 
Agnon  or  Adnon, 

son  of 
Tath,  son  of 
EoGAMiiAN,  son  of 
Beogamhan,  son  of 
Eber  Scot,  son  of 


Sru,  son  of 
EsRU,  son  of 
Gaedal  Glas, 

son  of 
NiUL,  son  of 
Fenius  FARSA,son  of 
Baath,  son  of 
Magog,  son  of 
Japhet,  son  of 
Noah, 


The  Scotch  or  Albanian  Gaels  of  the  same  Origin  with  the 
Gaels  of  Ireland. 

On  reading  the  History  of  Hector  Boethius,  one  might  suppose 
that  the  Gaels  or  Gaedalians  of  Alba  (Scotland)  are  sprung  from 
some  Gaedal  different  from  the  Gaedal  who  was  the  progenitor 
of  the  Gaels  of  Eri  (Ireland).  I,  however,  rest  satisfied  with 
what  John  Major,  a  respectable  Scotch  author,  says  upon  the 
subject,  Avhen  he  tells  us  that  the  Gaels  of  Scotland  have  de- 
scended from  the  Gaels  of  Ireland.     He  speaks  in  the  following 

[183] 


184  THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 

manner:  "  For  this  reason  I  assert,  that  the  Scotch  arc  descended 
irom  the  same  stock  as  the  Irish,  whatever  be  the  source  whence 
the  latter  nation  has  come.''-^  Bede  agrees  in  this  opinion,  where 
he  says,  in  the  first  chapter  of  his  Ecclesiastical  History  of  Brit- 
ain, that  "in  the  course  of  some  time  after  the  Britons  and  Picts, 
Britain  received  a  third  race  into  its  Pictish  division  or  portion ; 
a  race  that  came  from  Ilibornia  under  the  leadership  of  Eheuda, 
and  which  seized  upon  a  fixed  settlement  for  itself  amongst  the 
Picts,  either  by  friendship  or  by  amis,  of  which  they  hold  pos- 
session to  the  present  time."^  Hence  we  must  understand,  ac- 
cording to  Bede,  that  it  was  from  Ireland  tliat  the  Scotic  nation 
emigrated  to  Alba  under  their  chieftain  Rheuda ;  that  its  poster- 
ity has  existed  there  ever  since,  and  that  they  are  the  people  who 
are  now  called  Scots.  Humfrcdus,^  a  British,  that  is  a  Welsh  au- 
thor, speaks  in  the  following  manner  upon  the  same  subject : 
"  They  are  certain  themselves,  and  so  are  all  others,  that  they 
(the  Scots)  arc  the  progeny  of  the  Irish,  and  that  they  are  called 
by  the  same  appellation,  namely,  'Guidhil,'  by  the  jDCople  of 
our  nation,"^  i.  e.  by  the  Brethnaigh  or  Welsh.  Cambrensis  says, 
in  the  tentli  chapter  of  the  third  division  of  the  book,  which  he 
wrote  describing  Ireland,  that  it  was  in  the  time  of  Niall  of  the 
Nine  Hostages,  king  of  Ireland,  that  the  six  sons  of  Muredach, 
king  of  Ulster,  went  to  Scotland,  where  they  acquired  power  and 
supremacy,  and  that  it  was  about  that  time  that  Scotia  was  first 
■imposed  as  a  name  upon  Alba.  He  also  tells  us  that  it  was 
from  these  six  sons  of  the  king  of  Ulster,  that  the  "  Albanaigh" 
or  Albanians,  are  called  the  Scotic  race.  The  following  are  his 
words,  in  speaking  of  these  princes:  "And  therefore,  it  is  from 
them  that  the  Gaels  of  Scotland  have  descended,  and  that  they 
are  specifically  called  the  Scotic  race,  even  unto  the  present  day."^ 
Thub,  according  to  all  we  have  shown,  two  things  asserted  by 
Hector  Boethius  in  his  History  of  Scotland,  are  false :  the  first 
is  his  supposition  that  Gaedal  Avas  the  father  of  Milcdh;  and 
the  second  is  his  supposition  that  it  was  from  some  other  Gaedal* 

'  Dico  crf^o,  a  fiuibuscunque  Ilibcrni  ipsi  ct  omnos  nptimc  iiorur.t,  oodcinriue 

originem  duxcrimt,  ab  eisdcm  Scoti  ori-  nomine  a  nostratibus,  silicct  "  Guidhil," 

geneni  capiunt.  appellantur. 

'^  Procedente  autem  tempore   Brit-  '  (!ens  ab  liis  propagata  specifioato 

annia,  post  Britoiifs  et  I'ictos,  Hcoto-  vocabuloScotieavoeaturinliodicrnnm. 

rum  nationcm  iu  I'ictorum  parte  rece-  "  From    some  other    Gaedal.     This 

pit,  qui  ducelleuda<Ie  Iliberniacgrcssi,  question,  so  long  a  subject  of  dispute 

vol  ainicitia,  vel  ierro,  sul)imet  inter  cos  between  the  Irish  and  .Scotch,  is  now 

scdes,   quas  hactenus  habeut,  vindica-  set  at  rest  forever  in  lavor  of  the  Irish 

runt.  tradition.     Indeed,  during  tlie  height 

^     Humfredm.       Called     otherwise  of  tlie  discussion,  the  most  learned  of 

Humphrey  of  (jloster.  tlie  Scotch  antiquarians  saw  that  they 

*    Scotos    Ilibernorum    prolem,   ct  could  not,  iu  the  face  of  history  and  of 


THE  HISTORY   OF   IRELAND, 


185 


besides  that  hero,  who  was  the  ancestor  of  the  sons  of  Miledh, 
the  conquerors  of  Ireland,  that  the  Gaels  of  Scotland  are  de- 
scended. 


The  Gaels  did  not  come  to  Ireland  from  Gallia^  i.  e.  France. 

Buchanan,'*^  a  Scotch  author,  asserts  in  his  History  of  Scot- 
land, that  France  was  the  country  whence  the  sons  of  Miledh  had 


existing  facts,  deny  that  the  Scots  of 
Ireland  and  the  Scotch  Highlanders 
were  the  same  race.  Not  being  able 
to  draw  a  line  of  distinction  between  the 
two  divisions  of  the  Scotic  nation, 
Pinkerton,  and  some  others,  set  about 
proving  that  those  Scots,  who  were 
the  ruling  caste  in  Ireland  about  the 
Christian  era,  and  who  were  so  dis- 
tinguished throughout  Europe  during 
the  Middle  Ages,  for  their  learning  and 
piety,  as  well  as  the  ruling  castes  in  the 
Scotch  Highlands,  were  Goths,  not 
Gaels.  For  this  assertion,  his  most 
plausible  proofs  are  the  resemblance 
between  the  words  "  Scot"  and  "  Goth," 
and  that  of  both  words  to  the  name 
"  Scythian,"  which  he  would  monopo- 
lize for  the  Gothic  race,  to  the  exclu- 
sion of  all  other  nomads.  He  endeav- 
ors to  make  out  his  Goths  to  be  the 
types  of  all  that  is  noble  in  humanity, 
and  the  Gaels  the  types  of  all  tliat  is 
vile.  The  Scots,  forsooth,  were  a 
Gothic  race,  who,  having  conquered 
the  Gaels,  adopted  the  language,  habits 
and  customs  of  their  vassals,  and  even 
allowed  the  latter  to  coin  Gaelic  pedi- 
grees for  them ;  thus  forgetting  the 
pride  which  conquering  races  always 
feel,  in  a  desire  to  assimilate  themselves 
to  the  vanquished,  while  the  latter  were, 
as  he  tells  us,  immeasurably  their  infe- 
riors. The  mere  fact,  that  such  a  sup- 
position is  contrary  to  all  that  is  known 
of  human  nature,  is  sufficient  to  expose 
its  utter  absurdity.  When  garnished 
with  a  sufficient  quantity  of  Greek  and 
Latin  quotations,  such  assertions  might 
pass  current,  at  a  time  when  there  were 
no  Irish  documents  published  by  which 
fair  and  unbiassed  men  might  test  the 
truth  of  the  giiesscs  made  fjy  the  viru- 
lent enemies  of  the  Celtic  or  Gaelic 
race  (if  the  latter  be  Celtic).  As  such 
documents  have,  since  then,  been  pub- 


lished, the  editor  would  not  deem  it 
worth  while  to  notice  the  slanderous 
and  malignant,  though  sufficiently  learn- 
ed work,  in  which  Pinkerton  has  en- 
deavored to  prove  the  Scots  to  be 
Goths,  were  it  not  that  Moore,  who 
might  have  known  better,  has  adopted 
that  abusive  man's  opinion,  in  his 
history  of  Ireland.  He  adopts  it, 
however,  with  this  rather  important 
difference,  namely,  he  makes  out  those 
Scotic  Goths  to  be  a  barbarous  race, 
who  destroyed  a  civilization  that  ex- 
isted in  Ireland,  previous  to  their 
arrival  therein.  Now,  all  that  is 
known  of  Irish  History,  and  all  that 
has  been  published  of  the  literary  re- 
mains of  our  race,  proves  that  no  men 
sprung  from  strange  conquerors  could 
have  engrafted  themselves  upon  the 
genealogical  tree  of  the  "  Clanna 
Gaedail,"  even  if  it  would,  without  hav- 
ing first  completely  destroyed  all  Gaelic 
tradition  and  Gaelic  law.  There  was 
absolutely  no  place  for  men  of  foreign 
blood  amongst  that  people,  and  it  needs 
but  very  little  reflection,  after  studying 
its  antiquities,  to  be  convinced,  that  it 
would  have  been  as  difficult  for  a 
strange  people  to  have  come  into  Pales- 
tine and  called  itself  the  thirteenth 
tribe  of  Israel,  as  it  would  have  been 
for  Goths  to  have  come  into  Ireland, 
while  the  Brehon  usages  were  in  force, 
and  to  have  called  themselves  Gaels. 
To  discuss,  then,  whether  the  Scots  cr 
the  Gaels,  the  Eberians  or  the  Feni 
were  the  nobler  or  more  civilized  race, 
is  about  as  reasonable  as  to  discuss  the 
question  whether  Eri,  Hibernia  cr 
Ireland  be  the  nobler  and  more  fertile 
island.  What  is  said  of  Scot  is  said 
of  Gael,  Brigantian,  Eberian,  and  Feniau 
— they  all  mean  one  and  the  same  thing. 
'  Buclianan.  George  Buchanan 
lived  between  the  year  1506,  and  1581. 


186 


THE   HISTORY    OF    IRELAND. 


come  hither,  and  for  this  he  gives  what  he  considers  to  he  two 
reasons.  The  first  of  these  he  deduces  from  the  fact  that  France 
was  formerly  so  populous,  that  the  part  of  it  which  was  called 
Gallia  Lugduuensis,*  could  of  itself  furnish  three  hundred  thou- 
sand fighting  men,^  and  that  it  was  therefore  likely,  that  it  had 


Though  he  had  been  patronized  by 
Queen  Mary  of  Scotland,  he  joined  the 
party  of  the  traitor  Murray,  against 
his  royal  mistress.  As  a  reward  for 
this,  he  was  appointed  tutor  to  king 
James  the  First,  by  rebel  Protector. 
Buchanan's  history  of  Scotland,  writ- 
ten in  Latin,  is  styled  '•  Kerum  Scoti- 
carum  Historia."  His  style  rivals 
that  of  the  classic  Latin  writers  in 
elegance.  His  History  has,  however, 
been  condemned  by  critics  for  the 
legends  with  which  it  is  interwoven. 
But  it  is  questionable  if  that  be  so  great 
a  fault.  A  historian  is  scarcely  at  lib- 
erty to  reject  a  legend  because  he  does 
not  understand  its  meaning,  unless  its 
falsehood  be  manifest.  Hypercriticism 
often  overshoots  its  mark,  and  rejects 
traditions  as  fabulous  altogether,  which 
may  be  but  truths  clad  in  the  language 
of  hyperbole,  and  which,  upon  more 
extended  information,  may  afford  most 
useful  collateral  evidence  to  the  his- 
toric intiuirer. 

*  Gallta  Lu^dunemis.  The  division 
of  Gaul,  called  this  name  by  the  Ro- 
mans, was  that  more  especially  called 
"Celtica"  or  "Celtic."'  It  compre- 
hended the  whole  of  the  centre  of  mod- 
ern France,  extending  from  Helvetia 
or  Switzerland,  which  was  part  of  it, 
to  Normandy,  and  from  Gallia  Belgica 
or  Belgium,  to  the  Atlantic  ocean.  It 
received  the  name  "  Lugdunensis  "  from 
the  city  of  Lugdunum,  now  Lyons, 
which  was  its  capital.  Lugdunum  is 
evidently  a  latinized  version  of  a  Gaelic 
compound  formed  out  of  the  words 
"  Lugh"  or  "  Lugaidh,"  a  man's  name, 
and  "  dun,"  a  foi-tress  or  town,  as  if, 
"  Lugh-Dhun"  (Loo-^hoon),  i.  c.  "  Dun- 
Luighech"  (Doon-Lueeagh),  or  Lur 
ghaidlCs  town.  The  correctness  with 
which  the  Roman  writers  preserve  rad- 
ical letters  in  their  Celtic  names,  should 
go  far  to  prove,  either  that  the  aspira- 
ting and  silencing  of  those  letters  was 
not  tlieu  usual  among  the  Celts,  or  that 


the  Romans  took  down  these  names 
from  written  documents.  No  modern 
writer,  upon  hearing  a  Celt  of  modern 
Gaul  pronounce  the  word  '■  Lyons,"  or 
an  Irish  Celt  pronounce  Lugh-Dhun 
{Looyoon),  could  think  of  latinizing 
either  by  Lugdunum.  The  district  of 
Corca-Luighe  (Corca-Looce),  and  sev- 
eral other  places  in  Ireland,  are  called 
after  persons  called  Lugaidh,  which 
was  one  of  ths  names  most  frequent 
amongst  the  Gaels.  There  was  another 
Lugdunum  on  the  Rhine.  It  is  now 
called  Leydeu.  It  lay  in  the  land  of 
Germans.  In  the  land  of  the  Batavi, 
called  a  Germanic  race,lies  also  Dunkirk, 
whose  name  is  said  to  mean  the  "Kirk," 
or  church  of  the  "  dunes  "  or  downs. 
"Dun  Cuirc"  {Doon  Kyrk),  i.  e.  Core's 
dun  or  fort,  would  suit  as  well.  Core 
is  a  man's  name  of  frequent  occurrence 
among  the  Irish  Celts.  There  lay  an- 
other Lugdunum  in  Gascony.  It  is 
now  called  St.  Bertrand. 

'  Three  hundred  thousand  fighting 
men.  The  immense  armies  that  the 
Celtic  countries  sent  forth  in  former 
times,  should  in  themselves,  were  there 
no  other  evidence  on  the  subject,  con- 
fute those  English  writers  who  assert 
the  savagery  of  the  Celtic  race.  Neither 
Gaul  nor  Britain  could  have  supported 
or  reared  the  multitudes  of  warriors 
that  both  nations  opposed  to  the  Ro- 
mans, unless  several  of  the  arts  of  civ- 
ilized life,  and  especially  agriculture, 
were  extensively  practiced  amongst 
them.  All  Western  Europe,  taking  in 
the  British  Isles,  would  not  be  too 
large,  as  a  hunting  ground,  for  three 
hundred  thousand  warriors.  But,  Eng- 
lish writers,  wanting  to  vilify  the  vic- 
tims of  their  countrymen,  and  thus  to 
extenuate  the  robberies  and  crnclties 
practiced  upon  the  Irish  Celts,  will  see 
nothing  but  savagery  in  the  whole  Cel- 
tic race,  forgetting  that  the  greatest 
nation  of  anticjuity — their  own  mistress 
and  the  mistress  of  the  world  in  the 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


187 


sent  forth  some  sucli  hordes  to  occupy  Ireland,  as  were  the  tribes 
of  the  Gaels.  My  answer  to  that  reason  is,  that  the  author  him- 
self knew  nothing  of  the  specific  time  at  which  the  sons  of  Miledh 
arrived  in  Ireland,  and  that  he  was,  consequently,  perfectl}'  igno- 
rant as  to  whether  France  was  populous  or  waste  at  that  epoch. 
And  even  though  that  country  were  as  populous  as  he  states, 
when  the  sons  of  Miledh  came  to  Ireland,  it  does  not  thence 
follow,  that  we  must  necessarily  understand  that  France  was 
the  country  Avhence  they  had  emigrated.  For  why  should 
France  be  supposed  to  have  been  more  populous  at  that  time  than 
was  Spain,  the  country  whence  the  sons  of  Miledh  really  did 
come?  Therefore  it  is  easily  understood,  that  this  reason, 
brought  forward  by  Buchanan  as  a  proof  that  the  sons  of  Mi- 
ledh originally  came  from  France,  is  but  a  very  silly  one.  The  other 
foolish  argument  he  adduces  in  support  of  his  conjecture  that 
France  was  the  country  that  sent  forth  the  Milesian  colony  to 
Ireland,   is  drawn  from  the  fact  that  some  French  and  Gaelic"' 


science3  of  jurisprudence  and  war — 
trembled,  while  yet  in  all  its  youthful 
vigor,  at  the  bare  mention  of  the  Celtic 
name — forgetting,  also,  that  this  great 
nation  was  itself  chiefly  composed  of 
Celtic  elements,  and  that  its  type  was 
Celtic,  rather  than  Saxon. 

^"  French  and  Gaelic  words.  Dr. 
Keating  uses  the  terra  French,  both 
here  and  on  several  other  occasions,  for 
Gallic,as  he  also  uses  the  name  "France," 
repeatedly,  where  "  Gaul  "  or  "Gallia" 
would  have  been  the  more  appropriate 
phrase.  The  argument  he  enters  into 
above,  is  idle.  The  languages  of  Wales, 
Bretagne,  and  Ireland,  prove  that  the 
tribes  by  whom  they  were  originally 
spoken,  were  of  the  same  race.  These 
languages  are  all  radically  the  same, 
and  there  are  few  native  words  in  any 
one  of  them,  as  at  present  spoken,  that 
have  not  their  cognate  terms  in  the  oth- 
ers. All  the  grand  features  of  their 
grammatical  construction  are  also  ex- 
tremely alike.  This  alone  should  prove 
that  the  same  nation  originally  colo- 
nized the  three  countries.  Dr.  Keat- 
ing, himself,  has  already  brought  the 
Nemedians,  Fer-Bolgs,  and  Tuatha-De- 
Dananns,  to  Ireland,  by  the  way  of 
Britain.  These  nations  must  have 
formed  the  basis  of  the  Irish  people. 
Allowing  this  does  not  at  all  militate 
against  t;ie  fact   that  the  Gaels,  who 


were  in  after  times  the  ruling  race  in 
this  country,  had  come  direct  from 
Spain.  The  Iberi,  themselves,  might 
either  have  been  southern  Celts,  and 
spoken  a  language  akin  to  that  of  the 
Gauls  and  Britons,  or  they  might  have 
been  a  branch  of  some  race  speak- 
ing a  dialect  of  the  Italic  or  Latin.  In 
neither  of  these  cases  would  they  have 
much  altered  the  structure  of  the  lan- 
guage spoken  by  their  predecessors ; 
for  even  to  the  Latin  of  the  classic  au- 
thors, the  vast  majority  of  the  Gaelic 
words  bear  nearly  as  close  a  resem- 
blance in  their  written  structure,  as  do 
those  of  the  modern  French,  which  is 
said  to  be  the  undoubted  daughter  of 
the  Latin.  Then,  if  these  Gaels  or 
Iberians  spoke  a  Semitic  tongue- — as  we 
iind  they  were  but  nine  hundred  war- 
riors in  all — their  speech  must  have 
been  soon  lost  in  that  of  the  previous 
natives.  There  is  also  ample  evidence- 
closely  as  the  Celtic  of  the  Gaels  re- 
sembles that  of  the  Cimbri — that  some 
strange  element  has  caused  the  essential 
differences  that  exist  between  the  two. 
Whether  that  strange  element  came 
from  Phoenician,  Danaan,  or  Iberian 
mixture,  is  not  beyond  the  reach  of  sci- 
entific discovery.  To  show  the  simi- 
larity between  the  Celtic  and  Latin  di- 
alects, a  vocabulary  is  given  in  the  ap- 
pendix to  this  work.     It  is  given  be- 


1^8    '  THE   HISTORY   OF    IREL.AJN'D. 

words  are  similar,  such  as  ''Dris"  and  "Dun,""  and  some  few 
others  like  them,  that  happen  to  be  the  same  in  the  French  and 
the  Gaelic.  My  answer  to  this  second  argument  is,  that  there  are 
words  from  every  written  language  in  the  fourth  division  of  the 
Gaelic,  which  is  called  the  "  Berla  Thebide "  {Baiiia  Thaibee), 
and  that  it  has  been  so  ever  since  the  time  of  Fenius  Farsa ;  and 
hence,  there  arc  words  found  in  it  from  the  Spanish,  the  Italian, 
the  Greek,  the  Hebrew,  the  Latin,  and  from  every  other  chief 
tongue,  as  well  as  from  the  French.  Therefore,  the  fact  that 
there  are  a  few  words  the  same  in  Gaelic  and  in  French,  aftbrds 
no  proof  whatever  that  the  Gaels  had  come  from  France.  I  am 
even  of  opinion,  that  these  few  had  been  introduced  into  France 
from  Ireland.  I  am  the  more  confirmed  in  this  opinion,  because 
I  find  that  Julius  C«sar  sa3's  in  the  sixth  book  of  liis  Commenta- 
ries, that  it  was  from  the  British  Isles  that  the  Druids  used  to 
come  to  France,  where  they  became  judges  or  brehons,  and  re- 
ceived Termon  lands,  immunities,  and  honor  from  the  nobles  of 
that  countr}^  It  is  also  very  likely  that  it  was  from  Ireland, 
more  especially,  that  these  Druids  were  wont  to  go  to  France ; 
particularly,  as  Ireland  was  at  that  time  the  very  fountain-head 
of  Druidism,  and  consequently  the  Gaelic  was  the  language  of 
these  Druids.  Or,  even  if  they  went  thither  from  Angles.^a,  the 
Gaelic  was  still  their  native  language  ;  for,  it  is  well  known  that 
it  was  the  idiom  spoken  in  that  isle.  So  Ortellius  tells  us,  who 
in  speaking  of  the  isle  of  Anglesea,  saj^s,  "they  use  the  Scotic 
tongue,  or  the  Gaelic,  which  is  the  same."  Accordingly,  when 
those  Druids  were  giving  instructions  in  Gaul,  it  is  very  likely 
that  the  Gallic  youth,  in  their  converse  with  them,  picked  up 
some  words  of  Gaelic  which  have  continued  in  use  ever  since  in 
the  French  language.'^ 

Camden  says,  in  the  book  called  "  Britannia  Camdeni,"  that 
the  Druids  used  to  instruct  their  pupils  more  by  word  of  mouth 
than  by  writings.     There  is  another  reason,  too,  why  it  should  not 

cause  the  e<litor  is  under  the  impression  ^-  French  Language.      All  through 

that  the  old  langua.i,'e  of  Spain  must  this  argument   our   author   conl'ouuds 

have  closely  resembled  the  latter  tongue;  the  modern  French  with  the  Gallic  or 

and  because   he  conceives,  as  he   has  Celtic  of  old  Gaul.     The  relation  of 

heretofore  staled,  that  it  represents  the  the  French   and  Irish  is  close  cnou^rh, 

most  ancient  and  the  purest  form  of  but  it  is  througli  the  Latin  and   Cim- 

the  Japetian  of  \Ve4ern  JCuro[)e.  brie  that  it  nnist  be  traced.     The  rela- 

"  Dr/.s  and  !)!£«.  These  words  are  Brc-  tion    of  the  Gallic,  as  represented  by 

ton,  not  modern  French.   "  Dris"  means  the  modern  Breton  with  it,  is  direct, 

a  brier,  and  "dun"    a  fori.  "Dune,"  nearly  all  the  pure  Breton  words  being 

the  French  name  for  a ''  sanil-/i ill"  or  found  in  Irish.     In  Keating's  time,  no 

down,  is  more  likely  to  be  cognate  with  scientilic  comparison  had  yet  been  made 

the  Irish  word  "  Dumha"  {Dúva  or  between  them. 
Dooa),  a  mound  and  also  a  sand-hill. 


THE   niSTORY   OF   IRELAND.  189 

be  wondered  at,  that  some  Gaelic  Avords  are  to  be  found  incor- 
porated in  tlie  French,  which  is,  on  account  of  the  groat  inter- 
course that  existed  between  the  Irish  and  the  French ;  for  the 
Book  of  Invasions  tells  us,  that  a  daughter  of  the  king  of  France 
was  the  wife  of  lugani  Mor,  who  was  "Ard-righ,"  or  Monarch 
of  Ireland ;  and  it  also  tells  us,  that  this  same  lugani  went  to 
France  in  order  to  impose  his  yoke  upon  that  country,  Crim- 
thann,  son  of  Fidach,  of  the  line  of  Eber,  who  was  also  a  king  of 
Ireland,  went  likewise  to  France  in  order  to  impose  his  dominion 
thereon.  And  again,  Niall  of  the  Nine  Hostages,  went  to  make 
a  conquest  of  France,  Avhere  he  was  slain  at  the  river  Lugair 
(the  Loire),  by  Eocaidh,  son  of  Enna  Kenselach,  as  some  histo- 
rians mention.  Dathi,  son  of  Fiachra,  also,  another  monarch  of 
Ireland,  went  to  subdue  France,  and  was  killed  by  lightning,  in 
the  east  of  that  country,  close  by  the  Alps.  Cornelius  Tacitus 
tells  us,  also,  that  there  was  a  frequent  intercourse  and  a  trade 
between  Ireland  and  France.  Then,  according  to  what  we  have 
just  stated,  it  is  no  wonder  that  there  should  have  been  a  recip- 
rocal borrowing  of  words  between  the  Gaelic  and  French 
tongues.  Therefore,  the  second  conjecture  of  Buchanan  is,  also, 
most  feeble.  A  third  surmise  made  by  him  upon  the  same  sub- 
ject is  likewise  founded  upon  a  false  assumption,  when  he  says 
that  the  customs  and  usages'^  of  the  Irish  and  French  are  alike. 
Now,  whoever  reads  the  book,  which  Johannes  Baronius  has 
written  upon  the  manners  and  customs  of  all  nations,  will  clearly 
find  therein,  that  the  manners  and  customs  of  the  Irish  and 
French  are  not  similar  at  present,  nor  were  they  formerly. 

The  Gaels  did  not  come  to  Ireland  from  Great  Britain — Friendly 
rdations  of  the  Britons  and  Gaels — The  Brigantes  of  Britain  a 
Gaelic  race,  that  ivent  thither  from  Ireland. 

Some  of  these  modern  English,  when  they  wTÍte  about  Ireland, 
assert,  that  it  was  from  Great  Britain  that  the  sons  of  ]\liledh 
first  came  hither ;  and  the  reason  that  they  give  for  this  opinion 
is,  the  great  number  of  words  that  are  alike  in  the  British 
(Welsh)  and  the  Gaelic.     My  answer  to  such  an  argument  is,  that 

"  Manners  and  usages.  The  usages  himself  says  of  the  Welsh,  a  little  fur- 
and  manners  of  the  Prankish  portion  ther  on,  applies  with  equal  force  to 
of  the  French  nation,  are  here  con-  Bretons  of  France.  Our  author's  mis- 
founded  with  those  of  the  Gallic.  The  takes  on  this  subject,  show  that  he 
manners  and  customs  of  the  Bretons  in  could  not  have  been  educated  in  France, 
the  north-west,  and  of  the  Gallo-Ra-  as  some  have  supposed  ;  for,  in  that 
mans  and  Gascons  in  the  south  of  case  he  would  not  have  made  those 
France,  resemble  those  of  the  Irish  mistakes.  His  authority, .  Johannes 
more  than  they  do  those  of  the  Tea-  Baronius,  spoke  of  the  Franks,  not 
tonic    nations.      What    Dr.   Keatmg  the  Gauls. 


THE   UISTORY    OF    IRELAND. 

the  fact  they  cite  affords  no  proof,  at  all,  that  the  Gaelic  nation 
came  originally  from  Britain.  For  such  similarities  there  are  tvv^o 
causes.  The  first  of  these  causes  is  the  fact,  that  the  Gaelic  was 
the  native  language  of  Britan  Mael,  son  of  Fergus  of  the  Red 
Side,  son  of  Kemedh,  and  thnt  it  is  fiom  him  that  Britain  has  its 
name,  according  to  Cormac  Mac  Culinan  and  to  the  Book  of  the 
Invasions  of  Ireland :  it  was  in  Britain  also  that  he  resided,  and 
his  posterit}^,  likewise,  until  Erimhou,  son  of  Miledh,  sent  the 
Cruithnigh,  otherwise  called  Picts,  to  share  Alba  with  them : 
Brutus"  the  son  of  Sylvius,  came  in  upon  them  afterwards,  if 
some  of  their  own  chronicles  be  true :  next  came  the  Romans  ; 
then  the  Saxons  and  Danes,  or  Lochlaimaigh ;  and  last  of  all, 
William  the  Conqueror  and  the  French  :  so  that  it  is  no  wonder, 
after  so  many  tyrannical  conquests  by  foreign  races,  that  the 
Scot-Berla,  the  native  tongue  of  Britan  and  his  progeny,  should 
have  been  at  length  suppressed.  However,  the  little  remnant  of 
it,  that  still  remains  unextinguished  and  that  has  not  been  altered 
since  the  time  of  Britan,  is  exactly  the  same  as  the  Irish  or 
Gaelic. 

The  second  reason  why  it  is  no  wonder  that  many  words 
should  be  alike  in  British  and  in  Lish,  although  it  were  not  from 
Britain  that  the  sons  of  Miledh  came,  is  because  Ireland  was  the 
harbor  of  refuge,  to  which  the  Britons  used  to  flee  during  the 
time  of  the  several  oppressions,  which  they  suffered  from  the 
Romans  and  the  Saxons,  or  from  the  tyranny  of  any  other  na- 
tion that  weighed  heavily  upon  them.  At  such  times,  crowds 
of  them,  with  their  families  and  followers,  used  to  retreat  to 
Ireland,  where  they  received  lands  from  the  Irish  nobilit}^,  during 
the  time  of  their  sojourn.  While  in  exile  here,  their  children 
must  undoubtedly  have  learned  the  Gaelic  language.  There  are 
still  in  Ireland  many  towns  and  localities,  which  have  received 
their  names  from  these  exiles ;  such  as,  "  Graig  na  m-Brethnach  "•* 
{Graig-nam-rannagh),  "  Dun  na  m-Brethnaeh "  {Doon-nam-ran- 
nagh),  and  others.  When  these  Britons  returned  home  to  Britain, 
it  is  possible  tliat  they  had  many  Gaelic  words  in  use  amongst 
them,  which  they  might  have  afterwards  introduced  into  tlieir 
own  language.  From  all  we  have  said,  it  must  be  seen  that, 
although  there  be  some  words  alike  in  the  British  and  Gaelic 
tongues,  it  by  no  means  follows  as   a  necessary  consequence 

"  Brutus.  Some  of  tho  old  British  by  some  people  whose  idiom  differed 
Chroniclers  say  that  JJritain  was  con-  from  those  of  both  P.ritons  and  íílacls. 
qucred  by  a  'l3rutu3,  son  of  Sylvius,  Both  attempts  to  f^ive  a  reason  for  the 
who,  according  to  them,  was  of  Trojan  name  of  Britain,  are  mere  guesses, 
descent.  The  probability  is,  that  the  ''  Graig  na  m-Brdhnoch.  Those 
name  "  Britain  "  or  "  Brctain,"  as  well  names  are  now  corrupt(;d  into  "  Dun- 
as  "  Eri "  and  "  Alba,"  was  imposed  maaway  "  and  "  Graigucnamanna." 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND,  191 

thereof,  that  Britain  must  be  the  country,  whence  the  sons  of 
Miledh  came  to  Irehind. 

Some  may  support  the  opinion,  here  contradicted,  by  saying 
that  the  Britons  and  the  Gaels  resemble  each  other  in  manners 
and  customs ;  for,  as  the  Gael  is  prompt  in  sharing  food  without 
payment,  so  is  the  Briton ;  as  the  Gael  loves  antiquaries,  poets, 
bards,  and  players  on  the  harp,  so  does  the  Briton  love  those 
that  practice  these  same  professions ;  and  they  resemble  each 
other  in  many  more  of  their  usages.  But  this  resemblance  is, 
however,  no  proof  that  the  Gaels  came  from  Britain :  it  is  rather, 
as  we  have  said  before,  a  much  stronger  proof  that  the  Britons 
dwelt  for  some  time  in  Ireland.  Hence,  it  cannot  be  understood, 
from  any  of  the  foregoing  reasons,  that  it  was  from  Great  Britain 
that  the  sons  of  Miledh  came  originally  to  Ireland. 

But  it  can  be  asserted,  with  truth,  that  a  portion  of  the 
progeny  of  Breogan  (or  Bregan),  went  to  dwell  in  Great  Britain, 
to  wit :  some  of  the  descendants  of  the  chieftains  of  the  children 
of  Breogan  (i.  e.  the  Brigantes),  that  had  come,  with  the  sons  of 
Miledh,  into  Ireland.  The  following  are  the  names  of  these  sons 
of  Breogan,  to  wit:  Breoga,  Fuad,  Murthemni,  Cualgni,  Cuala, 
Ebleo,  Bladh,  and  Nar.  It  is  more  especially  from  the  progeny 
of  these  chieftains  that,  according  to  Irish  historic  tradition,  the 
people  called  Brigantes  are  sprung.  This  must  be  the  more 
readily  received  as  true,  from  the  fact  that  Tomasius,  in  his  Latin 
Dictionary,  says  that  the  Brigantes,  that  is,  the  children  of 
Breogan,  are  an  Irish  people.'^  Again,  Florianus  de  Campo,  a 
Spanish  author,  says,  when  speaking  of  the  history  of  Ireland, 
that  the  Brigantes  are  Spaniards  by  their  origin,  and  that  it  was 
from  Spain  they  had  emigrated  both  to  Ireland  and  to  Britain. 

All  that  we  have  asserted  concerning  the  intimacy  of  the 
British  and  Irish,  and  of  Ireland's  having  a  harbor  of  refuge  to 
the  former  nation,  will  be  the  more  readily  believed,  when 
Garodoc,  a  British  author,  is  found  stating  in  his  Chronicle,  as 
well  as  Abian  and  many  other  writers  of  that  people,  that  num- 

**  Progeny  of   Breogan.    The  fact  in  Irisli,  are  most  probably,  like  "  Eri/' 

of  this  colony  of  Gaels  having  settled  "  Sena,"  "  Alba,"  "  Mana,"  and  many 

in  Britain,  will  account  for  those  Gaelic  others   of  that   class,  equally  inexpli- 

names    of  localities  in  Britain,  from  cable  by  the  aid  of  either  tongue ;  for 

which  some  English  antiquarians  argue  so  close  do  these  languages  resemble 

that  this  nation  dwelt  in  that    coun-  each  other,  both  in  their  simple  radicals 

try  before  the  present  British  or  Welsh  and  their  mode  of  forming  derivatives, 

— that  is,  such  names  as  "  Ceitir  Guy-  that  it  is  not  easy  to  conceive  the  ex- 

dilod,"  i.  e.  {the  fortress  of  the  Gaels),  istence   of  many  such   names.      Upon 

and  some  others.    T  hose  ancient  names  critical   examination,   by  persons  well 

of  rivers,   mountains,  &c.,  which  the  versed  in  both  idioms,  such  names  will 

learned  Uuyd  says  are  inexplicable  in  probably  be  found  to  be  neither  Gaelic 

Welsh,  but  which  he  deems  significant  uor  Welsh. 


192  THE   HISTORY   OF   IllELAXD. 

bers  of  tlie  British  princes  and  nobles  were  wont  to  come  to 
Ireland,  wlierc  they  were  kindly  received  and  entertained,  and 
where  they  were  granted  lands  to  dwell  upon,  as  we  have  above 
stated.  Dr.  Ilanmer  makes  specific  mention  of  some  of  them  in 
his  Chronicle.  First,  he  says,  that  Edwin,  son  of  Athelfred,  ban- 
ished to  Ireland  a  king  of  Britain  (i.  e.  Wales),  named  Kadwal- 
lin,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  635,  and  that  he  was  there  kindly 
received,  and  that  he  got  reinforcements  from  the  Irish,  whereby 
he  regained  his  own  kingdom.  lie  also  states  that  Harold  and 
Conan,  two  British  princes,  came  from  Britain  to  Ireland  in  the 
year  of  our  Lord  1050,  and  that  they  were  there  affectionately 
received  and  protected  by  the  Irish.  Again,  he  tells  us  that 
Algar,  Earl  of  Chester,  came  fleeing  from  Britain  to  Ireland,  in 
the  year  of  our  Lord  1054,  and  that  the  Irish  sent  back  an  army 
with  him,  whereby  he  recovered  his  territory.  Some  time  after, 
in  the  year  of  our  Lord  1087,  another  British  prince,  named 
Blethin  Ap  Conan,  fled  to  Ireland,  and  received  hospitable  enter- 
tainment during  his  sojourn  therein.  And  it  was  thus  that  an 
alliance  and  au  intimacy  was  continually  kept  up  between  both 
nations.  In  llanmer's  Chronicle,  also,  we  read  that  Arnol])h, 
Earl  of  Pembroke,  married  the  daughter  of  Murkertach  O'Briain, 
then  king  of  Ireland,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  1101,  and  that  his 
second  daughter  was  married  to  Magnus,  son  of  Harold,  king  of 
the  Isles,  In  the  time  of  Henry  L,  king  of  England,  also,  there 
was,  according  to  the  same  author,  a  Prince  of  Britain  (Wales), 
named  Griffin  Ap  Conan,  who  was  in  the  habit  of  boasting  fre- 
quently, that  his  own  mother  was  an  Irish  woman,  and  that  his 
grandmother  was  also  of  that  nation,  and  that  he  had  himself 
been  born  and  educated  in  Ireland.  There  was  also,  in  the  time 
of  Henry  II.,  another  Prince  of  Britain,  named  Biridus,  son  of 
Goneth,  whose  mother  was  an  Irish  woman.  There  must,  there- 
fore, have  been  much  intercourse  and  friendship,  as  well  as  many 
family  connections,  between  the  Britons  and  the  Gaels.  Hence 
it  is  not  surprising  to  find  such  a  number  of  similar  words  in  the 
languages  of  these  nations,  and  that  their  manners  and  customs 
should  so  closely  resemble  each  other,  altlioiigh  the  Gaels  had 
never  derived  their  origin  from  Great  Britain. 

Camden  tells  us,  that  the  Brigantes  (i.  c.  children  of  Brcogan), 
inhabited  the  following  parts  of  Great  Britain,  namely,  the  terri- 
tory of  York,  Lancast(;r,  Durham,  Westmoreland,  and  Northum- 
berland. It  is  certain  that  these  Brigantes  v/ent  thither  from 
Ireland,  as  we  have  stated  above,  notwithstanding  the  opinion 
of  Camden,  who  asserts  that  Ireland  received  its  first  inhabitants 
from  Britain.  On  such  a  point,  we  should  give  more  credit  to 
the  historians  of  Ireland,  upon  whom  it  was  obligatory  to  inves- 
tigate and  transmit  to  posterity  every  event  that  ever  happened 


THE   HISTOKY    OF    IRELAND.  193 

in  this  country,  than  to  the  mere  conjecture  of  a  man  like  Cam- 
den, to  whom  the  History  of  Ireland  had  never  communicated 
its  secrets,  and  from  that  History  alone  could  he  derive  any  accu- 
rate knowledge  of  the  affairs  of  Ireland. 

Falseliood  of  Camhreiisis  in  asserting  iliat  the  sons  of  Miledh  of 
Spain  invaded  Ireland  hy  the  permission  of  Gwguntiits,  king  of 
Britain. 

Cambrensis  says,  that  it  was  by  the  permission  of  the  king, 
who  then  ruled  Great  Britain,  that  the  sons  of  Miledh  came  to 
Ireland  from  Biscain  or  Biscay ;  and  he  says,  also,  that  they  were 
towed  after  him  to  the  Orcades,  and  that  he  thence  sent  a  host 
with  them  to  Ireland,  that  they  might  inhabit  it,  upon  the  condi- 
tion that  both  themselves  and  their  posterity  should  be  subject  to 
him  and  to  the  king  of  Great  Britain  forever ;  and  the  name 
Cambrensis  gives  to  this  king  is  Gurguntius,"  son  of  Pelin.  My 
answer  to  this  assertion  of  Cambrensis  is,  that  it  is  an  evident 
falsehood.  For,  whoever  will  read  the  Chronicle  of  Stow,  will 
find,  that  there  were  little  more  than  three  hundred  years  from 
the  reign  of  that  Gurguntius  over  Great  Britain  until  the  in- 
vasion of  Julius  Ca?sar,  in  the  eighth  year  of  the  reign  of  Cas- 
sibelaunus,  king  of  that  same  country ;  and  in  the  same  author 
we  read,  that  there  were  only  about  thirty-two  years  from  Julius 
Caesar  to  the  birth  of  Christ ;  so  that,  according  to  the  calculation 
of  Stow,  there  were  not  four  hundred  years  in  full  from  the  time 
of  Gurguntius  to  the  birth  of  Christ.  Now,  the  holy  Cormac, 
son  of  Culinan,  and  the  Book  of  the  Invasions  of  Ireland,  states 
that  it  was  about  one  thousand  three  hundred  years  before  the 
birth  of  Christ  that  the  sons  of  Miledh  arrived  in  Ireland.  The 
Polychronicon  agrees  with  them  in  this  computation,  where  it 
treats  of  Ireland.  It  speaks  thus :  "  there  are  about  one  thou- 
sand eight  hundred  3^cars  from  the  arrival  of  the  Ilibernenses 
until  the  death  of  St.  Patrick."'^  This  is  the  same  as  to  say,  that 
the  sons  of  ^Miledh  came  to  Ireland  one  thousand  three  hundred 
years  before  the  birth  of  Christ ;  for,  subti'act  the  four  hundred 
and  ninety-two  years  from  the  birth  of  Christ  to  the  death  of  St 

"  GurfTuntim.    This  homage  of  the  still    besotted    enough  to   believe,   or 

Spanish  freebooters  to  a  British  king,  knavish  enough  to   pretend,  tliat  tri- 

was  fabricated  by  Cambrensis,  for  the  umphant    crime,    murders,    robberies, 

purpose  of  giving  a  forged  title  of  sov-  rapes,  and  such  other  /aits  acrcmplis, 

ereignty  over  Ireland  to  his  masters,  can  give  lawful  title  to  one's  neighbor's 

the  Norman  robbers.     Of  such  descrip-  goods. 

tion  were  the  State  lies  of  the  Middle  "  Ab  adventu  Hibernensium,  usque 

Ages;  for,  unfortunately  for  mankind,  ad   obitum  Sancti  Patricii,  sunt  anni 

people  then  thought — nav,  many  are  mille  octo  centi. 
13 


194  THE    HISTORY    OF    IRELAND. 

Patrick,  from  those  one  thousand  eight  hundred  3'ears,  tliat  the 
Polychronicon  counts,  as  having  intervened  between  the  arrival 
of  the  sons  of  Miledh  in  Ireland  and  the  death  of  St.  Patrick, 
and  there  will  thus  remain,  one  thousand  three  hundred  and 
eight  years,  from  the  arrival  of  the  sons  of  Miledh  in  Ireland  to 
the  birth  of  Christ :  so  that  the  Polychronicon,  the  holy  Cormac, 
and  the  Book  of  Invasions,  are  in  perfect  accord  with  one  an- 
other. And,  if  we  deduct  the  number  of  years  that  Chronicle 
of  Stow  allows,  from  Gurguntius  to  the  birth  of  Christ,  from  the 
Chronology  of  Polychronicon,  of  Cormac  Mao  Culinan,  and  of 
the  Books  of  the  Invasions,  as  it  records  the  time  from  the 
coming  of  the  sons  of  Miledh  into  Ireland  to  the  birth  of  Christ, 
it  will  clearly  appear  that  the  Children  of  Miledh  were  in  Ireland 
more  than  nine  hundred  years  before  his  Gurguntius  began  to 
reign  in  Great  Britain.  From  all  this,  it  is  manifest  that  Caui- 
brensis  has  written  a  downright  falsehood  upon  the  subject,  for 
which  he  had  no  authority,  when  he  stated  in  his  Chronicle  that 
it  was  this  Gurguntius  that  invited  the  sons  of  Miledh  to  the 
Orcades,  and  that  sent  them  thence  to  Ireland.  For  how  could 
Gurguntius  have  sent  them  thither,  when  we  find,  according  to 
all  the  authorities  we  have  cited  here,  that  he  was  born  nine 
hundred  years  subsequent  to  the  arrival  of  the  sons  of  Miledh 
in  Ireland. 

The  Clans  of  Breogan  resolve  to  avenge  Ith — They  are  mustered 
hj  the  sons  of  Miledh.^ 

When  the  Sons  of  Miledh  and  the  whole  posterity  of  Breogan 
had  heard  of  the  treachery  perpetrated  by  the  sons  of  Kermad 
upon  Ith,  son  of  Breogan,  and  upon  his  companions,  and  wh<ni 
they  had  seen  his  body,  mangled  and  dead,  they  resolved  to  in- 
vade Ireland,  in  order  to  wreak  vengeance  upon  the  sons  of 
Kermad,  and  to  wrest  that  kingdom  from  the  Tuatha-De-Dananns, 
as  a  punishment  for  that  foul  deed. 

Some  historians  say  that  it  was  from  Biscay,  that  the  sons  of 
Miledh  set  sail  for  Ireland,  from  a  place  that  is  called  Mondaca, 
near  the  mouth  of  the  Kiver  Vcrindo.  The  reason  why  they 
thirdc  so  is,  because  Miledh  was  king  of  Biscay**  after  he  had  been 

iv  Sons  of  Miledh.  The  reader  must  Icct,  while  the  Irish  is.  It  has  not,  how- 
not  forfjet,  that  the  sons  of  Milcilh  ever,  l)een  proved  tliattliere  do  not  exist 
(Mcelch.)  wore  tlicmselvcs  one  of  the  Rtrikin;^  and  peculiar  resemblances  he- 
dans  of  Breogan,  iheir  father  liaving  tsvcen  the  two  toiiííues.  Neither  is  it 
been  the  (jrandson  of  that  chief  through  proved  that  the  son  of  Miledh  spoke  Cel- 
Bile  or  liili,  (Billeh)  his  eldest  son.  tie.    The  fact,  before  noticed,  tliaf'Gal- 

'"  Kinf^  of  Biscaij.     The  chief  objee-  amh,"  one  of  the  names  of  their  founder, 

lion  to  this  tradition  lica  in  the  fact,  may  mean  the  same  thiii;^  as  "Miledh," 

that  the  Biscayan  is  not  a  Celtic  dia-  in  Ijalin,  "  Miles,"  would  show  that  tlie 


THE   HISTORY    OF   IRELAND. 


195 


driven  by  the  overwlielming  force  of  foreign  invaders,  from  the 
heart  of  Spain  into  that  country,  which  was  secure  from  foreign 
attack  by  its  numerous  forests  and  hills  and  natural  strongholds. 
But  this  is  not  the  common  opinion  of  our  own  historians,  who 
tell  us,  that  the  Milesian  invaders  set  out  on  their  expedition  from 
the  Tower  of  Breogan  in  Gallicia.^'  And  this  latter  account  I 
consider  to  be  the  true  one.  For  we  read  in  the  Book  of  Con- 
quests, that  it  was  at  the  Tower  of  Breogan,^  they  first  formed 
the  resolution  of  sending  Ith  to  explore  Ireland,  and  that  it  was 
there  that  Lugaidh,  the  son  of  Ith,  landed  when  he  returned  from 
Ireland  with  his  father's  dead  body,  to  exhibit  it  to  the  sons  of 
Miledh  and  to  the  descendants  of  Breogan.  For  this  reason,  I 
am  of  opinion  that  they  set  sail  for  Ireland,  from  that  same  place, 
Miledh  having  died  a  short  time  before.  Her  husband  being  thus 
dead,  Scota  came  to  Ireland  with  her  children,  as  Spain  was  then 
a  bone  of  contention  between  the  natives  and  the  many  foreign 
tribes,  who  had  come  from  the  north  of  Europe  to  conquer  that 
country. 

But  "to  return  to  the  sons  of  Miledh,  these  chieftains  mustered 
an  army  for  the  invasion  of  Ireland,  both  to  wreak  vengeance 
upon  the  sons  of  Kermad  for  the  murder  of  Ith,  and  to  seize 
upon  that  kingdom  for  themselves.     Their  entire  fleet  numbered 


Qame  of  this  chieftain  of  the  "  Clana 
Ebir  Scuit,"  had  been  ti-anslated  into 
two  languages.  The  number  of  words 
perfectly  synonymous  and  of  distinct 
origin,  which  are  contained  in  the  Irish 
tongue,  prove  in  themselves  that  it  is 
made  up  of  more  than  one  language. 
Original  tongues  contain  but  few  syn- 
ouymes. 

-■■  Gallicia.  This  is  on  every  account 
the  more  probable  tradition.  The  Gal- 
kcci,  who  formerly  inhabited  this  Span- 
ish province,  are  said  to  have  been  of 
Celtic  blood.  Keating  cites  his  Irish 
authorities  for  it,  while  the  former  has 
all  the  air  of  a  guess  made  by  some 
foreign  writers.  I'he  people  of  the 
Asturias,  which  lies  between  Gallicia 
and  Biscay,  do  not  speak  a  language 
60  widely  different  from  Gaelic.  Theirs 
is  called  a  Latin  dialect,  though  they, 
as  well  as  the  natives  of  Biscay,  boast 
of  having  never  mixed  with  foreigners. 
Both  Gallicia  and  the  Asturias  are 
countries  of  narrow  fertile  plains  and 
high  precipitous  mountain  ridges,  and 
would  affjrd  the  Gaels  almost  as  secure 
natural  strongholds  as  tlie  Biscayan  re- 


gion. The  Asturias  were  in  after- 
times  the  stronghold  of  the  Cid,  the 
great  hero  of  Spanish  romance. 

*-  The  Tower  of  Breogan  is  supposed 
to  have  been  situated  at  the  place  now 
called  Corunna,  which  is  situated  about 
midway  between  Cape  Finisterre  and 
Cape  Ortegal,  in  Gallicia.  There  exists 
still  in  this  city  a  lofty  tower,  whose  ori- 
gin is  lost  in  the  mists  of  remotest  anti- 
quity. Local  tradition  says,  that  it 
was  built  as  a  pharos  or  lighthouse  by 
the  Phoenicians,  during  their  occupa- 
tion of  Spain. — Could  our  Milesians 
have  fled  out  of  Spain  before  these 
Phoenicians  or  their  Carthagenian  suc- 
cessors, or  could  they  have  been  a 
Spanish  tribe  transported  to  Ireland  by 
either  of  these  people,  for  the  purpose 
of  protecting  their  commerce  ?  The 
fact  that  all  the  fragmentary  evidence 
that  has  reached  us,  prove  the  Gaels  to 
have  been  inferior  in  civilization  to  the 
Danaans,  whom  they  conquered,  mili- 
tates against  the  supposition  that  they 
were  real  Phoenicians,  for  at  that  time 
the  Phoenicians  were  one  of  the  most 
civilized  nations  of  the  earth. 


196  THE    HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 

thirty  ships,  in  each  of  which  there  were  thirty  warriors,^  without 
counting  their  wives  and  their  attendants.  The  number  of  chief- 
tains wlio  held  command  was  forty,  as  we  read  in  the  following 
duan,  composed  by  Eocaidh  O'Floinn : — 

"  Of  the  chieftains  of  that  fleet,  in  which" 
Came  hither  Miledh's  sea-borne  sons, 
I  can  recall  the  number  well. 
And  name  their  names,  and  tell  their  fates. 

"  Fuad,  Eblind,  Brega,  Bladh  the  bland, 
Lugaidh,"  Murthcmni  of  tlie  lake, 
Bres,  Buas,with  Buadni's  machless  might, 
Donn,  Eber,  Erimhon  and  Jr. 

"  Amirghin,  Colpa,  without  guile, 
Eber,-^  Arech,  Arannim, 
Cuala,  Cualgni,  the  warlike  Nar, 
Muimui,  Luigni,  with  Laigni. 

"  Fulman,  Mantan,  Bili  the  mild, 
Er,  Orba,  Ferann,  Fergend,^^ 
En,  Un,  Etan,  Gosten  the  bright, 
Sobarki,  Sedga,  Surghi. 

"  Palap,  son  of  great  Erimhon, 
And  Caicher,  son  of  Mantan — 
Full  ten  and  thirty  chiefs  in  all 
Came  to  avenge  steed-loving  ItL" 

ITerc  follow  the  names  of  these  captains  more  in  full : — Bróga 
or  Breoga,  son  of  Breogan,  from  whom  Magh-Breagh  in  Meath 

"  Thirty  warriors.  The  multiplica-  Breogan  here  named,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  this  number  by  30,  the  number  tion  of  the  sons  of  Miledh  themselves, 
of  the  ships,  will  give  900  as  the  whole  that  of  Lugaidh,  son  of  Ith,  was  the 
of  the  cilective  force  that  accompanied  only  one  that  cominucd  to  maintain  a 
the  sons  of  Milcdh  in  this  ox])cdition.  distinguished  position  in  Ireland  down 
Their  conquest  of  the  Danaans  with  so  to  later  times.  From  him  are  dcscend- 
small  a  number  is  inexplicable,  except  ed  the  Corca  I.uighe,  of  South  Mun- 
we  understand  that  the  native  Belgse  ster,  of  which  the  O'Driscolls,  OCow- 
or  Ferboigs,  and  the  Nemcdians,  had  higs  and  O'Loarios,  of  the  county  of 
helped  them,  and  had  perhaps  even  Cork,  were  the  chiefs.  From  him, 
called  them  over  against  their  Danaan  also,  descended  the  Mac  Clanchies,  of 
masters.  'J'hc  fact  tliat  we  find  the  Connnuglit,  but  not  those  of  Clare. 
Belgian,  Crimthann  Sciathbel,  placed  'J'he  la'tcr  draw  their  origin  from  the 
as  ruler  over  I^inster  by  Krimhon,  im-  Dalcassian  tribe, 
mediately  after  the  cf)nqucst,  goes  far  "  Eber,  i.  e.  Eber,  the  son  of  Ir,  not 
to  corroborate  this  supposition.  Eber  Finn  his  uncle. 

=»  The  metrical  roll  of  the  Brigantian  "  Fergend,  otherwise  Fcrgna,  son  of 
chiefs,  of  which  the  above  is  a  transia-  F.ber  Finn.  'J'he  name  Eblind,  in  the 
tion,  has  not  been  given  in  Ilalliday's  fii-st  line  of  the  duan,  is  elsewhere  writ- 
edition.  The  translator  has  found  it  ten  Eblinni  and  Kbleo.  From  him  tho 
in  two  of  his  manuscript  copies.  Felim    Moniitains    are    called   Sliabh 

**  Lugaidh.     Of  all  the  posterity  of  Eblinni,  {Sleeve  JUjelmnic.) 


THE   HISTORY   OF  IRELAND.  197 

is  named;  Cuala,  son  of  Breogan,  from  whom  Sliabli  Cualann  is 
named ;  Cualgni,  son  of  Breogan,  from  whom  Sliabh  Cualgni  is 
named;  Bladh,  son  of  Breogan,  from  whom  Sliabh  Bladma  is 
named ;  Fuaid,  son  of  Breogan,  from  whom  Sliabh  Fuaid  in 
Ulster  has  its  name;  Murthemni,  son  of  Breogan,  from  whom  is 
called  Magh  Murthemni ;  Lugaidh,  son  of  Ith,  who  came  to 
Ireland  to  avenge  the  death  of  his  father;  and  it  is  from  him  that 
we  call  the  South  of  Munster  Curca  Luighi ;  libleo  or  Eiblinni,  son 
of  Breogan,  from  whom  Sliabh  Eiblinni,  in  Munster  ;  Buas,  Bres, 
and  Buadni,  the  three  sons  of  Tighernbard,^^  son  of  Brighe ; 
Nar,  from  whom  is  named  Eos  Nar  on  Sliabh  Bladma;  Sedga, 
Fulman,  and  Mantan;  Caicher  and  Surghi,  son  of  Caicher;  Ir, 
Orba,  Ferann,  and  Fergna,  the  four  sons  of  Eber;  En,  Un,  Etan, 
Gosten  and  Sobarki,  whose  father  we  do  not  know;  Bili,  son  of 
Brighe,  son  of  Breogan ;  the  eight  sons  of  Miledh  of  Spain,  namely, 
Donn,  Arech  Februadh,  Eber  Finn,  Amirghin,  Ir,  Colpa  of  the 
Sword,  Erimhon,  and  Arannan,  the  youngest;  four  sons  of 
Erimhon,  Muimni,  Luigni,  Laigni,  and  Palap ;  and  one  son  of  Ir, 
namely,  Eber.  Irial  the  Prophet,  son  of  this  same  Erimhon, 
here  mentioned,  was  born  in  Irehmd. 

Arrival  of  the  Gaels  in  Ireland — Their  victories  over  the  Danaans 
Taatha-De-Dananns. 

As  to  the  Children  of  Miledh  and  their  fleet,  no  account  is 
given  of  them,  until  they  got  into  port  at  Inber  Slangi,  which  is 
called  the  Bay  of  Loch  Garman  at  the  present  time.  Here  the 
Tuatha-De-Dananns  mustered  their  host  and  assembled  round 
about  them ;  and  they  threw  a  magic  mist  over  the  heads  of  their 
invaders,  so  that  the  isLmd  lying  before  them,  seemed  to  assume 
the  shape  of  a  hog's  back ;  and  thence  some  people  apply  the 
t.>rm  "  Muic-Inis,"29  that  is,  "  Hog-Island,"  to  Ireland.  The 
children  of  Miledh  were  then  driven  away  from  the  shore  by  the 
Druidic  spells  of  the  Tuatha-De-Dananns,  so  that  they  had  to  sail 
all  round   Ireland,   before   they  again  got  into   port,   at  Inber 

°*  Ti.ghernhard,   otherwise  Tigliern-  being  usually  supplied  by  a  dot  or  other 

bhard   (Tceyernvard) ,  meaning  "lord-  mark  placed  over  the  aspirated  letter, 

bard,"  i.  c.  noble  bard.  'i'hence   may  have  sprung  this   fable, 

-*  Muic-Inis.     This  has  been  trans-  either  through  simplicity,  or  through 

lated  "  the  Isle   of  Mist "  in  another  a  stupid  love  of  the  wonderful  on  the 

place.     The  rather  dull  fable  recounted  part   of  some   interpreter   of  our   old 

above,  originated  in  the  identity  of  the  MSS.     Nothing  is  otherwise  more  na- 

radical  letters  which  compose  the  Irish  tural,  than  that  the  Gaels  should  have 

words    "muc"    (muck),    a    hog,   and  missed  the  harbor  of  Wexford  in  one 

"much"  (inoogh),  a  mist  or  obscurity,  of  those  dense  fogs   so   usual   on   the 

In  our  old    MSS.  the  "h"  is  rarely  Irish  coas',  and  have  been  then  driven 

used  in  aspirating  consonants,  its  place  all  round  the  island  by  a  storm. 


198  THE   HISTORY    OF    IIíELAND. 

Skeni,  in  the  west  of  Munster.  And,  -wlicu  they  had  landed 
here,  they  marched  to  Sliabh  Mis^  {Siicve  Mish),  and  there  they 
are  met  by  Banba,  with  her  band  of  female  attendants,  and  with 
her  Druids.  Amirghin^'  asks  her  name.  "  Banba  is  my  name,"  re- 
plied she,  "and  from  me  is  this  ishmd  called  Banba."  Thence  they 
marched  to  Sliabh  Eiblinni,  and  there  they  are  met  by  Fodla ; 
and  Amirghin  asks  her  her  name.  "  Fodla  is  my  name,"  replies 
she,  "and  from  me  is  this  land  called  Fodla."  They  march 
thence  to  Uisnech  (Ushnogh)  in  ]\Ieath,  and  here  again  they  are 
met  by  Eri ;  and  the  poet-sage  asks  her  her  name.  "  Eri  is  my 
name,"  replies  she,  "and  from  me  is  this  land  called  Eri.  In  re- 
membrance of  these  meetings  with  the  three  queens  of  the 
Danaans,  we  find  the  following  verse  in  the  duan,  which  begins 
— "  Let  us  sing  the  first  source  of  the  Gaels :" — 

"  Banba  on  Sliabh  Mis,  with  her  host 
In  terror  trembled — 
Fodla  on  Sliabh  Eblind"'  fainted — 
Eri,  on  Uisnech." 

The  three  ladies  just  mentioned,  were  the  queens  of  the  three 
sons  of  Kermad.  And  some  of  our  historians  tell  us,  that  Ire- 
land was  not  possessed  by  these  sons  of  Kermad  in  three  separate 
divisons,  but  that  each  man  of  them,  in  his  turn,  possessed  the 
severeignty  of  the  entire  Island,  every  third  year ;  and  that  the 
name  of  the  queen  of  him  who  then  ruled  it,  was  more  especially 
given  to  the  country  during  the  year  of  his  reign.  Here  follows 
a  quotation  in  reference  to  this  alternation  of  the  kingly  power 
amongst  them : 

"  The  regal  sway  came  to  each  king 
In  his  turn,  each  third  year — 
Eri,  Fodla,  and  Baiiija  bright, 
Were  these  brave  warriors'  wives." 

Then,  the  sons  of  Milcdh  marched  on  to  Temhair,  {Tnvir  or 
Táwir^)  which  is  now  called  Tara,  and  here  they  were  met  by  the 
three  sons  of  Kermad,  attended  by  their  host  of  magicians.  The 
sons  of  Miledh,  thereupon,  demanded  of  tlie  sons  of  Kermad, 
either  to  give  them  battle  for  the  sovereignty  of  the  land,  or  to 
resign  their  rights  quietly  to  them :  and  the  latter  answered,  that 
they  would  abide  by  the  decision  of  the  invaders'  own  brother 

'•  Shabh  Mts  is  a  mountain  in  the  appears  that  he  was  also  their  high- 
barony  of  Troughanacmy  and  county  priest  and  judire. 
of  Kerry.  "    Slial/k   Kblinil,   i.  e.  the    Felim 

''  Amirghin,  otherwise  Aimhirghin,  Mountains,  on  the  borders  of  the  coun- 

(Averyin  or  Avcreen,)  son  of  Miledh,  ties  of  Tipperary  and  Limerick, 
was  the  chief  bard  of  the  invaders.    It 


THE  HISTORY   OF  IRELAND.  199 

Amirghin ;  and  tliey  added,  that,  if  he  pronounced  an  unjust 
judgment,  tbey  would  kill  him  by  magic.  Amirghin,  then,  gave 
judgment  against  the  sons  of  Miledh,  and  decided,  that  they 
should  return  either  to  the  harbor  of  Skeni,^  or  to  that  of  Slangi, 
and  that  the)'  shoidd  set  out  nine  ivava^  or  iomis  to  sea,  and  if 
they  could  then  make  a  landing,  in  spite  of  the  Tuatha-De-Dananns, 
that  they  should  possess  the  sovereign  sway  of  the  country.  The 
Tuatha-Dc-Dananns  were  satisfied  with  this  decision;  for  they 
hoped  by  means  of  their  Druidic  magic,  that  they  could  prevent 
their  enemies  from  ever  again  making  a  landing  on  the  island. 

The  sons  of  Miledh  then  returned  to  Inber  Skeni,  where  they 
got  on  board  their  ships,  and  they  sailed  out  to  sea,  to  the  dis- 
tance of  nine  waves,  as  Amirghin  had  ordered. 

Upon  this,  when  the  Druids,  of  the  Tuatha-De-Dananns,  saw 
them  upon  the  sea,  they  raised  a  destructive  tempest  by  their 
magic  arts,  and  thus  stii-red  up  a  dreadful  commotion  of  the 
waters.  And  Donn,  son  of  Miledh,  exclaimed,  that  the  tempest 
had  been  raised  by  magic.  "It  is  so,"  said  Amirghin.  Then 
Arannan,  the  youngest  of  Miledh's  sons,  clomb  the  mast,  but  a 
sudden  squall  came  on,  and  the  young  chief  was  flung  down  upon 
the  deck  of  the  ship,  and  was  thus  killed.  After  this,  the  rolling 
of  the  rough  tempest  separates  the  vessel,  which  carried  Donn 
from  those  of  his  companions,  and  he  is  soon  drowned,  and  the 
whole  crew  of  his  ship  with  him ;  they  numbered  four-and-twenty 
warriors,  and  five  chieftains,  namely,  Bili,  son  of  Brighi,  Arech 
Februadh,^"'  Buan,  Bres,  and  Buadni ;  with  them  were  tw^elve  wo- 
men, and  four  servants,  and  eight  rowers,  and  fifty  youths  in 
training.  They  were  lost  at  the  Sand-hills,  which  are  called 
"Bonn's  House,"  in  the  west  of  Munster.  It  is  from  this  Donn, 
son  of  Miledh,  who  was  drowned  there,  that  they  are  now  named 
"Tech  Dhoinn,"  {Tagh  yornn,)  i.e.  "the  House  of  Donn."  In 
remembrance  of  Donn,  and  of  the  nobles  who  were  then  drowned 
with  him,  Eocaidh  O'Floinn  has  composed  the  following  raii/i  .• 

"  Donn,  with  Bili,  and  Buan,  his  wife, 
Dil  and  Arech.  son  of  Miledh, 
Buas,  Bres,  and  Buadni,  the  renowned 
Were  drowned  at  bleak  Sand-hills." 

And  of  Ir,  son  of  Miledh,  also — the  ship  that  bore  him  was 
separated  by  the  storm  from  the  rest  of  the  fleet,  and  it  was 

''  Inher  Skeni,  now  Kenmare  River,  a  name  for  some  description  of  meas- 

Othcrwise  Inbher  Sgeine  {hivcr  Skai-  ure. 
nie).    Inber  Slangi,  i.  e.  Wexford  Bay.        -^  Arech.  Fehruadh.     This  champion 

'♦  Nine  waves.  It  is  not  easy  to  know  was  brother  of  Doun.     They  were  the 

what  is  meant  hjnine  waves.    "Tonn"  eldest  sons  of  Miledh  {Mecleh),  having 

or  "  tond,"  though  its  most  usual  ac-  been,  as  we  have  seen  born  to  him  in 

ceptalion  is  a  wave,  may  have  been  also  Scj-thia,  by  Seng,  daughter  of  Neiiual. 


200  THE   HISTORY    OF   IRELAND. 

driven  ashore  in  the  west  of  Munster,  and  here  Ir  was  himself 
drowned,  and  he  was  buried  at  Skelg  Michil,^  {Slctllvj  Meehecl,) 
as  the  author  last  cited,  thus  relates : 

"  Amirghin,  the  poet-sage  of  our  men, 
Fell  in  the  fight  at  Bili  Tcnedh, 
And  Ir  wíís  drowned  at  Skelg  of  Schools — 
We  lost  Arannan  in  the  harbor." 

Erimhon  leaves  Ireland  on  his  left,  and  sails  onward,  with  a 
portion  of  the  fleet,  until  he  reaches  Inber  Colpa,  which  is  now 
called  Droiched-Atha,  {Drohed  awha  or  Drogheda.)  This  estuary 
is  called  Inber  Colpa,  because  Colpa,  of  the  Sword,  son  of  Miledh, 
was  drowned  therein,  as  he  was  landing  from  the  ship,  which 
carried  his  brother  Erimhon.  Hence  it  appears  clear,  tliat  five 
of  Miledh's  sons  had  perished,  before  they  wrested  the  sovereignty 
of  Ireland  from  the  Tuatha-De-Dananns,  as  the  bard  also  recounts 
in  the  following  rami: 

"  Five  of  these  chiefs  were  sunk  in  the  wave, 
Five  of  the  stalworth  sons  of  Miledh, 
In  song-loving  Eri's  capacious  bays, 
Through  Dauaan  wiles,  and  Druidic  spells." 

As  to  the  other  portion  of  the  sons  of  Miledh,  namely,  Eber 
and  the  crews  of  his  division  of  the  fleet,^^  they  made  good  their 

**  Sgelg,   al    Sgeilg    Michil,    i.    e.  putation  of  the  Septuagint,  which  set^ 

Michael's  rock,  now  called  the  Sgellig  down  that  catastrophe  as  having  hap- 

Isles,  oft" the  coast  of  Kerry.     Skellig  pencd  A.M.  ICTjC,  give  A.  M.  3500  aa 

was   called  "of  Schools,"'  because   in  the  j-ear  of  the  landing  of  the  (jaels  in 

the  early  Christian  ages  its  monastery  Ireland.     These  anuals  record  the  lat- 

was  a  famous  seat  of  learning.  tcr  event  thus  : 

"  The  fleet.      Ncnnius,    a    British        "  'i  ho  age  of  the  world  3500.     Tlie 

writer  who  fionrislied  about  the  year  fleet  of  the  sons  of  Miledh  came  to  Irc- 

850,  says  tliat  the  sons  of  Miledh  came  land  this  year  to  take  it  from  the  Tua- 

to  Ireland  with  a  fleet  of  120  ciuli.  tha-Dc-Danann."      According    to    the 

Magcoghegan,  in  his  translation  of  the  computation  of  the  Hebrews,  followed 

annals  of  Clonmaonoise,  says  that  the  Iiy  our  author,  this  invasion  took  place 

sons  of  Miledh  arrived  in  Ireland  1029  in  A.M.  2730.     This  seemingly  great 

years  before  the  birth  of  Christ.     As  discrepancy  results  chiefly  I'rom  the  dif- 

hisauthority  for  this  he  refers  to  Calogh  ierent  systems  of  chronology  adopted 

0"More,    biit    he    adds,    that    Philip  by  each.     The  real  diflerence  between 

O'SuIlivan  says,  in  his  work  dedicated  them   in  the   period   from   the   Flood 

to  the  King  of  Spain,   that  they  ar-  to  the  Jlilcsian    amounts  but  to  178 

rived  in  Ireland  1312  years  before  the  years,  which  is  neither  very  great  nor 

birth  of  ('hrist,  which,  up  to  his  (O'Sul-  very   surprising    in    the    bardie    coni- 

livan's)  time,  1C27,  made  2,909  years,  putations  of  such  remote  times,  when 

.S'ee   (y Donovan's  Four   Masters.     The  in  the  comparatively  recent  but  all  im- 

Four  Masters  who  adopted  tlie  system  portant  event  ofthe  birth  of  ourKedeim- 

of  chronology  that  makes  the  Deluge  to  er,  the  vulgar  coniputatiou  is  still  lour 

have  hajipencd  in  the  year  of  the  world  years  behind  the  real  time.     "  'J"ous  lea 

2242,  while  Keating  adopted  the  com-  historicns  ct  critiques  ecclesiastiquea, 


THE  HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  201 

landing  at  Inber  Skeni.  Three  days  after  his  Lmdlng,  lie  met 
Eri,  the  wife  of  MacGreni,  upon  Sliabh  Mis.  Here  the  battle  of 
Sliabh  Mis  was  fought  between  him  and  the  Tuatha-De-Daiianns, 
and  in  it  fell  Fas,  the  wife  of  Un,  son  of  Ughi ;  and  from  her 
tbe  vale  by  Sliabh  Mis  is  named  Glenn  Fais,^  {Glen  Fauah,)  as 
the  bard  tells  us  in  the  following  o-ami: 

"  0  vale  of  Fas,  thy  name  tells  truth  I 
No  man  can  grudge  it  or  gainsay — 
Of  Fas,  the  heroine,  it  speaks. 
Who  fell  within  thy  depths,  Glenn  Fais." 

In  that  same  battle  fell  Scota,  the  wife  of  Miledh  ;  and  slie 
lies  buried  near  the  sea,  at  the  north,  side  of  that  vale  ;  and  it  is 
to  record  her  death,  and  to  point  out  her  grave,  that  we  extract 
the  two  following  ranns  from  the  lay  we  have  just  now  quoted: 

"  In  that  fight  too,  (no  hidden  ta^e  !) 
Queen  Scota  met  her  doom  and  died ; 
Her  beauty  and  her  brightness  fled, 
She  fell,  at  length,  in  yonder  vale. 

"  And  hence  it  comes,  that  towards  the  north, 
Lies  Scota's  grave^*  in  yon  cool  glen, 
Beside  the  mount,  close  by  the  wave — 
She  scarcely  shunned  the  ocean's  path." 

That  was  the  first  battle,  fought  between  the  sons  of  Miledh 
and  the  Tuatha-Di-Dananns,  as  we  find  recorded  in  the  same 
lay: 

"  The  first  battle  of  INIiledh's  far-famed  sons, 
When  hither  they  came  from  the  proud  Espain, 
Was  fought  at  Slinbh  Mis — 'twas  a  fearful  fight — 
It  is  history  now — it  is  lore  for  sages." 

The  two  heroines,  just  mentioned,  namely,  Scota  and  Fas,  and 
Jar  and  Ethiar,  their  two  most  distiuguished  Druids,  were  the 

reconnaissent    aujourd'hui,    que  Jesus  of  the  above  mistake  in  its  date.     We 

Christ naquitquatreansavantl'epoque,  should  then  be  careful  how  we  doubt 

qui,  dans  les  sieclos  d'ignorance,fut  prise  any  of  those  historic  events,  recorded  by 

pour  le  point  de  depart  del'ere  chreti-  our  own  Shanachies  for  some  disagree- 

enne ;"  i.  e.  all  ecclesiastical  historians  ment  in  the  dates  of  any  events,  when 

and  critics  now  acknowledge  that  Jesus  they  have  otherwise  left  historic  traces 

Christ  was  born  fuur  years  before  the  after  them  upon  the  national  memory, 
time   which  during  the  ages  of  igno-        ^*  Glenn-Fas.      Ihe    Four   Masters 

ranee  was  taken  as  the  starting  of  the  call  this  place  Glenn  Faisi,  (Fauski.) 

Christian  era.     A  Delavigne's  Manual  It  is  now  called  Glenofaush,  and  is  situ- 

for  Bachelors  of  Arts,  adopted  by  the  ated  in   the   townland   of  Knockatce, 

University  of  France.     This  date  has  parish     of    Ballycaslane,    barony     of 

been  proved  by  medals  and  by  astrono-  Troughauacmy  and  county  of  Kerry, 

miciil  calculations.     No  one  will  dare  — O'Í). 
to  doubt  that  great  event  on  account         ^'   Scota's    "rrave.      This    heroine's 


202  THE  HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 

most  renowned  of  llie  Gaelic  nation,  that  fell  in  that  battle.  And, 
although  throe  hundred  of  themselves  were  slain,  still  thej 
slaughtered  one  thousand  of  the  Tuatha-Di-Dananns,  whose 
vanqaished  host  was  forced  to  betake  itself  to  the  paths  of 
the  routed.  Eri,  the  wife  of  Mac  Greni,  follows  her  defeated 
forces  and  she  goes  to  Talti,  and  tells  her  tale  to  the  sons  of  Ker- 
mad. 

But  the  sons  of  ]\Iiledh  remained  upon  the  field  of  battle, 
burying  those  of  their  people  that  were  slain,  and,  more  especially, 
those  two  druids  that  had  fallen  in  the  conflict,  as  the  bard 
tells  us : 

"  'Twas  morning  when  we  left  Sliabli  Mis — 
We  there  met  slaughter  and  repulse 
From  the  royal  Daghda's  sons, 
With  their  stout  battle  blades. 

"  By  hardihood  we  gained  that  fight, 
Over  those  island  Elves  of  Banba — 
'J'en  hundred  champions  lay  in  heaps 
'  At  our  leet,  of  the  Tribes  of  Dana. 

"  Six  fifties  of  our  M'arlike  band. 
Of  our  dread  army  from  Espain, 
Were  slain  upon  that  blood-stained  field — 
Two  sacred  priests  fell  there  likewise. 

"  Uar  and  Ethiar  of  the  steeds — 
Well-loved  that  bold  and  dauntless  pair! 
Gray  flags  now  mark  their  lonely  beds — 
In  their  Fenian  mounds  we  laid  them." 

Now,  eight  of  the  chieftains  of  the  Milesian  host  perished  at 
sea,  by  the  Druidic  enchantments  of  the  Tuatha-Dú-Dananns, 
namely,  Ir,  at  Skelg  Miehil ;  Arannan,  who  fell  off  the  mast, 
and  Donn,  who  was  drowned,  with  five  other  chiefs,  at  the  Sand- 
hills. Eight  noble  ladies,  also,  had  now  fallen;  two  of  these  had 
been  lost  with  Donn,  namely,  Buan,  the  wife  of  Bill,  and  Dil,  the 
daughter  of  JMiledh,  who  was  both  the  wife  and  the  sister  of 
Donn  ;  Skeni,  the  wife  of  Amirghin,  was  drowned  at  Inber 
Skoni,  and  it  is  from  her  that  the  estuary  in  Kiarraide  {Kccrec), 
which  we  have  jnst  named,  has  been  called;  Fial,  the  Avife  of 
Lugaidh,  son  of  Ith,*"  died  through  shame,  because  her  husband 

grave  is  still  pointed  out  in  the  valley  l)eing    asjiirated,   it    proves    that   the 

of  Glenn   Scoithin,  townland  of  Cia-  name   "Sgota"   meant,  as   heretofore 

bane,   parish  of  Annagh,  in  the  last>  suggested,  not  "  Scytiiian  woman,"  but 

named  liarony  and  county.  See  O'Dímn-  was  the  Gaelic  syiionymc  for  Rosa  or 

van's  Four  Masters.      Glenn   Scoithin  Flora,  usual  names  of  W(imen. 

(Slcóhcen)  means  the  "  vale  of  the  little  *'     Fial,  the  wife  vf  Ltigmdh,  son  oj 

flower."     Scoithin  is  here  obviously  a  Ith.     Lughaidh  Mac  Itha    {Looce  Mac 

diminutive  of  "  Scota,"  and  the  "  t "  Ilia)   is  called  "  Ced   laid   h-Er,"    i.  c. 


THE   HISTORY   OF  IRELAND.  203 

had  seen  her  naked,  ?s  she  was  coming  in  from  swimming,  and 
from  her  that  estuary  has  been  called  Inber  Fcli^  ever  since ; 
again,  Scota  and  Fas  were  slain  in  the  battle  of  Sliabh  Wis;  two 
others  died  also,  to  wit,  the  wives  of  Ir  and  of  ]\iurthcmni,  son 
of  Breogan.  And  these  are  the  eight  ladies*^  and  the  eight  chiefs, 
of  the  host  of  the  Children  of  Miledh,  that  were  lost,  from  their 
first  arrival  in  Ireland,  until  the}^  fought  the  battle  of  Talti. 

Here  follow,  according  to  the  Book  of  Conquests,  tlie  names 
of  the  seven  most  noble  women  that  came  to  Ireland  with  the 
sons  of  Miledh ;  Scota,  Tea,  Fial,  Fas,  Libra,  Odba  and  Skeni. 
I  here  subjoin  the  record,  which  a  bardic  historian  has  left  us 
upon  this  subject.  In  it  he  tells  who  the  husband  of  each  wo 
man  was,  and  who  they  were,  whose  husbands  were  alive  at  the 
time  of  their  arrival  in  Ii-eland  : 

"  Tbe  seven"  chief  ladies  that  hitherward  came, 
Most  honored  by  the  Sons  of  Miledh, 
Were  Tea  and  Fial  and  fair-formed  Fas, 
Libra  and  Odba,  Scota  and  Skeni. 

"  Tea  was  the  spouse  of  Erimhon  of  steeds 
And  Fial  was  the  loved  spouse  of  Lugaidh  of  lays  ; 
And  Fas  was  the  spouse  of  stout  Uu,  son  of  Ughi, 
And  Skeni  the  spouse  of  the  bard-sage  Amirghin. 

"  And  Fuad's  fair  spouse  was  Libra  the  blooming ; 
And  widows  of  heroes  were  Scota  and  Obda. — ** 
Now  these  are  the  ladies,  remembered  in  story. 
That  hitherward  came  with  the  children  of  Miledh." 

"  the  first  or  most  ancient    poet  of  Feile  {luver  Faylie),  the  mouth  of  the 

Ireland"     in     an    old     copy    of  the  river  Feale  or  Feal  in  Kerry. 

Book  of  Invasions,  which  nas   lately  ■*"    Eight    chiefs.       Colpa     of     the 

preserved  in  the  library  of  the  Duke  of  Sword    has     not    been    enumerated 

Buckingham  at  Stow,  and  which  con-  amongst  these.     The  number  lost  must 

tains  some  pieces  attributed  to  him.  then  have  been  nine  not  e  g/íí. 

One  of  these  is  a  dirge  for  his  wife  *^    Seven    chief    ladies.      Dil,   i.  e. 

Fieal  [Fed).     In   it  the  bard  repre-  beloved,  and  Buan,  i.  e.  constant,  the 

sents    himself  as  "  seated  on  a  cold  wives  of  Donn  and  Bili,  are  left  out  of 

stormy  beach,  overwhelmed  with  sor-  this  enumeration, 

row,  lor  a   lady   had  died.      Fial   her  "  Odba.     Otherwise  Odhbha    [ova), 

name.      A  beauteous  flower.      Being  styled  here  a  widow,  had  been  the  wife 

unveiled,  she  saw    a  warrior  on  the  of  Erimhon,  son  of  Miledh,  whom   he 

shore.     Great  and   oppressive  was  her  had  repudiated  in  favor  of  Tea,  daugh- 

death  to  her   husband."      See  Hardi-  ter  of  Lugaidh,   son   of    Ith.      "  It  is 

man's  Irisli  Minstrehij.     The  language  stated  in  the  Book  of  Lecan  and  in  the 

of  the  poem,  from  which  the  above  quo-  Lebhar  Gabhala    [Lcour    Gavau'a)    of 

tatioii  was  made,  is  most  ancient,  even  the  O'Cleries,  that  Ileremon  had  put 

the  gloss  with  which  it  is  interlined,  is  away  Odba,  the  mother   of  his  elder 

no  longer  intelligible  to  one  who  is  ac-  children,  Muimni.  Luigni   and  Laigni. 

quaintcd  only  with  the  modern  Gaelic.  Odba,  however,  followed  her  children  to 

**  Liber     Feli.       Otherwise     Inbher  Ireland,  and  died  of  grief  from  being 


204  THE  HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 

As  to  the  cliildren  of  Milcdli,  those  of  them  that  had  landed 
with  Eber  and  had  fought  the  battle  cf  Sliabh  Mis,  now  marched 
on  to  Erimhon,  to  Inber  Colpa,  and,  when  they  had  joined  their 
forces  there,  they  challenged  the  three  sons  of  Kermad  and  the 
Tuatha-Dc-Dananns  to  meet  them  in  a  pitched  battle.  They 
then  came  to  a  general  engagement  at  Talti,"''  and  there  the  chil- 
dren of  Kcrniad  were  completely  vanquished  by  the  sons  of 
Miledh ;  t^o  that  ]\Iac  Grc'ni  fell  by  the  hand  of  Amirghin,  Mac 
Coill  by  that  of  Eber,  and  Mac  Keact  by  that  of  Erimhon.  And 
thus  the  bard  records  it : 

"  The  bright  Mac  Greiii  was  laid  low 
In  Talti,  by  Amirghin, 
Mac  Coin  by  Eber,  hand  of  gold  ; 
Mac  Keact  fell  by  Erimhon." 

And  their  three  queens  were  also  killed,  namely,  Eri,  Fodla 
and  Banba ;  as  the  bard  tells  us  in  the  rann  which  here  follows : 

"  Fodla  was  slain  by  the  boastful  Etan, 
Banba  was  slain  by  the  victor  Caicher, 
Eri,  the  bounteous,  fell  by  Surghi — 
Of  these  famed  heroines  such  was  the  dire  doom." 

The  greater  part  of  the  Danann.  host  was  slain  at  that  same 
time.  And  as  the  forces  of  the  sons  of  Miledh  were  pui'suing 
their  routed  foes  towards  the  North,^®two  of  their  own  chieftains 
were  slain  in  the  chase,  namely,  Cualgni,  son  of  Breogan,  who 
fell  at  Sliabh  Cualgni,  and  FuacV^  son  of  Breogan,  who  was  slain 
at  Sliabh  Fuad. 

repudiated  by  her  lui«band,  and  was  in-  ■**  Tuw-irds  the  North.    'J'he  Danaans 

tcrrcd  at  Odlja  in   Mcath,   where   her  very  probably  directed  their  flight   to- 

chiidren  raised  a  mound  to  her  memory,  wards  the  stronghold  of  Ailecli   Neid, 

This  name,  fmm  which,  according  to  0'-  near  D^rry. 

Dngan,  the  district  of  0  h-Aedha  (O'-  "   Cualgni  and  Fiml.    The  Carling- 

Ilay)  or  Hughes  in  Meath,  has  its  dis-  ford  Mountains  in  the  county  of  Louth, 

tinctive  title,  is  now  obsolete.     It  would  were    called    Hliabh    Cualgni    {Sleeve 

be  anglicised  Ovey." — See  0' Donovan's  Coolgnic).     Slialih  Vuad  {Slcevi  Fooid) 

Four  Musters.  lies  in  the  county  of  Armagh. 

*'-  Talti.   Called  oftener  Tailtcnn,  now 
Tcltown  in  Meath. 


CHAPTER  YIL 

OP  THE  PARTITION  OF  IRELAND  BETWEEN  THE  CHILDREN  OP 

MILEDH. 

EBER  AND  ERIMHÓN,^  ARD-RIGHA.^ 

A.  M.  2736.5  When  thej  had  expelled  the  Tuatha-Dé-Da- 
nanns,  and  reduced  all  Ireland  beneath  their  sway,  Eber  and 
Erimhon  divided  the  conquered  country  between  them.  Accord- 
ing to  some  of  our  antiquarians,  the  following  was  the  division 
they  then  made;  namely,  the  part  that  lies  north  of  the  Boinn 
(Boyne),  and  the  stream  of  Bron,  fell  to  the  share  of  Erimhon, 
and  what  lies  south  of  that  boundary,  as  far  as  Tonn  Clidna,* 
fell  to  Eber.  The  poet-sage  mentions  that  partition  in  the  fol- 
lowing manner : 

"  The  northern  half  ('twas  a  faultless  share) 
Was  the  portion  of  king  Erimhon  ; 
Through  many  a  tribe  ran  its  prosperous  bounds, 
From  the  stream  of  Bron*  to  the  Boinn 's  fair  river. 


'  Eber  and  Erimhon.  These  names 
are  spelled  Eibher  and  Eireamhou 
(Alver  and  Airivme)  in  modern  Irish. 
Eber  is  also  sometimes  spelled  Emher 
and  Eimhear :  the  aspirated  labials 
"  mh"  and  "  bh."  being  almost  alike  in 
sound,  one  is  often  found  put  for  the 
other  in  the  middle  and  end  of  words. 
In  the  Four  Masters  this  word  is  most 
usually  spelled  Emher.  But  the  old 
Latin  name  "Hibernia"  or  "Ibernia,"  as 
well  as  the  more  general  mode  of  spell- 
ing the  name  itself,  are  sufficient  evi- 
dence that  "  b"  is  the  proper  radical. 

*  Ard-Righa,  i.  e.  Arch  King,  "  ard- 
righa"  (Aurd-Reegha),  is  the  plural 
of"  ard-righ"  (Aurd-Ree). 

'  The  Four  Masters  give  A.  M.  2501 
as  the  year  of  this  joint  accession  to  ihe 
sovereignty  of  Ireland,  which  they  thus 
record  :  "The  age  of  the  world  2.501. 
This  was  the  year  m  which  Erimhon 


and  Emher  assumed  the  joint  sover- 
eignty of  Ireland,  and  divided  Ireland 
into  two  parts  between  them." 

*  Tonn  Clidna,  i.  e.  the  wave  of 
Clidna  or  Cliodhna  [Clecna).  Tonn 
Clidna  lay  in  Glaudore  Harbor,  on 
the  Coast  of  Kerry.  It  is  used  here 
for  the  whole  of  the  sea  that  washes 
the  south  coast  of  Ireland.  Clidna, 
daughter  of  Genann,  became  one  of 
those  mythological  beings  called  in  Ire- 
land" DaeineSidhe"  {Decngh  Sheeh)  or 
"  fairy  people."  In  fairy  tales  she  ia 
usually  styled  "  Cliodhna  na  Cairge 
Leithe"  [Cleenana  carguichy  liie),  i.  e. 
Clidna  oi  the  Gray  Crag  or  Rock.  Ac- 
cording to  Hardiman,  Clidna  was  one 
of  the  queens  of  the  Munster  fairies. 
— See  Irish  Minstrelsy. 

*  The  B  on.  The  editor  has  not 
identified  this  stream.  It  lays  some- 
where in  the  west  of  Ireland. 

[205] 


206  THE  HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 

"  And  Eber,  the  conquering  son  of  Milcdh, 
Took  for  his  portion  the  southern  half^ — 
His  just  lot  lay  from  the  Boiun's  cool  stream, 
To  the  Wave  of  Genann's  daughter." 

Five  of  the  principal  leaders  of  tlie  liost  of  the  children  of 
Miledh  then  went  with  Erimhon  into  his  division  of  the  country, 
and  they  received  lands  from  him,  upon  which  they  erected 
duns  {(Toons),  each  upon  his  own  portion.  The  names  of  these 
five  chieftains  were  Amirghin,  Gostenn,  Sedga,  Sobarki  and 
Surghi.  Here  follow,  also,  the  names  of  the  royal  raths  that 
were  erected  by  Erimhon  and  by  his  five  chieftains;  in  the  first 
place,  Eath-Belhaigh^  was  erected  by  himself  at  Argedros,^  on 
the  banks  of  the  Feoir  (Nore)  in  Ossory ;  Amirghin  Ijuilt  Tur- 
lach  of  Inber  Mor  f  Sobarki  built  Dun  Sobarki  f  Dun-Delgindsi^" 
was  erected  by  Sedga,  in  the  district  of  Cuala;  Gostenn  erected 
Cathair-an-Nair"  {Cahir-an-nar\  and  Surghi  built  Dun-Edair.^^ 

The  following  Avere  the  five,  that  went  with  Eber;  namely, 
Caicher,  Mantan,  En,  Ughi  and  Fulman.  These,  also,  erected 
five  royal  raths.  Firstly,  Rath  Eomhain^^  was  erected  by  Eber  in 
Laighen-Magy*  {Lyen-Moy) ;  Caicher  erected  Dun-Inn^^  in  the 
west  of  Ireland ;  Mantan  erected  the  Cumdach  Cairgi  Bladraide^* 
{Coodagh  Cargui  Bloiree) ;  En,  son  of  Oighi,  raised  the  rath  of 
Ard-Suird,^^  and  Fulman  the  rath  of  Carraig  Fedaigh.^® 

'  Rath-Bethaigh.    Now  Rathbeagh,  Sliabh   Modhuirn   {Slicve  Mourve),  a 

in  a  parish  of  the  same  name,  barony  of  range  of  heights  near  Ballybay,  county 

Galmoy  and  county  of  Kilkenny. — O'D.  of  Monaghan 

'  Ar"-edros,   otherwise  Airgead-ros,  ^-  Du.-Edair   was  built  upon  Benn 
i.  e.  the  Silver  Wood.      A  woody  dis-  Edair,   now  the   Hill  of  Howth,  near 
trict,  in  ancient  Ossory,  lying  along  the  Dublin.       It    was     otherwise    Dun- 
banks  of  the  Nore,  was  thus  denomi-  Chrimhthainn  fZ)  on  Criffiiw). 
nated. O'D.  '^  J^nth     Edmhain,     called      Rath 

"  Turlnc'i    of    Inher    Mor.       The  TJamliaiii   by  the  Four  Masters.      Dr. 

Four  Masters  call  this  place  "  Tochar  O'Donovan  conjectures  that  it  is  Rath- 

Inbhir  Mhoir"  ( Tog'iar  Iiivir  vorc),  i.  c.  howcn  in  the  county  of  Wexford, 

the  causeway  of  Inbcr  Mor.  Inbcr  Mor  '■*  Laighen-Mnrrh,  i.  e.  liciiister  plain, 

was  the  old  name  of  the  Month  of  the  '^  Dun-Inn.     'J'his  is  called  Dun-Ar- 

Avoca  or"Abhain  Mor"  {(JuinMore),  dinni  by  the  Four  Masters;  it  is  now 

at  Arklow,  county  of  Wicklow.  unknown,— O'D. 

"  Dun     Sobarki.      Dr.    O'Donovan  "  CumiUich  Cairgi  Blndraide,  5.  e. 

says  that   this  fort,  of  which  notice  has  the  building  on  the  rock  of  Bladraidhc. 

been    already     given,   was    not   built  The  only  name  like  Bladraide  is  Blyry, 

durin"-  the  reign'of  Eber  and  Erimhon,  in  the  barony  of  Brawncy,  co.  Wcst- 

for  Sobarki  or  Sobhairce,  (Sowarki,)  meath.— O'D. 

after     whom   it    was   called,   did  not  "  Ard-Suird.      This  hill  is  situated 

flourish  for  some  time  afterwards.  about  half  a  mile  to  the   north-west  of 

10  Dun-Dcl"-indsi,  i.  e.  the   Fort  of  the  old  church   of  Donaghmorc,  near 

Delg-Innis.     ^Delg-Innis    was  the  old  the  city  of  Einierick.      The  ruins  of  a 

name  of  Dalkey,  island  near  Dublin.  castle  now  occupy  the  site  of  the  rath. — 

"    Catliair-i'in-Nuir.         'I'he     Four  O'D. 

Masters  say  that    this  fort    was  on  "  Carraig   Fedaigh.     As   Un  waa 


THE  HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  207 

Other  historians  tell  us  that  the  following  was  the  partition 
made  of  Ireland  by  Eber  and  Erinihon  :  the  two  Mansters  were 
assigned  to  Eber,  and  Leinster  and  Connaught  formed  the  terri- 
tory of  Erimhon.  The  principality  of  Ulster  was  given  to  Eber, 
son  of  Ir,  son  of  Miledh,  and  to  some  others  of  the  chieftains,  that 
came  over  with  the  children  of  Miledh ;  and  the  territory  of 
Corca  Luighe  {Corca  Looee)^  in  South  Munster,  was  given  to 
Lugaidh,  son  of  Ith ;  that  is,  to  the  son  of  their  grand-uncle. 
This  latter  account  I  deem  the  more  correct,  for  Eath  Bethaigh 
{Rah-BáJue\  which  was  the  chief  residence  of  Erimhon,  Avas  situ- 
ated in  Leinster,  and  also  because  the  posterity  of  Eber  originally 
dwelt  in  Munster,  while  those  of  Erimhon  dwelt  in  Leinster  and 
Connaught,  and  the  posterity  of  Rudraide,  son  of  Sithrighe 
{Sheehree),  a  descendant  of  Eber,  son  of  Ir,  were  the  original 
possessors  of  Ulster.  It  is  from  this  Eudi'aide,  I  have  just  named, 
that  the  real  Ultonians  are  called  the  "  Clanna  Rudraide,"  or 
clans  of  Rudraide,  and  thus  are  denominated,  likewise,  all  those 
of  their  progeny  that  went  into  any  of  the  other  "fifths"  for  the 
purpose  of  acquiring  lands  or  of  making  conquests ;  such  as  the 
migration  of  the  children  of  Rudraide  into  Leinster,  that  is,  the 
settlement  of  the  race  of  Conall  Kearnach  in  Laeighis'*  {Lueesh) ; 
and  the  progeny  of  Fergus  Mac  Roigh,  who  settled  in  Conmacni^^ 
in  Connaught,  and  in  Corcomruadh-^  and  Kerr}'',^^  in  Munster; 
and  the  family  of  Dubidir,^^  the  progeny  of  Carbri  Cluthecar,  son 
of  Cucorb,  of  the  race  of  Labraidh  Loingsech ;  and  the  family  of 
Rian,-''  of  the  race  of  Cathaeir  Mor,  who  had  migrated  from 

one  of  the  two  chieftains  seated  in  of  the  county  of  Longford,  of  which 
Connaught,  it  is  conjectured  that  this  the  O'FerraÍls  were  chiefs,  and  a  Con- 
is  Rahoou,  in  Irish,  Rath  Uin,  near  the  uiacni  of  Muiater  Eolais,  in  the  south 
town  of  Galway. — O'D.  of  Leitrim,  whose  chieftains  were  the 

''    The    race    of    Conall    Kearnach.  Mac  Ranualls,  now  generally  written 

These  were  the  O'Mordhas  [0  Mora)  Reynolds  and  MagranneU. 

or   O'Mores  and   their   kindred  clans,  -'  Corcomruadh,  now    Corcomroe  in 

settled  in  Loix  or  Laeighis  in  the  Kings  the  county  of  Clare.     The  O'Connors, 

and  Queens  counties.  Corcomroe    and    the    O'Loghlins    of 

^'^  Conmacni.  These  were  the  descend-  Burriu,  are  here  meant, 

ante  of    Conraac,  son  of  the  famous  -  Kerij.    The  Ciarraidhe  (Xeerec), 

Ulidiam     Champion,       Fergus     Mac  from  whom  this  county  had  its  name, 

Roigh.     "  There  were  three  territories  are  descended  from  Ciar,  another  son  of 

called  after  Septs  of  this  name  in  Con-  Fergus  Mac  Roigh.     Their  chief  Clans 

naught,  namely,  Conmacni  Kinel  Dub-  were  the   O'Connors  Kerry,  and  their 

bain,  now  the  barony  of  Danmore  in  relatives. 

the  north  of  Galway  ;  Conmacni  Mara,  ^   The  family  of  Dubidir,  otherwise 

now  the  barony  Ballynahinch,  in  the  Dubhir.      Our    author    refers  to    the 

north-west  of  the  same  county  ;    Con-  O'Dwyers,  chiefs  of  Kiluemanagh,  in  the 

macni   Culi  Toladh,  in  the  south   of  county  of  Tipperary.      This  clan  was 

the  county  of  Mayo." — O'Do-iuvtn.  of  the  race  of  Erimhon. 

O'Flaherty  mentions  a  Conmacni  of  "   The  Famrly  of  Rian,    i.     e.    the 

Magh  Riia  in  Brcfuy,   in  the  north  O'Macil-Riains  or  O'Ryans,  chieftainB 


208 


THE   niSTORY   OF    IKELAND. 


Leinster  into  iiunster.  But  it  Avas  long  iiftcr  Eber  and  Erimhon 
had  made  their  partition  of  Ireland,  that  these  tiibes  removed 
from  their  native  territories  into  other  parts  of  Ireland.  It  is 
well  known  that  it  was  in  the  time  of  Murcdach  Tirech,  that  the 
three  Collas,  with  their  kinsmen,  left  Connacht  in  order  to  make 
conquests,  from  the  tribes  of  Uladh,  from  whom  they  then  for- 
cibly wrested  a  large  portion  of  their  territory,  namely,  Modurn,^^ 
Ui  Mic  Uais,'^'^  and  Ui  Crimthainn  ;2'  and  there  many  of  their 
posterity  still  remain ;  such  as  Raghnald,^^  Earl  of  Antrim,  de- 
scended from  Colla  Uais  (oosh),  the  Maguires,  Mac  Mahons  and 
O'Hanlons,  with  their  several  branches,  descended  from  Colla  Dk 
Crioeh.  In  the  days  of  Cormac,  son  of  Art,  also,  the  Di'sies,^^  a 
family  of  the  line  of  Erimhon,  came  into  Munster,  and  got  lands 
therein.  Again,  in  the  reign  of  Fiacaidh  Mul-lethan,  king  of 
Munster,  Carbri  Muse,  a  gentleman  of  the  line  of  Erimhon, 
brought  a  poem  to  Fiacaidh,  and  received,  as  a  reward  for  his 
verses,  all  the  land  that  lies  from  Slighe  Dala  {Ske  Daivla),  i.  e. 
from  Belach  Mor,  in  Ossory,  to  Cnoc  Ani  Cliach,^°  as  we  read  in 
the  book  of  Armagh.  From  this  Carbri  Muse  it  is,  that  the  Or- 
monds  have  got  the  name  of  Muscraide^^  {mooscree).     It  was  not 


of  Uaithne,  now  the  baronies  of 
Owney  Beg,  in  the  county  of  Limerick, 
and  Owney,  in  that  of  'J  ipperary. 

'^*  Modurn,  now  Crcmoiiro  in  Mona- 
phan.  A  mountainous  district  in 
Ulidia,  also  received  the  name  of  Mod- 
urn  (properly  Mugdorn)  or  Mourne, 
from  a  tribe  of  the  descendants  of 
Mughdorn  Dubh,  son  of  Colla,  who 
emigrated  thither  in  the  reign  of  Nial 
the  Haughty,  son  of  Aedh,  son  of  Mag- 
nus ^íac  Maghthamhna,or  Mac  Mahon. 
-OT). 

^  Ui  Mic  Uais,  now  Aloygish,  in 
Wo^t  Mcath. 

""  Ui  C'imthainn,  otherwise  called 
Ui  Cremhthainn  (ce  CreJJinn).  The 
barony  of  Slane,  in  Meath,  was  thus 
called,  from  the  "  Ui"  or  descendants 
of  Crinthann,  son  of  Fiach,  son  of 
Degaidh  Uuiru,  son  of  Rocadh,  son  of 
Colla  Da  Crioeh. 

*  Raghnald,  otherwise  Reginald 
Mac  Donald.  According  to  Irish  his- 
tory the  Mac  Donalds  of  ,Scf)lIaiid,from 
whom  the  Mac  Donalds  of  Antrim  are 
tiprung,  are  the  descendants  of  Colla 
Uais. 

'"  Desics,  i.  e.  the  O'Faclans  and  0'- 
Brics,  of  the  territory  now  called  the 


county  of  Watcrf  ird,  which  was  styled 
Desi  Mumhan  {Daishi  Moon),  to  dis- 
tinguish it  from  the  Dcsies  in  Meath, 
now  called  Dcece. 

^  Cnoc  A'li  Clinch,  no-vf  Knockany 
in  the  county  of  Limerick. 

°'  Miiscraide.  There  were  six  districts 
called  by  this  name,  wliich  have  been  an- 
glicised Muskery.  1.  Muscraide  Mitani, 
or  Muscraide  Ui  Floinn,  i.  e.  the 
Muskery  of  O'Fliim,  now  Musgrylyn, 
which  comprises  lb  parishes  in  the 
norlh-west  of  the  county  of  Cork.  2. 
Muscraide  Luachra  [Lno^iira)  the 
ancient  name  of  the  disti  ict,  in  which 
the  Blackwatcr  of  Munster  has  its 
source.  3.  Muscraide  'J'ri  Maighc,  i.  c. 
of  the  three  plains,  in  the  present 
barony  of  Barrymorc,  co.  Cork,  the 
territory  of  O'Donegan.  4  and  5. 
Muscraide  Breoghain  and  Muscraide 
Ui  Chuirc  (i.  e.  O'Quirk's),  now  the 
barony  of  Cianwilliam  in  tlie  south- 
west of  the  county  of  'J'ipperary. 
G.  Muscraide  Tiiiri  {Hcnric),  now  the 
baronies  of  Upjjer  and  Lower  Ormond, 
in  the  county  last  named,  'i'he  termi- 
nation "  raide"  or  "  raidhe"  (rce)  in 
this  and  similarly  formed  names,  is  pat- 
ronymic.   The  attempt  of  Dr.  O'Brien 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  209 

long  after  this  that  some  of  the  progeny  of  Eber,  namely,  the 
descendants  of  Cormac  Galeng,  came  into  Connaught,  and  from 
them  sprung  tlie  Galenga^^  and  the  Luighni^  (Loome),  of  whom 
lire  the  O'iiaras  and  O'Garas  of  the  Northern  Half  And  so  it 
Avas  with  every  other  person  and  hinel,  or  kindred,  that  migrated 
from  their  native  territories  into  other  parts  of  Ireland,  and  not 
by  reason  of  the  partition  made  between  Eber  and  Erimhon.  I 
am,  consequently,  of  opinion,  that  the  last-cited  account  of  that 
partition  is  the  correct  one ;  for  it  is  not  to  be  supposed,  that 
Erimhon  would  have  built  his  first  royal  rath  in  the  part  that 
had  fallen  to  Eber's  lot,  namely,  that  of  Eath  Bethaigh,  in  Arge- 
dros.  I  then  deem  that  he  built  it  in  his  own  portion,  and  that, 
consequently,  the  territory  of  Leinstcr  belonged  to  him,  as  the 
latter  tradition  tells  us. 

There  came  also  to  Ireland,  amongst  the  followers  of  the  sons 
of  Miledh,  a  learned  bard-sage  or  "file"  (fiUeh)  named  Kir,  son 
of  Kis,  and  likewise  a  harper  of  harmonic  tunes,  Avhose  name 
Avas  Onaei  (onee) ;  and  Eber  said,  that  these  should  dwell  with 
himself,  while  Erimhon  insisted  that  they  should  abide  with  him ; 
but  they  at  last  arranged  the  disputed  point  by  casting  lots ; 
whereupon,  the  musician  fell  to  the  lot  of  Eber,  and  the  bard  to 
that  of  Erhnhon.  In  commemoration  of  this  contest,  the  follow- 
ing verses  are  found  in  the  Psalter  of  Cashel : 

"  Lots  then  they  fairly  cast 
For  these  two  men  of  wondrous  science  ; 
The  southern  chief  thus  got 
The  harper  skilled  in  harmony. 

"  To  the  northern  chieftain  fell 
The  bard  of  the  mighty  song  ; 
Hence  comes  our  peerless  sway 
In  the  bardic  lay  and  melodious  tune. 

"  Sweet-stringed  tunes,  rhymes  smoothly  flowing, 
In  the  north  and  the  south  of  Eri, 
Shall  reign  for  aye,  till  the  day  of  doom. 
As  the  bards  have  sung  in  the  Scnchas." 

to  derive  the  name  from  "  Mus,"  pleas-  great  Galeuga.  In  West  Meath,  near 
oni,and  "Crioch,"  a  (/WÍ/7CÍ,  is  visionary,  the  Lifi'ey,  lay  tlie  Galeuga  Bega 
— See  Dr.  0' Donovan's  Lmbhar  na  g-  {begga), or  Lesser  Galenga,  whose  chiefs 
Ceart.  took  the  name  of  O'h-Aengusa,  now 
^  Galenga.  The  Galenga  of  Con-  Henessy.  Both  of  the  Meathian 
uaHghtjWhich  is  now  called  the  barony  of  Galenga  were  dispossessed  by  Sir 
Gallen,  in  the  county  of  Mayo,  with  Hugh  de  Lacy,  shortly  after  the  Eng- 
the  exception  of  Coolcarney,  was  the  lishmvaúon.— See  0'Do7iova7i'sLeabhar 
territory  of  O'Gara  or  O'Gadhra.  Mor-  na  g-Ceart,  p.  148. 
gallion  in  Meath,  the  territory  of  O'-  '^  Liiigni.  The  territory  of  the 
Leochain  or  Loughan,  sometimes  bar-  O'h-Adhras,  or  O'Haras,  is  the  present 
barized  to  "  Duck,"  was  also  called  barony  of  Ixij-ny,  in  the  county  of 
from  this  race.  Its  present  name  is  a  Sligo.'  This  district  v/as  also  corn- 
corruption  of  Gallenga  Mora,  i.  e.  the  prised  under  the  name  Galeuga. 
14 


210 


THE   HISTORY    OF    IRELAND. 


With  the  sons  of  Miledh,  there  liad  come  over  likewise  four- 
aud-tweiity  servile  laborers,  who,  soon  after  their  aiTÍval,  cleared 
twenty-four  plains  of  wood,  and  these  plains  were  named  after 
themselves.  Here  follow  their  names:  Aidni,  Ai,  Asal,  Medi, 
Morba,  Midi,  Cuib,  Cliu,  Kera,  Keir,  Slan,  Leghi,  Lifi,  Lini,  Lig- 
hen,  Trea,  Dula,  Adar,  Ariu,  D^sin,  Déla,  Fóa,  Femenn  and 
Sera.  And  the  plains  they  had  reclaimed  are  distinctively 
known  by  the  names  of  these  laborers,  down  to  the  present  day. 
Tea,  daughter  of  Lugaidh,  son  of  Ith,  who  was  the  wife  of  Erim- 
hon,  caused  an  edifice  to  be  built  for  her  at  Liath-di'om  [Leeh- 
oiro^i),  which  is  now  called  Temhair  {Tavivir) ;  and  it  is  from 
Tea,  daughter  of  Lugaidh,  that  that  hill  got  the  latter  name,  to 
wit,  "  Teamhair,"  i.  e.  "  Mur  Tea,""^  (the  edifice  or  wall  of  Tea.) 

Eber  and  Erimhon  had  reigned  conjointly  for  one  year,  when 
a  dispute  arose  between  them  about  the  ownership  of  the  three 
most  excellent  hills  in  Ireland,  namely,  Drom-Clasach,^''  in  the 
territory  of  Mani;  Drom-Bethaigh,^  in  Maeu-magh,  and  Drom- 
Finghin,'^  in  Munster.     This  dispute  brought  on  a  battle  between 

Applied  either  to  a  woman,  hill,  bower 
or  house,  it  would  thus  bo  of  the  same 
meaning  with  the  Latin  "speciosa," 
derived  from  "  specto,"  to  view,  i.  e. 
beautiful.  It  is  most  likely  a  Danaau 
name. — If  it  were  compounded  of  the 
words  "Tea"  and  "Mur,"  it  would 
make  "  Teamhuir "  ( Tuvooir)  in  the 
genitive  case,  and  not  '•  Teanihrach " 
{Taurap;h),  like  "  lasair,"  gen.  "  laa- 
rach"  {lasxir  gen.  lasragk),  and  cuingir 
gen.  "  cuingrcach"  {cu}ip;ir  gen.  cung- 
ragh).  The  rule,  "  Derivata  patrum 
naturam  verba  sequuntur"  applies  to  the 
Gaelic  as  well  as  other  tongues. 

^'-  Drom-Clufiach  is  a  long  ridge,  sit- 
uated in  Ui  Mani,  iii  Galway,  between 
Lough  Ree  and  the  River  Suck. — O'D. 

'■^  Droiii-Bethach  was  the  name  of  a 
remarkable  ridge  of  hills,  extending 
across  the  plain  of  Maeinnagh,  near  the 
town  of  Lough rea,  in  the  county  of 
(lahvay.— O'l). 

'"  Drom-Finghin.  This  name,  pro- 
nounced Drum  Fincen,  i.  e.  Fineen's 
Ridge,  is  still  in  use,  and  applied  to  a 
long  range  of  high  grouii  I  dividing 
D(!cics-within-I>rum  from  I);'(nes-with- 
out-Drum,  in  the  county  of  Waterford. 
It  extends  from  Castle  Lyons,  in  the 
county  of  Cork,  to  Ringoguana,fh,  ou 
the  south  aide  of  the  Bay  of  Dungar- 
van. 


**  Mur  Tea.  Such  a  derivation 
would  neither  be  in  accordance  with 
the  genius  of  the  Gaelic  language,  nor 
with  Gaelic  usage,  which  are  both  ad- 
verse to  such  concrete  names.  Temhair 
is  evidently  a  name  older  than  the  Mi- 
lesian colonization,  and,  if  it  be  not 
itself  a  root,  it  is  formed  on  some  such 
root  as  "  Temh"  or  "  Teamh,"  by  the 
simple  addition  of  the  sufQx  "  air"  or 
""  ir,"  just  as  "  Cuingir,"  a  tarn,  is  de- 
rived from  "  Cuing,"  a  yoke,  "  lasair,"  a 
hlaze  or  flame,  from  "  las,"  ligld  thou. 
It  seems  of  the  same  class  with  "  cath- 
air,"  "  lathair,"  "  laidir,"  "  socair,"  and 
a  numbir  of  similarly  formed  words, 
whose  immediate  roots  are  not  found  in 
(jiaeiic.  According  to  Dr.  O'Donovan, 
Temhair  was  common  as  a  woman's 
name  in  Ireland,  and  it  was  applied  to 
more  hills  than  Temliair  in  Mcath,  as 
Temhair  Luachra  [Taovir  Looghra)  in 
Kerry,  and  Temhair  Bhrogha  Niadh 
[Tavvir  Vrow  Ncen)  in  Ijcinstcr.  He 
ixjlls  us  that  in  Cormuc's  Glossary,  it  is 
stated  that  the  "  temhair"  of  a  house 
means  a  bower,  boudoir  or  balcony, 
and  that  the  "  temhair"  of  a  country 
means  a  hill,  commanding  a  pleasant 
prospect.  This  interpretation  UiWs  of 
a  root  akin  to  that  of  "  deofia,"  a  pros- 
pect or  sight,  which  is  "  dau),"  or 
"  óeaofiai,"   to  view,   to  admire,  &c. 


THE  HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  lÍS 

Eber  and  Erimlion,  Avliicli  was  fought  at  Brugh-Bridain,-^  in  Ui 
Failghi,  at  Tocliar,  between  the  two  plains,  in  tlie  district  of 
Gesill.  Eber  was  vanquished  in  this  battle,  and  he  was  slain 
himself  therein,  with  three  of  the  chiefs  of  his  people.  The 
names  of  the  latter  were  Surghi,  Sobarki,  atid  Gostcnn.  A  bard 
gives  us  the  following  account  of  their  contest : 

"  Tall  Eber  and  brave  Erimhon 
Shared  Banba's  realm  without  a  grudge 
For  one  year,  free  from  war  or  spoil, 
Till  fell  ambitiou  seized  their  wives. 

«'  His  wife  told  Eber  of  the  fights, 
That  if  she  owned  not  the  smooth  hills, 
Of  Clasach,  Bith  and  fair  Finghin, 
She'd  stay  no  night  in  Eri. 

"  Then  Eber  fell,  that  august  man, 
By  Miledh"s  son,  brave  Erimhon, 
In  Gesill's  land  he  got  his  wound. 
At  morn,  upon  Magh-Smerthainn." 

The  bard  Tanaide^  has  also  left  us  the  following  verses  upon 
the  same  event : 

"  Sages  of  Banba,  land  of  glory, 
Know  ye  and  can  ye  tell  the  cause, 
"Why  that  great  battle  dire  was  driven 
By  Erimhon  o'er  Eber's  might  ? 

"  I  shall  myself  reveal  the  cause, 
Whence  sprung  that  fratricidal  war — 
'Twas  for  three  solitary  bights 
That  loveliest  were  in  Eri  found — 

"  Drom-Finghin  and  Drom-Clasach  bright, 
And  Drora-Bethaidh  in  Connacht — 
For  these  three  hills — oh,  tale  of  woe  ! — 
Was  done  that  deed  of  slaughter." 

"  Brugh-Bridain,  i.  e.  the  Town  of  Rosa  Falghi,  or  Rosa  of  the  Rings, 

Bridain.    The  Four  Masters  call  this  son  of  the^raonarch  Cathaeir  Mor. 

place  Bri-darah,  i.  e.  the  hill  of  oxen.  ^  Tie  bard  Tnnaide  {Tanep)  O'Nful- 

In  the  description  of  this  battle,  it  is  conry,  or  Mael-Conari.     The  clan  of  the 

stated  that  there  were  many  mounds  at  O'Alulconries   produced  two  Arch-01- 

this  place,  in  which  Eber  and  the  other  lamhs  of  Connau^hf.  of  this  name,  viz:, 

chiefs  slain  in  the  battle  were  interred.  Tanaide  Mor,  Arch-Ollamh,  A.D.  1270, 

The  name  of  the  Tochar  or  Causewiij  and  Tanaide,  who  died  Arch-Ollamh  in 

between  the  tivo  plains  is  still  preserved  A.D.  1385.     The  F'our  Masters  record 

in  that  of  Ballintoghcr,  i.  e.  the  Town  the  death  of  another  distinguished  mem- 

of  the    Causeway,  in  the  parish  and  bsr  of  this  bardic  family.'namcd  Tana^ 

barony  of  Geshill,  in  the  Kings  County,  ide.  son  of  Maeilin,  in  1446.     The  edi- 

Ui  F./ig'u',  or  Offally,  was  the  territory  tor  cannot  say  which  of  these  bards  is 

of   O'Conor  Falghi,  descended    from  here  cited. 


212  THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


ERIMHON,    ARD-RIGH, 

A.  M.  2737.*  Erimhon,  having  already  reigned  one  year  in 
copartnership  with  Eber,  now  took  upon  him  the  full  sovereignty 
of  Ireland  wnich  he  held  for  fourteen  years  after  his  brother's 
death.  The  latter  fell  at  Argedros,  according  to  some  authori- 
ties.    Thus  a  bard  tells  us  in  the  following  rann : 

"  For  fourteen  years,  as  I  have  heard, 
King  Erimhon  sole  monarch  reigned, 
After  the  fight  at  Argedros. 
Where  noble  Eber  slaughtered  fell." 

But,  notwithstanding  this,  it  is  the  common  opinion  of  histo- 
rians, and,  as  I  think,  the  true  one,  that  Eber  was  slain  at  tho 
battle  of  Gesill,  as  I  have  related  above,  and  not  at  that  of  Ar- 
gedros. 

It  was  in  Erimhon's  time  that  the  following  events  took  place, 
namely :  the  battle  of  Cul-Caichir,^'  a  year  after  the  death  of  Eber, 
and  it  was  there  that  Caicher,  a  chieftain  of  Eber's  people,  was 
killed  by  Amirghin,  son  of  Miledh.  In  a  year  after  that,  Am- 
irghiii  himself  fell  by  the  hand  of  Erimhon,  at  the  battle  of  Bili- 
Tenedh,*^  in  Cula  Breagh.  It  was  in  this  3-ear  that  the  three 
Brosnachs*'  of  Eli  burst  forth  over  the  land,  and  the  three  Uin- 
senns*^  {uinshens)  of  Tir-Olilla.  Three  years  after  this,  Fulmaii 
and  Mantan,  two  chieftains  of  Eber's  party,  fell  by  Erimhon,  at 
the  battle  of  Bregan,^'  in  Fremhain. 

Eight  lakes  burst  over  the  land  in  the  reign  of  Erimhon, 
namely.  Loch  Buadaigh,*^  Loch  Bagha,*^  Loch  R6iu,*^Loch  Finn- 

"  Erimhon's  reign  commenced,  ac-  cord,  also,  the  springing  forth  of  nino 

cording  to  the  Four  Masters,  in  A.  M.  rivers  called  "  Righe,"  in  I.x:'instcr,  dur- 

3502.  ing  this  reign. 

^'  Cuil-Caichir,  unknown.— OD.  "   Three  Uimenns.     Tir  Olilla  is  the 

"  7yí7i-rc>ic(i/i,or  Bile  Teinedh  [Bil-  barony  of  'i'irorrill,  in  the  county  of 

lek  Tinneh),  is  said  to  be  tlie  place  now  Sligo  ;  but  there  is  no  river  now  called 

called  Coill  an  Bhilé  ICnill  an  villeli),  Uiiwenn  [Unshon)  therein. — CD. 
in  English,  Hillywood,  m  the  parish  of        "  Bregan  m  Frfmlialn.     The  Four 

iloyiiaity,  barony  of  I^wer  Kclls,  and  Masters  called  this. Bregan  in  Femhcn. 

county  of  Meatli. — O'D.      Ilardiman,  'J'lie  latter  is  a  plain  in  the  soutli-ea.st 

in  his  Irish  Minstrelsy,  gives  some  short  of  TippiTary.     Fremhain,  now  Frc^in, 

poetic  pieces  attributed  to  Amirghin,  is  in  West  Meaili. — O'D. 
who  was  slain  at  this  place.     Amirghin        *°  Lork  Jhtadaigh,  i.e.  the  Late  of 

was  surnamed  «Jlun-gel,  i.e.  Fair  Knee,  the  Victor,  not  known. — O'D. 
He  was  slain   in   the   second   year  of        "  Lock   Bn^hn,   now   Longh   Baah, 

Erimhon's  reign.  near  Ciustle  I'lunket,  in  the  cimnty  of 

"*   Tkrce  Brosnachs.     The  Four  Mas-  Koscommon.— O'D.  _ 
lers  say  nine.     There   arc  at  present        "  U)ch  Rnn.     This  name  is  still  ap* 

but  two  rivei-s  known  I)y  this  name  in  plied  to  a  small  lake  in  Magh  liein,  in 

Eli.     The  others  must   be   tributary  the  county  of  Leitrim. — O'D. 
streams. — O'D.     The  Four  Masters  re- 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  213 

Maighe,^^  Loch  Greni,®'  Loch  Riach,"  over  the  plain  called  ^fagh- 
Maein,  Loch  Da-Caech,®^  inLcinster,  and  Loch  Laegh,^  in  Ulster. 
In  the  third  year  after  this,  Un,  En,  and  Etan  were  slain  by 
Erinihon,  in  the  battle  of  Comhari,^  in  Meath,  and  their  sepul- 
chral mounds  were  raised  at  the  same  place.  In  the  same  year 
the  three  Sucks^^  burst  over  the  land  in  Connaught. 

Some  historians  tell  us  that  it  was  Erimhon  that  divided  Ire- 
land into  five  "fifths,"  or  provinces,  amongst  some  of  his  chief- 
tains, after  the  death  of  his  brother  Eber.  First,  he  gave  the 
"fifth"  or  province  of  Leinster,  to  Crimthann  Sciathbel,  a  noble- 
man descended  from  the  Fer-bolgs.  The  province  of  Munster  he 
gave  to  the  four  sons  of  Eber,uamely,  Er,  Orba,  Ferann,  and  Fergna. 
He  gave  the  province  of  Conuacht  to  Un,  son  of  Ughi,  and  to 
Etan,  two  chiefs  who  had  followed  him  from  Spain.  In  like 
manner  he  left  the  province  of  Ulster  to  Eber,  the  son  of  his 
brother  Ir, 

The  Cruthnigh  or  Picts.  , 

It  was  in  the  reign  of  Erimhon,  also,  that  the  Cruthnigh,^^  that 
is,  the  Picti,  a  host  that  had  emigrated  from  Thrace,  came  to 
Ireland  ;  and,  according  to  Cormac  Mac  Culinan,  in  his  Psalter, 
the  cause  of  their  leaving  Thrace,  Avas  because  Policornus,  the 
king  of  Thrace,^^  sought  to  violate  a  beautiful  marriageable  dam- 
sel, who  was  the  daughter  of  Gud,  the  head  chieftain  of  the 
Picts,  while  her  nation  were  at  free  quarters  in  his  country. 
When  Gud  and  his  Cruthnigh  perceived  that  the  king  had  an 
intention  to  violate  the  damsel,  the}^  slew  him  and  then  k'ffc  the 

•■^  Lo(h  Fiiin-Maighe  is  now  called  ^  The  three  Sucks  are  the  rivers  still 

Loch  Fenvoy  and  Garadice  Lou^h.     It  called  the  Suck  and  its  tributaries,  the 

is  situated  on  the  barony  of  Carrigallen,  Sheffin  and  the  River  of  Cloubrock,  in 

and  county  of  Leitriin. — O'D.  the  county  of  Gal  way. 

'"  Loch  Gieni.     The  Lake  of  Grian  **    Cruithmgh      Many   etymologies 

(a  woman's  name),  now  Loch  Grauey,  have  been  given  for  this  name.    To  the 

in  the  north  of  the  county  of  Clare. —  editor  it  seems  to  be  a  dialectic  varia- 

O'D.  tion   of  "  Brethuaigh,"   i.  e.    Britons. 

^'  Loch  Riach,  now  Lough  Reagh,  The  Gaels  often  use  the  letter  "  c,"  or 

near  the  town  of  Loughrea,  in  the  couu-  "  g,"  where   the  Britons  use  "  p."  or 

ty  of  Galway.  "  b."  Thus  the  Gaels  say  "cenn"  {kenn), 

'•'■  Lock  Da-Caech,  an   old   name    of  for   the    British   "pen,"   a  head,   and 

Waterford  Harbor.— O'D.  "mac"   for    the    British   "map"   or 

^  Lock   Laegh,  now   called   Belfast  "mab,"' a  son. 

Lougli-  "  Thrace.      It   were   well   that  our 

"  Comkari,  called  Corahrairi  in  the  author   gave   the   Celtic  name  of  the 

Four  Masters,  is  now  called  Kilcome-  country,   which    he  calls    Thracia   or 

ragh.     It  lies  near  the  hill  of  Uisnech,  Thrace.     The  modern  name  "  France  " 

in  I  he  barony  of  Moycashel,  in  West  is  used  a  little  further  on  for  "  Gallia," 

Meath.  by  a  gross  anachronism. 


214 


THE    HISTORY    OF   IRELAND. 


country.  They  then  passed  from  land  to  land,  until  they  readied 
France,  and  there  they^ot  military  quarters  and  lands  from  tho 
king  of  France,  upon  Avhich  they  built  the  city,  which  is  called 
Pictavium,  from  the  name  of  their  nation,  that  is,  from  the  Picts 
or  Cruthnigh,  who  founded  it.  But,  as  soon  as  the  king  of  France 
heard  the  ííime  of  the  damsel's  beauty,  he  resolved  to  make  her 
his  mistress.  When  Gud  was  told  of  this,  he  fled,  with  all  his 
people,  and  set  out,  with  his  daughter,  for  Ireland;  but,  while 
they  were  at  sea,  the  damsel  died,  and  they  then  got  into  port  at 
Inber  Slangi.  Bede  agrees  wdth  this  account  of  their  migration, 
but  he  says  that  it  was  in  the  north  of  Ireland  that  they  landed. 
It  is  thus  that  he  expresses  himself  in  the  first  book  of  his  His- 
tory of  the  Saxon  Church :  "  It  is  said  that  the  Pictish  race 
chanced  to  come  to  Ireland,  in  a  few  long  gallies,  over  the  ocean, 
driven  by  the  winds  outside  all  the  coast  of  Great  Britain,  and 
that  they  landed  upon  its  northern  coast,  and  finding  the  Scotic 
nation  settled  there  before  them,  they  asked  for  a  settlement  for 
themselves,  likewise ;  but  they  did  not  obtain  it.''^  However,  it 
was  not  in  the  north  of  Ireland  that  they  landed,  but  at  the  end 
of  Inber  Slangi,  and  in  the  Harbor  of  Wexford,  as  we  have  men- 
tioned.    Here  they  were  met  by  Crimthann  Sciathbél,^'  who  was 


'^  Contigit  geutem  Pictorum  de  Scy- 
thia,  ut  pcrhibent,  longis  iiavibus  uou 
multis  oceaiium  ingiessam,  circuma- 
gente  flatu  ventorum  fines  omnes  Bri- 
tanniae  Iliherniara  pcrvenisse,  ejusque 
Septentrionales  oras  intrasse  atque  in- 
vcuta  ibi  gcnte  iScotorum,  sibi  quoque 
in  partibus  illis  petiisse  locum,  ncc  im- 
petrasse  potuisso. 

'^^  Crimthann  Sciatlibel.  By  thus 
finding  this  Firbolgic  chief  ruler  of  one 
of  the  richest  parts  of  Ireland,  and  in 
close  alliance  with  the  king  of  the 
Gaels,  but  a  few  years  after  the  con- 
quest of  Ireland,  we  may  infer  that  the 
former  nation  was  still  powerful  in  the 
country.  In  fact,  one  might  judge  that 
the  Gaels  then,  and  for  ages  after, 
maintained  their  jjre-eminenco,  as  the 
Norman  knights  did  in  more  recent 
times,  by  setting  one  portion  of  the  na- 
tion against  tlie  other.  More  than 
1000  years  after  this  time,  we  shall  find 
the  Gaels  still  a  minority  of  the  nation, 
when,  during  what  is  called  tlie  Atta- 
cottic  war,  they  were  all  but  exter- 
minated l>y  the  subject  races,  combined 
for  a  moment  under  Carbri  Gat^Keim. 
The  Belgian,  Crimthann  .Sciathbél,  at 
this   time   very  probably  divided   the 


sovereignty  of  Ireland  with  Erimhou, 
if  he  were  not  its  real  king,  and  Erim- 
hon  and  Ebcr  leaders  of  his  foreign 
auxiliaries.  Crimthann's  race  has  per- 
ished, as  well  as  that  of  tlie  Danaans, 
and  no  record  remains  of  either  but 
what  it  has  plt;ased  their  conquerors  to 
hand  down.  The  Danaans,  though 
driven  from  Tara  and  Mcath  by  the 
battle  of  'J'aiti,  must  luive  still  main- 
tained their  sway  at  Ailceh  Neid,  near 
Derry,  as  we  may  infer  from  some  dim 
glimpses  we  shall  again  get  of  them  in 
that  (juarter  of  Ireland.  Neither  were 
those  more  early  colonists,  the  Fomo- 
rians,  yet  extinguished.  They  shall 
again  appear  in  our  history.  Ireland 
must  then  have  been  at  this  time  in- 
habited by  various  tribes  of  distinct 
origins.  The  Iberian  who  had  come 
slowly  by  the  Mrditcrranean  coasts  of 
Africa  and  by  Spain,  leaving  many 
colonies  on  his  way.  Ins  met  on  the  ex- 
treme verge  of  the  old  world  the  Neme- 
dian  and  Belgian,  or  Fer-bolg,  whom 
we  have  traced  thither  by  another  route, 
from  nearly  the  same  eastern  home. 
Neither  can  go  farther,  and  one  mast 
of  necessity  exterminate  the  other. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  215 

the  ruler  of  Lcinster,  imder  Erimhon,  at  that  time,  and  he  formed 
an  alliance  with  thcni.  The  chieftains  of  their  fleet  were  Gud 
and  his  son  Cathluan®'^  {Cahlooan).  And  the  motive  that  induccjl 
Crimthann  to  form  an  alliance  with  them,  was  because  certain 
chiefs  of  ihe  British  nation,  who  were  called  the  "Tuatha  Fidga,"" 
were  then  extending  their  sway  over  the  Fotharts,^^  on  both  sides 
of  the  mouth  of  the  river  Slangi.  These  were  a  people  of  whom 
each  man  carried  poisoned  weapons,  so  that  whatever  wound 
they  inflicted,  whether  large  or  small,  no  remedy  could  avail  the 
wounded  man,  or  save  him  from  death,  Crimthann  had  heard 
that  there  was  a  learned  Druid  amongst  the  Cruthneans,  who  was 
named  Trosdan,  that  could  give  him  and  his  people  a  remedy 
against  the  poison  which  the  Tuatha  Fidga  bore  upon  their  weap- 
ons ;  and  he  asked  Trosdan  what  remedy  he  should  have  re- 
course to  against  the  poisoned  weapons  of  those  people  we  have 
named.  "Get  milked,"  said  Trosdan,  "one  hundred  and  fifty 
white  and  hornless  cows,  and  let  their  milk  be  thrown  into  a  pit 
in  the  midst  of  the  field  where  you  have  been  wont  to  fight 
these  people,  and  then  challenge  them  to  meet  you  in  battle  upon 
that  same  ground;  and  let  every  man  of  3^our  people  that  shall  re- 
ceive a  wound,  bathe  himself  in  the  pit,  and  he  shall  be  healed 
from  his  poisoned  wound."  Crimthann  then  did  as  the  Druid 
had  told  him,  and  he  challenged  the  Tuatha  Fidga  to  meet  him  in 
battle  at  Ard-lemnacta  {Awrd-lewnaghta),  and  there  he  routed 
them  with  dreadful  slaughter.  From  this  fact  it  has  come,  that 
that  hill  has  been  called  the  battle  of  "Ard-lemnacta,"  (i.  e. 
New-Milk- Height,)  ever  since,  as  the  bard  has  recorded  in  the  fol- 
lowing lay : 

^»  Cathluan.     Caledonia,  the  old  La-  ever,  of  much  wider  extent.    There  was 

tin   name   of   Scotland,   is  derived  by  the  Fothart  Arbrech,  in  the  north-east 

some  antiquaries  from  this  chief.  of    the   Kings    county  ;    the   Fothart 

"  Tuatha  Fidga,  otherwise  Tuatha  Oirthir  Lifi,  in  Wicklow;  Fothart 
Fiodhgha  (Too/iii'Fcei/a).  These  words  Osnaidech,  or  Fotharta  Fea,  in  Car- 
might  be  translated  "  savage  tribes,''  low,  now  the  barony  of  Forth  in  that 
i.  e.  "  Tuatha  "  ir/ics,  and  "  Fiodhga  ■'  county;  and  Fothart  au  Chairn,  in 
or '■' Fiaga."  loild  or  savage — an  adjec-  Wexford.  They  received  their  name, 
tive  formed  from  "  Fiodh  "  or  "  Fidh  "  according  to  Irish  tradition,  from 
{Feeh) — a  wood.  So  the  Latins  formed  Eocaidh  Finn  Fothart,  the  brother  of 
'■  Silvestris,"  (whence  comes  the  Ehg-  Conn  of  the  Hundred  Battles.  O'Nolan 
lish  word  '•  savage,"  through  the  old  was  chief  of  the  Fotharts  of  Carlow, 
French  "  salvage,")  from  "  sylva,"  a  O'Lorcan  or  Larkin  of  the  Fothartsof 
wood.  Wexford,  which   jiosition   they  main- 

^^  Fotharts.      From  the   description  tained  until  the  English  invasion.  _  The 

given  above,  it  is  to  be  understood  that  other  Fotharts  were  early  extinguished, 

the  baronies,  or  Forth  and  Shelmalier  The  name  is  prematurely  applied  here,  if 

in  Wexford,  were  the  districts  where  it  be  derived  from  the  brother  of  Conn, 

the  Tuatlia  Fidga  were  settling.     The  but  that  chief  may  just  as  likely  have 

ancient  Fotharta  (Foharta)  were,  how-  received  his  surname  from  the  district. 


;-216  '  THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 

"  Ard-lemnact,  in  yon  southern  land, 
Each  learned  sage  must  learn  the  cause, 
Why  that  height  received  the  name 
Now  borne  by  it,  since  Crhuthann  reigned. 

"  Crimthann  Sciathbel  caused  that  name, 
That  he  might  save  his  warriors  true. 
And  heal  them  from  tlie  baleful  wounds 
Of  their  most  fierce  and  savage  foes. 

"  Six  Cruthneans,  whom  God  had  sent, 
Had  come  to  him  from  Thracia's  land, 
Solen,  Ulpra,  Nectan  the  famed, 
Aengus,  Lethan  and  Throsdiin,  sage. 

"  To  these  God  granted,  by  their  lore. 
To  heal  the  tortured  warriors'  wounds, 
And  save  them  from  the  poisonous  pangs 
Of  the  rude  giants'  weapons  fell. 

"  A  cure  the  Cruthnean  found  for  them. 
That  Druid  wise,  as  well  he  might. 
Thrice  fifty  hornless  snow-white  cows 
"Were  milked  together  in  one  pit. 

"  And  then  they  joined  in  desperate  fight. 
Close  by  the  pit  that  held  the  milk  ; 
And  there,  in  battle  brave  went  down. 
Those  monster  pests  of  Bauba's  height." 

But  after  this,  the  Picts,  with  Gud  and  his  son  Cathluan  at 
their  head,  propositi  to  themselves  to  make  a  conquest  of  Lein- 
stcr.  But,  when  Erimhon  heard  thereof,  he  mustered  a  numerous 
host,  and  came  against  them.  Upon  this,  as  they  saw  that  they  were 
not  strong  enough  to  meet  him  in  battle,  the  Cruthneans  made  a 
peace  and  a  friendly  league  with  him.  Erimhon  then  told  them, 
that  there  lay  another  country  to  the  north-east  of  Eri,  and  he 
counseled  them  to  go  and  dwell  therein.  The  Cruthneans  then 
requested  of  Erimlion  to  give  them  some  marriageable  women 
fj-om  amongst  the  widows  of  those  warriors,  who  had  been  killed 
in  the  expedition  from  Spain.  Thus  ]?ede  informs  us  in  the  first 
book  of  his  History  of  the  Saxon  Church.  And  they  gave  the 
Sun  and  Moon  as  their  sureties,  that  the  k'ingly  power  in  Cruthen- 
tuath^  {Cruhen-iooah\  which  is  now  called  Alba,  should  be  held  by 
the  right  of  the  female,  rather  than  by  that  of  the  male  progeny, 
unto  the  end  of  life.  Upon  this  condition  Erimhon  gave  them 
three  women,  to  wit,  the  wife  of  Bros,  the  wife  of  Buas,  and  the 
wife  of  Buadni.  Cathluan,  who  was  now  their  head  chieftain, 
took  one  of  these  for  his  own  wife.  They  then  set  sail  for  Cru- 
then-tuath  (i.  e.  Pictdand),  and  Catljluan  conquered  the  sovereigii 

^'  Cndhcn-tuath,  i.  c.  I'ict-land. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  217 

power  in  that  country,  and  lie  became  the  first  king  of  Alba  of 
the  Cruthnean  race,  as  we  read  in  that  duan  contained  in  the 
Psalter  of  Cashcl,  which  begins  thus:  "Hearken,  ye  sages  of  all 
Alba."     It  makes  the  following  mention  of  the  present  subject: 

"  The  conquering  Cruthnigh  seized  that  land, 
When  driven  thither  from  Ercnu-magh  f^ 
And  ten  and  sixty  far-famed  kings     - 
Of  these  did  reign  o'er  Cruthen-clar.® 

"  Of  these,  Cathluan  was  the  first — 
(I  now  but  briefly  name  their  story,) 
The  last  king  of  that  race,  who  reigned, 
Was  the  hardy  hero  Constantin." 

However,  the  druid  Trosdan,  and  the  five  other  Cruthnean 
sages  mentioned  in  the  lay  first  quoted,  remained  in  Ireland 
after  Cathluan,  and  they  there  received  lands,  in  the  plain  of 
Breagh  (Bred),  in  Meath,  from  Erimhon. 

Jn  the  fourteenth  year  after  the  death  of  Eber,  Erimhon  died, 
at  Argedros,  on  the  bank  of  the  Feoir  or  Nore  ;  and  it  was  there, 
also,  that  he  was  buried.  In  the  same  year,  the  river,  which  is 
called  the  Ethni^  {Ennie\  burst  forth  over  the  land,  in  Ui  Neill," 
and  the  river  called  FregobaP  {Freowl)  burst  over  the  land,  be- 
tween Dal  Araide  and  Dal  Eiada. 

MUIMNI,  LUIGNI  AND  LAIGNI,  ARD-RIGHA. 

A.  M.^^  2752.  The  three  sons  of  Erimhon  succeeded  their 
father  in  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland,  and  held  it  for  three  years. 
Muimni,  Luigni,  and  Laigni,  were  their  names  ;  and  they  reigned 
conjointly  until  the   death   of  Muimni,  upon   Magh-Cruaghan'"' 

^*  Erenn-Magh ,  i.  e.  the  Irish  Plain  falls   into  Lough   Eee,  south-west  of 

or  Field.     The  termination  magus,  so  Ballymahou,  in  West  Meath. 

frequent  in  old  Gallic  names,  as  in  "  Ro-  *'  Ui  Neill,  i.  e.  the  land  of  the  Ui 

tomagus,"  Rouen,  as  if  Roth  or  Ruadh-  Neill,  or  descendants  of  Niall  of  the 

mhagh,  seems  formed  from  the  Gaelic  Nine  Hostages,  of  whom  the  O'Neills 

"magh,"  i.e.  a  -plain.  Erenu-magh  might  of  Tyrone  were  but  a  sept, 

be  Latinized,  Erinomagus.     In  forming  ^'  Fregobal,\\ow  the  Ravel  Water 

compound  and   derivative  words,  the  in  the  couuty»6f  Antrim,  which  flows 

Celts  silenced  or  aspirated  one  of  the  out   of  the   small   lake  called  Agana- 

meeting  consonants,  in  order  to  avoid  municau,  in   the   parish   of  Dunaghy, 

that  harsh  grating  of  discordant  ele-  flowing    through    Glenravel,   until    it 

mentary  sounds,  that  is  so  frequent  in  joins  the  Dungonell  river.    Dal- Araide 

northern  tongues.  The  Latins  and  Greeks  extended  from  Newry  to   this  river; 

either  threw  in  a  vowel  between  them  Dal-Riada  comprised  the  remainder  of 

for  a  like  purpose,  or  dropped  a  final  "s."  Antrim. — O'D. 

«  Cruthcn-Clar,  i.  e.  the  Cruthnean  »'*  A.  M.  3517.— Foicr  Masters. 

Plain.     Clar    vmaos  o,  board,  table,  ov  '"  ilfog/í-C>-w«g/iaí!  is,  possibly,  in  the 

plain.  county  of  Roscommon.  Ard  Ladrann  is 

*^  Eithni,  now  the  River  Inny,  which  supposed  to  be  Ardamine,  in  Wexford. 


ÍIS         '  THE   HISTORY   OF  IRFT>AND. 

{Moy-Croohan\  and  until   Luigni   niid  Laigni  were  slain  bj  the 
sons  of  Ebcr,  in  the  battle  of  Ard-Ladrami. 

ER,  ORBA,  FERAKN  AND   FERGNA,  ARD-RIGHA. 

A.  ^r.'^  2755.  Er,  Orba,  Ferann  and  Fergna,  the  four  sons  of 
Eber,  held  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland  for  one  single  year,"  at  the 
end  of  which  they  were  slain  by  Irial  the  Prophet,"  in  revenge 
for  the  death  of  his  two  bj'others. 

IRIAL   THE    PROPHET,  ARD-RIGH, 

A.  M.  2756.  Irial  the  Prophet,  son  of  Erimhon,  then  held 
the  sovereignty  for  ten  j^ears ;  for  his  three  elder  brothers  had 
left  no  offspring  after  them.  Besides  this,  Irial,  upon  coming 
to  the  throne,  gained  glory  and  supremacy  b}'"  having  slain  the 
•  four  sons  of  Eber — Er,  Orba,  Ferann  and  Fergna,  in  vengeance 
for  his  two  brothers,  whom  those  kings  had  slain.  Sixteen 
plains  were  cleared  of  wood  in  the  reign  of  Iriall,  namely  :  Magh- 
Kechet,inLeix;'^*  Magh-n-Eli,^^inLcinster;  Magh-Comair;^^  ]\fagh- 
Scli,  in  Ui  Ncill ;  Magh-Sanais,  in  Connaught ;  ]\ingh  n-Inis,  in 
Ulster;  i^Iagh-Lungi  and  Magh-IMide,  in  Kianactn  ;  Magh  Tcct, 
in  Ui  Mac  Uais  ;  Magh-Fernmaighc,  in  Oirghinlla  ;  ^íagh-Fo- 
thain,  in  the  western  districts;  iMagli-Coba,  in  Ibh-Echach; 
Magh-Cuma,  in  Ui  Neill ;  Magh-Culi-Feda;  Magh-Eiada  ;  Magh- 
Dairbrech,  in  the  Fotharts  of  Dairbrech.  in  Leinster.  Irial  the 
Prophet,  son  of  Erimhon,  erected  seven  royal  raths,"  likewise  in 

'1  A.  M.  3519. — Four  Blasters.  also  in  ^foath.  Magh-Sanais,  unknown. 

""  One  sinslc  year.     The  Four  Mas-  Mngh-n-Inis,   the    barony   of    Locale, 

ters    say   that    these   princes    rei<;ncd  county  of     Down    Magk-Lungi    and 

but  half  a  year,  A.  M.  3519. — Four  Magh-Mtdc.  in  Kianada,   that  is,  in 

Masters.  the  north-west  of  Londonderry.     The 

"  Irinl  the  Prophet,   in   Irish,  Trial  Four  Masters   call   the   former  Magh- 

Faidh  (Faub).       "  Faidh,"  is  synony-  Lufrhna.   Magh-Tcrt,'m  Ui  Mic  Uais, 

moua  with  "  Vates."  or  Moygoosh,  iniknown.      Magh-Fern- 

'*  Magh-Rechct,  in  Leix.     This  plain  maighe,  now  the  barony  of  Farney   in 

lay  in  the   present   barony  of  Portiia-  the   county     of    Monaghan.      Magh- 

hinch.  adjoining  the  Great  Heath,  near  Fothnin,  in  Orior,  co.  Armagh.    Magh- 

Maryborough.     It   is   now   called   the  Coha,   in   Iveagh,  co.    Down.     Magh- 

Manor  of  Morett.— O'D.  Cuma,  unknown.      M'igh-Cufi    Fcda, 

''•"  3i«g/<-7/-L7'',  in  Ix-instcr,  now  Moy-  probably  in  the   di.strict   round  Lough 

elly,  a  townland  in   the  parish  of  Kil-  Fea,  in   Farney.      Magh-Riada,  was 

managhan,   barony   of  Kilcoursy  and  situated  in  the  Kings  co.     Magh-Dar- 

Kings  county.      It  wa.s   famous  as  the  brcch.  i.  c.  the  plain   of  the  Oaks,   lay 

residence  of  Finn  Mac  Cumhail,  in  the  near  the  Hill  of  Croghan,  in  the  same 

3d  century.  county.— O'D. 

"  il/'/g'i-Coma/r,  probably  the  plain  "  Seven  royal  roths.      1.  Rath  Kim- 

round  Cummar  near  Clonard  in  Meath.  Incith,  was  the  name  of  one  of  the  forts 

Ma<rh-Seli,  i.  e.  the  FÍain  of  the  Selc,  at  Eman  Maeha.     There  was  another 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND,  219 

Ireland,  during  his  reign,  namely :  Eath  Kimbaeith,  at  Emnn, 
Eath  Cnjcni,  on  Magh-lnis;  Rath  Bachall,  in  the  Latharna;  liath. 
Coiikcda,  in  Semni;  Eath  Mothaigh,  in  Degh-Carbad ;  Eath 
Buirech,  in  Slecta  ;  Eath  Locait,  in  Glascarn.  Tlie  year  after,  the 
three  rivers  called  the  three  Finns,'^  burst  over  the  land  in  Ulster. 
Tiie  year  following,  Irial  gained  four  battles.  The  first  of  these 
was  the  battle  of  Ard-Inmaith,''^  in  Tebtha(7'e^a),  in  which  Stirni, 
son  of  Dubh,  was  slain;  the  second  was  the  battle  of  Tenn-Magh, 
which  Irial  fought  against  the  Fomaraigh,  and  in  it  Lll  the  Fo- 
moi'ian  king,  whose  name  was  Ectghi  Eckenn  f  the  third  was 
the  battle  of  Loch-Magh,^^  in  which  fell  Lugh-Eoth,  son  of  Mogh- 
Febi.s  f^  the  fourth  battle  was  that  of  Cul-Marta,^  where  the  four 
sons  of  Eber  were  vanquished.  It  was  in  remembrance  of  these 
acts,  that  the  duan,  which  begins  with  the  following  verse,  was 
éomposed : 

"  Irial,  youngest  son  of  the  king 
Of  the  land  of  Fodla,  queen  of  ringlets, 
Eeigued  at  Sliabh  Mis,  reigned  at  Macha,*'  • 
A  victor  in  four  hard-wou  fights." 

In  two  years  afterwards,  Irial  died  at  Magh-Muaide,^  and  was 
buried  at  that  same  place. 

ETIIRIAL,  ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  2766.«'^     Ethrial,  son  of  Irial  the  Prophet,  son  of  Er 
imhon,  held  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland  for  twenty  years.     In  his 

fort  of  the  name  near  Island  Magce,  Horse-Chief,  or  the  Horse-headed.    Eo- 

co.  Armagh.    2.  Rath  Crocni,  unknown,  caidh. seems  derived  from  "Ech,"  a  horse, 

3.  Rath  Bachall,  otherwise  Bacain,  in  and  if  so,  it   corresponds  closely   with 

Larne,   co.  Armagh.     Rath    Con-keda,  the  name  Equitius. 

perhaps  in   Island  Magee,  which  was  *'  Lochmagh,    probably    Loughma, 

formerly     called      Rinn     Semni.       5.  near  Thurles,  co.  Tipperary. — O'l). 

Rath  Mothaigh,  now Ryemohy,  barony  **-  Mogh-Fehis,    otherwise.    Mofemis, 

of  Raphoe,  and  county  of  Donegal.     6.  a  chief  of  the  Fer-Bolgs. — O'D. 

Ralh  Buirech,   otherwise  Rath   Bulrg,  *^  Cm/ il/aria,  net  known.     The  Four 

unknown.    (Slecta  is  called  Slectmagh  Masters  set  down  this  battle  as  having 

by  the  Four  Masters.)     7.  Rath  Locait,  been  fought   in   the   first   year  of  his 

unknown. — O'D.  reign.     Keating  has  set  it  last,  through 

"'   Three  Finns.     The  Finn,  flowing  carelessness, 

through  Raphoe,  co.  Donegal,  was  one  *^  Reigned  at  Sliabh  Mis  reigned  at 

of  these,  the  others  were,  perhaps,  its  Macha,  i.  e.  ruled  the  whole  of  Ireland, 

tributaries.  from  north  to  south. 

"  /JciZ  Inmaith,    otherwise  Ard  In-  «s  Magh  Miíflít/e,  perhaps  the  plain 

maeith.  The  Pour  Masters  call  the  chief  of  the    River  Moy,  flowing  between 

slain  in  this  battle  "  of  Fomhor,"  i.  e.  Mayo  and  Sligo,  but  the  name  was  also 

of  the   Fomorian   nation.     The   name  applied  to  a  plain  near  Knockmoy,  six 

Ard  luniaith,  as  well   as  the  following  miles    south-oast   of   Tuam,   which   is 

one  Teimiagh,  is  obsolete. — O'D.  probably  the  place  meant. — O'D. 

'°  Ectghi    Eckenn.   otherwise  Eoch-  ss  a.'D.  3530.— Four  Masters. 
aidh,  Each-cheann,  i.  c.  Eochaidh.  the 


220 


THE    HISTORY    OF   IRELAND. 


time,  seven  plains'*'  "vvere  cleared  of  wood  in  Ireland,  namely: 
Tenn-Magh,  in  Coimaught :  Magh-Lighat  and  Magh-Belaigh,  in 
Ui  Turtri ;  Magli-Gesilli,  in  Ui  Falglii ;  Magh-Octair,  in  Leinster ; 
Loch-Magh,  in  Connaugbt,  and  Magh-Eath,  in  Ibh  EehacK 
When  this  king  had  spent  twenty  years  as  sovereign  ruler  of 
Ireland,  he  was  slain  by  Conmael,  son  of  Eber,  in  the  battle  of 
Raeiri,*®  in  Leinster. 

CONMAEL,  ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  2786.«^  Conmael,  son  of  Eber  Finn,  son  of  Miledh  of 
Spain,  reigned  thirty  years.  He  was  the  first  king^  of  the  race 
of  Eber.  This  Conmael  fought  five-and-twenty  battles^^  against 
the  progeny  of  Erimhon.  Here  follow  the  names  of  nine  of 
these  battles :  the  battle  Ucha,  the  battle  of  Cnueha,  the  battle 
of  Eli,  the  battle  of  Sliabh-Betha,  the  battle  of  Gesill,  where 
Palap,  son  of  Brinihon  was  slain,  the  battle  of  Sliabh  ISIodurn, 
where  Semroth,  son  of  Inboth,  fell,  the  battle  of  Cleri,  the  battle 
of  Loch  Lcin,  in  which  Beirri  fell,  and  the  battle  of  Aenach  Macha, 


*'  Seven  Plains.  1.  Tenn-Magh, 
unknown.  2.  Magh-Lighat,  otherwise 
LugaJh,  unknown.  3.  Magh-Belaigh  ; 
Ui  Turtri,  was  in  Antrim,  but  the  name 
of  this  plain  is  now  unknown.  4.  Magh- 
Gesilli,  was  situate  in  the  barony  of 
Geshill,  Kings  countj'.  5.  Magh-Odair 
unknown.  6.  Loc/t/nag/i,  is  said  by  the 
Four  Masters  to  be  in  Conalli.  7. 
Magh-Ratli  called  otherwise  Magh 
Both,  a  plain  in  the  county  of  Down, 
•whose  position  is  determined  by  the  vil- 
lage of  Moira. — O'l). 

■^^  Raei'i.  This  place  is  now  called 
Raeiri  Mor,  in  Jrogan,  barony  of  Tin- 
nehinch,  in  the  Queens  County. — O'D. 

"  A.  M.  :iih)0.— Four  blasters. 

^"  The  first  king.  Conmael,  other- 
wise Conniliacl  (convaijl),  is  styled 
the  first  king  of  the  Eberians,  by  the 
northern  antitiuarians  of  the  Erimon- 
ian  race,  as  tliey  do  not  allow  the  title 
of  Ard-righa,  liis  brothers  Kr,  Orba, 
Ferann,  and  Fergna,  or  Fergeiid.  It 
is  probable,  indeed,  that  theses  names  are 
apocryphal,  as  before  remarki'd  of  tli(iir 
four  namesakes,  the  sons  of  Partliitjan. 
The  same  may  be  said  of  the  three  sons 
of  Erimhon,  Muimhni  (Mooiovie),  Ln- 
ighai,  [Looinie),  and  Laighni,  {Loinie), 


who  are  said  to  have  immediately  suc- 
ceeded that  conqueror  on  the  Irish 
throne.  All  the  Ebcrian  clans  trace 
their  pedigrees  to  Conmael ;  all  the 
Erimonian  to  Irial  Faidh,  i.  e.  the 
rrojjhet,  through  Ethrial,  the  pre- 
ceding monarch. 

"'  Five  and  twenty  battles.  The  names 
of  these  battles  have  not  been  given 
in  llalliday's  edition.  They  are  found, 
however,in  two  MSS.  in  the  translator's 
possession  :  viz.  1.  Ucha,  not  known. 
2.  Cnueha,  famed  in  after  times  for  a 
battle  Ibught  there  by  Lugaidh  Mac 
Con,  is  probably,  Castleknock,  on  the 
river  Lilfey.  \i.  Eli,  in  the  south 
of  the  Kings  co.  and  north  of  Tip- 
])erary.  4.  Sliabh  Betha,  on  the 
borders  of  Monaghaii,  and  Fermanagh. 
5  Cesill,  already  located.  In  it  fell 
I'alap  son  of  iM-imhon.  G.  Sliabh  Mod- 
urn,  in  ('reniorne,  co.  Down.  7. 
CVer/,  jjerhaps  Cape  f !lear,  co.  ( 'ork, 
or  Clare  Island,  co.  Mayo.  8.  Loch 
Lcin,  now,  Killarney  Lakes.  This  bat- 
tle was  fouLrht  against  the  Ernai,  and 
Martinei,  Ferbr)lgic  tribes.  !).  Aenach 
Macha,  i.  e.  the  Fair  of  Macha,  other- 
wise Eman  Macha,  near  Armagh. 


THE   HISTORY    OF   IRELAXD. 


221 


where  Conmael  himself  was  slain  by  Eber,  son  of  Tighcrnmas, 
of  the  race  of  Erimhon,^  And  he  was  buried  on  the  southern 
side  of  Aenach  Macha,  on  the  spot  which  is  called  Fert  Conmaeil 
(i.  e.  Conmael's  grave),  to  this  daj.^-' 

TIGHERNMAS,  AKD-KIGH. 

A,  D.  2816.^  Tighernmas,  son  of  Follomhan,^  son  of  Ethrial, 
son  of  Irial  the  Prophet,  son  of  Erimhon,  held  the  sovereignty 
of  Ireland  for  fifty  years.  This  Tighernmas  defeated  the  poster- 
ity of  Eber  in  twenty-seven  battles  ;^  such  as  the  battle  of  Eli, 


i'«  Tlie  Four  Masters  tell  us,  that 
the  name  of  another  of  his  battle- 
fields was  Carnmor,  in  which  fell  01- 
lachjWho  was  probably  Follach,  father 
of  Tighernmas,  called  Follamhau,  by 
Keating. 

"'  Conmael  was  the  youngest  son  of 
Eber  Finn,  and  had  been  but  a  child 
when  his  father  was  slain.  He  was, 
solemnly  inaugurated  on  the  Lia  Fail, 
according  to  O'Halloran,  who  also 
quotes  the  following  panegyric  upon 
him,  from  the  Psalter  of  Cashel  :  "  He 
it  was  that  killed  Ethrial,  son  of  Irial 
the  Prophet,  with  his  own  hand,  in  re- 
renge  for  his  father's  blood.  He  it  was 
that  fought  fmty-five  battles  against 
the  children  of  Erimhon,  that  slew 
Palap,  the  last  survivor  of  Erimhon's 
sons,  and  that  won  the  name  of  Con- 
mael, or  Prince  of  Chiefs,  because  he 
was  superior  to  all  others  of  his  own 
time."  Thei'e  was  much  rivalry  in 
olden  time,  between  the  northern  and 
southern  tribes,  as  to  the  glory  of  the 
-  kings  of  their  respective  houses,  who 
ruled  Ireland.  Hence  the  discrepancy 
of  our  authorities  as  the  number  of 
this  king's  battles.  We  may,  however, 
conclude  that  he  was  a  real  king  of 
Ireland,  from  the  fact  that  the  anti- 
quaries of  the  Ui  Neill,  whnse  interest  it 
was  to  contest  the  right  of  the  Ebcrian's 
to  the  Irish  throne,  and  lessen  their  glory, 
have  never  questioned  his  reign.  Íii 
such  matters,  the  unwilling  testimony 
of  enemies    is   more  reliable  than  the 

Eartial  memoirs  of  friends.  The  rivalry 
etween  the  northern  and  southern 
antiquarians  continued  long  after  their 
patrons  had  ceased  to  have  a  kingdom 


to  contend  for  ;  it  can  even  be  traced 
in  the  writings  of  antiquarians  of  a 
very  recent  date. 

s*  A.  M.  3580.— Four  Masters. 

®'  Follomhan,  otherwise  Follach. 

*^  Battles.  1.  Eli,  otherwise  EUi  and 
Elni,  a  district  in  Antrim,  between  the 
rivers  Bann  and  Bush.  2.  Magh  Ted, 
unknown.  In  this  battle  fell  Rocorb, 
son  of  Gollan.  3.  Lochmagh,  i.  e.  the 
plain  of  the  Lake,  situation  uncertain. 
In  this  fight  fell  Dagarni,  son  of  Goll, 
son  of  Gollan.  (This  and  the  last-named 
chief  were  apparently  either  Fer-Bolgs 
or  Foraorachs.)  4.  Cul-Ard,  lies  iu 
Lecale,  co.  Down.  5.  Cul-Fraechnin 
unknown.  6.  Ath-Gort,  in  Semni,  lay 
somewhere  near  Island  Magee.  7.  Ard 
Niadh,  i.  e.  the  "  Hill  of  the  Hero," 
unknown.  8.  Cam  Feradaigh,])rohah]y 
Seefin,  barony  of  Coshlea,  iu  the  south 
of  the  CO.  Limerick  ;  in  the  battle  fell 
Feradach,  son  of  Rocorb,  son  of  Gollan, 
from  whom  the  Carn  is  called.  9.  Cluain 
Cuas,  i.  e.  the  Field  of  the  Caves,  now 
Cloncoose,  barony  of  Granard,  co. 
Longford.  10.  Congnaid",  in  Tuath 
Ebha  [Toohaiva),  at  the  foot  of  Bin- 
bulbin,  barony  of  Carbery,  co.  Sligo. 
11.  Cluain  Muresg,  or  Mursgi,  some- 
where in  Brefni.  12.  Cul-Fabair,  or 
Fobair,  lay  on  the  east  side  of  Loch 
Corrib,  co.  Galway.  13  .  Loch  Lugh- 
dach  [Lough  Loodagh),  i.  e.  Lugaidh's 
Lake,  now  Corrane  Lough,  in  the 
barony  of  Iveragh,  co.  Kerry.  14. 
Cu  I,  now  Coole,  in  the  parish  of  Rath- 
beagh,  on  the  Nore,  co.  Kilkenny.  15. 
Reahh  unknown.  The  Four  Masters 
give  the  following  battics  as  fought  by 
this   king,  which  are  not  named  iu  our 


222 


THE    HISTORY    OF    TRELAXD. 


the  battle  of  ^ragh-Tcct,  tlio  buttle  of  Locli-Magb,  the  battle  of 
Cul-ard,  ths  battle  of  Cail-Fraechain,  th-^.  battle  of  Ath-gort,  the 
battle  of  Ard-Niadh,  the  battle  of  Carn-Feradaigli,  the  battle  of 
Cluaa  Caas,  the  l)attle  of  Congnaide,  the  battle  of  Cliiain  Murisg, 
the  battle  of  Cul-Fabair,  and  seven  battles  at  Loch  Lughdach, 
the  two  battles  of  Cail,  at  Argedros,  the  battle  of  Roabh,  where 
the  greater  part  of  the  descendants  of  Eber  were  slain  by  Tighern- 
mas.  Nine  lakes°^  burst  over  the  land  in  the  time  of  Tighernmas, 
namely :  Loch  Ke,  and  Magh-Sulcair  was  the  name  of  the  plain 
over  which  this  lake  flowed ;  Loch-n-Allinni,  in  Connaught ; 
Loch  n-Irtirn;  Locli  n-Uair;  Loch  Saiglenn,  and  Loch-Gabair, 
in  Meath  and  Breágh;  Loch-Febail,  in  Tir-Eugain  (Teeroae),  and 
in  this  lake  was  submerged  Febal,  son  of  Lodan,^^  and  Magh- 
Fuinnside  {Moij  Fineshee),  was  the  name  of  the  plain  over  wliich 
it  flowed;  Dubh  loch,  in  Ard-Kianacta ;  and  Loch-Dabail  {Loch 
Bowil),  in  Oirghialla.  And  then,  also,  sprang  the  three  black  riv- 
ers^^  of  Ireland,  namely,  the  Fubna,  the  Callan,  and  the  Torann. 
This  same  Tighernmas  was  the  first  that  discovered  gold  ore 
in  Ireland ;  and  lucadan^**  was  the  name  of  the  artist  that  refined 
th.e  gold  for  him.     It  was  in  the  Fotharts,^  cast  of  the  Liffey, 


text,  viz.  :  1.  Comar,  not  identified.  2. 
Caamh-CkoUl,  i.  e.  the  Wood  of  Bones, 
in  Connaught,  now  Cuil-Onamha, 
{Cool  Knuw),  in  the  east  of  Tirenih, 
CO.  Sligo.  There  are  two  places  of 
this  name  in  Minister.  3.  Cul  Feda, 
not  identified.  4.  Eli,  not  identified, 
there  are  many  places  of  the  name.  ,5. 
Berre.  Two  othur  battles  at  Argedros. 
Three  battles  against  the  Fer-Bolgs 
and  two  against  the  Ernai. — O'Doiio- 
van's  Four  Masters. 

"  Nine  Lakes.  1.  Loch  Ke,  now 
Lough  Key,  near  Boyle,  co.  Roscom- 
mon. 2.  Locli  n-Allinni,  now  Lough 
Allen,  CO.  Leitrim.  3.  Lockn-Iairn, 
now  Lough  Iron,  on  the  western  boun- 
dary of  tlie  barony  of  Corkarce,  co. 
West  Meath.  4.  Loch  Uair,  now 
Lough  Owel.  near  Mullingar,  co.  West 
Meath.  5.  Lock  Sa'<glenn,  now  Lough 
Sheelin,  on  tlie  borders  of  Oavan,  Ijong- 
ford,  and  Meath.  G.  Loch  Gihair,  is 
now  dried  up,  but  its  site  is  still  called 
Loch  flabhair  [Louij^h  Gowr),  in  L'ish, 
and  in  English  Lagore.  7.  /xjc/i 
Fehiil,  otherwise  Luch  Febhail,  now 
Loch  Foyle,  on  the  north  coast  of  Ire- 
land. 8.  DabUorJi,  i.  e.  "  the  Black 
Lake  ;"  Ard  Cianacta,  is  now  called 
the  barony  of  Ferard,  co.   Louth.     9. 


Loch  Dahail,  was  the  old  name  of  a 
Lake  near  Armagh. — O'D. 

^  Febal,  son  of  Lodan,  was  one  of  the 
Tuatha-Ue-i)ananns,  of  whose  expul- 
sion from  Ailech  Ncid  and  the  north 
of  Ulster,  we  have  not  yet  heard.  By 
Tir  Eogain  is  here  meant  Inishowcn,  in 
the  north  of  Londonderry. 

""  T/te  three  black  rivers.  The  Fubna 
is  probably  the  river  now  called  Una, 
in  Tyrone  ;  the  Callan  is  the  River 
('allan,  in  Armagh  ;  the  Torann  is 
unknown,  if  it  be  not  the  River  Touro 
near  Youghal. 

""  Incadnn.  O'Flaherty  styles  this  art- 
ist Jucadan  of  Cualann.  The  Four 
Masters  also  call  him  an  artist  of  the 
men  of  Cualann.  According  to  Dr. 
O'Donovaii,  in  his  notes  to  Leabhar  na 
g-Ceart,  Cualaim  lay  in  the  north  of  the 
present  county  of  Wicklow,  adjoining 
the  county  of  l)nljlin,  and  was,  in  latter 
times,  (coextensive  with  the.  modern 
half  barony  of  Rathdown. 

'  Fntk'irts.  The  "  Fi)thart,a  Oirter 
Lifi"  (Fokartn  irhir  Lijfij)  were  also  in 
Wicklow.  The  district  la4  described 
seems  to  have  formed  part  of  them. 
Gold  is  still  found  in  Wicklow  moun- 
tains. 


THE  HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


223 


that  it  was  smelted.  It  was  also  in  the  time  of  Tighernmas  that 
cloths  were  first  died  purple  and  blue  and  green,  in  Ireland.  It 
was  in  his  time,  likewi.se,  that  ornaments,  fringes  and  borders, 
were  first  used  bj  the  Irish  upon  their  dresses.^  In  like  manner, 
it  was  he  that  first  established  it  as  a  custom  in  Ireland,  that  there 
should  be  but  one  color'  in  the  dress  of  a  slave,  two  in  that  of  a 
peasant,  three  in  that  of  a  soldier  or  a  young  nobleman,  four  in 
that  of  a  brughaidh  {brooee,  i.  e.  a  keeper  of  a  house  of  public 
hospitality),  five  in  that  of  a  district  chieftain,  and  six  in  that  of 
a  kÍLg  or  queen. 

Tighernmas,  and  three-fourths  of  the  men  of  Eri  with  him, 
died  at  Magh-Slect,*  on  the  eve  of  Samhain  -(All-Hallows),  while 
worshipping  Crom  Cruaidh,°  the  Arch  Idol  of  Ireland.  For  it 
was  this  Tighernmas  that  first  began  to  offer  idolatrous  worship 
to  Crom  Cruaidli,  ia  Ireland,  about  one  hundred  years  after  the 
axrival  of  the  Gaels,  just  as  Zoroaster^  had  done  in  Greece.    It  is 


*  *  Dresses.  Mageoghegan,  in  his 
translation  of  the  Annals  of  Clonmac- 
noise,  says  that  Tighernmas  was  the  first 
who  caused  standing  cups  to  be  made, 
that  refined  gold  and  silver,  and  pro- 
cured his  goldsmith  to  make  gold  and 
silver  pins,  to  fasten  men's  and  women's 
garments  about  their  necks,  and  also 
that  he  was  the  first  that  invented  the 
dyeing  of  colored  (i.  e.  particolored) 
cloths  in  Ireland. 

^  Colors.  The  Four  Masters  and 
O'Flaherty  ascribe  the  establishment  of 
this  latter  custom  to  the  next  succeed- 
ing monarch,  Eocaidh  Edgothach,  or 
Eadgadach.  O'Halloran  says  that  the 
latter  king  merely  put  in  force  the  law 
enacted  by  his  predecessor. 

*  Magh  Sleet,  otherwise  "  Magh 
Sleacht"  {Moy  S.'daght)  i.  e.  the  Plain 
of  Prostration.  This  plain  lay  in  the 
barony  of  TuUyhaw,  and  county  of 
Cavau.  Crom  Cruach,  the  chief  idol 
of  the  Pagan  Irish,  stood  near  a  river 
called  Gathard,  in  this  j^lain,  and  St. 
Patrick  erected  a  church  near  it,  called 
Domhnach-mor  [Doionaghmore).  Ac- 
cording to  the  Dinn  Senchas,  this  was 
the  principal  idol  of  all  the  colonies 
that  settled  i»  Ireland,  and  they  were 
wont  to  ofl'er  it  the  firstlings  of  animals 
and  other  oifjrings. — Sea  O'Donovan's 
Four  Masters. 

'  Crom  Cruaid'i,  otherwise  Crom 
Croach  and  Crom  Cruach.     O'Flaherty 


says,  that  this  idol  was  the  prince  of  all 
the  idols  of  Ireland,  and  that  it  had  its 
station,  previous  to  the  subversion  of 
idolatry,  in  iiloy  Sleuct,  where  the  Irish 
kings  and  nobility  used  to  adore  it  with 
the  highest  veneration. and  with  peculiar 
rites  and  sacrifices.  Jocelyn,  in  his  life 
of  St.  Patrick  says,  that  it  was  an  idol 
embossed  with  gold  and  silver,  and  that 
it  had  ranged  on  either  side  of  it,  twelve 
brazen  statues  of  less  distinction.  He 
further  tells  us,  that  when  St.  Patrick 
saw  this  idol  from  a  distance,  standing 
near  the  river  Gathard.  and  threatened 
to  strike  it  down  with  his  staff;  that  it 
fell  towards  the  West,  its  face  having 
been  turned  to  Temoria  or  Tara  (i.  e. 
south-east),  and  that  the  impression  of 
the  staff  was  found  on  its  left  side, 
though  it  had  never  left  the  hand  of  the 
man  of  God.  The  twelve  smaller  idols 
were  then  buried  up  to  their  necks  in 
the  earth.  In  commemoration  of  this 
destruction  of  idolatry,  it  is  thought 
that  the  last  Sunday  iti  summer  is  called 
Domhn^ch  Crom-duibh  [Doionagh  Crom- 
duiv),  i.  e.  the  Sunday  of  the  black 
Crom. — See  O'Flahertij's  Ogygia. 

"  Zoroaster.  Of  the  age  of  this  phi- 
losopher little  is  known.  He  is  sup- 
posed to  have  been  the  first  teacher  of 
the  doctrines  of  the  Eastern  Magi,  and 
is  by  some  said  to  have  boen  a  king  of 
Bactria,  where  he  was  renowned  as  a 
lawgiver  and  reformer.     He  admitted 


224 


TUE    HISTORY   OF    IRELAND. 


also  from  tho  prostrations^  (or  sacrifices)  which  the  men  of  Ireland 
were  wont  to  offer  tliereon  to  this  idol,  that  the  above-mentioned 
plain  of  ]\ra2;h-Slect,  which  is  in  Brcfni,  has  its  name. 

Some  antiquarians  tell  us,  that  Ireland  remained  Avithout  a 
king*  for  ten  years  after  the  death  of  Tighernmas,  and  that  it 
was  Eocaidh  Faebar-glas,  son  of  Conmael,  that  assumed  the  sov- 
ereignty next  after  him.  But  they  are  not  true  in  this ;  for  the 
"  Eeim  Kighraide  "  or  Eoyal  Catalogue,  says  that  Eocaidh  Edgo- 
thach,  of  the  race  of  Lugaidh,  son  of  Ith,  was  the  king  who  suc- 
ceeded him  on  the  throne. 


EOCAIDH^  EDGOTHACH,  ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  2866.1»  Eocaidh  Edgothach,"  son  ofDari,  son  of  Congal, 
son  of  Edamhan,  son  of  Mai,  son  of  Lugaidh,  son  of  Ith,  son 
of  Breogan,  held  the  sovereignty  for  four  years,  until  he  fell  by 
the  hand  of  Kermna,  son  of  Ebric. 


no  visible  object  of  adoration  but  Fire, 
and  his  system  was  far  removed  from 
the  gross  idolatry  of  Greece  and  Rome. 
Numbers  of  his  followers  are  still  found 
in  Persia  and  India.  Dr.  Keating  is 
wrong  in  brinpcing  him  to  Greece,  and 
in  coupling  his  name  with  idolatry.  It 
shows  in  how  vague  a  sense  the  word 


'"  A.  M.  3564:.— Four  Masters. 

"  Edgothach  {Aidgohagh).  He  was 
called  by  this  name,  say  some  of  our 
annals,  because  he  introduced  into  Ire- 
land the  "  Il-brecta"  [Il-braglita), or  law 
for  distinguishing  rank  by  the  various 
colors  of  persons'  garments  ;  while  oth- 
ers, who  attribute  that  law  to  Tighern- 


"Greig"  (Graigue)  was  understood  by  mas,  say  that  he  but  enforced  its  prac- 

Irish  writers.     Fire  seems  also  to  have  tiee.  The  word  is  derived  from  "Edach" 

been  the  grand  object  of  wor.-ihip  in  (Jm/oo-A),  clothes,  and  "guth"  or  "goth" 

Ireland,  as  far  as  can  be  judged  from  (goh).  a  shade  or  disthiction.     On  this 

the  scanty  evidences  that  remain  on  that  law  Mr.  Moore  has  made  the  following 

subject.  remarks :      "  In   the  reign   of    Achy 

'  Prostrations.    The  word  "Slecht"  is  (Eocaidh),  a  singular  law  was  enacted, 

translated  "genuflection"  by  Dr.  O'Don-  regulating  the  exact  number  of  colors 


ovan.  Some  have  translated  it  "slaugh- 
ter ;"  but  the  word,  which  is  still  in 
frequent  use,  can  scarcely  bear  so  strong 
a  construction  in  Gaelic. 

'  Without  a  king.  The  Four  Mas- 
ters give  Tighernmas  a  reign  of  seventy- 
seven  years,  and  say  that  after  his  death 
there  was  an  interregnum  of  seven 
years,  and  that  Eochaidh  Edgothach 
then  succeeded  as  monarch. 

°  EooAiDii  I.  Eochaidh  {Oghie),gcn. 
Echach  [Aghagli)  and  some  others  are 
names  of  such  frequent  recurrence  in 
the  list  of  our  monarchs,  that  it  is 
deemed  useful   to   desiirnate   them   by 


by  which  the  garments  of  the  different 
ranks  of  society  were  to  be  distinguished. 
These  regulations  are  curious  ;  not  only 
as  showing  the  high  station  allutted  to 
learning  and  talent,  but  as  presenting 
a  coincidence  rather  reniarkalile  with 
that  custom  of  Patriarchal  times,  which 
made  a  garment  of  many  colors  the  ap- 
propriate dress  of  kings'  daughters  and 
princes.  For  a  long  period,  indeed, 
most  of  the  Eastern  nations  retained 
both  the  ])ractice  of  dividing  the  people 
into  different  casts  and  professions,  and 
also,  as  appears  from  the  regulations  of 
(Jiamschid,  king  of  Persia,  this  custom 


numbers  in  these  notes.     It  means  home-  of  distinguishing  the  different  classes  bj' 

man    or   knight,   b(,'ing   derived    from  appropriate  dresses.     From  the  parti- 

"cch"  (agh)  a  steed,  plural  "  Eocha"  colfircd  garments  worn  by  tiie  anci<'nt 

{oglio).  Scota  or  Irish,  is  derived  the  national 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  225 


KERMNA  AND   SOBARKI,  ARD-RIGHA. 

A.  D.  2870.^^  Kcrmna  and  Sobarki,  the  two  sons  of  Ebric,  son 
of  Eber,  son  of  Ir,  son  of  Miledh,  ruled  the  kingdom  of  Ireland  for 
forty  years,  and  these  were  the  first  kings  of  the  Ulidians.^^  Thej 
made  a  partition^''  of  Ireland  between  them ;  and  the  boundary 
line  between  their  shares,  ran  from  Inber  Colpa,  near  Drogheda, 
to  Luimncch  Mumhan  {Limnagh  Moon),  now  Limerick.  North 
of  this  line  lay  the  dominions  of  Sobarki,  and  on  them  he  built 
the  dun  or  fortress  called  Dun  Sobarki.  The  southern  part  be- 
longed to  Kermna,  and  on  it  he  built  Dun  Kermna,  which  is  now 
called  Dan  Mic  Phadraig,  in  Courcies'  country,  Sobarki  was 
slain  by  Eocaidh  Menu,  the  son  of  a  Fomorian  king,  and  Kermna^^ 
fell  by  the  sword  of  Eocaidh  Faebar-glas,  in  the  battle  of  Dun 
Kermna. 

EOCAIDH  FAEBAR-GLAS,  ARD-RIGH. 

A.  D.  2910.^^  Eocaidh  Faebar-glas,  son  of  Conmael,  son  of 
Eber  Finn,  son  of  Miledh  of  Spain,  held  the  sovereignty  of  Ire- 
land for  twenty  years.  He  was  called  Eocaidy^  "  Faebar-glas  " 
or  Eocaidh  of  the  "blue-green  edge,"  because  blue-green  and 
sharp-edged  were  his  two  javelins.  He  vanquished  the  race  of 
Erimhon  in  the  following  battles,  ^^  namely :  the  battle  of  Lua- 

fashion  of  the  Plaid,  still  prevailing  '^  JJlidians,  i.  e.  the  posterity  of  Ir. 
among  their  descendants  in  Scotland."  son  of  Miledh,  who  were  the  first  Gaelic 
He  adds  in  a  note,  that  "a  similar  fancy  possessors  of  Uladh  {Vila)  or  Ulster, 
for  parti-colored  dresses  prevailed  in  '*  Partition.  This  partition  has  been 
Gaul,"  for  which  he  quotes  Diodorus  before  treated  of. 
Siculus,  who  describes  the  GauLs  as  "^  Kermna.  He  is  called  "  Cermna 
weanng  garments  "/o?w/-eátt'í;/ifl//tJa-  [Karmna)  Yvm,"  i.  e.  "the  Fair,"  by 
neties  of  color— xpiuimaLTTavTOOaTTOLq  the  Four  Masters.  ^'Sobarki,"  other-- 
ói7]v6LOnei,isvovg.'''  That  part  of  the  wise  "  Sobhairce,"  is  pronounced  Soiv-. 
dress  which  they  called  braccoa,  or  arkie  and  SovarJcie. 
breeches, were  so  called  from  having  been  '°  A.  D.  3708. — Four  Masters. 
plaided;  the  word  "brae"  {brec)  signi-  "  Eocaidh  H.  Styled  Faebhar-ghlas 
lying  in  Celtic,speckled  or  parti-colored.  (Fair-loss  or  Faivor-loss) .  He  is  called 
'I'acitus,  also,  iu  describing  Ca3cina,  as  Faebhar-dherg  (Fa2'TO?--7/a/-g),or,  of  the 
dressed  in  the  Gaulish  fashion,  repre-  Red  Blade,  by  the  Psalter  of  Cashel. 
sents  him  with  trousers  and  a  plaid  '«  Battles.  1.  Luacair  I)e<raidh,  oth- 
mantlc— u3r«co/ore  sago,  braceas  tegmen  erwise  "  Luachair  Deaghaidh"  (Looghir 
barbarum  mdutus.  And  again  he  says :  Dea  or  Die),  now  Slieve  Longlira,  near 
'■  Ihus  Jacob  made  Joseph  a  coat  of  Castleisland,  co.  Kerry.  2.  FosadkDa 
many  colors  (Gen.  xxxvii.  3),  and  Ta-  Ohort  {Fossa  daiv  ghort),  i.  c.  the  D well- 
mar  (2  bani.  xui.  18),  had  a  garment  ingof  the  Two  (tilled)  Fields,  unknown. 
0Í  many  colors,  for  with  such  robes  3.  Cumar  ttri  n-uiski  (Cummor  dree 
were  the  knigs'  daughters,  that  were  nishJct).  the  Meeting  of  the  Three  Wa- 
""""I'T'  ^IJP'^^^^'^^-  ters,  near  Waterford.  4.  Twiim  Dre- 
■  A.  M.  3i)6S.— Fowr  Masters.  gain  ( Tooim  Dragguin)  or  Tuaim  Dr©. 
15 


226 


THE   HISTORY   OF  IRELAND. 


oair  Degaidli,  iu  "Munster;  the  battle  of  Fosaigli-Da-Gort;  the 
battle  Cumar-tri-u-uiski  or  the  Meeting  of  the  Three  Waters ;  the 
battle  of  Tuaitn-Dregain,  in  Brcfni;  the  battle  of  Drom  Liathain. 
The  following  plains^^  were  cleared  of  wood  by  him  while  he  ruled 
Ireland,  namely  :  Magh-Smethrach,  in  Ui  Falghi ;  Magh-Laigni 
and  Magh-Luirg,  in  Connaught ;  Magh-Lemna ;  Magh-Ninair ; 
Magh-Fubna  and  Magh-Da-Gabail,  in  Oirghialla.  This  Eocaidh 
fell  at  last  by  Fiacaidh  Labranni,  in  the  battle  of  Carman.^'* 


FIACADH  LABRAJSTNI,  ARD-RIGH. 

A.  D.  2930.-^  Fiacaidh  Labranni,^  sou  of  Smirgoll,  son  of 
Enboth,  son  of  Tighernmas,  son  of  Follomhan,  son  of  Irial  the 
Prophet,  son  of  Erimhon,  held  the  kingdom  of  Ireland  for 
twenty-four  years,  or  for  thirty-six,^^  as  other  historians  relate. 
It  was  in  his  reign  that  the  following  three  rivers^*  sprang  forth, 
namely:  the  Flesg,  the  Maing,  and  the  Labrann.  From  the  lat- 
ter of  these  Fiacaidh  received  his  surname,  "Labranni,"  i.  e.  of 
the  Labrann.  In  his  time,  also,  Loch  Erni^"  burst  over  the  land, 
and  the  plain  which  it  overwhelmed  was  called  Magh-Ghenainu. 


cou,  now  Tomregan,  near  Ballyconncll, 
on  the  borders  of  Cavan  and  Ferma- 
uagli.  5.  Drom  Liathain  [Drum  Lee- 
hawin),  is  probably  Drom  Lethan  {Drum 
Lahan),  now  Drumlane,  co.  Cavan. — 
O'D. 

"  Plains.  1.  Magh-Smethrach  {Moy 
Smarragh),  in  OSlxllyis,  unknovrn.  2. 
Mag-Laigni  {Moy-Linch)  ;  the  Four 
Masters  have  AÍagh  n-Aidhni  {Moij- 
Nineh).  a  district  in  Galway.  3.  Magh- 
Luirg  [Moij-Lurrig),  now  the  plains  of 
Boyle,  CO.  Eoscommon.  4.  Magh-Lem- 
na [Moy-Leivna  or  Levna),  a  district 
lying  eastwards  of  Clogher,  in  Tyrone, 
along  the  river  Blackwatcr ;  it  was 
otherwise  called  Closach.  .">.  Magh- 
Ninair,  called  also  Magh  n-Inir,  un- 
known. 1.  Magh-Fuhna,  probaly  the 
plain  of  the  river  f)ona,  in  'I'yrone. 
6.  Magh  da  Gabail  {Moy  daiv  Gowal), 
iu  Oirghialla. — O'D. 

™  Carman,  now  Wexford.  ITence 
comes  Loch  g-Carman  [Lough  Gnrmnn), 
i.  e.  the  Lake  of  Carman,  or  rather  Car- 
ma,  now  Wexford  Bay,  which  Moore, 
ill  his  History  of  Ireland,  would  have 
to  mean  the  '•  German  lake." 

='  A.  M.  3728.— FoM)'  Masters. 

^  FiACADn  I.,  otherwise  •'  Fiachadh 


Labhrainni"  {Feegha  Lavrinnie  or  Low- 
rinnie). 

^  The  Four  Masters  agree  with  Dr. 
Keating  in  stating  that  this  monarch 
reigned  but  twenty-four  years. 

-*  Three  Rivers.  1.  The  Flesg,  now 
the  Flesk,  a  river  flowing  through 
Magnnily,  in  the  south-cast  of  Kerry. 
2.  The  Maing,  now  the  Maine,  flowing 
through  Troughanacmy,  iu  the  same 
county.  3  The  Labrann,  otherwise 
Labhrann  [Lavrann  or  Lowran).  Ilal- 
liday  translates  this,  the  Larne,  but 
Dr.  O'Donovan  thinks  that  this  river 
lay  in  the  same  region  with  the  other 
two,  and  was  that  now  called  the 
Cashen  River,  in  Kerry.  See  Four 
Masters. 

**  Loch  Erni,  now  Lough  Erne,  co. 
Fermanagh.  The  Annals  of  the  Four 
Masters  say  tliat  Fiacaidh  fought  a 
battle  against  the  Kriiai,  (a  Sept)  of 
the  Fcrbolgs  (on  the  plain)  where 
Jjoch  r>ne  (now)  is.  After  the  bat- 
tle was  gained  from  them,  the  lake 
flowed  over  them,  so  that  it  was  from 
tli(;m  the  lake  is  named,  i.  e.  "  a  lake 
over  the  Ernai"  "  (Loch  tar  Ernai)." 
—O'D. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  227 

It  was  the  son  of  tliis  monarch,  who  was  called  Aengus  011- 
buadach,^®  that  routed  the  Cruthnigh  (Picts)  and  the  ancient  Brit- 
ons, Avho  dwelt  in  Alba,  in  many  battles.  It  was  he,  likewise, 
that  first  brought  Alba  under  the  dominion  of  the  Gaels,  although 
the  latter  had  claimed  a  right  of  tribute  from  that  country,  ever 
since  the  days  of  Erimhon,  son  of  Miledh.  It  was  about  one 
hundred  and  fifty  years  after  the  conquest  of  Ireland  by  the 
children  of  Miledh,  that  Alba  was  brought  under  the  Gaelic 
sway  and  compelled  to  pay  rent  to  the  Irish  monarchs,  by  Aen- 
gus 011-buadach.  This  Fiacaidh  fought  four  battles^^  against  the 
posterity  of  Eber,  namely :  the  battle  of  Fargi,  the  battle  of  Gal- 
laidh,  the  battle  of  Sliabh  Femhenn,  and  the  battle  of  Bel-Gadan ; 
in  which  last  he  was  himself  slain  by  Eocaidh  Mumho. 

EOCAIDH   MUMHO,  ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  2954.28  Eocaidh  Mumho,^»  son  of  Mogh  Febis,  son  of 
Eocaidh  Faebar-Glas,  son  of  Comnael,  son  of  Eber  Finn,  son  of 
Miledh  of  Spain,  reigned  over  Ireland  for  twenty-one  years,  until 
he  was  slain  by  Aengus  011-mucaidh,  in  the  battle  of  Cliach.^" 

AENGUS   OLL-MUCAIDH,  ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  2975.^'  Aengus  011-mucaidh,^  son  of  Fiacaidh  Labranni, 

"^^  Aengus   Oll-buadach.      011-bhuad-  iionu,"     i.  e.  the  Mountain     of   Fair 

hach  {Ull-vooagh),  meaus  all  victorious,  Women,  is  a  corruption  of  "  Sliabh  ua 

being   derived     i'rom   "  Oil,"    all  and  m-ban  Femenn,"  i.  e.   the  mountain   of 

"  buadh,"   victory.       The  surname   is  the  women   Femhenn.       According  to 

also    spelled,  '•  0!l-mhuchach "     {Ull-  local  tradition,    the    women    of    this 

vooghagh),  which  would  mean,  all  ex-  mountain  were  enchanted  beauties,  co- 

tinguishing,  being  a  compound  of  "oil"  temporary  with  Finn  Mac  Cumhail  in 

with  Much    {Moogh),   which   signifies  the  3d  century.  4.  Bel  Gadan,  now  Bul- 

to  extinguish.     OU-mhucaidh  ( UU  Vuc-  gadan,  in  the  parish  of  Kilbreedy  Major, 

kee),  translated  "  of  the  Great  Swine,"  near  Kilmallock,  co.  Limerick. — 0  D. 

another    form    of    the    surname,   but  ^*  A.  M.  37.52. — Four  Blasters. 

which  should  rather  mean  5WJÚí2's/t,  either  '*  Eocaidh  III.,  otherwise  Eochaidh 

abounding  in  swine  or  all  swinish,  is  a  Mumha  {Oghee  Moo  or  Muv  ).       This 

title  very  unlikely  to  be  given  to  a  con-  is  the  prince  from  whom  some  legends 

quering  hero,  although,  as   O'Flaherty  derive  the  Irish  name  of  Munstcr.  It  is, 

instances,    the    distinguished     Roman  however,  more  probable  that  he  derived 

family  of  the  Porcii,  may  have   taken  his  surname  from  that  principality,  as 

its  surname  from  "  porcus,"  a  Swi-:e.  before  suggested.  If  the  word '-Mumho" 

^'  Battles.     1.  Fargi,  unknown.     In  were  at   anytime  Gaelic,  some  reason 

this  battle,  fell  Mofebis  or  Mogh  Febis,  would  have  been  given  for  its  having 

son  of  Eocaidh  Faebar-glas.  2.  Gallaidh,  been  applied  to  this   King.   The  most 

called  also    Gathlach,   now   probably  probable  meaning  to  assign  to  his  name 

Gayly,  in.thc   barony  of  Iraghticonor,  and  title   is  "the  knight"  or '•  horseman 

CO.  Kerry.      3.  Slialjh  Femhenn,  oth-  of  Mumho,"  i.  e.  of  Munster. 

erwise  Sliabh  FnimhQn  {Sleeve  Faivinn  ^"  Cliach.  Ti<e  district  round  Kncck- 

or  Fewmn), is  now  called  Slieve-na-man,  any,  co.  Limerick,  went  by   this  name. 

CO.  Tipperary.  The  present  local  name  ="'  A.  M.  3773. — Four  Musters. 

of  this  mountain,  "  Sliabh   na   n-ban  ^-  Aengusi,    called     "  Aengus   Oil- 


223 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IREI,AND. 


of  the  line  of  Erimlion,  held  the  sovereignty  for  eighteen  yaris,, 
or,  according  to  some  authorities,  for  twentj-one.  He  was  called 
Oll-miicaidh,  from  "oil"  greal.ixnil  "  muca"^*  siwme;  because  he 
possessed  the  largest  swine  in  Ireland  in  his  day.  By  him  were 
fought  the  following  battles,^  namely :  the  battle  of  Cleri,  the 
battle  of  Sliabh  Calgi,  where  Baskenn  fell ;  the  battle  of  Magh- 
En-Sgiath,  in  Connaught ;  the  battle  of  Glas  Fraechain,  where 
Fraechan  the  Prophet  foil ;  and  he  gained  fifty  battles  over  the 
Ci'uthnigh  and  the  Fer-Bolgs  and  the  inhabitants  of  the  Orcades. 
Three  lakes^  burst  forth  in  his  reign,  namely :  Loch  Aein-bethi, 
in  Oirghialla;  Loch  Salkedain  and  Loch  Gasan,  in  Magh  Luirg. 
The  following  plains^  were  reclaimed  from  wood  in  his  reign, 


mucadha"    {Aineesse  OUvucJcee),  in  the 
Four  Masters. 

^^  Muca.  This  derivation  must  have 
originated  with  some  facetious  Munster 
Shanachie,  who  not  being  able  to  deny 
the  power  and  victories  of  Aengus, 
gave  this  somewhat  ridiculous  version 
to  his  title  of"  all  subduing,"  in  order 
to  please  his  patrons  of  the  line  of 
Ebcr,  the  enemies  and  rivals  of  the 
posterity  of  Aengus.  Dr.  Keating 
has  too  readily  adopted  many  such 
coarse  jokes  as  real  derivations.  "  Dr. 
Keating,  indeed,''  says  the  learned  O'- 
Flaherty,  "  was  a  man  of  profound 
reading  in  the  antiquities  of  his  country, 
but  he  acted  like  that  man  amongst 
the  seasoncrs  of  the  salad,  who  threw 
all  sorts  of  herbs  into  it  promiscuously 
without  clioice  or  selection." 

**  Battles.  Cleri,  perhaps  Cape 
Clear,  battle  of  Sliabh  Cnl<^i  {Sleeve 
Ca'guy),  in  Corcabaskin,  was  fought 
against  the  Martini,  a  Belgian  tribe 
It  is  thought  that  the  mountain  of 
Callain,  in  Ibrickan,  co.  Clare,  is  the 
place  here  named,  as  Ibrickan  formerly 
was  included  in  Corcobaskin  {which 
probablij  had  its  name  from  the  Bascend 
or  Baskenn  lierc  named).  3.  Magh  En- 
Sgiat'i  {Moy  Ainskeeh).  i.  c.  "  the 
plain  of  the  One  Shield,"  unknown.  3. 
Glas,  otherwise /ios-  Fraeclut'i,  in  the 
barony  of  Murrcsk,  in  Mayo.  Aengus 
also  fought  the  battle  of  Cuirki  (not 
identified)  against  the  Martini ;  and  the 
battle  of  Cam  Rekeda,  (not  identifi  id,) 
the  battle  of  Cuil  Hatha,  in  South 
Munster  ;  the  battle  of  Sliabh  g-Cua, 
now  Slieve  Gua,  in  the  parish  of  Seski- 


nan,  in  the  Desiea  of  "Waterford,  against 
the  Ernai  ;  and  the  battle  of  Ard- 
Achad,  (perhaps  Ardagh,  co.  Longford,) 
in  which  fell  Smirgoll,  son  of  Smethra, 
king  of  the  Fomorians. — O'D. 

^^  Lakes.  1.  Loth  Aein-bethi,  {Ain- 
behi,)  probably  Dellahoe  Lough,  on 
the  confines  of  Meath  and  Monaghan. 

2.  Loch  Salkednn,  or  Loch  Sailech,  i.  e. 
"  the  Lake  of  Willows,"  not  identified. 

3.  Loch  Gasan,  in  the  barony  of  Boyle, 
not  identified.  We  shall  soon  cease  to 
hear  of  these  burstings  or  springinga 
forth  of  lakes  and  rivers,  whatever 
meaning  our  Pagan  bards  and  Druids 
attached  thereto.  It  has  been  before 
said,  that  the  discovery  of  those  lakes 
might  be  what  is  thus  recorded  ;  so 
might,  in  like  manner,  cither  the  con- 
quests of  the  districts  in  which  they  lay, 
or  iheir  exposure  to  view  by  tlie  clearing 
of  the  plains  in  their  vicinity.  If  there 
be  any  foundation  for  these  traditions, 
it  must  be  some  of  these.  The  Four 
Masters  record  an  eruption  of  the  Sea, 
in  this  reign,  between  Eba  (Magherow), 
and  Uos  Ketti  (the  Rosses),  on  the 
coast  of  Sligo. 

"*  Plains.  1.  Magh  Glennn  Dcrcon, 
i.  e.  tiie  plain  of  the  Valley  of  Acorns, 
unknown.  2.  Mag'i  Acntgiath,  un- 
known. 3.  Magh  Culi  Cacl,  a  narrow 
plain  situated  in  the  barony  of  Banagh, 
in  the  west  of  Donegal.  "  Bogani"  in 
the  text  should  be  "  Bogancch."  4. 
Ael-magh,  i.  e.  the  plain  of  Lime ;  there 
are  many  districts  called  Calraidho 
{Calree),  where  this  plain  might  be 
situated,  .'i.  Magh  Mucrom'ii,  lay  in 
Galway,  immediately   to   the   west  of 


TELE   HISTORY   OF  IRELAND.  229 

namely:  Magh-Glcnna  Dercon,  in  Kinel  Conaill;  Magli-xiein- 
Sgiatli,  in  Leinster ;  Magh-Culi  Gael,  in  Bogani ;  Ael-Magh,  in 
Calraide;  Magli-Mucrorahi,  in  Connauglit;  Magh-Luacra  De- 
gaidb  and  Magh-Arcoill,  in  Ciaraide  Luacra. 

Aengus  Oll-inucaidh  was  finally  slain  in  the  battle  of  Sliabh 
Cua,  by  Enna,  son  of  Nectan,  a  Munsterman.  Ilowever,  some 
historians  tell  us  that  Enna  Argthech  was  the  man  that  slew  him, 
in  the  battle  of  Carman  f  and  this  tradition  is  more  likely  to  be 
the  true  one,  according  to  the  duan  that  begins  with  the  verse, 
"Aengus  011-mucaidh  was  slain."  The  E,eim  Righraide  or 
Royal  Catalogue,  likewise,  bears  out  the  latter  tradition. 

ENNA  ARGTHECH,  ARD-RIGH, 

A.  M.  2993.2«  Enda^3  Argthech,  i.  e.  Enda  the  Despoiler  or 
Plunderer,  son  of  Eocaidh  Mumho,  of  the  line  of  Eber,  held  the 
sovereignty  of  Ireland  for  twenty-seven  years.  He  was  the  first 
that  made  silver  shields^"  in  Ireland.  He  had  them  made  at  Ar- 
gedros,  and  bestowed  them  upon  the  Irish  chieftains.  He  fell 
by  the  sword  of  Rothectach,  son  of  Maen,  in  the  battle  of 
Raigni.*^ 

ROTHECTACH,  ARD-RIGH. 

A.  IL  3020.^^  Rothectach,*3  son  of  Maen,  son  of  Aengus  011- 
mucaidh,  of  the  line  of  Erimhon,  reigned  over  Ireland  for  twenty- 
five  years,  and  then  was  slain  by  Sedna,  son  of  Artri,  at  Rath- 
Cruachan.*^ 

SEDNA,  ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  304:5.'^  Sedna,"^  son  of  Artri,  son  of  Ebric,  son  of  Eber, 
son  of  Ir,  son  of  Miledh  of  Spain,  held  the  monarchy  of  Ireland 

Athenry.     6.    Magh-Luchair  Degaidh  tbeir  nobility.     See  the  Leabhar  na  g- 

{Mog  Looghra  Dea),  lay  near  Castleisl-  Ceart,  edited  by  Dr.  O'Donovan. 

and,  CO.  Kerry.     7.  Migh-Arcoill  lay  ^'  Raigni  was  the  name  in  Ossory, 

in  Kerry  also,  but  its  precise  situation  called  also   Magh  Raigni,  whence   the 

is  unknown.  king  of  that   country  was   sometimes 

^'   Carman,   now   Wexford.       It   is  called  '•  Righ  Raighiii,"  (Ree  Royaie.) 

here  the  Four  Masters  say  that  he  was  — 0"D. 

slaia,  and  by  Enna  Argthech.  *-^  A.  M.  3817. — Four  Blasters. 

^"  A.  M.  3791.     Four  Masters.  ^^  Rotiiectacu   I.,     otherwise   Roi- 

2'  Enna  1.     This  name  is  otherwise  theachtach  {Rohaghtagh). 

spelled  "  Enda."     His  surname  is  pro-  *^  Rath  Cruachan,  now  Rathcroghan 

nounced,  Arriggagh.  near  Belanagare,  in  the  county  of  Ros- 

■"^  Silver  Skields.     This  might  mean  common, 

shields,  ornamented  or  embossed   with  *^  A.  M.  33Í3.— Four  Masters. 

silver.     For  an  account  of  the  various  *^  Sedna  I. 
presents   made   by  the  Irish   kings   to 


230 


THE   HISTORY    OF    IRELAND. 


for  five  years,  at  the  end  of  wliicli  he  was  slain  by  liis  own  son, 
at  Cruachaiu,  upon  his  return  fi\)ni  his  marine  expedition.*^ 

FIACAIDH  FIN-SGOTHACU,  ARD-RIGH. 

A.  :M.  3050.'^  Fiacaidh^s  Fin-Sgothach,  son  of  Sedna,  of  the  line 
of  Ir,  ruled  Ireland  for  twenty  years.  He  was  called  "  Fin- 
Sgothach,"  or,  of  the  wine  Jlowers,^  because  in  his  time  there 
were  wine-producing  flowers,  i.e.  "Sgotha  fina"  {Skoha feena)  in 
Ireland,  which  the  peojjle  used  to  press  into  cups.  Fiacaidh  Avas 
slain  by  Munemhon,  son  of  Cas  Clothach. 


MUNEMHON,  ARD-RIGH. 


A.  M.  3070.S1  Munemhon,^2  g^^  ^f  Qr^^  Clothach,  son  of  Fe- 
rarda,  son  of  Rothectach,  son  of  Eos,  son  of  Glas,  son  of  Nuadath, 
son  of  Eocaidh  Faebar-glas,  son  of  Conmael,  son  of  Eber,  held 
the  sovereignty  of  Ireland  for  five  years.  Munemhon  was  the 
first,  who  ordained  that  collars  of  gold^  should  be  worn  round 


*'  Marine  Expedition.  Perhaps  pi- 
ratical expedition,  were  the  better 
translation  ;  the  original  is  "  dubh- 
loingess,"  [Doo-liiiges^.)  i.  e.  black  fleet. 

«  A.  M.  3848.— Four  Misters. 

■"  Fiacaidh  II.,  otherwise  Fiachadh 
{Feegha^. 

*"  Wine  flowers.  Halliday  trans- 
lates the  -words  "  Sgotha  fiona'  by 
"  a  shower  of  grapes,"  a  construction 
that  it  can  scarcely  bear.  There  is  a 
tradition,  that  a  species  of  beer  was 
formerly  extracted  from  hcatli  flowers, 
in  Ireland,  but  the  probability  is,  that 
this  reference  is  made  to  the  invention 
of  some  drink  which  was  pressed  from 
the  natural  fruits  of  the  country.  Finns- 
gothach,  {Feenskohngh.)  might  be  a 
corruption  ofFiim  Sgothach,  and  liave 
reference  to  his  "  Finnghail"  [fined), 
or  parricide.  To  lop  njf,  is  one  of  the 
meanings  of  the  word  "  Hgoth." — The 
Four  Masters  lell  us,  that  every  plain 
in  Ireland,  alK)nnd(;d  in  flowers  and 
shamrocks,  in  tlie  time  of  Fiacaidh. 
These  flowers,  moreover,  were  found 
full  of  wine,  so  that  the  wine  was 
squeezed  into  bright  vessels.  Dr.  0'- 
Donovan  says  that  ''fiinisgothach,"  i.  c. 
of  white  flmvers,  is  the  nKjre  likely 
reading,  and  adds,  as  a  reason,  the  re- 
mark that  "wine  was  then  probably  un- 


known in  Ireland,"  forgetting,  appa- 
rently, that  this  country  must  have 
been  then  "  well  known"  to  the  Pheni' 
cians,  and  that.that  nation  of  merchants 
would  not  have  forgotten  so  tcm])t- 
ing  a  commodity  as  wine,  in  their  trade 
with  the  natives,  even  supposing  the 
latter  to  have  been  mere  savages. 
Wine,  too.  is  as  old,  if  not  older  tlian 
Noah,  and  it  is  not  likely  that  any  of 
his  posterity  would  have  so  soon  for- 
gotten its  name.  To  those  that  think, 
with  the  editor,  that  the  race  of  Eber 
Scot  had  come  to  Eri,  immediately 
from  a  vine-bearing  region,  the  occur- 
rence of  the  word  "  lion  "  or  "  fin  "  docs 
not  seem  premature.  The  name,  with 
but  slight  variations,  is  found  in  the 
Greek,  Tiatin  and  Hebrew  languages, 
■whence  we  may  infer  that  its  7'hoeni- 
cian  was  also  not  remote  from  the 
Caclic  "  fion."  It  is  certain  the  word 
wa.s  in  use  before  tlie  (Jaels  left  the 
common  cradle  of  all  mankind. 
»'  A.  M.  3868.— Four  il/«.s7e)-.i 
'^*  Mr.vEMno.v,  otherwise  Muineam- 
lion,  [Mimevone.)  Cas  Clothach, 
[Clohnrrh,)  i.  c.  Cas  the  Renowned.  The 
Four  Masters  say  that  Munendion  had 
assisted  Fiacaidh  I.  in  killing  his  father. 
"  Collars  of  Gold.  Numbers  of 
such  golden  collars  or   "  torques,"    (in 


THE   HISTORY  OF   IRELAND.  231 

their  necks  by  tlie  noblemen  of  Ireland.     He  died  of  the  plague, 
at  Magh-Aidui.^ 

ALLDERGOID,  ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  3075.^^  Alldergoid,^°  son  of  Munemhon,  son  of  Cas 
Clothach,  of  the  line  of  Eber,  held  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland 
for  seven  years.  It  was  in  the  time  of  Alldergoid  that  the 
Irish  noblemen  first  began "  to  wear  rings  of  gold  upon  their 
hands.  This  monarch  was  slain  by  Ollamh  Fodla,  in  the  battle 
of  Tembair. 

OLLAMH   FODLA,  ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  3082.57  Ollamh  Fodla,^^  son  of  Fiacaidh  of  the  Wine- 
flowers,  son  of  Sedna,  son  of  Ártri,  son  of  Ebric,  son  of  Eber, 
son  of  Ir,  son  of  Miledh,  held  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland  for 
thirty  years,^^  at  the  end  of  which  he  died  within  his  own  walls. 
This  prince  got  the  name  of  "  Ollamh  Fodla"  or  "  Sage  of  Ire- 
land," because  he  proved  himself  to  be  an  "  Ollamh"  in  wisdom 
and  in  intellect,  by  the  laws  and  regulations  which  he  instituted 
in  Ireland  during  his  reign.  It  was  he  that  first  established  the 
Convention  of  Temhair  or  Tara,  as  the  bard  thus  tells  us  : 

Irish  tore),  have  been  discovered  in  Ire-  who,  from  the  strong  liglit  of  tradition 

land.    {See  Walker  on  The  Dress  of  the  thrown  round  him,  stands  out  as  a  be- 

Ancient  Irish).    They  are  of  most  elab-  ing  of  historical  substance  and  truth, 

orate    workmanship,  and  if  mauufac-  It  would  serve  to  illustrate  the  nature 

tnred  at  home,   betoken   a  great  ad-  and  extent  of  the  evidence  with  which 

vancement  in  the  art  of  working  metals,  the  world  is  sometimes  satisfied,  to  col- 

'<  3Iagh-Aidni,  in  the  south  of  the  lect  together  the  various  names  which 

county  Galway.  are  received  as  authentic  on  the  strength 

"  A.  M.  3873.  Four  Masters.  of  tradition  alone  ;  and  few,  perhaps, 

''  Alldergoid,  or  Faldergoid.    Ths  could  claim  a  more  virtual  title  to  this 

Four  Masters  spell  this  name  "  Fail-  privilege  than  the  great  legislator  of 

deardoid,"  which  (if,  as  some  say,  it  be  the  ancient  Irish,  Ollamh  Fodhla." 

derived  from   "  fail"  a  ring,  "  dcarg"  ^^  Thirty  years.     The  Four  Masters 

or  "derg,"  red,  and  "doid,"  a  hand)  give  him  a  reign  of  forty  years  ;  so  do 

should  be  pronounced,  Fanlj'argode.  some   MS.   copies    of   Keating.     The 

"  A.  M.  3883. — Four  Masters.  number  in  the  text  is  that  given   by 

'■^  EocAiDH  IV.     Ollamh  Fodla,  the  Halliday,  in  his  verson  of  our  author  ; 

name  by  which  this  earliest  legislator  and  the  editor,  finding  him  supported 

of  the  Gaels  is  best  known,  was  but  an  by  one  MS.  and  by  Dcrmod  O'Con- 

honorary   title.      His  real   name  was  nor's  translation,  has  adopted  it  from 

Eocaidh.       '-Among    the    numerous  him,  as  he  wishes  to  follow  that  judi- 

kings,"  says  Moore  in  his  History  of  cious  translator  upon  all  dubious  points 

Ireland,  "that  in  this  dim  period  of  Irish  relative  to  Keating's  text.     However, 

history  pass  like  shadows  before  our  O'Flaherty,  O'Hatloran,  and  most  oth- 

eyos,  the  Royal  Sage  Ollamh  Fodlila  er  autliorities,  assign  to  Ollamh  Fodla 

[Ollava  Fola),  is  almost  the  only  one  a  reign  of  forty  yeare. 


282  THE   HISTQIiY    OF    lEELANI). 

"  Ollamh-Fodla,  skilled  in  the  fight, 
'Twas  lie  that  built  the  Ollamhs'  hall  ; 
This  mighty  king  of  happy  reign 
First  instituted  Temhair's  Feast." 

The  Convention  of  Tara^"  (or  the  "  Feis  Temhrach,")  was  a 
great  general  assembly,  somewhat  like  a  parliament,  to  which  the 
nobles  and  ollamhs  of  Ireland  were  wont  to  repair  every  third 
year,  about  the  time  of  the  feast  of  Samhain,^^  in  order  to  renew 
and  establish  laws  and  regulations,  and  to  give  their  sanction  to 
the  annals  and  historic  records  of  Ireland.  At  it  an  especial  seat 
was  assigned  to  each  of  the  Irish  nobility,  according  to  his  rank 
and  title.  There  was,  also,  assigned  thereat,  an  especial  seat  to 
each  of  the  chieftains  of  the  bands  of  warriors  who  were  retained 
in  the  service  of  the  kings  and  lords  of  Ireland. 

It  was  likewise  a  sacred  and  established  usage,  that  the  man 
who  committed  a  rape  or  robbery,  or  who  struck  or  attempted  to 
strike  another  with  any  hostile  weapon,  at  the  Convention  of 
Tara,  should  inevitably  suffer  death ;  and  neither  the  king  him- 
self, nor  any  other  person,  had  the  power  of  pardoning  his  crime. 
And,  furthermore,  it  was  the  usage  of  the  men,  who  were  to  form 
this  convention,  to  spend  six  days  previous  to  its  sitting,  to  wit: 
three  days  before  and  three  days  after  the  Samhain,  in  feasting 
together,  and  in  making  peace,  and  establishing  mutual  friendly 
relations  between  them.     Eocaidh  O'Floinn  speaks  of  the  usages 

{)racticed  at  the  Convention  of  Temhair,  in  the  following  historic 
ay: 

"  Each  third  year  Temhair's  Feast  was  held  ; 
There  righteous  laws  and  rules  were  made, 
And  usage  old  in  force  upheld 
By  Eri's  proud  and  mighty  kings. 

"  King  Cathair,"^  sire  of  many  clans, 
Once  called  high  Temhair  s  noble  Feast, 
And  thither  came,  well  pleased  thereat, 
All  liri's  chiefs,  at  his  command. 

"  Three  days  ere  Samhain's  sacred  rites, 
And  three  days  after  (usage  good), 
Spent  there  that  proud  and  daring  host 
In  banqueting  and  revel  gay. 

^  TJie    Convention  of   Tara.    The  been  both  a  feast  and  a  convention, 

term  "Feis  Temhrach"  [Fesh  Tavrft<:lL),  from  T)r.  Keating's  description  of  it. 

Is  translated  "  Temorensia  Comitia"  by  "'  Somli'tin,  i.  e.  All-Hallows  ;   pro- 

Dr.  Lynch  and  by  O'Flaherty  ;  but  it  nounced  Smvi)i  or  Siivwin. 

is  called  "  Cena  Teamra"  in  the  An-  "■'  Catiiakii:.     'J'his  king's   name  is 

nals  of  Tighernach,  and  translated,  The  prematurely  introduced.     Jie  did  not 

Feast  of  Taragh  by  Mageoghegan  {see  live  for  some   centuries  after   Ollanih 

O'D.'s  Four  Masters.)  It  seems  to  have  Fodla. 


THE   HISTORY    OF.  IRELAND.  233 

"  Thence  theft  was  driven  and  murder  dire, 
During  those  brief  and  happy  days  ; 
None  weapon  bared,  none  treason  wrought, 
No  brawl  was  raised,  nor  insult  flung. 

"  The  man,  who  wrought  one  deed  of  these, 
Was  deemed  an  impious,  outlawed  wretch  ; 
No  gold  his  forfeit  could  redeem — 
His  life  was  doomed,  his  head  accursed." 

FINACTA,  ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  2112.^  Fiuacta,«*  son  of  OUamh  Fodla,  son  of  Fiacaidh 
of  the  Wine-flowers,  of  the  line  of  Ir,  son  of  Miledh,  held  the 
sovereignty  of  Ireland  for  fifteen  years.  He  was  called  Finacta^ 
or  "  Fm-Shnechta"  (Fecnaghta),  i.  e.  "Snechta  Fina"  {snaghta 
feena)  or  "  snow  of  wine,"  from  a  shower  of  wine  snow^^  that  fell 
during  his  reign.     He  died  at  Magh-Inis. 

SLAJS'OLL,  ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  3143.6^  Slanoll,  son  of  Ollamh  Fodla,  of  the  line  of  Ir, 
son  of  Miledh,  ruled  Ireland  for  fifteen  years.^^  He  was  called 
"  Slanoll"  from  the  great  health  enjoyed  by  the  men  of  Ireland 
during  his  reign  ;  for  "slan"  is  the  same  as  "  healthy,"  and  "  oil" 
means  "great."  It  was  in  the  house  of  Midh-Cuarta  {mee-cooria), 
at  Temhair,  that  he  met  his  death  ;  and  some  say  that  nobody 
knew  what  disease^^  it  was  that  took  him  off 

GEDHI  OLL-GOTHACH,  ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  3143.^0    Gédhi  011-gothach,  son  of  Ollamh  Fodla,  of 

*A.  M.  3923. — Four  Masters.  Four  Masters  say  that  this  snow  black- 

^  Elim  I.  or  FiNXACTA  I.     We  are  ened  the  grass. 

told  by  the  Four  Masters,  that  Elim  ^  A.  M.  ZnZ.—Four  Masters. 

was  this   Prince's  real   name.     They  ^  Fifteen  years.    The  Four  Masters 

give  him  a  reign  of  twenty  years,  and  say  20,  and  those  of  Clanmacnoise  26. 

add  tliat  he  died  of  the  plague  in  Magh-  *"   What  Disease.     "  He   was   found 

Inis,  now   the  barony  of  Lecale,   co.  dead,  but  his  body  did  not  change.  He 

Down.     O'Hallorau  calls   him  Fionn.  was   afterwards  buried ;  and  after  his 

^"  FiXACTA.  Dr.  O'Donovan  consid.  body  had  been  forty  years  in  the  grave, 
ersthis  derivation  legendary,  "because,"  it  was  taken  up  by  his  son,  i.  e.  Oilioll 
sayshe,"Finnachta,"or"Fiunshnechta,"  (Olild)  Mac  Slanuili ;  and  the  body 
was  very  common  as  the  name  of  a  had  remained  without  rotting  or  de- 
man  among  the  ancient  Irish,  denoting  composing  during  that  time.  This 
niveus,  or  snow-white.  The  name  is  thing  was  a  great  wonder  and  surprise 
still  preserved  in  the  surname  O'Fin-  to  the  men  of  Ireland." — Four  Masters. 
neachta,  in  English,  Finaghty."  His  having  died  in  the  house  of  Midh- 

^°  Wine-sncw.     Red  snow  is  not  un-  Cuarta,  seems  to  argue  the  tranquillity 

frequent  in  northern   latitudes  at  the  and  the  firm  establishment  of  the  di- 

present   day.      This   fable   may   have  nasty  of  OUamh   Fodla   on   the  Irish 

originated  in  the  occurrence  of  some  throne, 

such    phenomenon   in   Ireland.       The  '"  A.  M.  3960. — Four  Masters, 


234  THE   HISTORY    OF   IRELAND. 

the  line  of  Ir,  son  of  Miledh,  held  the  sovereignt}^  of  Ireland  for 
seventeen  years."  He  was  called  Gedhi  Oll-gothach^^  {Oayeh 
Oll-gohagh)  because  the  voice,  i.  e.  "  guth"'  {guh)  of  every  nian  in 
Ireland  was  great  or  loud,  i.  e.  "oil,"  during  his  reign.  He  fell 
by  the  hand  of  Fiacaidh,  son  of  Finacta." 

FIACADH,  ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  31  eO.'^  Fiacaidh,75son  of  Finacta,  son  of  Ollamh  Fodla, 
of  the  line  of  Ir,  son  of  Miledh,  held  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland 
for  twenty-four  years,^"  and  then  fell  by  Berngal,  son  of  Gedhi. 

BERNGAL,  ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M..  3184."  Berngal,  son  of  Gedhi  011-gothach,  son  of 
Ollamh  Fodla,  of  the  line  of  Ir,  sou  of  Miledh,  ruled  Ireland  for 
twelve  years,  and  then  was  slain  b}^  Oliky^  son  of  Slanoll. 

OLILD,  ARD-RIGII. 

A.  M.  3196.^3  oiild,8»  son  of  Slanoll,  sou  of  Ollamh  Fodla, 
of  the  line  of  Ir,  son  of  Miledh,  reigned  over  Ireland  sixteen 
years,  and  then  was  slain  by  Siorna  Saegalach. 

SIORNA    THE  LONG-LIVED,  ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  3212.®^     Siorna,  or  Sirna  the  Long-lived,^  son  of  Dian, 

"  Seventeen  years.     The  Four  Mas-  by  this  king,  that  the  earth  was  first 

ters  allow  him  but  twelve.  dug  in  In-hvnd,  that  water  might  be  in 

"  Oll-iiotkdch.  In  the  Dinnsenchas  wells  ;"  and  that  "  it  was  difficult  for 
it  is  stated  that  Erimhon,  son  of  Miledh,  the  stalk  to  sustain  its  corn  during  his 
was  also  called  Gedhi  011-gothach,  and  reign."  The  latter  observation  is  a 
for  a  similar  reason  ;  but  these  ac-  figurative  mode  of  expressing  the  good- 
counts  are  clearly  legendary,  because  nes.s  of  his  rule  and  the  prosperity  of 
the  cognomen  oll-gothack  was  evidently  the  country  during  its  continuance, 
applied  to  tliese  monarchs  from  the  '"  Twmty-four.  The  Four  Masters 
loudness  of  their  own  voices,  and  not  say  twenty. 

from  any  peculiarity  in  tliose  of  their  "  A.  M.  .3992. — Four  Masters. 

subjects. —  See  O'D.'s  Four  Masters.  "  Slain  bij  Olild.     Olild  was  aided 

"  Son  of  Finacta.     We  here  see  dis-  in  fliis  civil  war  by  Hiorna.  son  of  Dian, 

cord  break  out  in  the  house  of  Ollamh  who  was  thus  preparing  his  own  way 

Fodla,  and  pave  the  way  to  its  down-  to  the  throne, 

fall.    Fiacaidh  was  his  nephew.  '"  A.  M.  4004. 

"  A.  M.  2972. — Four  Masters.  "^  Omld  I.     In   the  person  of  this 

'^  FiACAion  III.     He   is   surnamed  monarch,  we  see  the  supremacy  wrested 

Finn-ailcheas  (Fmnalkass)  by  the  Four  from  the  race  of  Ir.     Jle  was  the  sev- 

Masters,  which  state  that   it  was   by  entii  king  of  that  line,  that  had  now 

him  that  Dnn-culi-Sibriimi.  now  called  miinterruptcdly  ruknl  tlie  kingdom  of 

Cenannas  (Kenanmis)  or  Kells,  in  East-  Ireland,  for  more  than  a  century. 

Meath  was  l)uilt,  and  tliat  wherever  his  "'  A.  M.  4020. — Four  Musters. 

habitation  was  jjlaced,  Kenannus  was  "'  Sioii.va  tuk  Long-mved.    Siorna 

its  name.     They  also  state  "  that  it  was  Saeghalach  [Skeerna  Sayalagh)  is  called 


THE   HISTORY   OF    IRELAND. 


235 


son  of  Rothectach,  son  of  jMaen,  son  of  Aengns  Oll-muciiidli, 
of  the  line  of  Ei'iuihon,  assumed  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland, 
^yllich  he  held  for  twentj-one  years.^^     He  was  surnamed  "  Saeg- 


snn  of  Dian,  son  of  Deman,  in  the  Four 
Ma-ters,  whence  it  is  to  be  inferred 
that  Deman  may  either  have  been  an- 
other name  for  Rothectach,  or  that 
Keating  has  erred  in  stating  this  liing's 
pedigree. 

^^  Twenty-one  years.  The  Annals 
above  named  say  that  his  reign  lasted 
for  the  incred'ble  period  of  a  century  and 
a  half.  Dr.O'Donovan  makes  the  follow- 
ing remark  in  his  notes  on  these  Annals, 
upon  that  extravagant  statement :  "The 
great  length  of  this  monarch's  reign  is 
evidently  legendary,  or  rather  a  blunder 


of  transcribers.  O'Flahcrty  refers  to 
the  Book  of  Lecan  to  show  that  he 
lived  150  years."  That  record,  in  part, 
almost  agrees  with  the  ancient  poem 
cited  by  Keating,  inasmuch  as  it  makes 
him  reign  but  twenty  years. — SeeO' Don- 
ovan's Four  Musters.  That  he  neither 
lived  nor  reigned  any  very  extraordi- 
nary number  of  years,  can  be  proved 
by  comparing  his  pedigree  with  those 
of  his  predecessor  and  successor.  It 
will  be  seen  thereby  that  it  exceeds  the 
former  by  four  generations,  while  it  co- 
incides exactly  with  the  latter. 


1.  MILEDH  OF  SPAIN. 


2  Eber.  K. 

.L 

2  Erimhon.   K. 

3  Conmael.  K. 

3  Eber. 

3  Irial.  K. 

4  Eocaidh  11.  K. 

4  Ebric. 

4  Ethrial.  K. 

5  Nuadath. 

5  Artri. 

5  Follorahan.  K. 

6  Glas. 

6  Sedna  I.  K. 

6  Tighernmas.  K. 

7  Rosa. 

7  Fiacaidh  II.  K. 

7  Enboth. 

8  Ferarda. 

8  Ollamh  Fodla.  K. 

8  SmirgoU. 

9  Munemhou.  K. 

9  Slanoll.  K. 

9  Fiacaidh  I.  K. 

10  Alldergoid.  K. 

10  Olild.  K. 

10  Aengus  I.  K. 

11  Cas. 

11  Maeu. 

12  Falbi. 

12  Rothectach  I.  K. 

13  Roan. 

13  Dian. 

14  Rothectach  II.  K. 

14  Siorna.  K. 

The  attributing  of  such  an  incredible 
age  to  the  present  monarch,  may  have 
resulted  from  making  him  the  grandson 
of  Rothectach  I.,  son  of  Maen,  who  was 
slain  by  Sedna  I.,  the  grandfather  of 
Ollamh  Fodla,  nearly  200  years  before. 
The  Four  Masters  show  us  that  he  was 
grandson  Deman  through  Dian,  with- 
out telling  whether  Deman  was  son, 
grandson,  or  great-grandson  of  Ro- 
thectach I.  But  it  is  useless  to  en- 
deavor to  reconcile  such  discrepancies 
in  tl:e  records  of  so  remote  an  age  ;  for 
-we  are  still  in  the  dark  ages  of  Irish 
mythology.  We  do  not  even  know  the 
man's  real  name  ;  for,  the  one  recorded 
means  nearly  the  same  thing  with  his 
cognomen  (being  derived  from  "  Sir" 
{S.'teer),  long  or  eternal),  and  conse- 
quently it  must  have  been  given  to  him 


when  he  had  already  become  remark- 
able for  his  unusual  longevity.  It  is 
nevertheless  clear,  that  Siorna's  acces- 
sion to  the  throne  and  the  restoration 
of  the  line  of  Erimhon  in  his  person, 
marked  an  important  epoch  in  Irish 
I^rimeval  history,  and  that  he  was  a 
great  and  powerful  monarch.  The 
Four  Masters  speak  of  him  in  the  fol- 
lowing terms :  "  It  was  this  Sirna 
that  wrested  the  government  of  Tem- 
hair  from  the  Ulta  (Ulstermen),  i.  e. 
the  race  of  Ir.  It  was  he  that  revenged 
upon  them  the  death  of  Rothectach, 
son  of  Maen,  whom  they  had  slain  at 
Cruachain  ;  so  that  Berngal  and  Olild 
(his  predecessors)  fell  by  him.  It  was 
he  that  gained  over  the  Ulstermen  the 
battle  of  Arkeltair  (one  of  the  names 
of   the  large  rath  at  Downpatrick); 


236  THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 

alach"  or  tlie  "  Long-lived,"  from  the  longevity  of  the  men  of 
his  day.  lie  fell  at  Allinn,^  by  the  hand  of  Kotheetach,  son  of 
Boau,  as  the  bard  tells  us  in  the  duan  which  begins  with  the  verse, 
"  Eri,  proud  isle  of  kings,"  viz  : 

"  Siorna  held  the  reigns  of  power 
For  full  thrice  seven  years, 
Then  fell  amidst  his  slauijhtered  host 
At  AUiud"*  by  Rothectach." 


ROTHECTACn,  ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  3233.^5  Rothectach,»'  son  of  Eoan,  son  of  Falbi,  son 
of  Cas  Ked-cangnech,  son  of  Aldergoid,  son  of  JNIunemhon,  son 
of  Cas  Clothach,  son  of  Ferarda,  son  of  Eothectach,  son  of  Ros, 
son  of  Glas,  son  of  Nuadath  Degh-lamh,  son  of  Eocaidh  Facbar- 
glas,  son  of  Conmael,  son  of  Eber,  son  of  Miledh  of  Spain,  held 
the  sovereignty  of  Ireland  for  seven  years,  at  the  end  of  which 
he  was  burned  up  by  lightning,  at  Dun  Sobarki. 

ELIM,  ARD-RIGH. 

A.  i^r.  3240.^^  Elim,^  son  of  the  last  king,  Rothectach,  and  of 
the  line  of  Eber,  held  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland  but  for  one 
year,  for  he  was  slain  by  Giallcaidh,  son  of  Olild  01-caein. 

the  two  battles  of  Sliabh  Arbrech  (un-  and  a  countless  number  of  the  men  of 

known);  the   battle   of  Kcnnduin,   in  Ireland  with  them." 

Assal  (near  Groom,  co  Limerick';  the  "  Allind   or   Aillinn,   was    the   old 

battle  of  Moin  Fochnigh,  in  Hi  Falghi  name  of  a  large   rath   on   the  hill  now 

{OJfatij),  over  the  Martini  and  Krnai  ;  called  Knockaulin,  near  Kilcullcu,  co. 

the  battle  of  I.uachair  (in  Kerry);   the  Kildare. 

battle  of  Clari  (in  the  co.  Limerick);  "^  A.  M.  4110— Four  Masters. 

the   battle  of  Samhain   (now   Knock-  **  RornKCTAcn  II.     It  was  by  this 

sowua,  not  far  from  Bruree,  co.  Limer-  Rothectach   that  chariots   drawn     by 

ick);  the  battle  of  Cnock  Ochair  (un-  four  horses  were  first  used  in  Ireland. — 

known).     An  attack  was  made  by  him  Id.     He  was  a  very  good  king. — Aii- 

upon  the  Fomorians,  in  the  territory  of  nals  of  Clnnmnmoise. 

Mcath.     It   was  by  him   was   fougiit  "  A.  M.  4177. 

the  battle   of  Moin   Trogaide   (Mone  *  Kijm  If.     He  was  surnamcd  011- 

T/-owee),  in  Kianacta  (CO.  Londonderry),  finsnccta    {Olfccnas^hlá),   because,    ac- 

when   Lugair,  son  of  Lugaidh,  of  the  cording  to  sonic,  "  snow  with  the  taste 

race  of  Eber,  had  brought  a  force  of  of  wine  fell  during  his  reign  ;"  others 

the  Fomorians  into  Ireland  with  their  say  that  he  was  called  so  because  it 

kinf,   Kcsarn  by  name.     Siorna  drew  snowed  continually  that  year.     Roth 

the   men  of    Ir("land   to   make   battle  are  mere  guc&ses  of  later   writers   to 

against  thom  at  Moin  Trogaide.     As  account  for  the  cognomen  which  means 

they  were  fighting  the  battle;,  a  plague  "  of  the  great  white  snow." — See  0  D. 

was  sent  upon  tiiem,  of  which   Lugair  F.  M. 
and  Kesarn  peri.shed.with  their  people, 


THE  HISTORY  OF  IRELAND.  237 


GIALLCAIDH,  ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  3241^^  Giallcaidh  {Gueelghce)  son  of  Olild  01-cacin,  son 
of  Siorna  the  Long-lived,  of  the  line  of  Erimhon,  reigned  over 
Ireland  for  nine  years,  and  then  was  slain  at  Magh-Muaide*'  by 
Art  Imlech  {Tmlagli). 

ART  IMLECH,  ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  3250.^1  Art  Imlech,^  son  of  Elim,  son  of  Rothectach, 
son  of  Eoan,  son  of  Falbi,  son  of  Cas  Ked-cangnech,  son  of 
Alldergoid,  of  the  line  of  Eber,  assumed  the  sovereignty  of  Ire- 
land, and  held  it  for  twenty-two  years,^^  at  the  end  of  which  he 
was  skdn  by  Nuadath  Finn,  of  Fál. 

NUADATH   FINN-FAIL,  ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  3272.»^  Nuadath  Finn-Fail,»^  son  of  Giallcaidh,  son  of 
Olild  01-caein,  son  of  Siorna  Saegalach,  of  the  line  of  Erimhon, 
ruled  Ireland  seventy  years,  or  for  twenty,  according  to  others. 
He  was  slain  by  Bresrigh,  son  of  Art  Imlech. 

BRESRIGH,  ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  3292.^  Bresrigh,97  son  of  Art  Imlech,  son  of  Elim,  son 
of  Rothectach,  of  the  line  of  Eber,  ruled  Ireland  for  nine  years. 
During  that  time  he  vanquished  the  Fomorians  in  many  battles. 
At  last  he  was  himself  defeated  and  slain,  by  Eocaidh  Apthach, 
at  Carn  Conludin. 

EOCAIDH  APTHACH,  ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  3301.»«  Eocaidh  Apthach,»  son  of  Finn,  son  of  Olild, 
son  of  Flann  Ruadh,  son  of  Rothlan,  son  of  Martin,  son  of  Sith- 
kind,  son  of  Riaghlan,  son  of  Eocaidh  Bree,  son  of  Lugaidh,  son 
of  Ith,  son  of  Breogan,  was  monarch  of  Ireland  for  one  year.     He 

*  A.  M.  4186.  ''  Twenty-two  years.    Twelve  years, 

"  Migi-Mu'tide  (Moy-Mooec)  ;  eith-  according  to  the  Four  Mastera. 

er  the  plain  of  the  river  Moy,  in  North  °'  A.  M.  4199.— Foi/r  Masters. 

Connaught,  or  one  near  Knockmov,  co.  ^  Nuadath  I. 

Galway.                                         "  ^  A.  M.  4239.— Four  Masters. 

"  A.  M.  4187. — Four  Masters.  ^  Bresrigh.       Bresrigh,    (Brassree,) 

«  Art  I.     O'Halloran  states  that  means  King  Bres.    He  is  called  simply 

this  was  a  very  warlike   prince^  and  Bres,  (Brass,)  by  the  Four  Masters. 

that  he  built  seven  large  duns,  which  **  A.  M.  4248. — Four  Blasters. 

he  surrounded  by  ditches  filled  with  "  Eocaidh  V.     The  annals  of  Clon- 

water.  macnoise  state  that  he  was  captain  of 

the  late  king's  guards. 


238  THE   HISTORY    OF   IRELAND. 

got  the  surname,  "  Aptliacli,"'  from  the  great  number  of  people 
that  died  in  Ireland  during  his  reign.  For,  during  that  time  a 
plague  came  upon  the  people  of  Ireland  every  month,  by  which 
multitudes  of  them  were  carried  off.  Hence  was  he  called 
Eocaidh  Apthach,  for  "  apthacli"  {nj^pagh)  is  the  same  as  mortal 
or  deadly.     Ue  was  slain  by  Finn,  sou  of  Bratha. 

FINN,  ARD-RIGH. 

A.  ^[.  3302.^*"'  Finn,  son  of  Bratha,  son  of  Labraidh,  son  of 
Carbri,  son  of  Ollamh  Fodla/  of  the  line  of  Ir,  ruled  Ireland 
twenty  years,^  and  then  was  slain  by  Sedna  lunaraigh. 

SEDNA  INNARAIGH,  ARD-EIGH. 

A.  M.  3322.^  Sedna*  Innaraigh,  son  of  Bresrigh,  son  of  Art 
Imlech,  of  the  line  of  Eber,  held  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland  for 
twenty  j'cars.  He  was  called  Sedna  "  Innaraigh,"  or  Sedna 
"of  the  wages;"  because  he  was  the  first  king  that  gave  wages 
to  soldiers  in  Ireland.  Simeon  Brec  caused  him  to  be  torn  limb 
from  limb. 

SIMEON  BREC,  ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  2342.5  Simeon  Brec,^  son  of  Aedan  Glas,  son  of  Nua- 
dath  Finn-Fail,  of  the  line  of  Erimhon,  ruled  the  Irish  nation  for 
six  years,  when  he  Avas  vanquished  by  Duach  Finn,  who  caused 
him  to  be  torn  asunder,  in  order  to  revenge  his  father's  death. 

DUACH  FINN,  ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  3348.^  Duach  Finn,^  son  of  Sedna  Innaraigh,  son  of 
Bresrigh,  son  of  Art  Imlech,  of  the  Line  of  Eber,  held  the  sov- 

'""  A.  M.  4249. — Four  Masters.  bear  the  latter  meaning,  Sedna  miirht 

'  Ollamh  Fodla.    Tlie  posterity  of  have  got  his  cognomen    "  Iiniaraigh" 

that  great  lawgiver  liad  now  given  no  (Intmrrec),   from    his    having   encnur- 

monarch  to  Ireland  for  a  century  and  aged  commerce  amongst    his    people, 

a  half.     His  accession  and  that  of  his  The  annals  of  Clonmacnoisc  say  that 

predecessor,  of  the   line  of  Ith,  .show  "  this  Sedna  was  a  worthy  and  a  no- 

that  the  rival  races  of  Eber  and  Erim-  ble  king,  and  the  finst  tliat  rewarded 

hon  had  considerably  weakened  their  men  with  chattel  in  Ireland."     O'llal- 

.strength  in  contending  for  sovcreignt}-.  loran  states  that  "  he  wrote  a  code  of 

-    Twenty  years.     Some  say  thirty,  laws   for   the   military,   which   was   a 

The  Four  Masters  say  tvcnt y-two.  standard  for  many  succeeding  ages." 

=  A.  M.  4290.— Foííí-  Musters.  '  A.  ^L  42'.)].— Four  Masters. 

*  Sedna   II.     The  jihrasc  "  d'amh-  "  Sinvon  Brec,  i.  e.  the  spotted  or 

8aibh"(fiW'.5SiY"),"  which  is  translated,  speckled  Simeon. 

to  soldiers  in  the  text,  is  by  .some  nndcr-  '  A.  M.  4297. — Four  Masters. 

stood,  in  this  case,  to  mean  people  in  "  Duacii  I.     The  Four  Masters  say 

general.     If   the  word  "  amhas  "  can  that  he  reigned  ten  years. 


THE  HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  239 

ereignty  of  Ireland  for  five  years,  and  then  fell  by  Muredacli 
Bolgrach. 

MUREDACn  BOLGRACH,  ARD-RiaH. 

A.  M.  3353.®  Miiredach.  Bolgrach,^'*  son  of  Simeon  Brec,  son 
of  Aedan  Glas,  of  the  line  of  Erimhon,  ruled  Ireland  for  four 
years,  and  then  was  slain  by  Enna  Derg. 

ENNA  DERG,  ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  3357."  Enna  Derg,*^  son  of  Duach  Finn,  son  of  Sedna 
Innaraigh,  of  the  line  of  Eber,  held  possession  of  the  sovereignty 
of  Ireland  for  twelve  years.  He  was  called  Enna  Derg  (that  is, 
Enna  the  Ked),  from  the  redness  of  his  complexion,  i.  e.  of  his 
face.  It  was  in  his  reign  that  money  was  first  struck  in  Ireland, 
at  Argedros.  He,  and  great  numbers  of  people  besides,  died  of 
the  plague  at  Sliabh  Mis. 

LUGAIDH  lARDONN,  ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  3369.^^  Lugaidh  lardonn,"  son  of  Enna  Derg,  son  of 
Duach  Finn,  of  the  line  of  Eber,  reigned  over  Ireland  for  nine 
years.  He  was  called  Lugaidh  lardonn,  or  Lugaidh  the  Dark- 
brown,  fi'om  the  dark -brown  color  of  his  hair;  for  "iar-dhonn" 
(eer-yonn)  is  the  same  as  "  dubh-dhonn"  {duv-yonn),  i.  e.  dark- 
brown.     He  was  slain  by  Siorlamh,  at  Eath-Clochair. 

SIORLAMH,  ARD-RIGH.  ■ 

A.  M.  3378.^''  Siorlamh,  son  of  Finn,  son  of  Bratha,  son  of 
Labraidh,  son  of  Carbri,  son  of  Ollamh  Fodla,  of  the  line  of  Ir, 
son  of  Aliledh  of  Spain,  assumed  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland,  and 
held  it  for  sixteen  years.  He  was  called  Siorlamh,^^  (sheerlam) 
from  his  extremely  long  hands,  for  they  reached  the  ground  when 
he  stood  erect.     He  was  slain  by  Eocaidh  Uarkeas  {oghee-oorkess). 

'  A.  M.  4307. — Four  Masters.  of   this    name  is    Lughaidli    (Looee.) 

'"  McKEDACH  I.     This  name  is  now  '^  A.  M.  4329. — Four  Masters. 

pronounced  Mt?Tcrag-A.  The  Four  Mas-  ^^  Long-hands.     The  title,  Siorlamh, 

ters  say  that  Muredach  reigned  a  year  would  be  more  applicable  in  a  figura- 

and  a  month.  tive  than  a  material  sense.     In  the  lat- 

"  A.  M.  3308.— Four  Masters.  ter  case,  "  lamh-fliada"  (Lauvadda),  or 

"  Enna  II.    This  name  is  otherwise  "  Fad-lamhach,    {fadlauvagh,)    should 

spelled  Enda,  and  sometimes  Edna,  or  have  been  the  term  used.     The  story 

Badhna.  of  this  monarch's  monstrous  hands  has 

"  A.  M.  4320. — Four  Masters.  all  the  appearance  of  being  built  upon 

"  Lugaidh  I.    The  aspirated  form  a  forced  etymology  given  to  his  name. 


240  THE   HISTORY    OF    IRELAND. 

EOCAIDH  UARKEAS,  ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  3394."  Eocaidh  Uarkeas,'^  son  of  Lugaidh  lardonn,  son 
of  Enna  Derg,  of  the  line  of  Eber,  held  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland 
for  twelve  years.  He  was  surnamed  *'  Uarkeas,"  from  a  sort  of 
rude  wicker  boats,  (covered  with  hides,)  that  he  Avas  wont  to  carry 
with  him  in  his  fleets;  for  "ceas"  (kass)  is  of  the  same  meaning  as 
canoe,  or  rather  wicker  boat.  Now,  this  prince  had  spent  two 
years  at  sea,  whilst  an  exile  from  Ireland,  and  had  been  wont, 
during  that  time,  to  put  bands  of  his  followers  into  these  wicker 
boats,  for  the  purpose  of  plundering  the  coaste  of  whatever 
countries  he  touched  upon,  and  of  bringing  off  the  booty  therein 
to  his  fleet;  and  thus,  from  these  "ceasa"  (cassa)  the  surname 
Uarkeas  was  attached  to  him.  He  was  slain  by  Eocaidh  Fiad- 
muini  and  Conaing  Beg-eglach, 

EOCAIDH  FIADMUINI  AND   CONAING  BEG-EGLACH,  ARD-RIGHA. 

A.  M.  3406.^^  Eocaidh  Fiadmuini^"  and  Conaing  Beg-eglach, 
the  sons  of  Duach  Temracli,  son  of  Murcdaeh  Bolgrach,  son  of 
Simeon  Brec,  of  the  line  of  Erimhon,  held  the  joint  sovereignty 
of  Ireland  for  five  years.  The  former  of  these  princes  was 
called  Eocaidh  Fiadmuini,  (Feemonie)  i.  e.,  Eocaidh  the  Hunter, 
because  he  was  extremely  addicted  to  the  pursuit  and  chase  of 
wild  beasts  and  game,  in  the  wildernesses  and  forests.  This 
Eocaidh  fell  by  Lugaidh,  son  of  Eocaidh  Uarkeas. 

LUGAIDH  LAMH-DERG,   ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M,  3411.^'  Lugaidh  Lamh-derg^  {Looee  Lauv-yarg\  son  of 
Eocaidh  Uarkeas,  of  the  line  of  Eber,  held  the  sovereignty  of 
Ireland  for  seven  years.  He  was  called  Lamh-dei-g,  or  Red- 
hand,  because  there  was  a  red  stain  or  spot  on  one  of  his  hands. 
This  Eocaidh  was  slain  by  Conaing  Beg-eglach,  or  Conaing  the 
Fearless. 

CONAING   BEG-EGLACH,    ARD-RKill. 

A.  M.  3418.^     Conaing  Beg-eglach,  son  of  Duach  Temrach, 

"  A.  M.  4344. — Four  Masters.  tlie  Vanquisher,  whence  Dr.  O'Donov.aa 

**  Eocaidh  VÍ.   The  explanation  g-iv-  conjectures  that  this  was  an  alias  name 

en  above  for  the  surname  "  Uaircheas"  I'or  Duach  Temrach,  or  Duach  of  Tara. 

is   very   questionable.      The    word  is  ""  A.  M.  4.'}G2. — Four  blasters. 

not  at  all  formed  like  a  regular  com-  "  Lugaidh  II.     It  is  more  likely  to 

pound.     It  is  a  derivative  form.  suppose  that   this    prince  was   styled 

"  A.  M.  43.")6.— Four  I\histcrs.  Red-Hand,  from  his  bloody  deeds,  than 

™  KocAiDH  VII.     The  Four  Masters  for  the  reason  which  Dr.  Keating  has 

call   this   prince  and   his   brother  the  given. 

sons  of  Gonial  Cosiiarach,  i.  e.  Congal  "  A.  M.  4388. — Four  Masters. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  241 

the  son  of  Muredacli  Bolgrach,  of  tlie  line  of  Erimhón,  ruled  the 
kingdom  of  Ireland  for  ten  years.  He  was  styled,  "  Beg-eglach," 
or  the  Fearless,  because  the  slightest  shade  of  fear  never  seized 
him  in  any  fight.  He  was  also  a  man  of  great  prowess  in  the 
conflict,  as  the  bard  has  sung  in  the  following  rann : 

"  Couaing,  in  conflicts  of  bright  blades, 
Who  never  dreaded  mortal  man. 
Reigned  for  ten  years  o'er  North  and  South,^ 
And  then  he  fell  by  Art  Mac  Lugaidh." 

ART,   ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  3438.25  Art, 26  son  of  Lugaidh  Lamh-derg,  of  the  line  of 
Eber,  held  the  kingdom  of  Ireland  for  six  years,  and  then  he 
was  slain  by  Duach  Laghrach,  son  of  Fiacaidh  Tolgrach,  and  by 
Fiacaidh  himself. 

FIACAIDH  TOLGRACH,    ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  3434^^^  Fiacaidh^  Tolgrach,  son  of  Muredach  Bolgrach, 
son  of  Simeon  Brec,  of  the  line  of  Erimhdn,  possessed  the  sover- 
eignty of  Ireland  for  seven  years,  and  then  he  was  slain  in 
Borinn,^  by  Olild  Finn,  son  of  Art. 

OLILD   FINN,    ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  3441.30  Olild'i  Finn,  son  of  Art,  son  of  Lugaidh 
Lamh-derg,  son  of  Eocaidh  Uarkeas,  of  the  line  of  Eber,  held 
the  sovereignty  of  Ireland  for  nine  years,  at  the  end  of  which  he 
fell  by  Argedmar  and  b}''  Fiacaidh,  and  by  Duach,  son  of 
Fiacaidh,  in  the  battle  of  Odba.^  Upon  this,  the  Munstermen 
mustered  under  Eocaidh,  son  of  Olild  Finn,  and  under  Lugaidh, 
son  of  Eocaidh  Fiadmuini,  so  that  they  banished  Argedmar  be- 
yond the  sea,  for  the  period  of  seven  years. 

EOCAIDH,   ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  3450.^  Eocaidh,^  son  of  Olild  Finn,  son  of  Art,  son 
of  Lugaidh  Lamh-derg,  of  the  line  of  Eber,  held  the  sovereignty 

'^'  O'er  North  and  Soulh.   In  the  orig-  ^  Boirinn — now    called    Barrin,    a 

inal,  "  for  gach  leth,"  i.  e.  "  over  each  barony  in  the  north  of  the  county  of 

half."    The  Four  Masters  say  that  he  Clare, 

reigned  twenty  years.  ^  A.  M.  4405. — Four  Masters. 

^  A.  M.  4389.  »'  Olild  II.     Olild    reigned    eleven 

^  Akt  II.  years. — Id. 

-"'  A.  M.  4395.— Fonr  Masteis.  ^  O.lbi  {nva)  lay  in  Meath. 

•^  Fiacaidh  IV.     The  epithet "  Tol-  ^  A.  M.  4416.— Foitr  Masters. 

grach,"  may  mean  proud  or  warlike,  =*  Eocaidh  VIII.    Ani-Cliach,  {Aio- 

i.  e.  "  Tolgdha."    The  Four  ^Masters  nie-Cleeagh,)  where  Eocaidh  was  slain, 

say  that  Fiacaidh  reigned  ten  yeai-s.  is  now  called  Knockany,  in  the  county 


242  THE   HISTORY    OF    IRELAND. 

of  Ireland  for  seven  years.  And  he  did  not  yield  the  kingdom 
to  Argedmar;  but  he  made  a  peace  with  Duach  Laghrach, 
which  lasted  until  Argedmar  returned  from  his  banishment, 
when  both,  the  latter  chieftain  and  Duach  Laghrach,  combined 
their  strength  against  Eocaidh,  who  fell  by  their  hands,  about 
that  time,  at  the  fair  of  Ani-Cliach. 

ARGEDMAR,   ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  3457.^  Argedmar, ^^  son  of  Siorlamh,  son  of  Finn,  son 
of  Bratha^  of  the  race  of  Ir,  son  of  Miledh,  held  the  kingdom  of 
Ireland  twenty-three  years,  when  he  fell  hy  the  hands  of  Duach 
Laghrach,  and  of  Lugaidh,  son  of  Eocaidh,  son  of  Olild  Finn. 

DUACII    LAGHRACH,   ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  3480.^^  Duach  Laghrach,^^  son  of  Fiacaidh  Tolgrach,  son 
of  Muredach  Bolgrach,  son  of  Simeon  Brec,  of  the  line  of  Erim- 
hon,  assumed  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland,  and  held  it  for  ten  years. 
He  was  called  Laghrach  (Loyragh),  i.  e.  the  Vindictive,  or  the 
Quick-avenging,  from  the  word  "laghra"  or  "ladhra"  (loyra), 
which  means,  speedy  vengeance ;  for  he  never  indulged  or  par- 
doned any  person,  who  had  committed  a  deed  of  injustice,  but 
made  him  render  immediate  retribution  for  his  crime.  It  was 
thence  that  he  acquired  that  surname.  Ue  was  slain  by  Lugaidh 
Laghdi. 

LUGAIDH   LAGHDI,    ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  3490.^  Lugaidh  Laghdi,*»  son  of  Eocaidh,  son  of  Olild 
Finn,  of  the  line  of  Eber,  held  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland  for  seven 
years,  after  which  he  was  slain  l)y  Aedli  liuadh,  son  of  Badarn. 

Limerick.    The   Annals  of  Clonmac-  from  ^faclia's  death  to  the  accession  of 

noise  say  that  Argedmar  and  Duach  Eudraidc.  A.  ]\l.  3792. 
came  upon  him  unawares,  at  the  fair,        '■"  A.  M.  4453. — Four  Masters 
and  there  slew  both  liim  and  many  of        **  Duach  II. 
the  chieftains  of  Munster.  "'  A.  M.  4469. — Four  Masters. 

^'  A.  M.  4423.— Four  Masters.  '"  Lugaidh  III.     With  the  aspira- 

^   Argedmar.     This  prince's   name  tions,  this  king's  name  is  spelled  "  Lu- 

means    "  abounding    in    silver,"    i.  e.  ghaidh  Ijiighdhe "  {Luoec  Laxvcc)  :  the 

•'  airgedmhar"  [Arguedvar).    Ilie  last  surname  is  otherwise  impelled  Lacglidha 

cited   authorities   give   him  a  reign  of  (/>ai//io),  and  its  most  probable  moaning 

thirty  years.     O'FIaherty  tells  us  that  is  "  heroic,"  derived   from  "  laech,"  a 

Argedmar  had   five  sons:  1.  I^adarn,  hero.     Keating,  in  attributing  the  story 

father    of  Aedli   Ruadh  ;    2.    Diman,  of  the  fawn  to  this  Lugaidh,  confounds 

father  of  Dithorba;  3.  Fintan,  father  him  with  aniith(>r  chief  of  the  same  name 

of  Kiinbaeth  ;  4.  Fomor,  from  whom  and  nearly  sÍTnilar  surname,  who  lived 

descended  Iludraido,  progenitor  of  the  about  six  himdrcd  years  after  him,  that 

tribe  of  Rudraide,  and  Ca.s,  from  whom  is,  with  Lugaidh  Laiglidhc,  son  of  Dari 

descended  almost  all  the  kings  of  Ulster  Doimhtlicch  {Dmvhagk),  lather  of  Mac- 


THE   HISTORY  OF  IRELAND.  243 

The  "  Coir  Anmann,"  or  Book  of  Etymology,  says  that  this 
Lugaidh  Laghdi  was  one  of  the  five  Lugaidhs  who  were  the  sons 
of  Dari  Doimthech,'*^  What  that  book  tells  us  is,  that  a  certain 
Druid  had  prophesied  to  Dari  Doimthech,  tliat  he  should  have  a 
son,  named  Lugaidli,  to  whom  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland  was 
destined ;  and  that,  after  this,  five  sons  were  born  in  succession 
to  Dari,  each  of  whom  he  named  Lugaidh.  When  these  sons  had 
grown  up,  Dari  went  to  the  same  druid  and  asked  of  him  which 
of  his  five  Lugaidhs  was  to  gain  the  kingdom  of  Ireland.  "  Go," 
said  the  druid,  "  on  to-morrow,  with  thy  five  sons  to  Talti,  and 
there  will  come  a  beautiful  fawn  into  the  fair,  and  the  whole  as- 
semblage, and  thy  sons  also,  will  hnmediately  start  upon  her 
track ;  and  then,  whichsoever  of  thy  sons  may  overtake  and  kill 
that  fawn,  it  is  he  that  shall  be  monarch  of  Ireland."  Upon  the 
morrow,  the  fawn  came  into  the  fair,  and  the  men  of  Eri  and  the 
sons  of  Dari  set  off  in  chace  of  her,  until  they  had  thus  reached 
Benn-Edair,  where  a  magic  mist  was  thrown  between  the  men  of 
Eri  and  the  sons  of  Dari.  The  latter  continued  the  chace  thence 
to  Dal-Moscorb^  of  Leinster,  where  Dari  overtook  the  fawn  and 
killed  her;  and  it  is  from  that  fawn  that  he  has  been  styled 
"Lughaidh  Laighdhe"  {Looee  Lawe),  otherwise  "Lughaidh  Laegh- 
dha"  (Layha),  i.  e.  Lugaidh  of  the  fawn,  or  "laegh"  {layh). 

This  is  that  Lugaidh,  of  whom  the  following  wild  fable^  is  re- 
lated. It  is  told  that,  being  once  hunting  in  a  wilderness,  he  met 
with  a  certain  deformed  hag,  upon  whom  there  was  a  magic  mask ; 
that  this  hag  became  his  mistress,  and  that  she  afterwards  took 
oif  her  magic  mask  and  then  appeared  to  him  in  the  form  of  a 
most  beautiful  young  woman.  By  this  hag,  who  became  the 
mistress  of  Lugaidh  Laghdi,  Ireland  is  allegorically  meant,  inas- 
much as  he  at  first  endured  much  pain  and  trouble  on  her  ac- 
count, but  afterwards  came  into  the  enjoyment  of  much  pleasure 
and  happiness.  Now,  notwithstanding  the  fact  that  the  "Coir 
Anmann"  says  that  a  certain  Lugaidh  Laghdi  was  the  son  of 

niadh  (Macneeah),  and  grandfather  of  Olum,  from  whom  the  rival  tribe  of 
Lugaidh,  styled  Maccon,  who  was  king  Dergthini  took  their  title.  According 
of  Ireland,  according  to  Keating,  from  to  the  pedigrees  of  the  Eberian  tribes, 
A.  D.  182  to  A.  U.  212.  The  confusion  Dergthini,  or  Corb  Olum,  was  the  six- 
must  have  resulted  from  the  extravagant  teenth  in  descent  from  the  present  mon- 
lovc  of  the  Irish  bards  for  alliterative  arch. 

epithets,  or  Keating's  carelessness.  "  Dal  Moscorb — called  otherwise  Dal 

^'  />a.rt  Doim?Aec/i  was  otherwise  call-  Mescorb  and  Dal  Mesincorb.     A  sept 

cd  Dari  Sir-clircchtach  {S'leer-chragh-  along  the  east  of  the  present  county  of 

tagh),  i.  e.  the  incessant  plunderer,  or  Wicklow,was  thus  denominated. — O'D. 

the  widely-plundering.     From  him  the  ^  For  the  poem,  upon   which  this 

Corca  Luighe  took  the  nameof  Dariui,  fable  is  founded,  see  the  Genealogy  of 

or  Dairfhini,  i.  e.  the  '•  fine"  or  tribe  of  tiic  Corca  Luighe,  published  in  the  Mis- 

Dari.    Ho  was  cotemporary  with  Derg-  cellany  of  the  Celtic  Society  for  1849, 

thiiii  {DeJcinn),  otherwise  called  Corb  Appendix  A.,  p.  G6. 


244 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


Dari  Doimtliech,  still  I  do  not  suppose  that  it  was  the  same 
L'jgaidh  Laghdi,*^  who  was  king  of  Ireland,  that  is  mentioned  in 
that  work,  and  also  notwithstanding  the  Druids  having  prophe- 
sied, that  Lugaidh  Laghdi,  son  of  Dari  Doimthech,  should  be 


king  of  Ireland. 


AEDH   RUADH,    ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  3497.«  Aedh  Ruadh,^  son  of  Badarn,  son  of  Arged- 
mar,  son  of  Siorlamh,  son  of  Finn,  son  of  Bratlia,  of  the  line  of 
Ir,  son  of  Miledh,  assumed  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland,  and  reigned 
for  twenty-one  years,  at  the  end  of  which  he  was  drowned  at 
Esraadh.'*^ 

DITHORBA,    ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  3518."*®  Dithorba,  son  of  Deman,  son  of  Argedmar, 
son  of  Siorlamh,  son  of  Finn,  son  of  Bratha,  of  the  line  of  Ir,  soa 
of  Miledh,  assumed  the  sovereignty,  and  reigned  over  Ireland  for 


**  The  sime  Lugnidh  Lnghdi. — In 
fact,  the  poem  upon  which  the  fable  is 
founded  expressly  states,  that  Lugaidh 
Laighdho,  or  Lacfrhdha,  son  of  Dari 
Doimthech,  never  Ijccame  king  of  Ire- 
land. Neither,  according  to  it,  did  the 
enchanted  lady  become  his  mistress. 
She  is  therein  made  to  say  to  him  : 

"I  say  to  thee,  O  mild  youth, 
With  me  arch-kings  cohabit; 
I  am  tliat  majestic  slender  damsel, 
The  sovereignty  of  Alba  and  Eri. 

To  thee  I  have  revealfd  myself  to-ni^ht; 
That  is  all;  but  with  mo  thou  shalt  not  co 

habit; 
Thou  slialt  havo  a  son,  honored  in  him. 
He  i.i  the  man  with  whom  I  sliall  dwell. 

The  name  of  thy  son.  the  mode  is  sood. 

Shall  he  Lugaidh  Mor  ;  ho  shall  be  a  royal  son, 
For  we  have  been  lonping  much  for  him, 
lie  shall  be  u  druid,  a  propliet,  and  a  poet."' 

"The  prophecy  which  Dari  told  to  thorn 
Regarding  Maccon,  tlie  comely,  was: 
'  Afiiccnn  xhull  gain  th'-  h  ill  of  It  -eagh  (Tara), 
WiUi  Alba  and  delifi'ilfiil  Eri:  " 

Genealogy  of  Corca  Lulghe,  pp.  75, 76. 

This  extract,  from  that  ancient  poem, 
proves  that  Lugaidh  of  the  Fawn  was 
never  king  of  Ireland,  and  that  there 
was  no  foundation  whatever  for  making 
Lugaidh  III.  son  of  Kurhaidh  VIII.,  to 
be  the  son  of  Dari  Di^imthech. 

*'  A.  M.  4470.— F"u/-  Masters. 

*"  Aedh  I.  This  king,  Aedh  Ruadh 
{Ayh  Roou),  or  Aedh  the  Red,  ruled  al- 


ternately, with  his  two  successors,  for 
periods  of  seven  years  each.  They  thua 
kept  the  sovereignty  in  their  pos- 
session for  G3  years.  Keating,  by  a 
strange  license,  sets  them  do^ni  as  hav- 
ing reigned,  each  21  consecutive  years. 
The  Four  Masters  make  Aedh  resign 
the  kingdom  at  the  end  of  seven  years, 
"  for,"  say  they,  "  there  were  injunctions 
upon  him  to  resign  it  to  Dithorba  at  the 
end  of  that  time  ;  and  on  Dithorba,  also, 
to  resign  it  to  Kimbaeth  ;  and  so  in 
succession  to  the  end  of  their  lives.  The 
reason  they  made  this  agreement,  was 
becaase  th(>y  were  the  sons  of  three 
brothers." 

*'  Esruidh,  otherwise  Es  or  Eas- 
Aedha  Ruadh  {Assai/rooo),  i.  e.  the 
Waterfall  of  Red  Aedh,  is  now  called 
Assaroe,  or  the  Salmon-leap,  a  cataract 
cm  the  river  Erne,  at  Ballyshaniion. 
As  each  of  Aedh's  colleagues  had  ])09- 
sesse<l  the  sovereignty  twice,  for  their 
periods  of  seven  years,  and  as  he  was 
liimself  in  possession  of  it  for  the  third 
tim(i  when  he  died,  it  must  appear  clear 
that  K(!ating  has  antedated  his  death 
by  twenty-eight  years. 

*"  A  M.  4477. — Fnur  Mnslera.  The 
commencement  of  Dithorba's  first  sep- 
tennial period. 


THE   HISTORY  OF  IRELAND.  245 

twentj-one  year.^,  until  he  fell  in  Corann,  by  the  three  Cuans,*^ 
namely,  Cuan  Mara,  Cuau  Moighi,  and  Cuan  Slebi. 

KIMBAETH,  ARD-RIGH 

A.  }^r.  3539.^  Kimbaeth,  son  of  Finntan,  son  of  Argedmar, 
son  of  Siorlamh,  of  the  race  of  Ir,  son  of  Miledh,  held  the  sover- 
eignty of  Ireland  for  twenty-one  years  (or  for  twenty-eight  years/^ 
aecording  to  some  others),  and  then  he  died  of  the  plague  at  Ard- 
Macha. 

,  MACHA  MONG-RUADH,   ARD-EIGHAN.^^ 

A.  M.  3559.^  Macha  Mong-Ruadh  (of  the  red  tresses),  daughter 
of  Aedh  Euadh,  son  of  Badarn,  son  of  Argedmar,  son  of  Siorlamh, 
of  the  line  of  Ir,  son  of  Miledh,  then  assumed  the  sovereignty  of 
[rcland,  which  she  held  for  seven  years,  until  she  was  slain  by 
Rectaidh  Eigh-Derg. 

It  was  in  her  time  that  Emhain  Macha  Avas  built.  The  follow- 
ing is  the  reason  why  it  wa^  called  Eman  Macha,  to  wit :  there 
were  then  three  kings  reigning  over  the  Ulta  (Ulidians),  namely, 
Aedh  Ruadh,  son  of  Badarn,  from  whom  Esruadh  has  been 
called;  Dithorba,  son  of  Deman,  dwelling  at  Uisnech,  in  Meath; 
and  Kimbaeth,  son  of  Finntan,  at  Finnabair  ;^  and  it  was  at  the 
house  of  this  latter  prince  that  lugani  jNIor,  son  of  Eocaidh 
Buadach,  was  reared.  These  princes  reigned  in  alternate  succes- 
sion, each  for  the  period  of  seven  3^ears,  until  they  had  all  three 
enjoyed  the  royal  power  thres  tunes.  And  the  first  of  them  that 
died  was  iiedh  Ruadh,  who  left  no  posterity  after  him  but  Macha, 
who  was  his  only  daughter.  Upon  her  father's  death,  Macha 
claimed  her  right  to  the  alternate  succession,  as  his  representative, 
but  Dithorba   and  his  sous   replied,  that   the  sovereign  power 

"  Three  Cua^^s. — These  were  his  three  was  the  only  female  that  ever  ruled  the 

nephews,  according  to  O'Flaherty      It  Gaelic  nation.     The  subjects  of  Queen 

was   after   his   banishment   into   Con-  Medb,  of  Connaught,  were  chiefly  Fer- 

naught,  by  Macha,  that  he  fell  by  their  Bo!gs. 

hands.     Cuan  Mara,  means  Cuan  of  the  '^  A.  M.  4540. — Four  Masters. 

Sea;  Cuan  Slebi,  or  Sleibhi  [Slwvie),  ^ Fninabair.     There  are  four  places 

Cuan   of   the    Mountain ;    and    Cuan  of  this   name   within   the   confines  of 

Moighi  _(  Uoi/e),    Cuan   of  the  Plain,  ancient  Meath.    Tliey  are  all  now  ca'led 

Corann  is  in  the  county  of  Sligo.  Feunor,  a  name  derived  from  the  Irish 

"A.  M.  4484.— Four  Masters.     Tlie  '■  Fionuabhair"  {Finnoo'ir).    1st.  There 

commencement  of  Kimbaeth 's  first  sep-  is  Fenuor  on  the  Boyne,  near  Slane,  in 

teunial  period.  Meath.      2d.  Fennor,  in  the  parish  of 

^^  Twenty-eight  years.     That  is  count-  Ardcath,  also  in  Meath.     3d.  Fennor, 

ing   the   seven  years  he  reigned  con-  in  Tebtha   or   Teffia.   in   West  meath. 

jointly  with  Macha.  4th.  Fennor  or  Fiounabhairnan-iughea 

^  Ard-rig'uin,  i.  e.  Arch-queen,  pro-  {F/nnooii--aan-inncen),  i.  e.  of  the  dam- 

nouaced  Aurd-reeyun.      This  virago  sds,  in  the  parish  of  Uonorc,  in  Meath. 


246 


tuí:  uistory  of  Ireland. 


should  never  be  delivered  up  bj  them  into  the  hands  of  any 
Avoinan.  Upon  this,  there  Avas  a  battle  fought  between  them  and 
Macha,  in  which  Macha  bore  away  the  victor}-  from  tliem,  and 
assumed  the  sovereignty^  of  Ireland  for  seven  years.  Then  Di- 
thorba  died,  leaving  after  him  five  sons,  whose  names  were 
Baeth,  Bedach,  Bras,  Uallach,  and  Borbcas;  and  these  demanded 
the  kingdom  of  Ireland  for  themselves,  according  to  the  usage 
of  their  forefathers,  but,  upon  this,  Macha  replied,  that  she  would 
not  yield  the  sovereignty  to  them,  but  that  she  would  give  a 
battle  in  its  stead.  A  battle  then  was  fouglit  between  them,  in 
which  Macha  was  again  victorious.  The  sons  of  Dithorba  now 
fled  for  safety  into  dark  and  lonely  forests;  and  Macha  took  Kim- 
baeth  as  lier  husband,"  and  as  commander  over  her  warriors.  She 
then  disguised  herself  as  a  leper,  by  rubbing  the  dough  of  rye 
over  her  face,  and  went,  in  person,  in  pursuit  of  the  sons  of  Di- 
thorba.    These  she  found  in  a  wild  forest  in  Borenn,"  cooking  a 


"  As  her  husband.  The  Four  Masters 
say  that  Kimbaeth  reigned  seven  years, 
OvS  the  husband  of  Macha.  O'Flaherty 
tells  us  that  he  was  the  first  king  that 
dwelt  in  Emliain  ilacha,  which  he  built 
most  superbly,  and  which  afterwards 
became  the  residence  of  the  Ulidiau 
kings. 

The  building  of  Emhain  forms  an 
era  or  fi.xed  point  in  Irish  history. 
Thenceforth  the  dates  of  the  events  re- 
corded, the  reigns  of  the  kings  and  their 
consecutive  order,  become  less  uncer- 
tain. Tighernach,  who  died  in  the  year 
1088,  and  who  is  the  most  accurate  of 
the  Irish  annalists,  says  that  all  the 
monuments  of  the  Scoti,  to  the  time  of 
Kimbaedh,  are  uncertain.  "  Onniia 
monumenta  Scotorum  usque  Cimbaeth 
incerta  erant."  With  this  O'Flaherty 
agrees,  and  he  has  shown  in  the  second 
part  of  his  Ogygia,  that  the  period.?  of 
the  Ulster  kings,  from  Cimbaeth  (Kim- 
baeth) to  the  destruction  of  Emania.  are 
supported  by  accurate  records  ;  but  he 
confesses  that  the  piiriods  i)rec(iding 
Cimbaeth  is  not  so  supported. — 0' Don- 
ovans Notes  to  the  Four  Masters. 

Too  much  stress  has  been  laid  upon  the 
above-cited  admission  of  Tigharnach, 
and  many  would  rejeci  the  events  re- 
corded previous  to  the  building  of  Em- 
ania, on  the  strength  thereof  Uncertain 
they  certainly  are,  as  the  historic  events 
of  every  nation  liad  been  previous  to 


the  adoption  of  a  fixed  system  of  Cro- 
nology  ;  that  is  they  are  uncertain,  in 
date,  and  uncertain  in  consecutive  ar- 
rjingement.  There  is  also  much  uucer- 
tainiy  as  to  how  far  Mythologic  legend 
and  Druidic  allegory  have  been  blended 
with  plain  matter  of  fact.  But  these 
great  features  of  our  early  history,  that 
have  left  indelible  impressions  upon  the 
national  memory,  and  even  upon  the 
physical  appearance  of  the  country,  are 
not  to  be  rejected  because  Tighernach 
has  qualified  them  as  uncertain.  The 
same  phrase  might  be  applied  to  the 
history  of  Rome,  Athens,  or  any  other 
antique  nation.  The  existence  of  Romu- 
lus and  Remus,  and  even  the  time  they 
lived,  are  both  very  uncertain.  It  is, 
also,  uncertain  how  far  truth  is  blended 
with  fable  in  tlie  legends  of  Rhea  Sylvia 
and  of  Lupa.  but  no  person,  except  one 
who  is  of  a  frame  of  mind  to  doubt  of 
his  own  existence,  will  deny  that  these 
represent  real  historic  facts  and  persons; 
or  that,  however  obscure  their  legends 
be  in  themselves,  they  represent  those 
facts  more  truly  and  cleai-ly  than  can 
now  be  done  by  substituting,  in  their 
stead,any  other  hypothesis,fouiided  upon 
cvery-day  experience.  So  it  is  of  the 
events  before  Kimbaeth.  and  of  many 
of  those  after  his  time. — Ed. 

■*  Borenn.  This  forest  lay.  very  prob- 
able, in  a  district  called  Boreun,  in 
Ulidia. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  247 

wild  boar.  The  sons  of  Dithorba  then  asked  her  tbe  news,  and 
gave  lier  a  portion  of  the  meat.  Slie  upon  this  told  them  all  that 
she  had  to  communicate.  After  this,  one  of  the  brothers,  charm- 
ed by  the  brightness  of  her  eyes,  followed  her  into  a  distant  part 
of  the  forest,  and  there  she  left  him  bound  in  fetters.  She  then 
returned  to  the  others,  who,  thereupon,  demanded  of  her  what 
had  become  of  their  brother.  Macha  replied,  that  he  was  unwill- 
ing to  meet  them,  being  ashamed  of  having  been  smitten  by  the 
bright  glances  of  a  leper.  "He  needed  it  not,"  said  they,  "for 
we  have  been  all  captivated  by  the  beauteous  lustre  of  your  eyes." 
They  then  vie,  one  with  the  other,  in  paying  court  to  the  seem- 
ing leper,  and  she  seems  to  listen  to  each  of  them,  and  thus  she 
succeeded  in  alluring  them  into  solitudes,  where  she  bound  them 
in  fetters,  as  she  had  their  brother.  In  this  manner  she  was  able 
to  place  them  all  in  bonds,  and  to  bring  them  tied  together"  to 
Emhain  Macha,  into  the  presence  of  the  men  of  Uladh.  She  then 
asked  the  chieftains  of  Uladh  what  retribution  she  should  exact 
from  her  captives.  They  with  one  accord  declared  that  she 
should  have  them  put  to  death.  "Not  so,"  said  she,  "for  that 
would  be  against  the  law,"  but  let  them  be  made  slaves  of,  and 
condemned  to  build  a  fortress  for  me,  which  shall  be  forever 
henceforth  the  capital  city  of  this  province."  Thereupon  Macha 
took  out  the  golden  broach  Avhich  fastened  her  mantle  round  her 
neck,  and  with  it  she  measured  the  site  of  the  rath^'  or  fortress, 
which  the  sons  of  Dithorba  were  to  be  compelled  to  build.  Em- 
hain,^" then  the  rath  was  called  (as  if  Eomhuin),  for  "  eo"  {ijo)  is 
a  name  for  a  broach  or  pin,  and  "muin"  {mivin)  is  the  same  as 
"  braighe,"  {braivee)  i.  e.  the  neck ;  or  it  may  be  so  called  from 
Emhain  Macha,  the  wife  of  Cronn,  son  of  Adnaman,  who  was 
forced,  while  in  a  state  of  pregnancy,  to  run  against  the  horses 

"  Tied  together.     0 'Flaherty  rejects  above,  though  sanctioued  by  Cormac's 

this  extravagant  legend  altogether.  His  Glossary,  is  nothing  more  than  one  of 

words  are  :  "  We  reject  as  falnilous  the  those  bardic  puns  already  noticed.    All 

captivity  of  the  sons  of  Dithorba,  and  that  can  be  deduced  from  it  is,  that  the 

that  the  building  of  Emania  became  meaning  of  the  word  "Emhain"  had 

the  ransom  of  their  liberty.    Kimbaeth  become  obsolete,  before  such  a  guess 

was  the  first  founder  of  Emania,  and  had  been  made.     In  Mageoghegan's 

was   the  first  who   resided   there." —  translation  of  the  Annals  of  Clonmac- 

Ogygia.  noise,  the  following  notice  of  Emhain 

^  Against  the  law.     The  Brehon  law  occurs  :    "  In    the    same    (rafh)    she 

did  not  sanction  the  putting  of  crimi-  (Macha  and  the  kings  of  Ulster,  her 

nals  to  death.  successors)  kept  their  palace  and  place 

^  The  rath.    The  name  of  this  rath  of  residence  for  the  space  of  855  years, 

is  now  corrupted  from  the  Irish  "  An  It  was  built  450  before  the  birth  of 

Eamhaiu"  {an  avwin),  to  Navan  Fort.  Christ,  and  was  razed  for  spite  of  the 

It  is  a  very  large  rath,  situated  about  Clanua  Rudraide  by  the  Three  Collas, 

two  miles  to  the  west  of  Arinagh.  sons  of  Eocaidh  Dublén,  who  was  son 

"'Emhain.     The    derivation    given  of  Carbri  Lificar." 


248  THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 

of  Concobar,  king  of  Ulster,  which  she  outran,  and  then  at  the 
goal  gave  birth  to  a  son  and  a  daughter.  She  gave  her  curse  to 
the  people  of  Ulster,  whence  it  came  to  pass  that  they  were  con- 
tinually afflicted  with  the  pains  of  labor,  during  nine  successive 
reigns,  namely,  from  the  time  of  Concobar  to  the  reign  of  Mai, 
son  of  Eochraide. 

RECTAIDH  RIGH-DERG,    ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  3566.^^  Eectaidh  Kigh-Derg,  son  of  Lugaidh  Laighdi, 
son  of  Eocaidh,  son  of  Olild  Finn,  sou  of  Art,  son  of  Lugaidh 
Lamh-derg,  of  the  line  of  Eber,  held  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland  for 
twenty  years.  He  was  called  Eectaidh  Eigh-derg  {Raghtai  Rec- 
yarg\  or  Eectaidh  of  the  Ecd  Arm,  because  his  upper  arm  was 
"reel;"  and  it  was  lugani  Mor  that  slew  hmi  in  revenge  for  his 
foster-mother,^^  Macha  Mong-Euddh. 

lUGANI   MOR,   ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  3586.''^  lugani  Mor,  son  of  Eocaidh  Buadach,  son,  of 
Duach  Laghrach,  of  the  line  of  Erimhon,  ruled  Ireland  for  forty 
years  (or  for  thirty,  according  to  other  authorities).  Ue  was 
called  lugani  Mor,  or  lugani  the  Great,  because  his  empire  was 
great,  for  he  had  reduced  all  the  western  isles  of  Europe  under 
his  sway.  He  had  twenty-live  children,  twenty-two  sons  and 
three  daughters.  When  these  children  had  grown  up,  each  of 
them  had  his  own  distinct  retinue  of  followers.  And  when  they 
were  making  the  free-tour  of  Ireland,  it  was  their  wont,  that  wher- 
ever one  of  them  had  quartered  himself  on  any  particular  place, 
another  should  quarter  himself  there  on  the  next;  and  thus, 
whithersoever  they  directed  their  march,  they  succeeded  one 
another  incessantly,  until  all  the  provisions  of  that  district  were 
consumed  by  themselves  and  their  followers.  When  the  men  of 
Eri  perceived  this,  they  went  to  make  their  complaint  to  King 

"  A.  M.  4547. — Four  Masters.    The  and  lovo  them  as  well  as  their  own  na- 

line  of  Ir,  i.  e.  tho  race  of  Carbri,  son  tural  father." 

of  OUainh  FoJIa,  liad,  according  to  tliis  According  to  O'FIaherty,  Rcctaidh 

authority,   now   ruled   Ireland   for  77  of  the  Red  Ami  invaded  Allja,  which 

years,   to   the  exclusion   of  the   races  country  he  subdued  by  the  aid  of  Fere 

of    Eber    and    Erimhon,    when    Rec-  and  Iboth,  his  generals.     But,  he  adds 

taidh   wrested    the    sovereignty    from  that  tlic  Fere,  who  f  )Ught  under  king 

Macha.  Rectaidh,  uuist   not   be   mistaken  for 

"  Foster-Mother.  It  was  Kimbaeth  Fergus,  son  of  Ere,  who  did  not  live 
and  Macha  that  had  fostered  lugani  for  many  centuries  after.  Whoever 
Mor.  "  In  those  days,"  Mageoghegan  that  Fere,  was,  he  obtained  no  perma- 
tells  us,  "  it  was  the  custom  to  bring  up  nent  dominion  in  Alba  uor  did  he  trans- 
noblemen's  children  in  princes'  and  mit  any  jiossessions  therein  to  his  pos- 
great  men's  houses,  and  forever  after  tcrity. — See  Uf;ij<!;ia. 
they  would  call  them  their  fosterers  '^  A.  M.  4507. — Four  Masters. 


THE   HISTORY   OF  IRELAND.  249 

lugani;  and  it  was  mutually  agreed  with  liim,  that  Ireland 
should  be  divided  into  twenty  parts,  and  that  one  distinct  part 
of  these  should  be  given  to  each  of  his  children,  and  that  none 
should  be  permitted  to  enter  upon  the  portion  of  the  other,  as 
the  bard  records  in  the  following  rann : 

"  Of  proud  and  august  lugani 
All  ]5anba  M-as  the  plenteous  dwelling — 
In  five-and-twenty  even  shares 
His  sons  apportioned  Eri's  lands." 

Here  follow  the  names  of  the  children  of  lugani,  and  of  the 
portion  of  land  that  each  of  them  possessed ;  and  first  of  the 
sons: 

1.  Cobthach  Cael-Breágh  had  his  portion  in  Breagh  or 
Bregia.  2.  Cobthach  Murthemni,  in  Murthemni  (or  Louth). 
3.  Laegari  Lore,  in  Lifi  (by  the  river  Liffe).  4.  Fulni,  in  Febh 
(Magh  Fea,  in  Carlow).  5.  Nar,  in  Magh  Nair.  6.  Raighui,  in 
Magh  Raighni  (in  Ossory).  7.  Narb,  in  Alagh  Nairb.  8.  Kinga, 
in  Argedros  (on  the  Norel  9.  Tair,  in  Magh  Tarra.  10.  Triath, 
in  Tretherni.  11.  Sen,  m  Luachair  (in  Kerry).  12.  Bard,  in 
Cluain-corca-Oiché  (in  Ui  Fidgenti).  13.  Fergus  Gnaei,  in  the 
land  of  the  (Southern)  Desies.  14.  Orb,  in  Aidni  (on  the  borders 
of  Clare  and  Galway).  15.  Maen,  in  Maen-Magh  (in  Galway). 
16.  Sanb,  in  i\{agh  Aei  (in  Roscommon).  17.  Mai,**  in  Cliu  Mail 
(in  Coshlea,  county  of  Limerick).  18.  Eocaidh,  in  Seol-magh 
(now  the  barony  of  Clare,  in  Galway).  19.  Latharn,  in  Latharna 
(in  Antrim).  20.  Marc,  in  Midhe  (or  Meath).  21.  Lacgh,  in 
Line  (in  Antrim).  22.  Corand,®^  in  Corann  (in  Sligo).  Here  fol- 
low the  three  daughters  and  their  shares :  1.  Ailbi,  in  Magh- 
Ailbi  (inKildare).  2.  Faifi,^  in  Magh-Feraen  (Iffa  and  Oifa,  in 
Tipperary),  and  3.  Muresg,  in  Magh-Murisgi. 

And  it  was  according  to  this  division,  that  rents  and  duties 
were  paid  to  every  king  that  reigned  in  Ireland,  for  the  space  of 
three  hundred  years,  namely,  from  the  time  of  lugani  to  that  of 
the  provincialists  or  Pentarchs  that  flourished  when  Eocaidh  Feid- 
lech  was  king  of  Ireland ;  as  the  bard  has  sung  in  the  following 
rann: 

"  Three  hundred  well-marked  years  had  passed, 
When  five  provincial  chiefs  arose, 
Who,  scorning  his  too  partial  rules, 
Between  them  share  lugani's  land." 

By  Eocaidh  Feidlech,  the  Fifths  or  provinces  of  Ireland  were 
divided  amongst  the  following  persons :  1,  the  province  of  Leinster 

"  Mai,  otherwise,  Muredach  Mai.  "^    Fa^fi,     otherwise     called    Aeifi. 

*  Comnd,  called  Carbri  in  the  notes  Magh-Femhen  is  also  called  Magh- 
to  the  Four  Masters.  Aeifi  f^Moij  Eefic.) 


250 


THE  HISTORY  OF  IRELAND. 


lie  gave  to  Rosa,  son  of  Fergus  Fargi;  the  two  provinces  of  Mnn- 
ster,  he  gave  to  -Tighernach  Tedbennach  and  to  Degaidh ;  the 
province  of  Connaght  he  gave  to  three  persons,  namely,  to  Fidach 
son  of  Fiach,  to  Eocaidh  Alat  and  to  Tinni  son  of  Curaidh. 
Nevertheless,  the  division  made  amongst  the  children  of  lugani 
held  good  until  all  his  sons  had  died  out,  without  posteritj^,  with 
the  exception  of  two,  namely,  Cobthach  Cael-Breagh  and 
Laegari  Lore,  from  whom  tsvo  are  descended  all  that  now  exist 
of  the  race  of  Erin:ihón. 

lugani  Mor  was  slain  by  his  own  brother,  namely,  by  Bad- 
bchadh  {Boivgha),  son  of  Eocaidh  Buadach,  in  Tellach-an-Cos- 
gair.^  I3ut  the  fratricide  enjoyed  the  kingdom  of  Ireland  but 
one  day  and  a  half,  when  Laegari  Lore  slew  him  in  vengeance  for 
his  father. 

LAEGARI   LORC,  ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  3586.^  Laegari^^  Lore,  son  of  lugani  Afor,  son  of  Eocaidh 
Buadach,  son  of  Duach  Laghrach,  of  the  line  of  Erimhon,  reigned 
over  Ireland  for  two  years.  Kesair,  daughter  to  the  king  of 
France,  the  wife  of  lugani  Mor,  was  the  mother  of  this  king  and 
of  Cobthach  Cael-Breagh.    lie  was  called  Laegari  Lore,  because 


*^  Tellach-av-Cosgair.  O'FlnLerty 
calls  the  place  where  Tugani  was  slain 
Kill  -  Droicheat  on  the  banks  of  the 
Boyne.  The  Four  Masters  record  his 
death  at  A.  M.  4G06,  "  after  he  had 
been  fully  forty  years  king  of  Ireland, 
and  of  the  whole  of  the  west  of  Europe, 
as  far  as  the  Miiir  Toirrian  (the  Tyrr- 
hian,  according  to  others,  the  Mediter- 
ranian  sea).  It  was  this  lugani  that 
exacted  oaths,  by  all  the  elements, 
visible  and  invisible,  from  the  men  of 
Ireland  in  general,  that  they  would 
never  contend  for  the  sovereignty  of 
Ireland  with  his  children  or  his  race.'' 
"  Though  the  building  of  the  royal  pal- 
ace of  Emania,"  says  Moore,  in  his  His- 
tory of  Ireland,  "  was  assumed  as  a 
technical  epoch  by  chronologers,  the 
accession  of  Hugony  the  Great  (lugani 
^lor)  as  he  was  called,  proved,  in  a  po- 
litical point  of  view,  an  era  still  more 
remarkable ;  as,  by  his  influence  witli 
the  assembled  States  at  Tara,  he  suc- 
ceeded in  anulling  tlie  Penlarchy  ;  and 
moreover,  prevailed  on  the  four  (five) 
provincial  kings  to  surrender  tlicir 
right  of  succession  to  his  family,  exact- 


ing of  them  a  solemn  oath,  by  all  things 
visible  and  invisible,  not  to  accept  of  a 
supreme  monarch  from  any  other  line. 
For  the  Pentarchal  government,  this 
monarch  substituted  a  division  of  the 
kingdom  into  twenty-five  districts,  or 
dynasties  ;  thus  ridding  himself  of  the 
rivalry  of  provincial  royalty,  and  at 
the  same  time  widening  the  basis  of 
the  monarchial  or  rather  the  aristo- 
cratical  power.  The  al)juration  of  their 
right  of  succession,  which  had  been  ex- 
torted from  the  minor  lungs,  was,  as 
might  be  expected,  revoked  on  the  first 
opportunity  that  offered  ;  but  the  sys- 
tem of  government  established  in  place 
of  tlie  Fentarciiy  was  continued  down 
nearly  to  the  commencement  of  our 
era ;  when,  under  the  monarch  Achy 
Feidloch  (Eocaidh  Fe<llech),  it  was  re- 
scinded and  the  ancient  form  restored." 
liy  sonic.  lugani  is  supposed  not  to  have 
altered  the  old  division  of  the  country, 
but  to  have  subdivided  each  "fifth" 
into  five  minor  districts. 

•^  A.  M.  4G08.— Four  Masters. 

•"  LvVKfiARi  II.,  otherwise,  Laeghaire 
(Layerie). 


THE    HISTORY   OF    IRELAND.  251 

the  word  "lore"  means  the  same  thing  as  "Finnghail"  {jinneeT) 
i.  e.  parricide  on  account  of  his  having  committed  a  parricide,  in 
murdering  Badbcadh,  son  of  Eocaidh  Buadach.  It  was  thence 
that  the  surname  Lore  got  attached  to  his  name.  It  was  by  his 
own  bi-other  Cobthach  Cael-m-Brcagh  that  Laegari  Lore  was 
slain  at  Dinn-righ  on  the  banks  of  the  Berba  (now  the  Barrow). 
Cobthach  was  pining  away,  through  envy  of  Laegari's  being  in 
possession  of  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland  ;  and  when  Laegari  had 
heard  that  he  was  unwell,  he  came  to  visit  him  attended  by  an 
armed  guard.  AVhen  Cobthach  saw  him,  he  said  that  it  was  a 
sad  thing,  that  his  brother  should  always  be  so  suspicious  of  him, 
as  not  to  come  into  his  presence  unless  attended  by  armed 
men.  "  Nevertheless,"  said  Laegari,  "  my  next  visit  shall  be  made 
unattended  by  any  such  escort.  He,  thereupon,  bid  fcirewell  to 
Cobthach.  As  to  Cobthach,  he  advised  with  a  Druid,  who  dwelt 
with  him,  as  to  how  he  should  contrive  to  murder  his  brother. 
"What  you  have  to  do,"  said  the  Druid,  "is  to  feign  yourself 
dead,  and  to  get  into  a  litter,  as  if  really  so.  Then  let  Laegari  be 
informed  thereof,  and  he  will  come  to  see  you  with  few  attend- 
ants, and  upon  connng  into  the  place  where  you  lie,  he  will  lean 
over  your  body  in  lamenting  you.  Then  stab  him  in  the  abdo- 
men with  your  dirk,  and,  thus,  he  shall  be  slain  by  you.  When 
Cobthach  had  accomplished  the  murder  of  Laegari,  after  this 
manner,  he  slew  also  Olild  Ani,  his  brother's  son,  and  then  after 
perpetrating  these  deeds,  he  recovered  his  health.  He  also  com- 
manded a  young  child,  the  son  of  Olild  Ani,  to  be  brought  into 
his  pi-esence,  and  there  he  forced  him  to  eat  a  portion  of  the  heart 
of  his  father  and  another  of  that  of  his  grandsire.  He  also  com- 
pelled him  to  swallow  a  mouse.  In  consequence  of  the  disgust 
that  seized  the  child  at  such  usage,  he  lost  his  speech  altogether; 
whereupon  Cobthach  permitted  him  to  be  carried  away.™ 

This  child,  who  was  called  Maen,  then  went  to  Corca  Dubni,^ 
where  he  dwelt  awhile  with  Scorriath,  the  king  of  that  country. 
Thence  he  passed  to  France,''^  with  nine  followers,  though  some 
antiquaries  say,  that  Armenia  was  the  country  to  which  he  went. 
His  followers  having  told  that  he  was  heir  to  the  kingdom  of 
Ireland,  it  came  to  pass,  through  that,  that  the  French  king  made 

'"  The  Irish  annals  arc  silent  about  represented,  would    have    spared   the 

the  horrible  details  of  the  manner  in  child  s  life,  if  ever  he  had  him  in  his 

which  Cobthach  murdered  his  brother  power. 

Laegari  Lore  and  his  nephew  Olild,  as  "  Corca  Dabni,  now  Corcaguiny,  in 

well  as   about   his  disgusting   cruelty  Kerry. 

towards  Maon.    The  story  recorded  by  "  France  is,  as  usual,  used  in  this 

Keating  must,  then,  be  regarded  as  the  place   most  incorrectly  for  Gallia  or 

invention  of  some  bard  hostile  to  the  Gaul.    There  was  yet  no  country  called 

Ui  Neil!  race.     It  is  not  likely,  that  so  France. 
cruel  a  monster,  as  Cobthach  is  here 


252  THE   HISTORY  OF  IRELAND. 

him  a  captain  over  his  household  guards  ;  and  he  became  very 
successful  in  this  position;  insomuch  that  his  fame  and  glory 
were  loudly  spoken  of  in  Ireland,  and  for  that  reason,  many  of 
the  men  of  Ireland  followed  him  to  France,  and  remained  there 
%vith  him  for  a  long  time. 

COBTHACH  GAEL   BREAGH  ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  3618.^3  Cobthach  Gael  Breagh,  son  of  lugani  Mor,  son 
of  Eocaidh  Buadach,  of  the  line  of  Erimhon  governed  the  king- 
dom of  Ireland  for  thirty  j-ears  (or  for  fifty  according  to  some 
people).  He  was  called  Cobthach  Cael-Breagh  from  a  severe  dis- 
temper that  preyed  upon  him  through  envy  of  his  brother  Lae- 
gari,  who  possessed  the  kingdom  before  him.  A  consumption 
had  come  upon  him,  so  that  all  his  flesh  and  blood  wasted  away, 
and  that  he  became  so  lean,  that  people  called  him  Cobthacli,  the 
slender,  or  thin,  i.  e.  "cael."  Then  Magh-Brcagh  {Moy  Bra  ) 
was  the  mme  of  the  place  where  he  lay  sick.  It  was  thence  that 
he  got  that  name  which  signifies  Cobthach  "the  lean  man  of 
Breagh."  This  Cobthach  was  killed  by  Labraidh  Loringsech 
{Lavrai  Leengshagh\  son  of  Olild  Ani,  on  a  Christmas  eve  at 
Dinn-ltigh.  He  slew  him  in  vengeance  for  his  father  and  his 
gi-andfathcr.    On  this  deed,  a  bard  has  left  the  following  verse  : 

"  With  full  ranks  came  the  sailor  Labraidh 
And  slew  gaunt  Cobthach  at  Dion-righ.'* 
'Twas  from  his  sea-borne  Laignian  host 
That  fair  Lagcnia  had  her  name." 

LABRAIDH  LOINGSECH,  ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  3648.^^  Labraidh  Loingsech,  son  of  Olild  Ani,  son  of 
Laegnri  Lore,  son  of  lugani  Mor  of  the  line  of  Erimhon,  reigned 
over  Ireland  for  eighteen  ycars,'^  at  the  end  of  which  he  was 
slain  by  Melgi  Molbthach  {Melgui  Molfagh),  son  of  Cobthach 
Cael  Breagh. 

The  manner  in  which  he  was  allured  to  return  to  Ireland  was 
this:  Morriath,  daughter  of  Scorriath,  king  of  the  territory  of 
Fer  More,  in  West-Munster,  had  conceived  a  violent  passion  for 
him,  which  was  inflamed  by  the  greatness  of  his  glory,  and  by 
the  fame  of  his  deeds.     This  lady  equipped  the  har^^er  Craftini, 

'^  A.  M.  á609.— Four  Masters.    Cob-  "  DiNN-Rion.     lie  was  slain  at  this 

thach  Cael  Breagh  reigned  fifty  j-carR,  place  in  A.  M.  -ICrjS,  with  thirty  kings 

according  to  the  authority  just  cited,  about  him. —  See  Four  ^[asters. 

The  name  is  jjronounccd  cither  Cow-  "  A.  M.  -1077. — Id. 

hajxh  or   Coffagh.    It  means  victori-  ""^  Eifrhtceii  years.   The  Four  Masters 

0U3.              "  say  nineteen. 


THE   HISTORY  OF   IRELAND.  253 

an  eminent  musician,  that  flourished  in  Ireland  at  that  time,  and 
sent  him  to  France  after  her  lover,  furnishing  him  with  many 
valuable  jewels  fur  Maen  (i.  e.  Labraidh)  and  with  an  impassioned 
lay,  wherein  she  made  known  to  that  prince  the  strength  of  the 
love  which  she  bore  him. 

AVhen  the  musician  had  arrived  in  France,  and  had  come  into 
the  presence  of  Maen,  he  played  an  enchanting,  fairy  strain  upon 
his  harp,  and  to  it  he  sang  the  love-lay,  which  Morriath  had  com- 
posed for  her  hero.  Thereupon,  Maen  became  so  delighted  at 
seeing  the  musician  Craftini,  Uiat  he  exclaimed,  that  both  the  lay 
and  the  melody  wc^re  sweet  to  his  ears.  When  his  companions 
and  Craftini  had  heard  this,  they  prayed  the  king  of  France  to 
give  him  an  auxiliary  force,  in  order  that  he  might  recover  his 
own  land.  And  that  king  gave  him  a  sufficient  host,  to  wit,  two 
thousand  two  hundred  warriors,  and  ships  to  transport  them  to 
Ireland.  With  these  they  set  out  upon  the  sea,  and  nothing  fur- 
ther is  told  of  them,  until  they  get  into  harbor  at  Loch-Garman," 
(i.  e.  Wexford.)  Upon  landing  here,  they  were  told  that  Cob- 
thach  was  then  at  Dinn-righ,  attended  by  a  large  number  of  the 
Irish  nobles.  Having  heard  this,  Maen  marched  day  and  night 
upon  Dinn-righ,  which  he  took  by  storm,  and  put  Cobthach  and 
the  nobles,  who  were  in  his  company,  to  the  sword.'^ 

A  Druid,  who  was  then  in  that  fortress,  demanded  who  had 
done  that  deed  of  slaughter.  "  The  Mariner,"  (i.  e.  an  loingsech,) 
replied  a  man  without.  "Does  that  mariner  speak?"  asked  the 
Druid.  He  does,  (i.  e.  labhraidh,  he  speaks^)  replied  the  other; 
and  from  this  circumstance  the  phrase  "labhraidh  loingsech," ^^ 
{lavrai,  or  lowrai  leengshagh,)  which  means  "the  mariner  speaks," 
has  ever  since  been  attached  as  a  cognomen  to  Maen.     It  was  by 

"  Moore,  guessing  at  tlie  meaning  of  and  that,  after  this.  King  Cobthach 

the  name  Loch   Garman,  (Wexford,)  was  invited  to  a  feast  by  his  (grand) 

■which  is  properly  Loch  g-Carman,  i.  e.  nephew,  Laegari,  and  there  was  treach- 

the  Lake  of  Carma,  has  translated  it  the  erously  burnt,  with  thirty  Irish  princes, 

kaibor  of  the    Germans,   thus  leading  after  a  reign  of  sevenimi  years, 
one  to  suppose  that  these  auxiliaries  of        "  Labhraidh.    We  have  already  met 

Labraidh  were  Germans  ;  but,  as  from  this    word    used    as    a    proper   name 

his  ignorance  of  Irish  he  could  form  no  amongst  the  Gaels  ;  and  there  is,  then, 

judgment  of  his  own  upon  the  mean-  no  reason  to  suppose  for  it,  in  this  in- 

ings  of  Irish  words,  this  surmise  of  his  stance,   the   absurd   derivation    above 

must  be  held  to  be  utterly  valueless.  given.     It  is  exactly  of  the  same  form- 

'"  The  manner  of  Cobthach's  death  is.  ation  with  the  names  "  eochaidh  "  de- 

differently  told  in  the  Annals  of  Clon-'  rived  from"ech,"a  hose;  F\a.chaidh 

macnoise,  translated  by  Maheoghegan.  from  "  Fiach,"  a  raven,  Ln^haidh,  and 

They  relate  that  Cobthach,  in  the  end,  several  others.     If  the  terra  be  Irish, 

caade  friendship  with  Labraidh,  whom  and  come  from  the  root  "  labhair,"  i.  e. 

he  had  long  kept  in  banishment,  and  speak  thou,  it  must  mean,  in  its  primary 

that  he  granted  the  province  of  Leins-  sense,  the  speaker,  or  the  eloquent  man. 
tcr  to  him  and  to  his  heirs  forever  ; 


254  THE  HISTORY  OF   IRELAND. 

this  Maen  that  those  broad  blue  hmces,  called  "laighni,"^ 
{loynie,)  were  first  made  in  Ireland — "  laighni,"  indeed,  means 
the  same  thing  as  "slegha,"  (shláhá,)  i.  e.  spears  or  lances,  fur- 
nished with  broad  blue  heads  made  of  iron.  And  it  is  fi-om 
these  broad-headed  lances,  that  the  people  of  the  principality  of 
Galian  or  Galeon,  which  is  now  called  Laighen,  {Loyen^)  or 
Leinster,  have  received  the  name  of  Laighnigh,  {Loynih,)  or  La- 
genians. 

When  Labraidh  Loingsech  had  slain  Cobthach  Gael  Breáf^h, 
and  had  established  himself  in  the  full  possession  of  Ireland,  he 
went  in  company  with  the  harper,  Craftini,  to  visit  Morriath,  his 
lady-love,  who  had  sent  this  same  Craftini  after  him  to  France  ; 
and  he  married  her,  and  she  continued  his  queen  during  his 
Avhole  lifetime. 

The  reason  why  Maen,  who  is  called  Labraidh  Loingsech, 
went  to  France,  was  on  account  of  his  relationship  to  the  French 
king ;  for,  as  we  have  already  said,  the  daugliter  of  a  king  of 
France  had  been  the  wife  of  íugani  Mor  and  the  mother  of  his 
sons,  Laegari  Lore  and  Cobthach  Cael  Breagh ;  and  Labraidh 
Loingsech  was  the  grandson  of  Laegari  Lore ;  and  it  was  through 
this  relationshijD  that  he  came  to  place  himself  under  the  protec- 
tion of  the  French  monarch.  Another  reason  why  he  betook 
himself  to  France,  rather  than  to  any  other  countiy,  was  because 
there  existed  a  special  league  of  amity  and  friendship  between 
the  Lagenians  and  the  French.  Each  of  the  provinces  of  Ire- 
land had  formed  a  similar  league  Avith  some  foreign  country. 
Thus  the  Ui  Ncill  Avcre  allied  to  the  people  of  Alba,  (i.  e.  the 
Scotch ;)  the  Munstermen  to  the  Saxons ;  the  Ulstermen  to  the 
Spaniards ;  the  Connaughtmen  to  the  Britons,  (i.  e.  the  Welsh ;) 
and  the  Lcinstcrmen  to  the  French.  It  is  so  that  Sean  (John 
Mac  Torna  0  Mael-Oonari,  Chief  Professor  and  Arch-Ollamh  of 
the  History  of  Ireland  tells  us,  in  the  following  verses: 

"  Friends  like  itself  each  tribe  lias  found, 
Though  all  our  clans  one  kindred  claim  ; 
Thus  Niall's  race  loves  Alba's  heights, 
And  Munstcr  holds  the  Saxon  dear. 

"  And  Spain  is  loved  by  Uladh's  tribes, 
Now  scattered  wide  through  Eri's  lauds; 
In  Britons  (Jonnacht  finds  allies  : 
To  France  Lageuia  turna  for  friends." 

From  these  friendly  relations  between  each  of  the  provinces 

'^Laighni.     Laighe,  (Loye,)  which  a  diminutive  of  Slegh,  (Shláh,)  is  the 

seems  to  be  the  root  of  Laighen,  is  still  name  of  a  sharp-edged,  spade-like,  and 

used  in  parts  of  Ireland,  as  the  name  of  rather  formidable  instrument,  used  by 

the  long  narrow  spade,  used  in  that  the  Irish  peasants  in  cutting  peat  or 

country.    Slcghan,  {S/Uaan,)  obviously  turf. 


THE   HISTORY   OF  IRELAND.  255 

and  the  countries  just  mentioned,  there  sprung  up  a  certain  re- 
semblance of  manners  severally  between  them,  which  had  arisen 
from  their  alliances  and  mutual  affection. 

The  reader  must  now  be  made  aware,  that  all  the  true  Lageni- 
ans,  of  the  race  of  Erimhon,  are  the  descendants  of  this  La- 
brceidh  Loingsech,  with  the  single  exception  of  the  clan  of 
O'Nuallain,  (or  O'Nolan,)  which  is  descended  from  Cobthach 
Gael  Breagh.  The  following  are  the  principal  family  names 
amongst  the  Lagenians,  to  wit,  O'Connor  Falghi,  with  the 
branches  that  have  sprung  therefrom ;  O'Cavanagh;  O'Toohill  (or 
Toole ;)  O'Brinn  (or  Byrne ;)  Mao  Gilla-Patrick  or  Fitzpatrick ; 
O'Dunn ;  O'Diraasaigh  (or  Dempsy ;)  O'Dwyer ;  O'Kyan  ;  and  all 
the  Septs  that  trace  their  origin  to  any  of  these  names.  The 
chief  part  of  the  Leinster  clans  are  descended  from  Cathaeir 
Mor,  {Caheer  Morr.)  However,  the  clan  of  Mac  Gilla-Patrick 
does  not  draw  its  origin  from  that  king ;  for  the  race  of  Mac 
Gilla-Patrick  branched  oif  from  the  Lagenian  stock  at  Bresal 
Brec,  son  of  Fiacaidh  Fobric,  the  fourteenth  ancestor  from 
Cathaeir  upwards.  This  Bresal  had  two  sons,  namely,  Lugaidh 
Lothfinn  and  Conla,  The  principality  of  Leinster  was  divided 
between  these  two,  and  what  lies  from  the  Barrow  eastwards 
fell  to  Lugaidh  and  to  his  posterit}^,  and  the  part  that  lies  west- 
ward, from  the  Barrow  to  Slighe  Dala  {Shlee  Daiola)  fell  to 
Conla.  Of  these  sons,  and  of  this  division  made  between,  these 
chiefs  we  find  the  following  testimony  in  the  duan  which  begins 
thus,  "  The  blessed  Story  of  the  Saints  of  Fal :" 

"  Lugaidh  and  Conla,  generous  hearts, 
Were  the  sons  of  mighty  Bresal  Brec ; 
From  Conla  of  wounds  the  Osraide  came, 
And  of  Laigheu,  Lugaidh  was  the  sire." 

From  Lugaidh  descended  the  O'Dwyers  also,  w^ho  had  branched 
off  from  the  stock  of  Cathaeir  Mor,  in  the  fifth  generation  be- 
fore him.  Cathaeir  Mor  was  the  son  of  Feidlhnidh  Firurglas, 
son  of  Cormac  Gelta-gaeth,  son  of  Niacorb,  son  of  Cucorb.  Car- 
bi  Cluthecar,  from  whom  the  O'Dwyers  are  sprung,  was  the  son 
of  Cucorb,  the  last  named  of  these.  Again,  it  was  from  Nathi, 
son  of  Crimthann,  son  of  Enna  Kennselach,  the  seventh  genera- 
tion from  Cathaeir  downwards,  that  the  O'Eyans  sprang. 

Cobthach  Cael  Breagh  was  the  other  son  of  lugani  Mor,  who 
left  a  progeny  after  him.  From  him  are  descended  all  the  race 
of  Coun,  both  those  tribes  that  draw  their  origin  from  Fiacaidh 
Srabthini  and  Eocaidh  Doimlen,  and  every  other  kindred  branch 
of  the  posterity  of  Conn,  as  we  shall  hereafter  set  down  in  giv- 
ing the  genealogy  of  the  sons  of  Miledh. 


256  THE   HISTORY    OF    IRELAND. 

*'  It  is  related  of  Labraidh  Loinsech,  that  his  ears  were  shaped 
like  those  of  a  horse ;  on  which  account  every  person  that  cut 
his  hair  was  instantly  put  to  death,  in  order  that  neither  lie  nor 
anybody  else  alive  sliould  be  cognizant  of  that  blemish.  It  was 
the  habit  of  this  king  to  get  his  hair  cut  once  every  year;  that  is, 
he  was  wont  to  get  all  the  hair  that  had  grown  below  his  cars 
clipped  oif.  Lots  w^ere  cast,  in  order  to  determine  the  person 
who  should  perform  this  service,  because  the  person  upon  whom 
that  fell  was  put  to  death.  The  lot  once  fell  upon  the  only  son 
of  an  aged  widow  that  dwelt  near  the  king's  residence.  She,  upon 
hearing  thereof,  instantly  betook  herself  to  the  king's  presence, 
and  besought  him  not  to  put  her  only  son  to  death,  as  he  was 
the  only  child  she  had.  The  king  then  promised  to  spare  her 
son  provided  he  would  keep  secret  Avhatever  he  might  see,  and 
Avoiild  never  disclose  it  to  any  one  until  the  hour  of  his  death. 
After  this,  when  the  youth  had  cut  the  king's  hair,  the  burden  of 
that  secret  so  operated  upon  his  mind  and  body,  that  he  had  to  lie 
down  on  the  bed  of  sickness,  and  no  medicine  could  have  any 
salutary  effect  on  him.  When  he  had  been  thus  wasting  away  for 
a  long  time,  a  certain  learned  Druid  came  to  see  him,  and  told  his 
mother  that  the  burden  of  a  secret,  was  the  cause  of  her  son's  dis- 
ease, and  that  he  could  never  recover  until  he  had  told  it  to  some- 
thing. He  then  told  the  patient,  that,  though  he  was  bound  not 
to  discover  the  secret  to  any  human  being,  he  might  nevertheless 
go  to  the  meeting  of  four  roads,  and,  when  there,  turn  to  his 
right  and  address  the  first  tree  he  met,  and  tell  his  story  to  it.  The 
first  tree  he  did  meet  with  was  a  large  willow,  and  to  it  he  declared 
his  secret.  Upon  this,  the  disease,  brought  on  by  brooding  over 
his  burdensome  secret,  was  immediately  dissipated,  and  he  was 
perfectly  well  on  his  return  to  his  mother's  hoasc.  But  it  hap- 
pened soon  after,  that  Craftini  broke  his  harp  and  had  to  go  to 
look  for  materials  for  another.  He  chanced  to  hit  upon  the  very 
tree  to  which  the  widow's  son  had  told  his  secret,  and  from  it  he 
made  him  a  harp.  But  when  this  harp  was  finished  and  put  in 
order,  and  when  Craftini  commenced  to  play  thereupon,  it  gave 
forth  sounds  which  caused  all  that  heard  to  think  that  it  uttered 
the  words  "da  o  fill  for  Labraidli  Lorc,"^  which  mean,  Labraidh 
the  Manner  lias  the  ears  of  a  Jiorse  ;  and,  however  often  the  harp 
was  played  upon,  it  gave  forth  the  same  sounds.   Now,  when  the 

"This  story  resembles  that  tf)l(l  c>f  line  of  obsolete  Gaelic  does  not  admit 

Midas,   an   ancient  kinj,'   of  Phrygia,  of  the  meaning  given  to  it  in  the  fablo 

•wliicli  fable  some  explain  by  supposing  above  related.     It  means,  "  Labraidh, 

that  he  kept  a  immbcr  of  informers  lo  the  /nun/ercr,  has  two  ars ;"  that  is,  if 

report    to    him    any  seditious    words  the  antiquated  word  "o"  mean  an  car,  in 

Bpoken  against  him  by  his  subjects.  this  instance. 

"^Dao  fill  for  Labrauih  Lore.   This 


THE   HISTORY   OF  IRELAND.  257 

king  heard  of  thi?,  he  repented  him  of  the  numbers  he  had  put 
to  death,  in  order  to  conceal  his  deformity,  and  he  forthwith  ex- 
posed his  ears  to  his  household,  and  never  afterwards  concealed 
them.  However,  I  consider  this  tale  about  him  in  the  light  of  a 
romantic  fable,  rather  than  as  true  history. 

MELGI    MOLBTHACII,    ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  3666.^  Melgi  Molbthach,^  son  of  Cobthach  Gael 
Breagh,  of  the  line  of  Erimhon,  assumed  the  sovereignty  of  Ire- 
land, and  held  it  for  seventeen  j^ears,  at  the  end  of  which  he  was 
slain  by  Mogh-Corb,  son  of  Cobthach  Caemh. 

MOGH-COEB,   ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  3673.85  Mogh-Corb,85  son  of  Cobthach  Caemh,  son  of 
Kectaidh  Righ-derg,  son  of  Lugaidh  Laighdi  of  the  line  of  Eber, 
ruled  Ireland  for  seven  years.  He  was  called  Mogh-Corb  for  the 
following  reason :  As  his  son  was  one  day  driving  in  his  chariot, 
it  chanced  to  break  down,  and  Mogh-Corb  set  it  in  order  again. 
From  having  done  this  service  for  his  son,  whose  name  was  Corb, 
he  received  the  name  of  Mogh-Corb.    He  fell  by  Aengus  Ollamh. 

AENGUS    OLLAMH,  ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  3680.^^  Aengus^  Ollamh,  son  of  Olild  Bracan,  son  of 
Labraidh  Loingsech,  of  the  line  of  Erimhon,  reigned  over  Ire- 
land for  eighteen  years,  and  then  fell  by  the  hands  of  larann 
Gled-fathach. 

lARANN     GLEO-FATHAGH    ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  3698.''«  larann  Gleó-fathach,9o  son  of  Melgi-Molbthach, 
eon  of  Cobthach  Cael  Breagh,  of  the  line  of  Erimhon,  held  the 

*^  A.  M.  4678. — Four  Masters.  latter  meaning,  i.  e.  Corb's  servavt  or 

"  3Ie'gi    Molbthach     (Melgie    Mol-  "slave;"  but  then  c/ía?ibí  is  one  of  the 

fagh)  i.  e.  Melgi  the  Praise-worthy  or  meanings  of"  Corb,"  so  "  Mogh-Corb" 

Laudable.     From  this  Melgi  is  called  msij  mean  the  chariot-man  or  charioteer, 

Loch   Melgi,  now    Lough  Melvin,   a  as  "  Fer-Corb,"  his  son's  name,  most 

beautiful  lake  on  the  coafines  of  Fer-  probably  does  also.  "  Modh"  or  "  Mo." 

managh,  Leitrim,  and  Donegal. — O'D.  which  is  pronounced  in  the  same  man- 

•*  A.  M.  ■4095. — Four  Masters.  ner,  means  respect,  esteem,  honor,  mode, 

"  A.    M. — Mogh-Cirb,    otherwise  &c. 

Modh-Corb  (Mow  or  Mo-Corb).  Mogh  "  A.  M.  4702.— Four  Masters. 

was  not  unusual  as  a   proper   name  "  Aexgus  II.     Styled  Ollamh,  i.  e. 

among  the  clans  of  Eber.    The  deriviv  the  Sage  or  Doctor, 

tion  above  given  for  the  name  is  silly  ^  A.  M.  4720. — Four  Masters. 

and   absurd.     "Mogh"    or   "  Mo  "  is  ^  Immn  Gko-fathach,  (Eeran  Gleo- 

said  to  mean  n  man,  a  workman,  and  a  fuwh  'gh,)  i.  e.  larann  the  purely  wise, 

slave.     Keating  seems  to  give  it  the  or  (if   "  gleo "  mean   battle,  and  not 

17 


258  THE   UISTOKY    OF    IRELAND. 

sovereignty  of  Ireland  for  seven  years.  He  was  called  larann 
Gleo-failiach,  because  he  was  learned  and  wise.  In  the  end  he 
fell  by  Fer-Corb. 

FER-CORB,    ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  3705.®^  Fer-Corb,  son  of  Mogh-Corb,  son  of  Cobthach 
Caeml),  of  the  line  of  Eber,  ascended  the  throne  of  Ireland  and 
reigned  for  eleven  years,  at  the  end  of  which  he  fell  by  Connla. 

CONNLA  CRUAIDH-KELGACH,   AED-EIGH. 

A.  M.  8716.^  Connla  Cruaidh-kelgach,'^  son  of  larann  Gleo- 
fathach,  of  the  line  of  Erimhon,  reigned  over  Ireland  for  four 
years,  and  then  died  at  Temhair. 

OLILD   CAS-FIACLACH,    ARD-RIGH, 

A.  M.  3720.^  Olild^s  Cas-fiaclach,  (i.  e.  of  the  Bent  Teeth,)  son 
of  Connla  Cruaidh-kelgach,  of  the  line  of  Erimhon,  succeeded 
to  the  sovereignty,  and  reigned  over  Ireland  for  twenty-five 
years.    He  fell  by  Adamar  Folt-caein. 

ADAMAR,   ARD-RIGH. 

A.  ;^^.  3745.^  Adamar  Folt-caein,^^  son  of  Fer-Corb,  son  of 
Mogh-Corb,  of  the  line  of  Eber,  held  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland 
for  five  years,  and  then  fell  by  Eocaidh  Folt-lethan. 

EOCAIDII   FOLT-LETHAN,   ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  3750.^  Eocaidh39  Folt-lethan,  son  of  Olild  Cas-fiaclach, 
son  of  Connla  Cruiiidh-kclgach,   of    the  line  of   Erimhon,  as- 

pure  or  clear  in  this  instance)  the  skilful  i.  e.  Connla,  the  Comely.    The  Four 

or  knowing  in  the  fight.     Some  write  Masters  give  Connla  a  reign  of  twenty 

the   name  larann-gleo  Fatliach,  which  years. 

Dr.   0 'Donovan  translates  Iron-fight,  "'  A.  M.  4758. — Four  Masters, 

the  cautious.    This,  however,  he  docs  "^  Olii.d  II.     Cais-fhiaclach  is  pro 

not  sanction,  saying  that  the  Leahhar  nounced  Cash-eelclagh. 

Gahh'ila  and  the  best  copies  of  Kcat-  *  A.  M.  4783.— Fottr  Masters. 

ing  have  Irereo  {eercryo)  as  this  king's  °'  Folt-caein,  or  rather  Folt-chacin, 

name.     The  editor's  MSS.  have  it  as  (foll-kccn,)  i.  e.  of  tlic  fine  or  beautiful 

given  in  the  text,  to  which  he  sees  no  hair. 

objection.     Ilalliday  calls  him  ]rerco  "  A.  M.  4788. — Four  Masters. 
Fathach,  i.  e.  Irereo  the  Wise.  ""  EorAion  IX.     Folt-lethan,  (Folt- 
"  A.  M.  4727. — Fo^ir  Masters.  lahun,)  the  epithet  ajipliod  to  thisking, 
"  A.  M.  47.38.  mca,na  the hrn id, or  ruiherhmhij-haired. 
"      Cruaidh  -  kelgach,      otherwise  Some  call  him  •'  ailt-lctlian,"  i.  c.  the 
(>uaidh  -  chclgach,     {Crooi-kelgagh,)  broad-jointed,  which  is  a  more  appro- 
means  the  hardy  and  treacherous.     lie  jjriatc  compound. 
was  also  called  Connla  Caemb,  (^<t;,) 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


259 


sumed  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland,  and  held  it  for  eleven  years, ">* 
when  he  was  slain  by  Fergus  Fortamhail. 

FERGUS  FOETAMHAIL,    ARD-RIGH. 

A.M.  3761.^  Fergus^  Fortamhail,  son  of  Bresal  Breogamhain, 
son  of  Aengus  Galini,  son  of  Olild  Bracaen,  son  of  Labraidh 
Loingsech,  assumed  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland,  and  reigned  for 
twelve  years.  He  was  called  Fergus  Fortamhail,  {fortooil  or 
Foiiavivil,)  i.  e.  Fergus  the  Intrepid,  because  he  was  a  heroic, 
strong,  and  resolute  man.  He  was  slain  by  Aengus  Tuirmech, 
of  Temhair,  (or  Tara.) 

AENGUS  TUIRMECH,    ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  3773.^  Aengus  Tuirmech,^  son  of  Eocaidh  Folt-lethan, 
son  of  Olild  Cas-iiaclach,  held  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland  for 
thirty  years,  (or  for  sixty  according  to  others.)  He  was  called 
Aengus  Tuirmech,  i.  e.  Aengus  the  Shameful,  on  account  of  the 
shame  he  felt  at  having  had  a  son  born  to  him  by  his  own 
daughter,  whom  he  had  violated  while  in  a  state  of  intoxication. 
That  son  was  Fiacaidh  Fer-mara,°    (i.  e.  Fiacaidh,  the  Man  of  the 


'°°  Eleven  years.  Seventeen  years. — 
Four  Musters. 

'  A.  M.  A805.— Id. 

■  Fergus  I.  —  Fortamliail,  this 
prince's  surname  seems  cognate  with 
the  Latin  "fortis,"  and  Irish  "  foirtil." 
He  is  elsewhere  called  Fortriun, 
(Fortrioon,)  i.  e.  the  very  powerful,  a 
word  derived  from  "  tren"  or  "  triuu," 
strong  by  prefixing  the  intensitive  par- 
ticle "for."  The  Four  Masters  give 
him  a  reign  of  eleven  years. 

'  A.  M.  481C.— Fottr  Masters. 

*  Aengus  III.  "  He  was  called 
Aengus  Tuirmheach,"  say  the  Annals 
last  cited,  "  because  to  him  are  traced 
(i.  e.  tuii midthear)  the  nobility  of  the 
race  of  Erimhon."  Dr.  O'Connor  tells 
us  that  the  word  "  tuirmheach  "  means 
prolific.  O'Flaherty,  also,  quotes  the 
following  ancient  Irish  lines  in  support 
of  this  meaning :  lodhon  is  cuige 
turmidhtear  Leth  Cuiim,  Fir  Alban, 
Dinlriada  a^us  Daikffiatach,  i.  e. 
"  For  to  him  are  traced  the  men  of 
Jjeth  Cuinn,  the  men  of  Alba,  the  Dal- 
Kiada,  and  the  Dal-Fiatach."  'I  he 
meaning  given  by  Keating  to  the  word 
"  tuirmheach"  is   obviously  one  forced 


upon  it  by  some  bardic  punster,  hostile 
to  the  line  of  Erimhon,  and  who  proba- 
bly invented  the  scandalous  and  calum- 
nious tale,  here  recited,  for  the  purpose 
of  depreciating  that  line.  All  the  der- 
ivations given  by  our  author  (on  the 
the  authority,  it  would  seem,  of  Mun- 
ster  story-tellers)  in  support  of  the  idle 
fables,  with  too  many  of  which  he  has 
disfigured  his  narrative,  fortunately 
carry  their  own  refutation  with  them. 
They  are  most  of  them  utterly  hostile 
to  the  genius  of  the  Gaelic  tongue. 
The  verb  "  tuirmigh,"  the  passive  form 
of  which  is  "  turmightear,"  or  "  tuir- 
midhtear,"  is  formed  regularly  from  the 
adjective  "  tuirmheach,"  in  the  ?amo 
manner  as  "  bailigh,"  gather  thou,  is 
formed  upon  "  baileach,"  tidy  or  col- 
lected, and  innumerable  other  derivative 
verbs,  which  are  similarly  formed 
from  adjectives  in  "  ach,"  and  which 
may  be  formed  therefrom  ad  lihitum,  as 
every  Irish  scholar  understands. 

*  Fiacaidh  Fer-Mara.  The  Annals 
of  Clonmacnoise  make  no  allusion  to 
Fiachaidh  Fcarraara's,  [Fccagha  Far- 
marra,)  being  an  incestuous  oflspring, 
but  speak  of  Enos  Twyrmeach  (i.  e. 


260-  THE    HISTORY    OF    IRELAND. 

Sea,)  because  he  had  been  exposed  to  the  mercy  of  the  sea  in  a 
small  boat,  with  many  valuable  jewels  around  him,  as  became 
the  son  of  a  prince.  lie  was  met  by  fishermen,  who  brought 
him  ashore  and  put  him  to  nurse.  Aengus  Tuirmcch  had  liko 
wise  a  legitimate  son,  name!  E;ma  Aighnech,  and  from  him  all 
the  posterity  of  Conn  are  descended.  Aengus  w'as  slain  at  Tcm- 
hair,  and  hence  he  is  called  Aengus  Tuirmcch,  of  Tcmhair. 

COXALL   COLLAMRACIT,    ARD-RIGII. 

A.  M.  3803."  Conall''  Collamrach,  son  of  Edirsgeol  of  Tcm- 
hair, son  of  Eocaidh  Folt-lcthan,  son  of  Olild  Cas-fiaclach,  of  the 
line  of  Erimhon,  held  the  monarchy  of  Ireland  for  five  years,  at 
the  end  of  which  he  was  slain  by  Niadh  Segamhain. 

NIADII  SEGAMHAIN,    ARD-RIGII. 

A.  M.  3808.^  Niadh  Segamhain,^  son  of  Adamar  Folt-cacin, 
son  of  Fer-Corb,  son  of  Mogh-Corb,  of  the  line  of  Eber,  held  the 
sovereignty  of  Ireland  for  seven  years.  He  acquired  the  name 
of  Segamhain  (or  Sedhamhain)  from  his  having  possessed  greater 
wealth  than  any  one  else;  for  "  Seghamhain  "  {Shaavwin)  is  the 
samo  as  "  Sech-mhaeinech,"  {Skagh-vucenagh,)  and  means  "  sur- 
passing in  wealth  :"  for  during  his  time  the  wild  does  were  wont 
to  com3  and  kindly  yield  their  milk  for  him,  like  any  common 

Aengus  Tairmech)  and  bis  two  sons  as  by  itself,  mean  wealtliy,  as  it  is  regu- 

foUows  :  larly  formed  Irom '' segli"   or  "seagli," 

"  Enos   succeeded,   and  was  a  very  {Shaah,)  worth,  esteem,  &c.     "  Seagh- 

good   king.     lie  left  two  goodly  and  dha,"  (Shaagha,)  i.  e.  estimable,  beau- 

noble  sons,  Enna  Ayncagh  (Aighnech)  t if ul,  stately,  spleixUil,  or  rich,  has  much 

and  Fiagha  Ferwara.      I  he  most  part  the  same  meaning  as  that  given  above 

of  the  kings  of  Ireland  descended  of  his  to  "seghamhain  ;"'  and  as  "amhain,"  the 

son  Enna,  and  the  kings  of  Scotland,  latter  part  of  the  word,  is  a  v(Ty  com- 

for  the  most  part,  descended  of  Fiagha,  mon  i^uHix  in  Gaelic,  it  is  silly  and  far- 

so  as  the   groat  houses  of  both  king-  fetched  to  suppose   it  comjjounded  of 

doms  derive  their  pedigrees  from  them.  "  Sech"  or  "  Seach,''  (the  Latin  Sscus,) 

He    was    of    the    sept    of    Ileremon,  and   "  macinech,"  weu/i//)/.     The  word 

(Erimhon,)    and     reigned     thirty-two  "  segh"  means  a  (/oe,  and  also  a  u'/W  ox, 

years,    (the  Four   Masters  say  sixty,)  a  coíí>,  and  even  7« i/Zc  ,•  hence,  probably, 

and   then   died   quietly  in   his  bed  at  to   fable  of  the  milking  of  does.     Aa 

Taragh." — 0' Donovan's  Notes    to    the  "  dh  "  and  '_'  gh  "  are  pronouncsd  abso- 

Four  Masters.  lately  alike  in  modern  Irish,  and  are  in- 

e  A.  M.  4876. — Four  Masters.  discrimiiiatcly  substituted  the   one  for 

^  CosAhh  I. — Collamrach,   or  Col-  the  other,  it  is  not  easy  to  fell  the  (!x- 

lamhrach,  {Colloivra<;h,  or  Collavm^h).  act  radical  to  be  used  in  this  and  simi- 

This  surname  of  Conall,  is  translated  lar  instances.     The  Four  Masters  ro- 

Columnaris,  i.  e.  pillar-like,  by  O'Fla-  cord  the  story  of  the  does  thus :  ^'  It 

herty.  was  in    the   time  of  King   Nia  Scd- 

'  A.  M.  4881. — Four  Mulers.  hamain,  that  cows  and  does  were  alike 

"  &e"-a?nAai7i,  or  Seghamhain,  would,  milked." 


THE   HISTORY   OF  IRELAND.  261 

COW  whatsoever.  This  had  been  brought  about  by  the  magic 
powers  of  his  mother,  whose  name  was  Fiidais,  {Fleeish.)  This 
prince  fell  by  Enna  Aighnech. 

ENNA  AIGHNECH,   AED-RIGH. 

A.  M.  3815.^"  Enna  Aighnech,^^  son  of  Aengus  Tuirmech,  of 
Temhair,  son  of  EocaiJh  Folt-lethan,  of  the  line  of  Erimhon, 
ruled  the  kingdom  of  Ireland  for  twenty-eight  years.  He  got 
the  name  of  Enna  Aighnech,  from  his  hospitaHty  and  his  boun- 
ties; for  "aighnech"  {eyenagh)  is  the  same  as  "ogh,"  (o)  entireor 
perfect,  and  oinech  (innagh)  liberal  or  hospitable.  Thus  Enna 
Aighnech  means  "Enna  the  All-bounteous;"  for  he  gave  away 
everything  that  came  into  his  hands.  He  fell  by  Crimthann  Cos- 
grach. 

CRIMTHANN    COSGRACH,    AED-RIGH. 

A.  M.  3843.^2  Crimthanu^^'  Cosgrach,  son  of  Feidlimid 
Fortriun,  son  of  Fergus  Fortamhail,  son  of  Bresal  Broc,  of  the 
line  of  Erimhon,  assumed  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland  and  reigned 
seven  years.^*  He  was  called  Crimthann  Cosgrach,  (i.  e.  Crim- 
thann the  Vanquisher,)  from  the  many  victories  he  gained  in  all 
the  battles  and  combats  in  which  he  had  been  engaged,  until  he 
fell  by  Eudraide. 

RUDRAIDE    MOR,   ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  3850."  Rudraide/^  son  of  Sithrighe,  son  of  Dubh,  son 
of  Foghmor,  son  of  Argedmar,  son  of  Siorlamh,  son  of  Finn,  son 
of  Bratha,  son  of  Labraidh,  son  of  Carbri,  son  of  Ollamh  Fodla, 
of  the  line  of  Ir,  sou  of  Miledh,  I'eigned  over  Ireland  for  thirty 
years,  (or  for  seventy^'  as  others  relate.)   He  died  at  Arged-glenn, 

^»  A.  M.  4888. — Four  Misters.  Masters    and    most    Irish    authorities 
"  ExNA  III. — The  dsrivatioa  given  a^res  with  this  account.     The  former 
for  the  epithet  Ai^'hn3ch  looks  suspi-  tell  us,  "  that,  after  having  been  seventy 
ciou?.     The  Four  M  isters  say  that  he  yaars  in  the  sovereignty  of  Irelanrl,  he 
reigned  twenty-eight  years  ;  the  Annals  died  at  Arged  glenn,   (i.  e.  the  Silver- 
of  Olonmacnoise  allow  him  but  ten.  glen,    situated  in  the  modern  barony 
1^  A.  M.  4903. — Fou-  M titers.  of   Farney,    county   Fermanagh.)     It 
"  Crimtiiaxx  I.     The  m^dn-n  and  was  by  this  Rudraide  that  the  following 
aspirate!  fn-ra  of  this  nama  is  Criorah-  battles  were  won  throughout  Ireland  : 
thann  (C'-/^aiin).    It  ra3i;i5  a /j.r.  The  battle  of   Cuirché,  (in  Kerrycur- 
"  Sjy^ft  y3ars.     Four  years  accord-  rihy,  county  Cr)rk  ;)  the  battle  of  Lua- 
ing  to  the  Four  Masters.  chair,   (in    Kerry  ;)    seven    battles  in 
^'  A.  M.  4:9l2.~Four  3hstes.  Cliu.  (Cliu-Mail,  a  district  in   Coshlea, 
^*  RuDR.viDE  I.     This  kind's   name  county  Limerick  ;)  the  battle  of  Glen- 
is  spellel   Ralhraidhe  Mac  Sithrighe,  amnach,  ((?/afiO!i"iag'i,now  Ulanworth. 
{Riores  Mac  S.hce'uee,)  in  modern  Irish,  county   Cork  ;)  the   battle  id   Siiabh 
1^  Seventy.    The  Auuals  of  the  Four  Mis,  (in  Kery  ;)_  the  battle  of  Boirinu, 


THE   HISTORY   OF    IREL.VXD. 


INNADMAli,  ARD-EIGH. 


A,  M.  3880.**  lunadmar,  son  of  NiadK  Seganiliaiu,  son  of 
Adamar  Folt-caein,  of  the  line  of  Eber,  reigaed  over  Ireland 
three  years,**  and  then  fell  by  Bresal  Bo-dibadh. 

BRESAL  BO-DIBADH,    ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  3883.'°  Bresal  Bo-dibadh,"  son  of  Rudraide,  son  of 
Sithrighe,  of  the  line  of  Ir,  son  of  Milcdh,  enjoyed  the  kingdom 
of  Ireland  for  eleven  years,  until  he  fell  by  Lugaidh  Luaigni. 

LUGAIDH  LUAIGNI,   ARD-RIGII. 

A.  M.  3894.^  Lugaidh^^  Luaigni,  son  of  Innadmar,  son  of 
Niadh  Segamhaim,  of  the  line  of  Eber,  held  the  sovereignty  of 
Ireland  for  five  years,  until  he  fell  by  Congal  Claringnech. 

CONGAL   CLARINGNECH  ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  3899.'^  Congal^  Claringnech,  son  of  Rudraide,  son 
of  Sithrighe,  son  of  Dubh,  of  the  line  of  Ir,  son  of  Miledh,  ruled 
Ireland  for  fifteen  years,  and  then  fell  by  Duach  Dalta  Degaidh. 

DUACH  DALTA   DEGAIDH,    ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  3914.26  Duacl#  Dalta  Degaidh  son  of  Carbri  or  Ros- 
g-lethan,  son  of  Lugaidh  Lurigni,  son  of  Innadmar,  son  of  Niadh 

(now  Burrin  in  Claro  ;)  tlie  battle  of  -  A.  M.  5002. — Four  Masters. 

Ren,    (in   Leitrim  ;)  the  batt'e  of  Ai,  *'  Lugaidh  IV.     Lugaidh  Luaig-ne 

(Magh-Aei    is    in   Roscommon ;)    the  {Looee    Looime)    reigned     for    fifteen 

battle  of  Cuil  Sellinni,  (now  Kilcoolcy,  years. — Id. 

in  the  county  and  barony  of  lloscom-  '*    A.  M.  .5017. — Fotir  Masters. 

mon  ;)  the  two  battles  of   Fortrasg,  "'  Conoal  I.    This  king's  surname  is 

(which  is  now  unknown.'")     The  Clan-  otherwise  written  •'  Claroineach,''  i.  e. 

oa  Rudraide,  {Clanna  Rooree,)  or  clans  of  the  Fiat  or  Broad  Faae.     "  Claring- 

of  Rudraide,  and  the  most  famous  of  nech"  means,  of    the    Broad  or    Flat 

the  Red  Branch  Knights  were  descend-  Nails.     "  Ue   did   many  notable   acts 

ants  of  this  Rudraide  Mor.     O'Hallo-  of  chivalry,  as  there  are  volumes  of 

ran  says  that  he  aided  Massinissa  in  his  history  written   of   his   hardiness  and 

wars  against  the  Romans.  manhood."  —  Annals  of  Ctonmanioisc. 

"  A.  M.  4982. — Four  Masters.  Congal  was   the  grandsire   of  Naeisi, 

19   T'lrpp  years.     He  reigned  for  nine  Aimli,  and   Ardan,  the  three  sons  of 

years,  according  to  the  Four  Masters  Usnach,   whose  tragic   fate  is  related 

and  other  authorities.  further  on. 

2»  A.  M.  4!)9L— Four  Misters.  ^"  A.  M.  5032. — Four  Masters. 

"  Bo-iibad'i,  Bresal  or  Brcasal  Bo-  "    Buaoii    IIL      Surnamed    Dalta 

dhiobhadh.  {Bms'i-il  lio-ijeeva,)  received  Be^^haidh,  {Dija  or  Daa,)  i.  e.  the  Fos- 

his  name  from  a  murrain  or  cow-plague  tcrling  of  Degaidh. 
that  devastated  Ireland  during  his  reign. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  263 

Segamliain,  of  tlie  line  of  Eber,  held  the  kingdom  of  Ireland  for 
ten  years.  The  reason  why  he  was  called  Duach  Dalta  Degaidh 
was  the  following:  Carbri  Losg-lethan  had  two  sons;  Duach  and 
Degaidh  were  their  names.  There  was  a  rivalry  between  them,  as 
to  which  of  them  should  be  king  of  Ireland ;  for  they  were  both 
qualified  to  be  candidates  for  the  royalty  in  mien,  person,  achieve- 
ments, and  valor.  But  Degaidh,  who  was  the  youngest  of  the 
two,  sought  to  supplant  Duach,  his  elder.  When  Duach  had  no- 
ticed this,  he  sent  a  messenger  for  his  brother,  and  Degaidh 
thereupon  came  to  the  place  where  he  was  ;  and,  as  soon  as  he 
had  done  so,  Duach  had  him  seized,  and  caused  his  eyes  to  be 
thrust  out.  Hence  he  got  the  cognomen  of  "Dalta  Degaidh,"  or 
Blinder  of  Degaidh.^^  As  a  record  of  this  deed,  some  bard  has 
left  us  the  following  verse : 

"  By  treacherous  wile  was  Degaidh  lured 
To  come  beneath  his  brother's  roof ; 
And  there  that  brother,  Duach  false, 
Ungenerously  thrust  out  his  eyes." 

This  Duach  fell  by  the  hand  of  Factna  Fathach,  son  of  Gas. 


FACTNA  FATHACH,    ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  3924.29  Factna  Fathach,  or  Factna  the  Wise,  son  of 
Cas,  son  of  Rudraide,  son  of  Sithrighe,  son  of  Dubh,  son  of 
Foghmar,  of  the  line  of  Ir,  son  of  Miledh,  held  the  sovereignty 
for  sixteen  years,  and  then  fell  by  Eocaidh  Feidlech. 

2'  Blinder  of  Degaidh. — "  Dalta  "  ants  were  called  Ernaans,  though  quite 
can  scarcely  admit  of  the  forced  mean-  different  from  the  more  ancient  Ernaans 
ing  given  to  it,  in  this  instance,  by  our  of  the  Fer-Bolg  race.  These  after- 
author.  It  is  the  common  Irish  word  wards  took  the  name  of  Dal-Fiatach  in 
used  to  express  fosterling  or  alumnus,  Ulster,  and  a  branch  of  them,  that  mi- 
and  it  is  to  be  questioned  if  a  single  grated  to  Munster,  took  the  name  of 
other  instance  can  be  shown  from  Irish  Clanua  Degaidh.  The  latter  had  been 
writings  in  which  it  has  any  reference  driven  from  Ulster  by  the  Clanna 
to  blinding.  "  0 'Flaherty  shows,  from  Rudraide,  while  Duach  was  king  of 
the  Book  of  Lecan,  from  O'Duvegan's  Ireland,  and  this  king  then  gave  lands 
Book,  and  from  Gilla-Caemhan's  poem,  in  Munster  to  his  foster-father  Degaidh, 
written  in  the  twelfth  century,  that  son  of  Sen,  son  of  Olild  Aronn,  who 
Duach  had  no  brother  named  Degaidh,  was  their  chief.  After  Duach's  death 
but  that  he  was  called  "Dalta  Degaidh,"  Degaidh  was  declared  king  of  Munster. 
because  he  was  the  Alumnus,  or  Foster  and  his  posterity  divided  the  sovereign- 
son  ofDegaidh,sonofSen,ofthe  Ernaans  ty  of  that  province  for  some  ages  with 
of  Munster." — See  O'Donovan's  Notes  the  Eberians.  In  those  ages  the  Ebe- 
on  the  Four  Masters.  riaus  ruled  the  South  and  the  Dega- 

Fiachaidh  Fermara,  or  the  Mariner,  dians    the    North    of    Munster. — See 

son  of  King  Aengus  Tuirmech,  had  a  O'Flahertifs  Ogijgia. 

6on  named  Olild  Aronn,  whose  descend-  -'  A.  M.  5012. — Four  Masters. 


264 


THE   HISTORY  OF   IRELAND. 


EOCAIDir  FEIDLECH,   ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  3940.^  Eocaidh^^  Fcidlcch,  son  of  Finn,  son  of  Finnloga, 
son  of  Eoiglmcn  Euadh,  son  of  Esamhain,  of  Embain,  son  of 
Blathacta,  son  of  Labraidh  Lore,  son  of  Enna  Aignecb,  son  of 
Aengiis  Tuirmccb,  of  Tara,  of  tbe  line  of  Erimbon,  ruled  tbe 
kingdom  of  Ireland  for  twelve  years.  Bonia,  daugbter  of  Crim- 
tbann,  was  the  motber  of  tbis  Eocaidb  Feidlecb,  He  was  called 
Eocaidb  Feidlicb,  because  be  was  for  a  long  time  addicted  to 
sighing ;  for  "  feidbil,"  {feil,)  signifies  "  long,"  and  "  ecb"  {ogh), 
means  a  "  sigh."  Thus,  feidblecb  (feilagh),  means  "  Jong-sighing ;" 
for  a  sigh  never  left  bis  heart  since  bis  sons  were  slain  by  bim  in 
the  battle  of  Drom-Criaidh,^  until  be  died.  These  sons,  Bros, 
Nar,  and  Lothar,  were  called  the  three  Finnemhna  {Finnevna^ 
or  Finnevona)^  from  the  word  "  ambaen'"^  {avayne\  i.  e.  "  not 
separate,"  or  "not  single  ;"  and  by  it  was  meant,  that  none  of 
them  was  born  separately,  but  that  they  were  all  three  born  at 
the  same  time.  Clothfinn,  daughter  of  Eocaidb  Uct-lethan^*  was 
the  niother  of  these  princes,  and  she  had  borne  them  at  one 
birth. 

Eocaidb  Feidlecb  was  the  first  that  divided^^  and  arranged  Ire- 


'»  A.  M.  »0.58.— Foar  Masters. 

'1  EocAiDH  X.  Fcidlcch,  Eocaidh's 
distiuctive  appellation,  could  mean  the 
Watcher  or  tfce  Vigilant.  The  ctymol- 
0^  by  which  it  is  made  to  moan  con- 
stani  sighing,  is  beneath  criticism  :  the 
termination  "  ch"  varied  to  "  cch"  and 
"  ach"  in  compliance  with  an  Irish 
euphonic  rule,  is  of  no  more  signifi- 
cance in  Irish  than  "  us"  is  in  Latin. 

"  Drom  CriiiJh  (I)rumcree),  lies  in 
West  Meath.  O'Flahcrty  discredits 
those  who  relate  that  the  three  Finns 
waged  war  against  their  father. 

''  Amhacn.  Tliis  word  is  not  Irish, 
at  least  it  is  not  so  in  the  sense  above 
stated.  Dr.  O'Donovan  says,  in  his 
annotations  on  the  Four  Masters, 
that  this  king's  three  sons,  Breas  or 
Bres,  Nar  and  Lothar,  were  called  the 
three  Finns  of  Emhain,  i.  e.  "  na  Tri 
Finn  Emhna"  (va  Three  Finn  Ewna 
or  Evna  .  This  is  natural,  and  accord- 
ing to  the  genius  of  the  language.  The 
above  ridiculous  pun  is  abhorrent  to 
it.  They  had  received  the  name,  pos- 
Biblv,  from  having  been  fostered  at  Em- 
hain  Mache. 

^  Eocaidh  iict-lethan,  i.  e.  Eocaidb 


the   Broad-Chested.     O'Flaherty   calls 
him  Artur  Uct-lethan. 

"^  Was  the  first  that  divided,  Ifc.  Our 
author  is  inexact  in  the  language  he 
here  employs,  and  he  thereby  contra- 
dicts what  he  has  already  stated  seve- 
ral times.  He  should  have  said,  that 
lOocaidh  was  the  person  who  r  stored 
the  pontarchy.  O'Flaherty  gives  the 
following  account,  here  abridged  from 
his  Ogygia,  of  the  revolution  effected 
during  the  reign  of  this  king  :  "  King 
Eocaidh,  in  the  first  year  of  his  reign, 
instituted  or  rather  revived  the  pen- 
tarchy.  But  we  must  not  suppose  that 
the  pentarchy  was  then  instituted  for 
the  first  time,  because  it  appears  that 
there  were  five  rulers  over  the  five 
provinces,  from  the  very  beginning  nf 
the  royalty.  The  Scots  continued  it, 
some  of  whom,  as  the  Eberians  and 
Lugadians  (the  descendants  of  Lugaidh, 
son  of  Ithj,  ruled  the  two  iMunsters. 
These  had,  it  is  true,  been  for  some 
time  intruded  upon  by  the  Ernaans,  of 
the  line  of  Eriinhon,  by  whom  they 
were  driven  into  the  western  recesses 
of  their  cuuntry  ;  but  then,  by  a  vigor- 
ous effort,  they  repossessed  tíieináelvea 


THE    niSTORY    OF   IRELAND.  265 

land  into  provinces,  or  pentarcliates,  for  lie  apportioned  Con- 
naught  into  three  parts,  between  three  chieftains,^''  namely,  Fidach, 
son  of  Fiach,  Eocaidh  Alat,  and  Tinni,  son  of  Curaidh.  To 
Fidach  he  gave  the  territory  of  the  Fir-na-Craeibi,  from  Fidach 
to  Luimncch  ;  to  Eocaidh  Alat  he  gave  Irrus  Domnann,  from 
Galimh  to  Dubh  and  Drobacis  ;  and  to  Tinni,  son  of  Curaidh,  he 
gave  iMagli-Samb  and  the  old  districts  of  Taciden,  from  Fidach 
to  Temhair-Brogha-Niadh  {Tavivis-Vrow-Neca]t\  in  Leinster. 
The  province  of  Ulster  he  granted  to  Fergus,  son  of  Ledi ;  the 
province  of  Leinster  to  Kosa,  son  of  Fergus  Fargi,  and  the  two 
provinces  of  Alunster  he  bestowed  upon  Tighermach  Tedbennach 
and  upon  Dcgaidh.  And  thus,  during  his  reign,  he  had  Ireland 
under  his  sole  dominion  and  control,  until  he  died  at  Temhair 
(Tara). 

Some  time  after  this,  Eocaidh  went  into  Connaught,  and  those 
three  kings  of  its  three  divisions  came  to  meet  him.  Of  them, 
Eocaidh  thereupon  requested  a  site  in  Connaught  whereon  to 
build  himself  a  royal  residence  amongst  them.  Eocaidh  Alat  and 
Fidach  replied,  that  they  would  give  him  no  such  site,  for  they 
preferred  sending  him  his  rent  to  Temhair.  But  the  third  of 
these  princes,  Tinni,  son  of  Curaidh,  was  willing  that  Eocaidh 
should  have  a  place  for  his  royal  residence.  Then  Eocaidh  gave 
his  own  daughter,  Medb  {Meive  or  Ifaive),  as  wife  to  this  chief- 
tain, and  they  made  a  friendly  league  with  one  another.  The 
monarch  next  asked  his  Druids  where  he  should  build  the  palace, 
and  they  advised   him  to  build  it  at  Drom  na-n-Druadh  {Drum- 

of  their  territories,  which  they  thence-  ing,  and  5th,  the  division  between  Con 
forth  held  uninterruptedly,  and  with  of  the  Hundred  Battles  and  Eogan 
redoubled  power,  down  to  the  English  Mor,  king  of  Munster.  Three  hundred 
invasion.  The  Ultonians  maintained  years  having  now  passed  since  the  di- 
their  full  sway  down  to  the  destruction  vision  by  Igani  Mor,  Eocaidh  re- 
ef Emania  or  Emhain,  and  Irian  branch  scinded  the  form  established  by  that 
still  longer,  having  become  incorpo-  conqueror,  and  appointed  a  pentarch 
rated  with  the  Erimonian  Ernaans.  over  each  province  from  amongst  its 
Leinster  had  been  ceded  to  the  Eriino-  ruling  princes." 

niaus  ;  after  some  time  Connaught  fell  As  a  period  of  great  disorder  and 

under  their  rule,  and  at  length  Ulster,  bloodshed  and  confusion  continued  to 

The  political  divisions  of  Ireland  have  devastate   Ireland,   during,    and    long 

been  various,  according  to  the  will  and  after  Eocaidh's  reign,  it  is  fair  to  con- 

the  power  of  its  various  nionarchs.  How-  elude,  that  he  had  been  forced  to  re- 

ever,  they  never  totally  abrogated  the  store  the  pentarchy,  in  order  to  place  a 

first  five-fold  division.     In   the  Scotic  check  upon  the  turbulence  of  the  local 

dynasty  we  read  of  five  partitions  :  1st,  chieftains. 

one  between  P]ber  and   Erimhon  ;  2d,  °^    Three    chicftaivs.       These  three 

between  Kermna   and  Sobarki,  which  chieftains  were  Fer-Bolgs  or  Belgians, 

lasted   100  years  ;  3d,  that  by  lugani  which  nation  still  possessed  Connaught. 

Mor  into   twenty-five  districts,   which  The  partition  of  the  province  between 

lasted  300  years  ;  4th,  that  of  the  pen-  them  has  been  already  treated  of. 
tarchs,  of  whom  we  are  now  treat- 


266  THE   HISTORY    OF    IRELAND. 

nan-rooah\  i.  e.  The  Druids'  Hill,  which  is  now  called  Cruachain.s^ 
The  rath  was  then  commenced  by  the  Gamanraidhe,^  from 
Irrus  Domnan,  and  the  dike  of  that  fortress  of  Eocaidh  was 
reared  up  in  one  day ;  as  the  bard  thus  informs  us : 

"  In  onn  day  -was  the  tribe  of  Domnann 
Forced  to  build  up  that  earthen  rampart ; 
For  that  stern  kin<^  of  Fal,  the  festive, 
No  respite  would  allow  his  workers." 

They  next  built  a  dwelling  within  it,  and  Eocaidh  granted  the 
kingdom  of  Connaught  to  Tinni,  son  of  Curaidh,  to  whom  he 
then  gave  his  daughter  Medb  in  marriage.  Shortly  afterwards, 
Eocaidli  Alat  was  slain  by  Tinni,  who  thereupon  gave  the  king- 
dom of  the  Fer-Domnanns  to  Olild  Finn.  Afedb  bestowed  the 
command  of  Rath-Eocaidh  upon-  Cruacha  Croiderg,  her  own 
mother ;  and  it  is  from  this  Cruacha  that  the  fort  has  received 
its  present  name  of  Rath-Oruachan  {Raiu-  Crooghan),  as  the  bard 
tells  us  in  the  following  verse : 

"  Once  Drora  na-u-Druadh,  then  Tulacli-Aidni, 
And  next  Rath-Eocaidh  it  was  called ; 
Ratli-Cruaehan  last,  from  Cruacha  Croidorg, 
Who  raised  dire  wrath  throughout  the  laud." 

Medb  continued  long  afterwards  to  be  the  wife  of  Tinni,  son 
of  Curaidh,  until  he  fell  at  Temhair  by  the  hand  of  Monudir, 
who  was  also  called  Mac  Keact.  After  the  death  of  Tiani, 
Medb  held  the  sovereignty  of  Connaught  for  ten  years  in  her 
own  hands,  without  allying  herself  in  marriage  with  any  publicly, 
though  during  this  tunc  she  indulged  in  private  iimours,  just  as 
her  inclination  prompted  her.  She  afterwards  took  Olild  Mor,  son 
of  Rosa  Ruadh,  of  Leinster,  as  her  husband,  and  bore  liim  vseven 
sons,  who  Avere  called  The  Seven  Manes.  It  was  Conall  Kear- 
nach  that  slew  Ohld  at  Cruachain,  when  he  was  aix  old  man. 
Conall  slew  him  by  a  cast  of  a  javelin ;  and  the  men  of  Con- 
naught pursued  and  killed  him,  in  revenge  for  the  deed. 

There  was,  indeed,  a  long  war,  and  continual  hostility  between 
the  people  of  Connaught  and  the  Ulidians  during  the  time  that 

"  Cruachai'i.    Wo  must  not  under-  ist    the    remains    of    several  earthen 

stand,  from  the  buildini,'  of  this  rath  at  forts. 

Cruachain,  by  Eocaidh.  tiiat  it  was  in  "'*  Gamanraidhe.  Tlv3  Gamanraidhe  or 

his  time  that  that  locality  became  dis-  Gamanradi,  were  a  fierce  and  warlike 

tinguished  as  a  royal  residence.   It  was  Belgian   or  Fer-Bolg  trib.i,  seated  in 

celebrated  long  before  his  day.     The  Erris  or  Irrus-Domnann,  in  the  north- 

ratli  of  Cruacliain,  now   called   Rath  west   of    Connaught.     This    name    is 

Crop-han,  lies  near  Belanagare,  in  the  pronounced  Gowanrce  and  Gavanree. 
county  of  Roscommon,  where  siill  ex- 


THE   HISTORY'    OF   IRELAND.  267 

Aícílb  reigned  over  Connauglit,  and  while  Concobar  was  king  of 
Uladli.  But,  in  order  that  the  reader  may  understand  the  cause 
of  this  eninitj  that  existed  between  them,  I  shall  set  down  here 
the  manner  in  which  the  children  of  IJsnach,  son  of  Congal 
Claringnech,  were  slain,  in  violation  of  the  guaranties  and  sure- 
ties of  Fergus  Mac  Roigh,  of  Cormac  Conlingas,  son  of  Conco- 
bar and  of  Dubthach  Daei-Uladh.  Here  follows  a  brief  summary 
of  the  story : 

The  death  of  the  Sons  of  Usnach,  down  here}^ 

On  a  certain  day,  on  Avhich  Concobar  had  gone  to  partake  of 
a  foast  at  the  house  of  Feidlimid,  son  of  Dall,  his  ovrn  story-teller, 
the  wife  of  his  host  gave  birth  to  a  beautiful  daughter  while  the 
festivities  were  going  on.  Then  Cathbaidh,  who  was  present  at 
that  meeting,  prophesied  and  foreboded  for  the  girl,  that  great 
misfortune  and  loss  was  about  to  befall  the  province  through  her 
means.  When  the  warriors  heard  this,  they  proposed  to  have 
her  put  to  death  immediately.  "Let  no  such  thing  be  done," 
said  Concobar,  "  for  I  shall  take  her  with  me  and  send  her  to  be 
reared,  so  that  she  may  in  time  become  my  own  wife."  The 
druid  Cathbaidh  then  named  her  Djrdri.*'  Concobar  shut  her 
up  in  a  lonely  fort,  where  he  placed  a  tutor  and  a  nurse  to  rear 
her ;  and  there  no  one  in  the  province  dare  go  near  her  but  her 
tutor  and  her  nurse,  and  the  spokeswoman  of  Concobar,  who  was 
named  Lebarcam.  Under  these  regulations  she  continued  until 
she  had  become  marriageable,  at  which  period  she  excelled  all 
the  women  of  her  time  in  beauty. 

It  happened  once,  upon  a  snowy  day,  that  her  tutor  had  killed 
a  calf  in  order  to  dress  it  as  food  for  her,  and,  when  its  blood  had 
been  spilled  upon  the  snow,  that  a  raven  stooped  down  to  drink 
of  it.  As  soon  as  Derdri  had  noticed  this,  she  said  to  Lebarcam, 
that  she  would  like  to  have  a  husband,  in  whom  were  combined 
the  three  colors  which  she  then  saw  before  her ;  that  is,  having 
hair  of  the  color  of  the  raven,  cheeks  the  color  of  the  calf's  blood, 
and  a  skin  of  the  color  of  snow.  "There  is  such  a  man  as  that," 
said  Lebarcam,  "and  his  name  is  Isaeisi,  son  of  Usnach,  now  in 
the  household  of  Concobar."  "  0  then,  Lebarcam,"  said  Derdri, 
"  I  beseech  you  to  send  him  to  speak  with  me,  alone  and  unob- 
served." Lebarcam,  thereupon,  went  and  told  the  matter  to 
Naeisi,  who,  when  he  had  heard  it,  came  privately  to  meet  Derdri, 

^'  T!'íe  s-ms  of  Usnach.    Literal  trans-  volume  of  theTrau?actioiis  of  the  Gaelic 

lations  of  two  ancient  versions  of  the  Society  of  Dublin,  publishor]  in  1808. 

tale  entitled,  The  Death  of  the  sons  of  *"  Derdri,  otherwise  Deirdre,  means 

Usnach  or  Uisnech,  (called  Usnoth  by  alarm. 
Macpherson,)  are  to  be  found  in  the 


268  THE   HISTORY    OF   IRELAND. 

and  she  declared  to  him  the  greatness  of  her  love,  and  begged  of 
hixn  to  elope  with  her  from  Concobar.  Naeisi  consents  thereto, 
though  much  against  his  will,  through  fear  of  Concobar.  He 
then  set  out  for  Alba,  accompanied  by  his  two  brothers,  Andli 
and  Ardan,  and  one  hundred  and  fifty  warriors,  taking  Derdri 
thither  with  him.  In  that  country  they  got  maintemmce  and 
quarterage  from  the  king  of  Alba,  until  lie  had  got  tidings  of 
Derdri's  beauty,  upon  which  he  demanded  her  as  a  wife  for  liim- 
self.  Naeisi  and  his  brothers  were  seized  with  indignation  at  this, 
and  they  left  Alba,  retreating  into  an  island  in  the  sea,  with 
Dérdri,  having  previously  had  many  conflicts  with  the  people  of 
the  king. 

But,  when  it  was  heard  in  Uladh,  that  the  sons  of  UsnacH 
were  in  such  distress,  many  of  the  nobles  of  the  province  told 
Concobar  that  it  was  a  sad  thing  that  these  warriors  should  be  in 
exile  on  account  of  a  wicked  woman,  and  that  he  ought  to  send 
for  them  and  have  them  brought  home.  Concobar  consented  to 
do  this,  at  the  request  of  his  nobles,  and  he  gave  Fergus  Mac 
Roigh,  and  Dubthach  Dael-Uladh,  and  Cormac  Conlingas,  as 
guarantees  that  he  would  himself  act  towards  them  with  good 
faith.  Upon  these  conditions,  Fergus  ^fac  Eoigh  sent  Fiacaidh, 
his  own  son,  to  the  sons  of  Usnach ;  and  this  Fiacaidh  brought 
back:  with  him  to  Ireland,  both  them  and  their  band  of  warriors, 
and  Derdri ;  and  no  adventures  are  related  of  them  until  they 
had  arrived  upon  the  green  of  Emhain.  Upon  that  green,  Eogan, 
son  of  Durthact,  chieftain  of  Fernmaighe,*^  met  them  with  a  large 
host,  which  he  had  brought  with  him,  at  the  suggestion  of  Con- 
cobar, for  the  purpose  of  acting  treacherously  by  them.  As  soon, 
then,  as  the  sons  of  Usnach  had  come  up,  Eogan  aj^proached 
Naeisi  as  if  to  welcome  him,  and  while  seeming  to  do  so,  he 
thrust  his  spear  through  that  warrior's  body.  When  Fiacaidh, 
son  of  Fergus,  saw  this,  he  threw  himself  between  Eogan  and 
Naeisi ;  but  Eogan  made  a  second  thrust  with  his  spear  and  laid 
him  dead  by  the  side  of  his  fiiend.  After  this,  Eogan  and  his 
forces  threw  themselves  upon  the  sons  of  Usnach  and  murdered 
them,  and  made  a  dreadful  carnage  of  their  people. 

When  Fergus  and  Dubthach  had  heard  of  the  murder  of  the 
sons  of  Usnach,  in  violation  of  their  sureties,  they  marched  upon 
Emhain  and  came  to  an  engagement  with  the  forces  of  Concobar, 
in  which  Mani,  the  son  of  Concobar,  fell,  and  three  hundred  of 
his  warriors  with  him.  They  then  pillaged  and  burned  Emhain, 
and  slew  Concobar's  women.  They  next  mustered  their  partisans 
from  all  sides,  and,  accompanied  by  Cormac  Conlingas,  they 
marched  into  Connaught  with  a  host  that  numbered  three  thou- 

*^  Fernmagh,  now  Farncy,  in  Oirgbialla. 


THE   HISTORY  OF   IRELAND.  269 

sand  warriors.  There  they  were  welcomed  and  received  into 
pay  by  Ohld  and  ^ícdb.  When  they  had  reached  that  tenitory, 
they  never  rested  a  single  night  without  sending  out  parties  of 
pillagers  to  ravage  and  plunder  Uladh.  So  they  continu<>d,  until 
they  had  completely  laid  waste  the  territory  of  Cualgiii,*'^  a  deed 
whence  sprung  many  misfortunes  and  afflictions  to  both  prov- 
inces. 

It  was  during  this  time  that  Fergus  had  an  illicit  intrigue  with 
Medb,  who  bore  him  three  sons  at  a  birth,  and  their  nam^^s  were 
Kiar,  and  Core,  and  Conmac,  as  the  poet  tells  us  in  the  following 
verse : 

"  The  fruitful  Medb,  in  fair  Cruacliain, 
Loved  Fergus,  who  from  foe  ne'er  turned, 
And  bore  him  three  sons,  tall  and  comely, 
Named  Kiar,  and  Core,  and  Conmac." 

It  is  from  this  Kiar  that  the  Kiarraide  Mumhan*^  {Keeree  Moon) 
are  called,  and  of  his  descendants  are  the  O'Connors  Kerry ;  from 
Core  are  descended  the  O'Connors  Coreomroe  ;^  and  from  Conmac 
are  named  all  the  Conmacni  that  are  in  Connaught.  Wlioever 
will  read  the  poem  which  Lugair,  the  bard  of  Olild,  composed, 
and  which  begins  with  the  line,  "The  clans  of  Fergus,  clans  pre- 
eminent," will  clearly  learn  the  great  power  and  distinction  of 
these  three  sons  of  Medb,  in  Connaught  and  in  Munster — a  thing 
that  is  also  manifest  from  the  number  of  districts  that  have  been 
named  from  them  in  these  two  provinces. 

But  to  return  to  Derdri,  who  was  the  cause  of  all  we  have  just 
narrated:  she  remained  a  year  with  Concobar,  after  tlie  slaying 
of  the  sons  of  Usnach ;  and  though  trifling  it  may  seem  to  raise 
up  her  head  or  smile,  still  she  was  never  known  to  do  so  daring 
that  time.  When  Concobar  saw  that  no  amusements  or  kindness 
could  have  any  effect  upon  her,  and  that  neither  wit  nor  mirth 
could  remove  the  lowness  of  her  spirits,  he  sent  for  Eogan,  son 
of  Durthact ;  and  when  Eogan  had  come  into  his  presence,  he 
said  to  Derdri,  that,  since  he  was  himself  unable  to  turn  her  mind 
away  from  sorrow,  she  must  now  spend  some  time  with  Eogan. 

•"  Ciuilgni — in  the  county  of  Louth,  the  Kiarraide  Mumhan.    The  territory 

The  famous  tale  called  the  "  Tain  Bo  of  this  tribe  extended  from  tlie  harbor 

Cuailgai,"  i.  c.  the  Cattle  Spoil  of  Cua-  of  Tralee  to  the  mouth  of  the  Shannon, 

ilgni,  has  been  Ibunded  upon  the  plun-  From  this  tribe,  whose  country  is  other- 

dering  of  this  district.  wise    called    Kiarraide   Luachra,   the 

^^  Kiarraide Mumhan,\.^. ihedasceni-  modern  county  of  Kerry  has  its  name, 
ants  of  Kiar,  i.e.  Kiaraide  of  Munster.        *-*  Core  mroe.     Besides   the   O'Con- 

Aa  before  stated,  0'Concobhair(0' Con-  nors    Coreomroe,    the   OXochlins   of 

CQoir  or  O'Concovn'ir)  Kerry,  was  chief  Burren,  in  the  north  of  Clare,  are  also 

of  this  tribe.    Tlie  O'CahilLs,  O'Dugains  descended  from  Core  son  of  Fergus,  and 

and  O'Conways  of  South  Munster,  were  queen  Medb. 
also,  according  to  O'Halloran,  septs  of 


270  THE    niSTORY   OF   IRELAND. 

She  was  tlien  immecliatelj  placed  behind  Eogan  in  liis  chariot. 
Concobar  went  himself  to  attend  them  on  their  wa}'' ;  and,  as 
thcj  journeyed  along,  she  kept  continually  casting  looks  of  wild 
indignation  at  Eogan,  who  was  placed  before  her,  and  at  Concobar, 
who  followed  behind ;  for  there  lived  not  on  the  earth  two  per- 
sons that  she  hated  more  than  she  did  them  both.  When  Con- 
cobar noticed  her  looking  thus  alternately  at  Eogan  and  at  him- 
self, he  said  to  her,  in  coarse  ironical  pleasantry:  "D^rdri,  these 
are  the  glances  of  a  sheep  between  two  rams,  that  you  are  casting 
at  me  and  at  Eogan."  When  Di-rdri  had  heard  him,  she  started 
up  at  his  words,  and  jumping  suddenly  out  of  the  chariot  she 
dashed  her  head  against  a  sharp  rock  that  stood  on  the  wayside 
before  her,  so  that  small  fragments  were  made  of  her  skull,  and 
her  brain  immediately  flowed  out.  Such  was  the  origin  of  the 
banishment  of  Fergus*^  Mac  Eoigh,  of  Dubthach  Dael-Uladh,*' 
and  of  Cormac  Conlingas ;  and  such  the  death  of  Dérdri. 

As  it  was  in  the  days  of  Concobar  and  of  the  Heroes,  that  Medb 
reigned  in  Connaught,  and  as  she  lived  ten  years  after  the  death 
of  Tinni,  son  of  Curaidh,  her  first  husband,  and  was  afterwards 
the  wife  of  Olild  Mor  for  eighty  years,  and  again  had  been  for 
eight  years  a  widow  after  Olild's  death,  when  she  was  slain  by 
Forbaide,  son  of  Concobar;  I  shall  narrate  here  succinctly  the 
death,  v/ith  a  few  of  the  achievements  of  some  of  the  most  famous 
of  the  Heroes^'  that  lived  in  her  time.  In  the  first  place,  I  shall 
set  down  the  substance  of  the  adventures,  whence  came  the  death 
of  Concobar,  son  of  Factna  Fathach.^ 

The  death  of  Concobar,  hing  of  Uladh  down  here. 

As  an  incitement  to  warriors  to  act  bravely  in  the  fight,  it  was 
in  those  days  the  custom  to  give  a  mark  of  distinction,  called  the 
Badge  of  Heroes,*^  as  a  token  of  victory,  to  him  who  had  proved 
himself  the  most  valiant  in  single  combat,  and  who  had  van- 

*'  Fer^Tis  was  styled  Mac  Roi^^li,  i.e.  The    name    Dulihthach   {Doohagh  or 

son  of  Roigh  {Roe),  from  his  motlicr.  Duffagk)  means,  tlic  dark  man. 

His  lather  was  Rosa  Ruadh,  son  of  ••'   The  Heroes.    Tlie  "  Curaidhthe  na 

Rudraide  Mor,  king  of  Ireland.     He  Cracibhc  Ruaidhe"  (Carrt'u  na  Cree- 

had  been  elected  king  of  Ulster  upon  vie  Rooee),  i.  e.  the  Knights  or  lleroea 

the  death  of  Fergus,  son  of  Ledi ;  but  of  the  Vwd  Branch,  were  empliatically 

he  had  scarcely  reigned  throe   years,  styled  Na  Curaidhthe   (Currikl),  or, 

when  he  was  dethroned  by  Concobar  The  Heroes. 

Mac  Ncssa,  and  expelled  into   Con-  ■"  Son  of  Factna  Fathach.    Concobar, 

naught.     His  desire  to  recover  his  lost  or,  as  his  name  is  more  usually  rendered, 

kingdom  was,  then,  a  stronger  motive  Connor,  is  generally  styled  Mac  Nessa, 

for  his  wars,  than  his  wish  to  revenge  from  his  imither.     His  father  had  been 

the  murder  of  the  sons  of  Usnach.  king  of  Ireland. 

*«  Dubthach  Dael-Uladh,   i.  e.  Dub-  ■•»   The  Badge  of  Heroes.     "Mir  na 

thach  the  chafer  or  beetle  of  Ulster.  g-Curadh  "  {meer  na  gurrah),  is  thus 


THE  HISTORY  OF   IRELAND.  271 

quished  his  adversary  in  the  field  of  valor.  From  this  custom 
there  arose  a  dispute,  in  Eman,  between  Conall  Kearnach  Cu- 
chullin,  and  Laegari  Buadach,  as  to  ivhieh  of  them  should  have 
the  Badge  of  Heroes.  Upon  this,  Conall  sent  for  the  brains  of  a 
valiant  and  mighty  champion  of  Leinster,  named  Meskedair, 
whom  he  had  himself  slain  in  single  combat.  Then,  when  the 
braius  of  that  warrior  were  exhibited,  both  Laegari  and  Cuchu- 
lainn  gave  up  their  contest  with  Conall,  for  they  were  convinced 
that  neither  of  them  had  ever  performed  so  great  a  deed  of 
prowess  or  championship.  It  was  also  a  custom  in  those  times, 
for  the  warrior  who  had  slain  any  champion  of  great  renown,  to 
take  out  his  brains,  and  having  mixed  them  with  lime,  to  form  a 
hard  round  ball  thereof,  which  he  was  wont  to  exhibit  at  con- 
ventions and  public  assemblies,  as  a  trophy  of  victory  in  feats  of 
valor.  Two  fools,  maintained  by  Concobar,  took  notice  of  the 
great  estimation  in  which  every  one  held  the  ball  made  of  the 
brains  of  Meskedair,  and  thereupon  stole  it,  on  the  next  morning, 
from  the  Crimson  Branch.  There  were,  indeed,  three  houses  in 
Etohain,  in  the  time  of  Concobar,  namely,  the  Warrior's  Sorrow, 
the  Crimson  Branch,'"  and  the  Red  Branch."  In  the  first  of 
these  houses  were  the  wounded,  and  thence  it  was  called  the 
Warrior's  Sorrow,""  from  the  sorrow  and  affliction  which  the  sick 
warriors  experienced  therein  from  the  anguish  of  their  wounds 
and  other  diseases.  The  second  house  was  called  the  Crimson 
Branch,  and  in  it  were  kept  the  arms  and  valuable  jewels.  The 
brains  of  Meskedair  were  also  kept  there,  with  other  articles  of 
value.  The  third  house  was  called  the  Red  Branch,  and  it  was 
in  this  that  Concobar  and  his  warriors  were  wont  to  be  served. 

But,  to  return  to  the  fools,  w^hen  they  had  stolen  the  brains  of 
Meskedair  from  the  Crimson  Branch,  as  I  have  just  said,  they 
went  upon  the  green  of  Emhain,  and  Ijeganto  toss  the  brains  like 
a  handball  from  one  to  the  other,  and  they  were  thus  engaged 
when  Keth,  son  of  Magach,  a  mighty  warrior  of  the  Connaught- 
mcn,  and  a  fierce  wolf  of  evil  to  the  men  of  Ulster,"  came  up, 
and  succeeded  in  coaxing  the  fools  to  give  him  the  ball  of  brains, 

translated  by  Halliday,   " '  Mir,'  liter-  ^"  The  Warrior's  Sorrow — in  Irish, 

SiWy  moans  a  portion,  or  dividend."    The  '•' Broin-bherg  "      (Brone-varg),     from 

editor  has  not  been  able  to  ascertain  "  bron,"  sorroiv  or  pairi,  and  "  berg,"  a 

what  particular  thing  is  meant  by  it  in  soldier  or  champion, 

this  instance.  ^  A  wolf  of  evil  to  the  men  of  Ulster 

'"  Crimson  Branch — in  Irish,  "Craebh-  — onchu  mlc  ar  Ultnchaibh.     Keth  was 

Dherg"  {Craiv-yarg).  The  word  "derg"  the  brother  of  Ohild  Finn,  chief  of  the 

signifies  brifiht  red,  or  scarlet.  fierce  Gamanraidhe  of  Irrus  Domnann. 

"  Red  Branch — in  Irish,  "  Craebh  The  far-famed   Fenian   clan  of  Morna 

Ruadh"  (Craiu-rooa).    Ruadh  is  a  dull-  were  the  descendants  of  this  Fer-Bolg 

er  and  rather  browner  red.    It  is  the  warrior, 
term  applied  to  red-haired  people. 


272  THE   HISTORY   OF    IRELAND. 

which  he  then  brought  off  into  his  own  country ;  and  afterwards, 
whenever  he  came  to  do  battle  against  the  Ulstcrnien,  lie  always 
carried  the  brains  of  Mcskcdair  in  his  girdle,  in  hopes  of  bring- 
ing some  calamity  upon  Uladh  ;  for  it  had  been  prophesied,  that 
Meskedair  would  be  revenged  after  his  death  upon  the  Ulidians, 
and  he  supposed  that  this  prediction  would  be  verified  by  means 
of  the  ball  of  brains.  For  this  reason  did  he  carry  it  always 
about  him,  in  hopes  of  killing  some  of  the  Ulster  chieftains  there- 
with. 

Keth,  then,  soon  went  to  plunder  Ulster,  with  a  numerous  army, 
and  drove  off"  a  large  prey  of  cattle  from  the  men  of  Ros  ;"  but  he 
was  pursued  by  a  great  force  of  the  Ulidians.  The  m?n  of  Con- 
naught  flock  from  the  west,  to  the  help  of  Keth,  and  Concobar 
comes  from  the  east,  to  support  the  Ulidians.  But  when  Keth 
heard  that  Concobar  was  in  the  pursuit,  he  sent  to  the  women  of 
Connaught,  who  were  on  a  hill  viewing  the  contending  armies, 
and  requested  of  them  to  entice  Concobar  to  pay  them  a  visit,  as 
he  knew  him  to  be  a  man  of  gallantry  and  affability,  and  was 
also  aware  that  the  Ulidians  would  not  allow  their  king  to  take 
part  in  the  fight  against  his  Connaughtmen.  Now,  as  soon  as 
Concobar  was  told  that  the  women  wished  to  see  him,  he  pro- 
ceeded alone  from  the  hill  where  he  was  stationed,  in  order  to  visit 
them ;  while  Keth,  on  the  other  side,  came  privately,  and  lay  in 
wait  in  the  midst  of  them,  for  the  purpose  of  killing  his  uncautious 
enemy.  Then  when  Concobar  was  coming  close  to  the  women, 
Keth  arose,  and  placed  the  brains  of  Meskedair  in  his  sling,  in 
order  to  kill  him  ;  but  ^\•hen  Concobar  saw  him,  he  retreated  into 
the  midst  of  his  own  people.  But  as  he  was  entering  the  wood  of 
Dori-da-bacth,  Keth  cast  the  brains  at  him  from  his  sling,  and 
struck  him  on  the  head  therewith,  so  that  his  skull  was  broken 
by  that  cast,  and  the  brains  of  Meskedair  sank  into  his  head, 
liis  people  then  came  up  to  his  relief,  and  rescued  him  from  Keth. 
The  physician  Finghin  Faithliag"  was  at  once  sent  for,  and  when 
he  had  arrived,  he  said  that  the  king  would  die  immediately  if 
the  ball  were  taken  from  his  head.  Upon  this,  his  friends  ex- 
claimed, "  We  prefer  to  have  our  king  disfigured  than  that  he 
should  die."  Finghin  then  effected  his  cure,  but  cautioned  him 
never  to  give  way  eithor  to  anger  or  lust,  and  to  avoid  riding  on 
horseback,  and  all  violent  exertions ;  for,  if  he  did  not,  that  the 

^   Vie  Men  of  Ron.     In  Irish,  "  Fcra  JIacliaircRois(C^;?T/o'il/aq-/íe-íc7?usA), 

RoÍ3."     The  district  of  tlio  men  of  Ilos  now   ('arrickmacross,  arc  supposed  to 

in  question,  lay  in  the  barony  of  Par-  have  been  comprised  within  it. 

ney,  county  Monai^han.     Tin;  parish  of  "  Fmrrhia  lun'thliag,  i.  o.,  Fini^hin 

Machaire  Rois  {Mugheie  Ruú>,noví  the  skilful  physician,    rronounced /'V- 

Magheross,  and  the  town  of  Carraig  neen  Fawleca. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IJRELA2ÍD.  273 

repulsive  force  of  liis  own  brain  would  cast  out  the  ball,  and  that 
his  death  would  ensue. 

Some  of  our  shannachies  tell  us  that  Concobar  lived  in  this 
state  for  seven  years,  until  the  Friday  on  which  Christ  was  cruci- 
fied. Then,  upon  his  seeing  the  strange  changes  in  the  heavens, 
and  the  darkness  of  the  sun,  while  the  moon  was  full,  he  demand- 
ed of  Bacrach,  a  Leinster  Druid  that  attended  him,  whence  came 
these  unusual  alterations  in  the  appearance  of  the  heavens  and 
the  earth.  "It  is  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,"  said  the  Druid, 
"  whom  the  Jews  are  this  day  putting  to  death."  "  How^  sad  that 
is,"  said  Concobar,  "  for,  if  I  -were  now^  there  present,  I  w^ould 
slaj^  all  that  are  around  my  king,  engaged  in  putting  him  to 
death."  He  then  drew  his  sword,  and  having  gone  into  a 
neighboring  wood,  he  began  to  hack  and  cut  the  trees,  exclaim- 
ing, that  if  he  were  among  the  Jews,  such  was  the  vengeance  that 
he  would  wreak  upon  them.  Bat  then,  from  the  violence  of  the 
passion  that  had  seized  him,  the  ball  bounded  from  his  head,  and 
some  of  his  brains  follow^ed  it,  and  then  he  died  upon  the  spot. 
Coill  Lamhrigh,  in  the  territory  of  Ros,  w^as  the  name  of  that 
wood. 

When  Concobar  had  thus  died,  the  kingdom  of  Uladh  was 
offered  to  any  man  who  could  succeed  in  carrying  the  body  of 
Concobar  to  Emhain,  without  resting  on  the  road.  Upon  this, 
one  of  Concobar's  own  servants,  named  Kenn  Berraide,  came 
forward,  who,  hoping  to  gain  the  kingdom  of  Ulster  thereby, 
bravely  lifted  the  body,  and  carried  it  as  far  as  Ard  Achadh,  on 
Sliabh  Fuaid,  but  at  that  place  his  heart  broke,  and  he  died. 
From  that  attempt  has  arisen  the  proverbial  saying,  "  He  aspires 
to  the  kingdom  of  Kenn  Berraide,"  which  is  applied  to  one  who 
ambitiously  aspires  to  higher  dignities  than  he  can  ever  acquire. 

But,  altliough  historic  authors  have  handed  down  the  above 
account  of  Concobar,  and  tell  us  that  he  lived  in  the  time  of 
Christ,  yet,  in  truth,  Christ  w^as  not  born  for  a  long  time  after 
Concobar.  The  fact  of  the  story  is,  that  Bacrach,  a  Leinster 
Druid,  foretold  that  Christ,  the  Prophesied  One,  the  Son  of  God, 
w  ould  be  begotten,  take  a  human  body,  that  he  should  be  put  to 
death  by  idols,  and  that  through  him  should  come  the  redemption 
of  the  human  race  from  the  bondage  of  the  tempter.  When  Con- 
cobar had  heard  this,  he  was  seized  with  the  violent  excess  of 
anger  of  w'hich  we  have  spoken,  through  love  of  Christ ;  and  he 
began  to  cut  down  the  wood  ofLamrigh,  fancying  the  trees  to  be 
idols,  and  thus  he  died  from  his  violent  exertions.  If  any  person 
may  wonder  how  Bacrach,  or  any  other  druid,  who  was  a  Pagan, 
could  have  foreseen  the  death  of  Christ,  I  w^ould  ask  of  him,  why 
it  should  have  been  more  possible  for  the  Sibyls,  who  were  also 
Piigans,  to  have  prophesied  Christ  before  liis  conception,  than  for 
18 


274  THE   HISTORY    OF   IRELAND. 

Bacrach,  and  others  like  him.     Hence,  the  story  is  not  to  be  dis- 
credited for  any  such  reason. 

Ofihe  death  of  Ketk^  Son  of  Magach^^  down  here. 

This  Keth  was  a  man  of  prowess.  He  continued,  during  his 
lifetime,  to  be  the  constant  enemy  and  untiring  plunderer  of  the 
Ulidians.  He  went  into  Uladh,  on  a  certain  day,  for  the  purpose 
of  wreaking  vengeance  and  plundering,  aswaslaiswont,  and  there 
came  down  a  heavy  fall  of  snow.  As  he  w^as  returning,  with  the 
heacjs  of  three  warriors,  whom  he  had  slain  on  his  foray,  Con  all 
Kearnach  came  upon  his  track,  and  overtook  him  at  Ath-Keith. 
There  they  fought,  and  Keth  fell  in  the  combat,  whilst  Conall 
was  so  sorely  wounded,  that  he  fainted  away  from  the  loss  of 
blood.  Upon  this,  Bealcu  Breftni,  a  Connaught  champion,  arriv- 
ed upon  the  spot,  and  found  Keth  already  dead,  and  Conall  at 
death's  point,  and  he  exclaimed,  that  it  was  happy  tidings  to 
have  two  such  ravenous  wolves,  from  whom  so  much  ruin  had 
come  upon  Ireland,  thus  lying  in  that  sad  plight.  "  That  is  true," 
said  Conall,  "and  in  vengeance  for  all  the  misery  I  have  ever 
caused  to  Connaught,  kill  me  now."  He  said  this,  because  he 
had  rather  than  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland,  tliat  some  second 
warrior  should  wound  him,  so  that  no  single  champion  of  Con- 
naught should  have  the  glory  of  slaying  him.  "  I  will  not  kill 
thee,"  said  Bealcu,  "  for  the  state  in  which  thou  art  is  as  bad  as 
death ;  but  I  shall  take  thee  with  me,  and  heal  thy  wounds,  and  if 
thou  recover,  I  shall  fight  thee  in  single  combat,  and  shall  thus 
wreak  vengeance  upon  thee  for  all  the  woes  and  losses  thou  hast 
ever  inflicted  upon  Connaught."  He  then  placed  him  on  a  bier, 
and  brought  him  to  his  own  house,  where  he  applied  remedies  to 
him  until  his  wounds  were  healed. 

But  when  Bealcu  saw  that  Conall  was  recovering,  and  that 
his  former  strength  was  returning  to  him,  he  was  seized  with 
fear,  and  prepared  three  champions,  who  were  his  own  sons,  to 
murder  him  treacherously  in  his  bed  at  night.  However,  Conall 
suspected  this  whispered  treason,  and,  upon  the  night  fixed  upon 
for  its  execution,  he  said  to  B(^alcu,  that  he  should  exchange  beds 
with  him,  or  that  he  would  kill  him.  Upon  this  Bd-alcu  lay 
down  in  the  bed  of  Conall,  though  sore  against  his  will,  and 
there  he  was  forced  to  stay  until  the  champions,  his  own  sons, 

"  Sim  of  Magach.      He  was  thns  cccded  Afani,  the  son  of  Queen  Medb. 

called  from  his  mother.     Many  of  the  The  Coniiaufiht  IJeluiana  were  suppos- 

Belgian  or  Damnonian  kinj^s  of  ('on-  ed  to  have  dcsceudcil  from  Scnijann  and 

naught  were  sprnn;^  from  Keth.     His  Genaiin,   who   were   kings   of  Ireland 

son,  Sanb,  sat  on  the  throne  of  Con-  previous  to  the  Danaan  and   Gaelic 

naught  for  twenty-six  years.     He  sue-  invosions. 


THE   HISTORY   OF  IRELAND.  275 

came  to  the  bed  wliere  Conall  usually  slept,  and  killed  their  own 
father  in  his  stead.  When  Conall  perceived  this,  he  rushed 
upon  them  and  slew  the  whole  three;  and  he  belieaded  both 
them  and  their  father,  and  brought  their  heads  with  him,  on  the 
next  day,  in  triumph  to  Emhain.  It  is  in  praise  of  this  deed  that 
we  find  the  following  handed  down  by  the  bards  : 

"  Amongst  the  feats  of  Conall  Kearnacli^'' 
We  count  the  famous  Sack  of  ]y[ana — 
By  his  hand  fell  the  three-sired  Lugaidh — 
Bealcu's  three  sous  he  slew  iu  Bx'efui.'' 

Such  were  the  deaths  of  Keth,  son  of  Magach,  and  of  Bealcu, 
of  Brefni,  with  his  three  sons.  And,  although  we  might  extol 
several  other  great  deeds  of  Conall  Kearnach,  we  must,  however, 
forego  mentioning  them  at  the  present  time. 

The  death  of  Fergus  Mac  JRoigh,  doivn  here. 

During  the  exile  of  Fergus  in  Connaught,  he  once  happened 
to  be  with  Olild  and  Medb  at  Magh-Aei,  Avhere  their  royal  resi- 
dence then  was  ;  and  as  they  were  one  day  walking  on  the  bank 
of  the  lake  that  was  near  their  fort,  Olild  requested  of  Fergus  to 
enter  the  water  and  swim  therein.  Fergus  complied ;  but  while 
he  was  yet  in  the  lake,  Medb  took  a  fancy  to  go  and  contend 
with  him  in  swimming.  Upon  seeing  her  in  the  waves  with 
Fergus,  Olild  was  seized  with  jealousy,  and  he  commanded  one 
of  his  kinsmen,  named  Lugaidh  Dall-Egeas,  who  attended  him, 
to  cast  a  spear  at  Fergus,  with  which  he  pierced  him  through  the 
chest.  The  wounded  Fergus  came  to  land»  as  soon  as  he  had  re- 
ceived the  blow,  and  drawing  the  spear  out  of  his  body,  he  flung 
it  at  Olild,  and  transfixed  a  hound  that  stood  at  that  king's  char- 
iot, and  he  then  fell  down  and  died  immediately,  and  they  buried 
him  on  the  bank  of  that  same  lake. 

It  was  this  Fergus  that  killed  Fiacna,  son  of  Concobar,  and 
the  champion  Gerrghenn,  son  of  Nillaidh,'^  and  Eogan,'^  son  of 
Durthact,  king  of  Fernmaighe,  and  many  other  heroes  and  war- 

"  Conrll  Kearnach.  This  chieftain  ies,  and  their  correlative  septs,  in  UI- 
Wixs  one  of  the  most  famous  of  the  Red-  ster,  and  also  of  the  O'Mordhas  (O'ilio- 
Branch  knights.  He  was  son  of  Am-  r«)  or  Moores,  of  Leix,  in  Leinster,  and 
irghin,  son  of  Cas,  son  of  Factna,  son  all  the  clans  of  that  stock.  Conall  was 
of  Cathbaidh,  son  of  Kinga,  son  of  cousin  to  Concobar  Mac  Nessa,  Cuch- 
Rudraide  Mor,  King  of  Ireland.  All  ulainn,  <tc.  His  son  trial  Gknimar  bo- 
th^ tribes  of  the  Irian  race  that  have  came  king  of  Ulster,  after  Glasni,  son 
survived  to  latter  times,  trace  their  or-  of  Concobar,  and  the  sovereignty  of 
igiu,  either  to  Conall  Keirnach  or  to  that  province  remained  long  in  his  fam- 
his  cousin,  Fei-gus  Mac  Roigh.     Conall  ily. 

was  the  progenitor  of  the  Mac  Aen-  ^  Nilluidh,  otherwise  llladh. 

gusaa  or  Magenuises,  of  the  O'Dunlev-  '^  Eogan,  son  of  Durtluzct.      This 


276  THE   HISTORY    OF    IRELAND. 

riors,  wliom  we  shall  not  mention  here.  It  was  he,  also,  that  car- 
ried off  the  great  spoils  from  Ulster,  whence  came  so  many  wars 
and  enmities  between  the  peoples  of  Connaught  and  Ulster,  so 
that  the  exiles,  who  went  from  Ulster  into  banishment  with  Fer- 
gus, continued  seven,  or  as  some  say,  ten  years  in  Connaught,  dur- 
i^no-  which  time  they  kept  constantly  destroying  and  plundering 
the  Ulidians,  on  account  of  the  murder  of  the  sons  of  Usnach. 
And  the  Ulstermen,  in  like  manner,  wreaked  vengeance  upon 
them  and  upon  the  people  of  Connaught,  and  made  reprisals  for 
the  booty  which  Fergus  had  carried  olf,  and  for  every  other  evil 
inflicted  upon  both  by  the  exiles  and  by  the  Connaught  men, 
insomuch  that  the  losses  and  injuries  sustained  on  both  sides  were 
so  numerous  that  whole  volumes  have  been  written  upon  them, 
which  would  be  too  long  to  mention  or  take  notice  of  at  present. 

The  death  of  Laegari  Buadach^^  i.  e.  Laegari  the  Victorious, 
down  here. 

Concobar  had  a  poet  named  Aedh,  son  of  Anind,  who  had  a 
criminal  intrigue  with  Magain,  that  king's  wife.  When  this 
was  told  to  Concobar,  he  condemned  the  poet  to  be  drowned  in 
the  lake  of  Laegari,^^  and  he  was  accordingly  led  thither  for  that 
purpose,  at  the  command  of  the  king.  When  the  herdsman  of 
Laegari  saw  them  approaching  the  lake  with  this  intent,  he  went 
and  told  his  master  that  they  could  find  no  other  place  for 
drowning  the  poet  in  all  Ireland  but  before  his  door.  When 
Laegari  heard  this,  he  immediately  rushed  out,  and  as  he  did  so, 
he  dashed  his  head  against  the  lintel  of  the  door,  so  that  he  frac- 
tured his  skull.  Nevertheless  he  flung  himself  with  fury  upon 
the  king's  people,  slew  them  all,  and  delivered  the  poet,  and  then 
died  uj)on  the  spot. 

The  death  of  Medb  of  Cruachain,^  doion  here. 

AYhen  Olild  had  been  slain  by  Conall  Kearnach,  ]\redb  went 
to  dwell  at  Inis-Clothrann,  on  Loch  Ribh,  and  during  her  resi- 

man  was  the  murderer  of  the  song  of  ralb.     The  traces  of  many  such  lakca 

Usnach.     lie,  too,  was  of  the  Clanna  or  pondd  still  remain  in  Ireland. 
Rudraide.     His  father  was  son  of  Falbi,        '■'  Medl)  of  Cruachain.     Of  all    tlie 

Bon  of  Aengus,  sun  of  lludraide  Mor.  children  of  the  monarch  Eocaidli  Fied- 

°°Lae^a?-7/íw-if/ac/í,  otherwise  Lae.i,'h-  lech,  "  liv  far  the  most  celebrated  was 

aireBuadhach(/.'ííyc)-í-7íora,ií://).  "Bua-  Mcadlibh   or    IMab,   who   is    still    ro- 

dhach"    is   an   adjective   formed  from  memljcred  as  the  queen   of  the  fairies 

"  Buadh"     {hooali),  victory.      Laegari  of  the  Irish,  and  the  Queen   Mab  of 

was  a  most  distinguished  knight  of  the  Spenser's  Faery  Queen,  in   which   tliia 

Poid-Branch.  powerful  virairo,  queen  and  quean  of 

"   7','ie  La/:e  of  Lacq-an,  probably  an  Connanght,  is  diminished  toa  ludieroua 

artificial    lake, "  constructed    near    his  size  in  her  fairy  slate. — O'Donwm. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  277 

dence  there,  it  was  her  wont  to  take  a  bath  every  morning  in  a 
spring  that  lay  near  the  entrance  to  the  island.  When  Forbnide, 
son  of  Concobnr,  had  heard  this,  he  came  privately  to  the  spring, 
and  measured,  with  a  line,  the  distance  thence  to  the  other  side 
of  the  lake.  He  then  brought  the  measure  with  him  into  Ulster, 
and  there  he  used  to  thrust  two  stakes  into  the  ground,  and  to 
each  of  them  he  fastened  an  end  of  the  line.  He  then  used  to 
place  an  apple  on  the  point  of  one  of  the  stakes,  and  standing 
himself  at  the  other,  he  made  constant  practice  of  throwing  at 
the  apple  on  the  ojiposite  one,  until  he  succeeded  in  hitting  it. 
This  exercise  he  practiced  continually,  until  he  became  so  dexter- 
ous, that  he  never  missed  a  single  throw  at  the  apple.  Shortly 
after  this  there  was  a  meeting  of  the  people  of  Ulster  and  Con- 
naught,  on  both  sides  of  the  Shannon,  at  Inis-Clothrann.  For- 
baicle  came  thither  from  the  east,  in  the  assemblage  of  the  Ulster- 
men  ;  anel  one  morning,  while  he  stayed  there,  he  saw  ^Nledb 
bathing,  as  usual,  in  the  very  same  spring.  He,  thereupon,  in- 
stantly placed  a  stone  in  his  sling,  and  having  cast  it,  he  hit  her 
full  on  the  forehead,  and  she  instantly  died,  having  then  enjoyed 
the  kingdom  of  Connaught  for  ninety-eight  years.^ 

So  far  we  have  brancheel  off  into  digressions  about  the  heroes 
who  were  the  cotemporaries  of  Medb ;  but  we  shall  now  return 
to  the  monarch  Eocaidh  Feiellech.  This  Eocaidh  had  three  sons 
and  three  daughters.  The  sons  were  Bres,  Nar,  and  Lothar,  and 
Ethni  Uathach,  Clothra,  anel  Medb  of  Cruachain,  were  the  three 
daughters,^  as  the  barel  tells  us  in  the  following  verse : . 

"  Three  daughters  had  king  Eocaidh  Feidlech — 
Loud  swells  their  fame — 
Ethni  the  Proud,  and  Medb  of  Cruachain, 
And  fair  Clothra." 

We  shall  now  go  back  to  Concobar,  and  relate  some  facts  re- 
specting him,  A  daughter  of  Eocaidh  Sulbuide,  of  Connaught, 
was  his  mother,  and  her  narae  was  Nessa ;  and  it  was  from  her 

'^Ninety-eight   years.     Mani   Aith-  roes  that  flourished  some  time  before,  as 

remhail    {Ahrewtl),   one   of  the   seven  as  well  as  some  time  after  her  time, 

sons  whom   Medb  had  by  Olild  Mor,  "   lliree  daughters.    O'Flaherty  tells 

succeeded  her  on  the   throne  of  Con-  us,  that  he  had  six  daughters,  namely : 

naught.    O'Flaherty  discredits  the  long  ilumhaim,  Elie,  Medb,  Derdri.  Clothra, 

reign  attributed  to  Medb.     In  fact  he  and   Ethni.     Of   these   Munihain   and 

proves,    by   comparing    the   deeds   in  Ethni  were  both  married  to  Concobar 

which  she   was  concerned   with  those  Mac  Nessa,  and  to  him  the  former  bore 

that  happened  during  the  lives  of  her  a  son  name  Glasni,  who  succeeded  him 

cotemporaries,  that  she  could  not  have  as  king  of  Ulster,  the  latter  bore  him 

lived  so  long.     The  poets  wcnild  seem  Forbaidc,  the  slayer  of  Medb.     Of  all 

to  have  caused  the  extension  of  her  life  six,  strange  tales  are  recounted  in  the 

and  rei^n  over  so  long  a  period,  in  or-  Irish  romances, 
der  to  bring  her  into  contact  with  he- 


2-^  THE    HISTORY    OT   IRELAND. 

that  he  received  his  surname,  (i.  e.  Concobar  or  Connor  Mac 
Nessa).  His  father  was  Factna,  styled  Fathach  or  the  Wise,  son 
of  Gas,  son  of  Eudraide,  of  the  line  of  Ir,  son  of  Miledh.  And 
when  the  provincial  chiefs  demanded  that  the  exact  bounds  of 
each  province  (or  rather  pentarchy)  should  be  fixed,  Carbri 
Niafer,  king  of  Leinster,  in  consideration  of  getting  the  daughter 
of  Concobar  in  marriage,  gave  xxp  to  Ulster  all  the  land  that  lies 
from  Terahair  (or  Tara),  and  from  Loch-an-Coigi,  in  Breagh,  to 
the  sea,  a  territory  that  contained  tliree  entire  cantons  or  tricha- 
keads  of  land,  as  the  bard  tells  us  in  the  following  verse : 

"  Wlien  Eri's  '  fifths'  were  yielded  up, 
From  sea  to  sea,  to  Pentarch  sway, 
By  treaty  Concobar  then  joined 
Three  cantons  wide  to  Uladh's  bounds." 

Felim  of  the  Bright  Form,  was  the  name  of  the  daughter  by 
whose  means  he  acquired  this  addition  of  territory ;  and  she 
soon  after  eloped  lasciviously  with  Conall  Kearnach  from  the 
king  of  Leinster. 

With  regard  to  Concobar,  he  had  twenty-one  sons,  and  in  a  fit 
of  drunkenness  he  committed  incest  with  his  own  mother,  who 
bore  him  a  son,  w^ho  was  named  Cormac  Conlingas.  Cormac  is 
the  same  as  "  Corb-mac,""  i.  e.  a  son  begotten  incestuousli/ ;  and 
he  was  so  called  because  Concobar  had  committed  "corba,"  i.  e. 
incest,  with  his  own  mother.  It  was  in  punishment  of  this  crime 
that  all  his  sons  died  without  issue,  except  tliree,  namely:  Benna, 
from  whom  descended  the  Benntraide  {Bantree) ;  Lamha,  from 
whom  came  the  Lamhraide  (Lauvree) ;  and  Glasni,  whose  descend- 
ants Avere  the  Glasraide  (Glossree).  But  even  of  these  there  is 
not  at  this  day  a  single  descendant  alive  in  Ireland. 

The  Battle  of  Aentich  Ifacha,^^ fought  by  Concobar  and  his  Kinsmen, 

down  here. 

Concobar,  son  of  Factna  the  Wise,  and  his  kinsmen,  fought  the 
battle  of  Aenach  Macha,  against  Daball,  the  Ilard-smiter,  son  of 

*^  Corb-mac.    This  derivation  is  not  tion  was  hunted  out  for  it,  either  be- 

probable.     The  word  "  Corb,"  if  it  en-  cause   Concobar's  incestuous  offspring 

ter  at  all  into  the  composition  of  tiie  clianced  to  bear  it,  or  that  the  whole 

proper  name  "  Cormac,"  is  most  prob-  story  of  the  incest  was  built  upon  a 

ably  used  in  the   sense   of  "  chariot,"  malicious  play  on  the  letters  of  which 

which  is  one  of  its  meanin<,'s.     "  Cor-  the  name  is  composed.     If  "  Cormac" 

mac"  was  not  then  first  applied  as  a  have  any  meaning  in   Irish,  it  means 

proper  name  ;  and  if  its  origin  was  as  "  son  of  the  chariot,"  or  "  charioteer." 
infamous  as  above  state<l,  it  would  not        "    Ana    Machcha,   i.e.    the    Fair 

have  been  a  name  of  such  frequent  oc-  Green,  or  Field  of  Assembly  of  Macha, 

currence  in  our  annals.     "VVe  may  then  at  Emhaiu  Macha,  near  Armagh, 
safely  conclude  that  the  above  deriva- 


THE  HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  279 

the  monarcli  of  Loclilin.  Innumerable  was  the  host  of  the  son  of 
the  king  of  Lochhn  on  that  occasion,  when  he  had  come  to  make 
a  conquest  of  Ireland.  He  landed  in  the  territory  of  Uladh  first, 
and  immediately  led  his  forces  to  the  plain  of  Macha.  The 
clans  of  Kudraide  mustered  round  Concobar,  in  order  to  do  battle 
against  those  strange  pirates.  Tiien  Genann,  the  bright-cheeked 
son  of  Cathhadh,  addressed  his  kinsmen  and  said,  "  Small  is  your 
host,  0  men  of  Uladh,  and  young  and  beardless  warriors  are  you 
all."  "  What  then  shall  we  do?"  exclaimed  all.  "  Take,"  said 
he,  "a  quantity  of  wool,  and  bind  it  firmly  to  your  faces,  and  the 
fear  and  terror  of  the  foreign  pirates  will  be  increased  thereby, 
for  they  will  fancy  you  to  be  all  hardy  and  well-proved  cham- 
pions." Those  of  the  Ulidians  who  were  without  beards  acted 
upon  the  council  of  Genann,  and  then  they  fought  the  battle,  and 
vanquished  the  sea-robbers,  and  slaughtered  their  host.  It  is 
from  that  battle  they  are  called  Ulaidh  {Ullee).^'' 

The  Death  of  Conlaech^  son  of  Guchutainn  down  here. 

His  death  was  caused  by  the  following  occurrence :  Cuchulainn 
had  formerly  gone  to  learn  feats  of  valor  from  Sgathach  {Ska- 
hagh),  a  heroine  that  dwelt  in  Alba,  and  at  that  time  there  was  a 
beautiful  damsel  in  Alba,  whose  name  was  Aeifi  {Eefie),  daughter 
of  Ardgheim  {Awrdi/dim).  This  damsel  fell  violently  in  love 
with  Cuchulainn,  from  his  great  fame,  and  having  come  to  visit 
him  she  became  his  mistress.  From  this  intimacy  she  soon 
proved  pregnant.  Cuchulainn  then  being  about  to  return  to  Ire- 
land, and  having  finished  his  gymnastic  education  under  Sga- 
thach, went  to  bid  farewell  to  Aeifi,  to  whom  he  gave  a  chain  of 
gold,  which  he  charged  her  to  keep  until  his  son  had  arrived  at 
manhood,  and  then  to  send  the  youth  to  himself,  with  that  same 
chain  of  gold,  as  a  token  by  which  he  could  recognise  him.  Ac- 
cording to  other  accounts,  it  was  a  gold  ring  that  he  gave  her, 
and  he  charged  her  to  send  his  son  to  him  to  Ireland,  as  soon  as 
he  became  so  full  grown  that  his  finger  could  fill  it ;  and  he  also 
laid  three  sacred  inj  unctioas^^  {9^^^)  upon  his  son,  before  he  should 

^'  Ullaidh.    An  attempt  to  derive  appears  that  all  champions  who  were 

the  name  Uladh  from  "  Olann"  {uUann)  admitted  to  the  order  of  chivalry,  either 

wool.  took  upon  themselves  or  were  subjected 

«8  Conlaech.     An  ancient  poem  upon  to  these  "  gesa."    Their  exact  nature 

the     death    of    Conlaech,     has    been  has  not  been  explained  ;  but  it  would 

translated  by  Miss  Brooks,  and   pub-  appear  that,  independent  of  the  duties 

lished  with  the  original  in  her  Irish  obligatory  upon  the  whole  order,  each 

Reliques.  particular  warrior  had  certain  "  gesa" 

"'  Sacred  Injunctions.     These   were  peculiar   to   himself,  by  which  he  was 

called    in   Irish  "  gesa"    {s:assa),    the  bound  either  to   perform  or  to  refrain 

plural  of  "  geis"  (gu  sh),  which  means  from  certain  acts.     In  the  notes  to  the 

a  votive  injunction  or  prohibition.    It  tragic  tale  of  the  Children  of  Usnach, 


280  THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 

come  to  Ireland.  The  first  of  tliese  was,  never  to  give  way  to 
any  champion  or  hero  in  the  world.  The  second  was,  not  to  tell 
his  name,  through  fear,  to  any  warrior  living.  The  third  Avas, 
never  to  refuse  to  fight  in  single  combat  against  the  most  powerful 
champion  upon  earth. 

In  time,  the  young  man  having  grown  up  and  increased  in 
strength,  and  having  learned  the  exercises  of  war  and  chivalry 
from  Sgathach,^"  that  instructress  of  champions,  set  out  for  Ireland, 
to  see  his  father  Cuchulainn.  Upon  his  arrival,  he  found  Conco- 
bar  and  the  chiefs  of  Uladh  met  in  assembly  or  convention  at 
Tract-Esi.  Concobar  sent  a  warrior  of  his  people,  named  Cmi- 
niri,  to  inquire  who  he  was.  Then,  when  this  messenger  had 
come  into  the  presence  of  the  youth,  he  demanded  the  latter's 
name.  "  I  tell  not  my  name  to  any  single  warrior  upon  the 
ridge  of  the  earth,"  says  Conlaech.  Thereupon,  Cunniri  returned 
to  Concobar,  and  repeated  to  him  that  insolent  reply.  Then 
Cuchulainn  went  to  get  an  account  of  himself  i'rom  the  stranger; 
but  he  only  received  the  same  answer  from  Conlaech.  A  bloody 
combat  then  took  place  between  them,  and  Conlaech  was  over- 
coming Cuchulainn, ''  so  that,  although  his  hardihood  and  prowess 
had  been  great  in  all  his  former  combats,  he  was  now  obliged  to 
retreat  into  an  adjacent  ford,  and  to  call  upon  Laegh,  son  of  Eiau 
of  Gabra,  for  his  spear,  and  with  it  he  pierced  Conlaech  through 
the  body,  and  thus  killed  him. 

If,  0  reader,  I  were  here  to  relate  the  death  of  Cuchulainn  by 

■we  are  told  that  "  such  vows  were   in-  instructress  of  champions  was  no  other 

violate  among  our  heathen   ancestors,  than  Acifi  herseH'.     Dun  Sgathach,  or 

Any  warrior  who  broke  them  became  the  fort  of  Sgathach,  was  on  the  Isle 

infamous  ;  and  the  vengeance  of  heaven  of  Sky,  which,  perhaps,  has  its  name 

was  dreaded  as  the   immediate  conse-  from  this  heroine, 

quence  of  their  violation."     This  was  "  Cur/n>/aiun.    Subaltam,  the  father 

the  ancient  chivalry  of  the  Irish,  upon  of  (Juchulaiim  {Cooghullin),  was  of  the 

which,  perhaps,  was  grounded  the  more  Erimonian    race    of    the    Ernaans    of 

modern  one  of  the  middle  ages.     Those  Ulster.    liy  his  mother  Detkind,  daugh- 

who   were   initiated  into  t'e  Order  of  ter  of  the  Druid  Cathbaidh  iCa^ar),  ho 

vah^r,  a  very  ancient  one  in  Ireland,  was  closely  allied   to  the  clanna  Kud- 

werc  peculiarly  bound  by  these  gesa  or  raide,  and  through  her  also  he  was  the 

s'demn  iiijnnct  (in^.     "  Uesanach  iluilin  first  cousin  of  Conell  Kearnach,  whose 

gid  fir-laecha,''  injunctions  not  resisted  mother    was    Eincaenih,    daughter  of 

by  true  heroes,  is  a  usual  expression  in  Cathbaidh,  and  ol'tlie  three  sous  of  Us- 

our  ancient  tales  ;  "  Cuirim  foghe.saibb  nacli,   who  were  the   children   of  her 

thu"  {Currim  fo  yassiv  hoo)  ;  1   ])liu;e  sister  Ailbi.     The  annalist  'J'ighernach 

thee  under  "gesa;"  "  Is  mairg  do  chailles  calls  (,'uchulainn  /•'.  rtissim  s  hfrns  Scoto- 

a  ghesa ;"  he  is  a  wretch  that  loses  his  rum,  i.  e.  the  bravest  hero  of  the  Scot.s, 

"  gesa  ;"  and  numberless  other  similar  and   records   his  death  in   the   second 

phrases    in    our    ancient    stories  and  year   of  the   Christian   era.     "We   are 

poems,  show  the  awe  in  which   these  there  told   that  at  the  age   of  seven 

obligations  were  held  by  the  old  Irish,  he    was    initiated    into    the    military 

'"  Srjathach.      Others  say  that   this  order ;   that   at  seventeen  he  pursued 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  281 

the  sons  of  Calitin,  and  thai;  of  Ferdiadh,^  son  of  Daman,  by 
Cuchulainn,  and  those  of  the  seven  Manie.^,  the  sons  of  Olild  and 
Medb,  and  of  many  other  brave  champions  not  here  mentioned, 
their  recital  would  prove  too  vast  and  laborious  an  undertaking. 
But  if  you  wish  for  a  full  account  thereof,  you  may  consult  the 
Great  Kout  on  ]\Iagh  Murthemni,  the  Deaths  of  the  Knights,  the 
Cattle  Sjjoil  of  Cualgni,  or  the  Cattle  Spoil  of  Ecgamhan,  or  the 
Eed  Eaid  of  Conall  Kearnach,  or  the  Foast  of  Emhain,  or  the 
Cattle  Spoil  of  Flidais,'^  or  other  tales^*  of  this  kind,  still  to  be 
seen  in  Ireland,  and  you  will  therein  find  ample  mention  of  both 
the  abov^e,  and  of  many  other  knights  and  heroes  besides,  and  of 
their  enterprises  and  adventures. 

Nevertheless,  I  deem  that  I  should  not  pass  over  Curigh,  son 
of  Dari,  in  this  history,  nor  should  I  omit  to  recount  therein  the 
cause  of  his  death,  for  he  was  a  mighty  champion  and  a  cotem- 
porary  of  Concobar  and  the  Heroes.  Moran  of  INIana  (the  Isle 
of  Man)  was  the  mother  of  Curigh,  son  of  Dari,  as  the  bard 
informs  us  in  the  following  rann  : 

"  Moran  of  Mana,  of  honor  pure, 
Was  the  child  of  Ir,  son  of  Uinnside  ; 
The  sister  of  Eocaidh  Ecbeol  she, 
And  mother  of  Curigh,  son  of  Dari." 

There  were  three  orders  of  champions  then  coexistent  in  Ire- 
land; and  neither  before  them  nor  since  their  time  were  there 
found  any  of  the  children  of  Miledh  who  were  taller,  more  pow- 
erful, hardier,  braver  or  more  expert  in  feats  of  valor  and  chivalry 
'than  they;  for  the  Fiann  of  Leinster  was  not  to  be  compared 
with  them.  The  first  order  of  these  was  composed  of  the  heroes 
or  knights  of  the  Red  Branch,  under  Concobar.  The  second  was 
formed  of  the  Gamauraide  {Goivanree)  of  Irrus  Domnann,  under 
Olild  Finn  ;  and  the  third  was  composed  of  the  Clanna  Degaidh 
in  West-Munster,  under  Curigh,  son  of  Dari. 

the  plunderers  of  Cuailgni   (when  he  "  Fli'lais.     This  foray  was  so  called 

slew    Ferdiádh,   son    of   Daman,    the  from  Flidais  or  Flidhais  [Fkes'i),  who 

bravest  of  the  Gamauraidhe  of  Irrus  became  the  wife  of  Fergus  Mac  Eoigh, 

Domuan)  ;  and  that  at  twenty-seven,  he  after  the  death  of  her  first  husband, 

was  slain  by  Lugaidh,  grandson  of  Car-  OHld   Dubh   (Duv),  chief  of  the  Fir- 

bri  Niaser,  at  the  battle  of  Murthemni,  Craeibhe,  one  of  the  Belgian  tribes  of 

in  Louth.  Some  call  his  slayer  Lugaidh,  Connaught. 

son  of  Curigli  Mac  Dari.     Others  say  '^  Tales.     Several  versions  of  these 

that  Cucluilainn  was  slain  by  the  sons  tales,   which   are   partly   poetical  and 

of  Calitin.     His  residence  was  at  Dun-  partly  founded  on  fact,  are  still  extant. 

Delgain,  now  called  Dundalk.  Their  publication  would  be  a  vast  boon 

'^  FerdiaJh,  son   of  Daman.     This  to  the  students  of  Irish  antiquities.    Dr. 

redoubted  champion  fell  at  Ath-Fhir-  Keating   has  drawn   from  their  pages 

diaidh  [Awhirdeea),  or  Ferdiadh's  Ford,  all  the  episodes,  which  he  lias  introduced 

now  Ardee,  in  the  county  of  Louth.  into  this  part  of  his  history. 


282  THE   HISTORY    OF   IRELAND. 

The  death  of  Curigh^  son  of  Dari^  down  here. 

The  following  was  the  adventure  whence  came  the  death  of 
Curigh.  The  Heroes  of  the  Eed  Branch,  having  mustered  their 
forces,  went  to  ravage  Mana,  a  sea-girt  isle  not  far  from  Scotland, 
where  there  was  a  great  store  of  gold  and  silver  with  jewels  and 
many  other  articles  of  price,  and  a  beautiful  marriageaLlc  damsel, 
who  was  the  daughter  of  the  lord  of  that  island,  and  who  sur- 
passed all  the  women  of  her  time  in  form  and  in  feature,  and  her 
name  was  Blathnaid  {Blahnid).  "When  Curigh  had  heard  that 
the  Heroes  were  about  going  upon  that  expedition,  he  trans- 
formed himself  by  magic  into  a  false  shape,  so  that  he  might  take 
part  in  the  adventure.  But  when,  under  the  guise  of  jugglers, 
they  were  about  plundering  the  island,  they  judged  that  there 
would  be  great  difficulty  iu  taking  the  chief  fortress,  in  which 
were  Blathnaid  and  all  the  treasures,  both  on  account  of  the 
strength  of  its  fortifications  and  the  number  of  the  men  that 
defended  them.  Then  Curigh,  who  was  disguised  as  a  clown,  in 
a  gray  garb,  said  that  he  woiild  himself  take  possession  of  the  fort 
for  them,  if  he  were  only  to  get  his  choice  of  the  jewels  it  contained. 
This  was  })romised  him  by  Cuchulainn,  and  they  then  attacked  the 
fortress,  with  the  clown  in  the  gray  garb  at  their  head,  wlio  stopped 
the  motion  of  an  enchanted  wheel  that  w^as  placed  in  the  gate  of 
the  -rath,  and  thus  let  all  the  others  in.  They  then  plundered 
it  and  brought  away  Blathnaid  and  all  the  treasures  it  contained. 
They  then  returned  to  Ireland,  and  arrived  at  Emhain  ;  and  there, 
when  they  were  dividing  the  treasury,  the  clown  of  the  gray  garb 
demanded  his  choice  tliercof,  according  to  the  promise  made  to 
him,  "Thou  wilt  got  it,"  said  Cuchulainn.  "Then,"  replied  he, 
"  Blathnaid  is  my  choice  of  the  treasury."  "  Take  thy  choice  of 
all  the  other  jewels  except  Blathnaid,"  said  Cuchulainn.  "  I  will 
take  no  exchange  for  her,"  said  the  clown  in  the  gray  garb. 
Then  Curigh  made  an  attempt  to  take  Blathnaid  oíi^  and,  sur- 
prising her  unperceived,  he  bore  her  away  under  an  enchanted 
(druidic)  mask.  AVhen  Cuchulainn  perceived  that  the  girl  was 
missing,  he  guessed  at  once  that  it  was  Curigh  that  had  taken 
her  off,  and  he  forthwith  followed  upon  their  track  to  Alunster,  so 
that  he  came  up  with  them  at  Sulchoid"  {Sullogliode)^  where 
the  champions  lay  hold  of  each  other ;  and  they  contend  with 
valor  and '  courage,  until  Cuchulainn  was  thrown  down  by. 
Curigh,   who   then   tied   him    neck   and   heels,'^  and  left   him 

"  5u/c'íOíV/,  now  Solloihod  or  Sallow-  "  lio  innictcd  on  him  tlio  fetter inp  of 

head,  on  the  borders  of  tlie  cotmtie.s  of  the  live  smalls,  a  (Jaelie  idiom,  si^iiify- 

Tipperary  and   Limerick,  not  far  from  in^^  that  he  bound  his  neck,  wrists  and 

the  town  of 'i'ipperary.  ancles." — Haltiday. 

"*   Tied  /urn  neck  and  /leels.    Literally 


THE    HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  288 

there  bound  a?  a  captive,  having  first  cut  off  his  fo?'s  hair" 
with  his  sword.  Having  done  this,  he  took  BLithnaid  with 
him  into  West-Munster,  while  Cuchulainn  was  lying  in  his 
bonds.  But  Laegh,  son  of  Eian  of  Gabra,  soon  came  up  and 
loosed  Cuchulainn,  after  which  they  both  proceeded  thence  to 
the  north  of  Ulster,  where  they  dwelt  near  the  Peaks  of  Boirchi^® 
for  the  space  of  one  year,  and  they  came  not  into  the  assembly 
of  the  Men  of  Ulster  until  Cuchulainn's  hair  had  grown.  Then 
at  the  end  of  tlie  year,  happening  to  be  on  the  Peaks  of  Boirchi, 
he  saw  a  great  flight  of  black  birds  coming  over  the  sea  from  the 
north,  and  when  they  had  arrived  at  the  land,  he  pursued  them, 
and  by  a  feat  called  "  taith-bheim'^"  [Táhvaim\  killed  one  of  them 
with  his  sling  in  every  territory  he  passed  through,  until  he  had 
killed  the  last  black  bird  of  them  at  the  stream  of  Bron  in  West- 
Munster.  On  his  return  from  the  West,  he  found  Blathnaid*" 
alone  near  the  Finn-glas,  in  Kerr}^,  where  Curigh^^  had  a  fortified 
residence  at  that  time.  There  a  conversation  then  ensued  between 
them,  in  which  the  damsel  told  him  that  there  was  not  on  the 
Avorld's  face  a  man  that  loved  she  more  than  him  ;  and  she  beg- 
ged of  him  to  come  during  the  ensuing  season  of  Samhain  (All- 
Hallows)  with  an  armed  host  and  carry  her  off"  by  force  or  by 
wile ;  and,  that  he  might  the  more  easily  accomplish  this,  she  said 
that  she  should  herself  take  care  that  Curigh  should,  at  that  time, 
have  but  few  warriors  or  attendants  around  him.  Cuchulainn,  prom- 
ised to  come  to  her  at  the  appointed  time,  and  then  took  his  leave 
and  proceeded  back  to  Ulster,  where  he  related  his  adventure  to 
Concobar. 

In  the  meantime  Blathnaid  told  Curigh  that  he  ought  to  build 
for  himself  a  stone  fortress^  that  should  exceed  all  the  royal  res- 

"  Cut  off  his  hair.    He  did  this  for  *"  Blathnaid.    This  name  is  derived 

the  greater  humiliation  of  his  adver-  from   "  Blath"    (Blah)    a    blossom   or 

sary.     No  Irish  chieftain  could  appear  flower.     It  may  mean  the  blooming, 

in  public  without  having  his  hair  full  ^'    Curigh    is    said    to     mean,  the 

grown.    The  Irish  wore  the  hair  long,  royal  hero  or  wolf-hound,  as  if    Cu- 

and  it  was  considered  disgraceful  for  a  righ    [Cooree)    Cuchulainn  means  the 

freeman  to  appear  in  public  with  it  cut  wolf-hound  of  Uladh  or  Ulster,  as  if 

short.  Cu-Ulainn. 

"•   The  Peaks  of  Boirchi.    The  Benna  '^- A  stone  fortress.    Curigh  Mac  Dari 

Boirchi,  or  Peaks  of  Boirchi,  are  situ-  had  his  fortress  upon  the  top  of  a  high 

ated  near  the  source  of  the  river  Bann  hill,  situated  between  the  bays  of  Cas- 

in  Ulster.  tlemain  and  Tralee,  in  Kerry.      The 

"  Tath-bheim.     In  O'Reilly's  Irish  ruins   of    this  fortress,   which   is  yet 

Dictionary,  this  word   is  translated  a  called  Cathair  Chonrigh  {Cahir  ConriJ) 

mortal  blow.     It  seems  in  this  instance  or  the  stone  fortress   of  Curigh,  still 

rather  to  mean  a  flying  shot,  or  an  ob-  exist.    It  was  a  Cyclopean  structure, 

lique  cast.     The  word  "  Tath,"  the  first  of  circular  form,  and  the  immense  size 

part  of  the  compound,  has  many  mean-  of  the  stones  of  which  it  is  composed 

ings,  one  of  which  is  said  to  be  slaugh-  may  have  given  rise  to  the  story  of  the 

ter,  another  aside.                             "  dispersion  of  the  Clauna  Degaidh,  by 


284  THE   UISTORY    OF   IRELAND, 

idencos  that  were  in  Ireland,  and  that  he  might  do  so  by  sending 
the  clans  of  Degaidh  to  gather  and  collect  all  the  upright  stones 
in  the  kingdom  for  that  purpose.  Blathnaid's  r^'ason  for  this 
counsel  was,  in  order  that  the  clans  of  Degaidh  might  be  dispersed 
in  distant  parts  of  Ireland,  far  from  Curigh,  at  the  time  when 
Cuchuhiinn  was  to  come  to  carry  her  off.  When  (juchulainn 
then  heard  that  the  clans  of  Degaidh^  were  dispersed  in  this  man- 
ner over  Ireland,  he  set  out  jjrivately,  attended  by  an  armed 
band,  and  we  hear  no  more  of  him,  until  he  had  arrived  at  a 
wood  near  the  residence  of  Curigh.  When  he  had  taken  up  his 
station  therein,  he  sent  her  private  word  of  his  presence  there  with 
an  armed  force.  The  reply  she  sent  to  him  was,  that  she  would 
herself  steal  the  sword  of  Curigh,  and  then,  as  a  sign  to  him,  that 
she  would  spill  a  pail  of  new  milk,  which  she  had  in  the  fort, 
into  the  stream  that  flowed  from  it  into  the  wood  where  Cuchu- 
lainn  lay  in  ambush.  In  a  short  time  after  he  had  received  this 
message,  he  perceived  the  stream  becoming  white  from  tlie  milk, 
and,  thereupon,  he  led  his  men  straightway  to  the  dwelling,  and 
they  stormed  the  fort  upon  Curigh  and  slew  himself  therein, 
having  found  him  alone  and  without  arms.  They  then  took  off 
Blathnaid  into  Ulster,  Since  that  adventure  the  river  has  ever 
been  named,  Finn-glas  (i,  e,  the  white  stream)  from  its  having 
been  made  white  by  the  milk. 

But  the  bard  of  Curigh,  whose  name  was  Ferkertni,  followed 
Blathnaid  into  Ulster,  in  the  hope  of  finding  an  opportunity  of 
killing  her  in  revenge  for  Curigh.  When  arrived  in  there,  he 
found  Concobar  and  Cuchulainn,  and  company  around  them,  on 
the  promontory  of  Kenn-Bera  {Kan-Barrd).  Then,  the  bard, 
seeing  Blathnaid  standing  on  the  edge  of  a  cliff,  came  up  to  her, 
and  clasping  his  arms  around  her,  he  flung  both  himself  and  her 
headlong  down  the  precipice  with  a  bound,  so  that  they  were 
both  thus  slain. 

Curigh,  in  search  of  tlic  upright  stones,  West  Munster,  down  to  a  late  period, 

i.  e.  pillar  stones,  at  Blathnaid's  desire,  notwithstanding  their  subjugation   by 

The  promontory  of  Loophead,  on  the  the    El)orian    chieftain,    Eogan    Mor, 

opposite  shore  of  the  county  of  Clare,  styled  Mogh  Nuadath.     Of  that  race 

was  formerly  called  '•  Leim  Chonchu-  came  the  late  celebrated  chief  of  the 

lainn"  or  Cuchulainn's  Leap,  for  that  Irish  people  Danitd   O'Conncll.      The 

hero  was  fabled  to  have  leaped  across  Degadians  were  said  to  be  the  restorers 

the  mouth  of  t!ie  Shannon,  when  on  his  of  military  discipline  and  of  the  eques- 

way  to  attack  Curigh.  trian  order  in  Munster.     The  principal 

^  Claiis  of  Deo!;aidh.     Of  the  tribe  clans  into  which   they  branched,  were 

of  the  renowned  Curigh  Mac  Dari,  the  the  O'Falvies,  O'Connells  and  O'Shcas 

Degadians  or  Ernaans  of  Munster,  sov-  of  Kerry,  the  O'Flinns,  and  O'Done- 

eral  clans  continued  to  hold  a  distin-  gans  of    Muskery,    the   O'Cronacaus, 

guished  place    amongst  the  septs  of  0"Corcorans,  &;c. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  285 

EOCAIDH  AREMH,  ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  3952.^  Eocaidli^  Aremh,  son  of  Finn,  son  of  Finnloga, 
son  of  Roighnen  Ruadli,  son  of  Esamhan  of  Emhain,  son  of 
Blatbact,  son  of  Labraidh  Lore,  of  the  line  of  Erimhon  held  the 
sovereignty  of  Ireland  for  twelve  years.  He  got  the  surname 
"Aremh"*  because  he  was  the  first  that  dug  a  grave  in  Ireland  ; 
for  "Arenih"  {aurev)  is  the  same  as  "ar  uaimh"  («?-  ooiv)  that  is 
plough  or  dit/  a  grave.  And  at  last  this  Eocaidh  fell  by  Sidmall°" 
at  Fremhain"*'  (now  Frewin),  in  Tebtha. 

EDERSGEL,  ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  3964.^^  Edersgél,^  son  of  Eogan,  son  of  Olild,  son  of  lar, 
son  of  Degai  Jh,  son  of  Sin,  son  of  Rosin,  son  of  Tron,  son  of  Rothron, 
son  of  Ardil,  son  of  Mani,  son  of  Forga,  son  of  Feradach,  son  of 
Olild  Eron,  son  of  Fiacaidh  Fer-mara,  son  of  Aengus  Tuirmech 
of  Temhair,  son  of  Eocaidh  Folt-lethan,  of  the  line  of  Erimhon, 
held  the  monarchy  of  Ireland  for  six  years,  when  he  fell  by  Nu- 
adath  Nect,  at  Allinn. 

NUADATH  NECT,  ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  3970.51     Nuadath  Nect,^  son  of  Sedna  Sithbach,  son  of 

**  A.  M.  5070. — Four  Blasters.  king,   "was  burned   by   Sighmall,  at 

*®  Eocaidh  XL  Fremhain."  Ihey  assign  to  him  a  reign 

*°  Aremh.     It  may  be  assumed  as  of  fifteen,  'while  the  annals  of    Clon- 

almost  certain,  that  "  uaimh,"  a  grave,  macnoise  give  him  a  reign  of  twentt^- 

does  not  enter  into  the  composilion  of  five  years.     Sidmall  or  Sighmall,  his 

any  part   of  this  word.      It   is,  most  slayer,  dwelt  at  Sidh-Nennta  now  Mul- 

probably,  the  same  as  the  modern  word  laghshee,  near  Lanesborough  county, 

'•  oiremh"'  (orrev),  a  ploughman  ;  that  Roscommon. 

is,  if  the  first  syllable  be  short  and  it  ^  Fremhain  in  Tebtha,  now  Frewin, 

be  derived  from  "ar"  dig  or  plough  a  lofty  hill  on  the  shore  of  Lough  Owel, 

thou;  if  the  first  syllable  be  long,  it  in  the  townland  of  "VVatstown,  parish 

would  mean  a  counting  or  enumeration,  of    Porlemon    and   county   of   West- 

(in  which  sense  it  is  still  in  use,)  and,  meath. — (TD. 

possibly,  a  person  who  counts  or  enume-  ""  A.  M.  5085. — Four  Musters, 

rates.     It  is  surprising  that  Dr.  Keat-  °°   Edirsgel,    otherwise,   Eidersgeol. 

ing,  or  his  aulhorities  with  the  obvious  This  prince  was  of  the  Dcgadians  of 

examples  of  the  many  Irish  derivative  Munster.     His  father  had  been  king  of 

words,  formed  by  the  addition  of  the  that  province.     Allinn.  where  he  was 

suffix  "  emh"  or  "  amh"  (av)  to  a  sim-  killed,  is  now  called  Knockaulin,  near 

pie  root,  should  have  made  so  far-fetched  Kilcnllen,  co.  Kildare.     According  to 

a  blunder.     As  well  might  he  tell  us  the  Annals,  just  quoted,  he  reigned  five 

that  "  breithcmh"  «  judge,  is  derived  years. 

from  "breith"  a  judgment  and  "uaimh"  "  A.  M.  5090. — Fnir  Mn'^tcrs. 

{poiv)  a  grave.  '^  Nuadath  II.     This  king  waa  the 

"  Sidmall.     The  Four  Masters  say  progenitor  of    the   clann   0"Baeisgni, 

that    Eocaidh    Aremh,   who  was   the  who  were  called  the  Fianna  or  Fenians 

brother  of  Eocaidh  Feidlech,  the  last  of  Leinster  and  who  became  so  cele- 


286 


THE   HISTORY    OF   IRELAND. 


Lugaidli  Lotfmn,  son  of  Bre.sal  Brcc,  sou  of  Fiacaidli  Fobrec  of 
the  line  of  Erimlion,  held  ihe  sovereignty  of  Ireland  for  half  a 
year.  He  was  called  Nuadath  Nect  (i.  e.  Nuadath  the  snow-white), 
from  the  word  "nix,"^^  which  means  snow;  for  the  whiteness  of 
his  skin  was  likened  to  that  of  snow.  This  Nuadath  fell  by 
Conari  iilor,  son  of  Edersgel,  at  the  battle  of  Cliach  in  Ui  Drona.'* 


CONARI   MOR,  ARD-RIGII. 

A.  M.  3970.''  Conari''  Mor,  son  of  Edersgel,  son  of  Eogan  of 
the  line  of  Erimhon,  held  the  sovereignty  of  IreLand  for  thirty, 
or  according  to  others,  for  seventy  years. 

The  reader  must  now  understand  that  the  Ernaidc''  tribes  of 
Munster  are  of  the  posterity  of  this  Conari,  as  are  also  those  of 
the  Dal-Eiada,  of  Alba ;  and  that  it  was  in  the  time  of  Duach 
Dalta  Degaidh  that  the  Ernaide  came  into  Munster,  whither,  ac- 
cording to  the  Psalter  of  Cormac,  son  of  Culinan,  they  had  been 
driven  b}'  the  tribe  of  Eudraide,  which  had  vanquished  them  in 


brated  under  his  descendant,  Finn,  son 
of  Cumluil,  called  Fiugal  by  jMacpher- 
son,  and  vulgarly  known  as  Finn  and 
Fioun  Mac  Cool  in  Anglo-Irish  patois. 
"  Magh  Nnadhat"  {Moy  Nooatk),  i.  c. 
Nuadath's'i'lain,  now  Maynooth,  in  the 
county  of  Kildare  has  taken  its  name 
from  this  monarch.  His  name  is  com- 
monly pronounced,  Nooa  Naght. 

""  Nix,  or  rather  "  necht,"  which  may 
mean  the  same  thing  as  '•  sncchta"  or 
"  snecht"  {Shnaglit),  i.  e.  snow. 

"'  Cliar.h  in  Ui  Drona,  i.  c.  in  the 
present  barony  of  Idrone,  county  Car- 
low. 

"  After  the  fall  of  Nuadha  (Nuad- 
ath), Conari  levied  a  fine  upon  the  Lein- 
ster  people  for  the  killing  of  his  lather, 
and  they  resigned  fur  ever  to  the  seven 
kings  of  Munster,  at  Cashel,  that  tract 
of  Ossory  extending  from  Uowran  to 
Grian,  as  an  atonement  for  the  murder 
of  that  king,  calling  upon  the  heaven, 
earth,  stia,  land,  sun  and  moon  to  wit- 
ness their  surrender." — Her.  Ojii/gia. 

"  A.  M.     50i)l  .—Four  Mnstcrx. 

°°  Conari  I.  "  It  was  in  the  reign  of 
Conari,  that  the  Boinn  annually  cast  it-s 
produce  ashore,  at  Iiiber  Colpa.  Creat 
abundance  of  nuts  were  annually  found 
upon  the  Boinn  (Buyne)  and  the  Buais 
(Bush).  The  cattle  were  without  keep- 
ers in  Ireland  iu  his  reign,  on  account 


of  the  greatness  of  the  peace  and  con- 
cord. His  reign  was  not  thunder- 
producing  or  stormy.  Little  but  the 
trees  bent  from  the  greatness  of  their 
fruit." — Id.  It  is  thus  that  the  Irish 
Annalists  figuratively  express  the  peace 
and  i)lcnty  of  their  monarchs'  reigns. 
Theophilus  O'Flanagan  in  the  volume 
of  the  Transactions  of  the  Gaelic  Soci- 
ety, heretofore  cited,  has  published  a 
fragment  of  an  ode,  usually  sung  at  the 
inauguration  of  Irish  kings,  which 
shows  what  the  ideas  of  our  ancestors 
were  upon  this  subject : 

Pcvcntnie  witnesses  there  are 
For  inonarch's  broken  fuitli — 
Falsely  trnmiilin?  upi)n  rifiht. 
To  drive  the  Senate  from  its  hall : 
To  strain  vindietively  the  law: 
Defeats  in  hattlo ; 
Years  of  lamine; 
The  failure  of  milk  ; 
The  bliffht  of  fruit ; 
The  bliKht  of  torn. 
These  are  the  seven  ^  ivid  Hphts 
That  show  the  perjury  of  king?. 

""  Ernaide,  otherwise  Earnaidhc  or 
Ernai,  and  in  English,  Ernaans.  The 
name  properly  btilonged  to  a  tribe  of 
the  Fer-Bolgs.  The  Degadians  got  it, 
very  probably,  from  having  fixed  them- 
selves in  the  l'>naan  territory,  in  West 
Munster,  where  the  Kberian  king,  Du- 
ach, seems  to  have  placed  his  fosterer 
Degaidh. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


287 


eight  battles.  They  afterward  acquired  great  power  in  Munster, 
from  the  time  of  Daach  Dalta  Degaidh  to  that  of  Mogh  Nuadath, 
so  that,  according  to  the  Book  of  Munster,  when  the  race  of 
Ebcr  gained  the  supremacy  of  that  principality  for  themselves, 
they  drove  the  Ernaans  into  the  extreme  territory  of  Ui  Rathach,'* 
and  the  isles  of  West  ]\f  unster,  and  thus  they  remained  until  the 
time  of  Mogh  Nuadath,  by  Avhom  they  were  finally  expelled. 

Conari  fell  at  Bruighin-Da-Dherg'*  (Breen-daw-yarg),  by 
Angkel,^""  the  Short-Sighted,  grandson  of  Conmac,  and  by  the 
sons  of  Donn  Desa,  of  Leinster. 


LUGAIDII   RIABH-N-DERa,    ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  4000.'  Lugaidh  Riabh-n-derg  (Reevnarg)  son  of  the 
three  Finn-Emna  {Finnavna  or  Finnetvna)  sons  of  Eocaidh  Fred- 
lech,  son  of  Finn,  son  of  Finnloga,  of  the  line  of  Erimhon,  reigned 
over  Ireland  for  twenty  years,^  or  as  others  say,  twenty-six. 
Derborgaill,  daughter  of  the  king  of  Lochlin,  was  this  Lugaidh's 
wife.  He  was  called  Riabh-n-derg  {Reevenarg\  i.  e.  "of  the 
Red  Circles,"^  from  his  having  had  a  red  circle  round  his  neck, 
and  another  round  his  waist.  For  he  was  the  son  of  the  three 
Finns*  by  their  own  sister,  namely,  Clothra,  daughter  of  Eocaidh 

'  A.  M.  5166.  Couari  having  reign- 
ed seventy  years,  was  slain  in  5161,  after 
which  Ireland  remained  five  years  witli- 
out  a  king.-  See  Four  Masters. 

^  Lugaidh  V.  He  reigned  twenty- 
six  years. — Id. 

'  Red,  Circles.  What  proof  is  there 
beyond  the  silly  and  senseless  puns  o.* 
which  we  have  already  seen  so  many, 
that  "  E.iabh-n-derg,"  or  ■'  Sriabh-n- 
derg,"  as  it  is  otherwise  written,  doess 
mean  of  the  red  circles  1  The  genaral 
nature  of  bardic  derivations  should 
teach  us  to  be  cautious  how  we  accredit 
idle  or  malignant  stories,  that  seem  to 
have  no  other  foundation  than  a  forced 
and  stupid  play  upon  names  and  titles, 
whose  meanings  have  long  since  grown 
obsolete.  If  it  does  mean  of  red  circles 
(or  of  streaks,  stripes,  or  streams,  as 
analogy  seems  to  argue) ,  the  most  ob- 
vious supposition  is,  that  it  had  its 
origin  either  in  some  peculiarity  in  his 
costume,if  not  in  the  red  streams  through 
which,  during  the  interregnum  of  Ave 
years  that  succeeded  the  death  of  Conari 
the  Great,  he  must  have  waded  his 
bloody  path  to  the  throne. 

^  Son  of  the  three  Finm.  The  im- 
possibility of  the  first  part  of  this  coarse 


*  Ui  Rathach,  now  Iveragh,  in  Kerry, 
pronounced  Ee  Rawkagh,  and  Eevraw- 
kagh. 

*  Bruighin  Da  Dherg  is  situated  on 
the  river  Dothair  [Ddkrr)  now  Dodder, 
near  Dublin.  Part  of  the  name  is  still 
preserved  in  "Bothar-na-Bruighne"  [Bo- 
harnabreena),  i.e.  the  road  of  the  "  Brui- 
ghin" (Breen),  or  fort,  a  place  well 
known  on  that  River.  It  is  otherwise 
called  Briughen-da-Bherga  [Breen-da- 
varga.) 

""  Ankel.  This  Ankel  or  Aingcel, 
was  called  king  of  the  Britons,  because 
his  mother  was  Bera,  daughter  of  Ocha, 
prince  of  the  Britons  of  Man.  Dokell 
and  Dartad  were  the  names  of  the  other 
principals  in  the  slaying  of  Conari,  by 
whom  they  had  been  previously  banish- 
ed for  their  misdeeds.  They  were 
aided  by  foreigners  in  the  act.  Dur- 
ing Conari's  reign,  we  are  told  by 
O'Flaherty  that  the  kings  of  the  Pen- 
tarchatcs  or  provinces  were  Coucobar 
MacNessa,  in  Ulster  ;  Carbri  Niafer, 
in  Leinster  ;  Olild  and  his  queen  Medh, 
in  Connaught ;  Curigh  MacDari,  in 
North  Munster  ;  and  Eocaidh  Abradh- 
ruadh,son  of  Lucta  (of  the  lineof  Eber), 
in  South. — See  Ogygia. 


288 


THE  HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


Feidlech,  whom  they  had  violated  in  a  drunken  fit.  This  fact  is 
recorded  in  the  following  verse,  from  which  we  learn  that 
Clothra,  who  bore  this  Lugaidh  to  her  brothers,  bore  also  Crim- 
thann  Niadnar,  to  the  same  -Lugaidh,  her  son.  The  verse  runs 
aa  follows : 

"Lugaidh  Riabh-n-derg,  of  fair  Crimthann 
The  father  was,  though  yet  his  brother  ; 
And  Clothra  of  the  comely  form, 
To  her  own  son  was  grandmother.'" 

It  was  thought  at  that  time,  that  the  upper  part  of  Lugaidh's 
person  bore  a  likeness  to  Nar ;  that  he  resembled  Bres,  between 
the  two  circles,  and  that  his  lower  extremities  were  like  those  of 


and  unnatural  fiction  confutes  itself. 
The  three  Finns  of  Emhain,  were  slain, 
aa  we  have  seen,  at  the  battle  of  Drom- 
Criaidh,  durinir  the  reign  of  the  grand- 
father of  this  Lugaidh,  that  is  of  Eo- 
caidh  Feidlech,  who  died,  according  to 
the  authorities  followed  by  Keating, 
forty-eight  and-a-half,  but  according  to 
the  Four  Masters,  ninety  and-a-half 
years  befjre  Lugaidh's  accession  to  the 
throne.  The  probability  is,  that  Eo- 
caidh,  whose  j»TÍef  for  the  death  of  his 
sons,  Bres,  Nar,  and  Lotluii-,  called  the 
Three  Finns  of  Emhain,  was  notorious, 
got  the  name  of  his  grandson,  by  his 
daughter,  inserted  in  the  Erimoniaa 
pedigree,  immediately  after  those  of  his 
throe  sons,  or  that  he  willed  that  it 
should  be  so ;  for  it  is  not  probable 
that  Lugaidh,  who  died  in  the  prime  of 
life,  sixty-eight  years,  according  to 
some,  and  one  hundred  and  sixteen  ac- 
cording to  others,  after  his  grandfather's 
death,  was  even  born  during  the  lattcr's 
lifetime.  We  shall  hereafter  see  a 
better  authenticated  example  of  a  simi- 
lar insertion  on  the  ancestral  tree,  in 
the  case  of  the  Eberians,  where  Oiild 
Fiann  Mor,  king  of  Munstor,  dying 
without  issue,  adopts  his  brother,  Olild 
Flann  Beg,  as  his  son,  and  wills  that 
ho  should  be  named  as  such  in  the  pedi- 
gree of  his  tribe.  We  may  here  sur- 
mise, that  aft(,r  the  destruction  or  cx- 
iurgation  of  the  Pagan  records  by  Ht. 
*at-ick  and  the  early  fatiiers  of  the 
Irish  Church,  the  bards,  having  been 
left  nothing  but  bald  names  and  titles 


to  fill  up  the  reigns  of  some  of  their 
ancient  kings,  coined  idle  stories  there- 
upon, to  which  they  often  gave  a  mali- 
cious and  calumnious  coloring,  in  order 
to  please  the  itrcjiidices  of  their  own 
tribes  by  doprcciatuig  those  of  their 
enemies.  It  is  likely  that  those  old 
names  were  as  little  understood  a  thous- 
and years  ago  as  they  are  now,  and  that 
they  were  mystic  and  enigmatical  to 
the  shenachies  of  that  time,  as  they 
must,  perhaps,,  ever  remain  to  those  of 
the  presenti. 

^  To  her  own  son  loas  grandmother. 
O' Flaherty,  in  his  Ogygia,  confutes  this 
repulsive  assertion.  Jle  shows  that,  in 
order  to  believe  it,  we  must  suppose 
that  King  Lugaidh,  who,  as  he  proves 
to  us  had  died  in  the  prime  of  his  life, 
should  have  lived  on  to  about  the  age 
of  eighty,  at  which  advanced  period  of 
his  existence  a  child  should  have  been 
born  to  him  by  a  woman,  who  should 
have  then  considerably  passed  her 
hundredth  year ;  and,  to  demonstrate 
tlie  absurdity  and  utter  impossibility  of 
the  whole  tale,  he  proves  that,  in  order 
to  maintain  it,  we  must  assert  that 
Crimthann,  the  son  so  born,  was  mature 
enough  to  have  engaged  in  warlike 
affairs  at  the  age  of  two  years.  The 
same  learned  antiquary  fully  proves, 
that  Lugaidh  Ilial)h-n-dcrg  could  not 
have  been  born  during  his  grandfather's 
lifetime,  and,  consequently,  that  ho 
could  not  have  been  the  son  of  the  three 
Finns,  who  were  slain  early  in  his  said 
grandfather's  reign. 


THE   HISTORY   OF  IRELAND. 


289 


Lothar.     Lugaidh  ended  Lis  life  by  flinging  himself  upon  h'lB 
own  sword ;  or  lie  died  of  grief  for  his  children.^ 

CONCOBAR  ABRADH-RUADH  ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  4020.^  Concobar®  Abradh-ruadh,  son  of  Finn  the  poet, 
son  of  Rosa  Euadh,  son  of  Fergus  Fargi,  son  of  Nuadath  Nect, 
of  the  line  of  Erimhon,  enjoyed  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland  for 
one  year.  He  was  called  Concobar  Abradh-ruadh  {Concovar  Avra- 
roo),  from  the  red  brows  that  overhung  his  eyes.  He  fell  by  the 
hand  of  Crimthunn  Niadnar. 

CRIMTHANN  NIADH-NAIR,    ARD-RIGH. 

A.  M.  4023.^  Crimthann  Niadh-Nair,  son  of  Lugaidh  Riabh- 
n-derg,  of  the  line  of  Erimhon  reigned  over  Ireland  for  sixteen 
years.  He  was  called  Niadh-Nair/"  (Neea-Nauir),  i.  e.  the  abash- 
ed  hero,  because  he  was  ashamed  of  his  birth,  having  been  the 
8on  of  his  brother,  by  their  common  mother. 

It  was  this  Crimthann  that  went  on  the  famous  expedition" 


'  Children.  Tlie  Annals  of  the  Four 
Masters  simply  say  that  "  he  died  of 
grief;"  the  Cionmacnoise,  that "  he  died 
of  conceit  he  took  of  the  death  of  his 
wife  Dervorgil." 

"  King  Lngaidh's  wives  were  Crifan- 
ga,  of  North  Britain,  and  Derborgalla, 
of  Lapland,  (Lochliu,)  now  called  Den- 
mark. Those  who  write  that,  being 
struck  with  sudden  remorse  for  having 
committed  incest  with  his  mother,  and 
being  wearied  with  his  life,  he  fell  upon 
his  own  sword,  have  not  considered 
that  the  son  which  she  was  said  to  have 
borne  him  was  not  posthumous,  but  was 
of  an  age  to  claim  his  birthright,  a 
year  after  his  father's  death.  Neither 
have  they  considered  that  Clothra  must 
have  been  long  past  child-bearing,  not 
only  before  the  end,  but  long  before  the 
beginning  of  his  reign.  The  more  pro- 
bable opinion  is,  that  he  pined  away 
for  the  premature  death  of  his  wife, 
Derborgalla." —  O'Flaherty's  Ogygia. 
For  the  latter  fact,  this  antiquary  cites 
the  authorities  of  Gilla-Caemhan,  the 
Book  of  Lccan,  the  Annals  of  Tigher- 
nach,  and  those  of  Donegal. 
"  A.  M.  5192. — Four  Masters. 

*  Concobar  I. 

*  A.  M.  5193.— Four  Makers. 

19 


"  Niadh-Nair.  Sufficient  evidence 
has  been  adduced  in  the  notes  upon  the 
reign  of  this  king's  father,  to  prove  the 
repulsive  legend  upon  which  this  deriv- 
ation is  founded  to  be  an  idle  and  im- 
possible, and  perhaps  a  malicious,  fic- 
tion— that  is,  if  the  legend  be  not  itself 
built  upon  forced  interpretations  of  the 
terms  "  Eiabh-n-derg"  and  "  Niadh- 
Nair."  In  the  following  extract  from 
Dr.  O'Donovan's  work,  already  so  often 
quoted,  will  be  found  an  explanation 
of  this  surname,  that,  though  much 
more  poetic,  is  perhaps  much  nearer  to 
the  truth. 

"  Expedition.  The  Leahhar  Gab- 
hala  of  the  O'Cleries  contains  a  poem 
of  seventy-two  verses,  ascribed  to  King 
Crimthann  himself,  in  which  he  de- 
scribes the  articles  he  brought  into 
Ireland  on  this  occasion.  It  begins 
"Ma  do  codh  an  eachtra  n-an"  i.  e. 
"  fortunate  that  I  went  on  the  delight- 
ful adventure."  But  no  mention  is  made 
of  the  countries  into  which  he  went 
It  is  fabled  that  he  was  accompanied 
on  this  expedition  by  his  Bainlcannan, 
or  female  sprite,  named  Naik,  from 
whom  he  was  called  Niadh  Nairi, 
{Neea  Naari,)  i.  e.  Nair'a  hero,  which 
is  iar  more  romantic  than  that  dlsgnst^ 


290  THE   HISTORY    OF    IRELAND. 

beyond  the  sea,  and  brought  home  with  him  several  extraordi- 
nary and  costly  treasures,  among  which  were  a  gilt  chariot  and 
a  golden  chessboard,  inlaid  with  three  hundred  transparent  gems, 
a  tunic^^  of  various  colors,  and  embroidered  with  gold.  He  also 
brought  off  a  victorious  sword,  ornamented  with  a  variety  of  ser- 
pents, beautifully  wrought  thereon  in  refined  gold ;  a  shield,  em- 
bossed with  pure  silver;  a  spear  from  whose  wound  no  one  could 
recover ;  a  sling  that  never  missed  the  mark ;  two  hounds  leashed 
together  by  a  silver  chain,  worth  a  hundred  cumhals,^^  with  many 
other  treasures  which  we  shall  not  name  here. 

In  the  twelfth  year^*  of  this  king's  reign  Avas  born  OuR 
Saviour,  Jesus  Christ. 

Crimthann's  death  was  occasioned  by  a  fall  from  his  horse, 
which  proved  fatal  in  a  short  time;  and  others  add,  that  this 
event  took  place  at  Dun  Crinithann,  near  Benn  Edar,  (now 
Howth),  about  six  weeks  after  his  return  from  his  expedition. 

ExiracC^  from  the  Annals  of  the  Kingdom  of  Ireland  hy  the  Four 

Masters. 

•'  The  Age  of  Christ,  10.  The  first  year  of  the  reign  of  Car- 
BRI  KiNNCAiT,  after  he  had  killed  the  nobility,  except  a  few 
who  escaped  from  the  massacre  in  which  the  nobles  were  mur- 
ing one  given  by  Keating,  obviously  ^*  The  Auuals  of  the  Four  Masters 
from  some  Munster  calumniator  of  the  record  this  event  thus  :  "  The  first  year 
race  Heremon,  (lírimhóu.)  The  follow-  of  the  Age  of  Christ,  and  ihe  eighth  of 
lowing  notice  of  this  expedition  is  the  reign  of  Crimthann  Niadhnair." 
given  in  the  Annals  of  Clonraacnoise  :  There  is  thus,  relatively  to  Crimthann's 

"  It  is  reported  that  he  was  brought  reign,  a  discrepancy  of  four  years  be- 
by  a  fairy  lady  into  her  palace,  where,  tween  them  and  Dr.  Keating.  Irish 
after  great  entertainment  b&stowed  authorities  differ  considerably  as  to  tho 
upon  him,  and  after  having  enjoyed  the  reign  in  which  the  birth  of  the  Saviour 
society  of  one  another,  she  bestowed  a  took  place,  some  arguing  that  it  look 
gilt  coach  (chariot)  with  a  sum  of  place  in  that  of  Conari  Mor,  while 
money  on  him,  as  a  love  token,  and  soon  others  put  it  back  as  far  as  the  reign 
after  he  died.  O'Flahcrty  [See  note  of  Factna  Fathach. 
(Nair)  p.  294]  says  that  this  Nair  was  *°  Extract.  Dr.  Keating,  for  some 
Crimthann's  queen." — O'D.  unexplained  reason,  has  misplaced  the 

"  A  tunic,  called  otherwise  "  Ccdacb  reign  of  Carbri  Keini-cait.  in  contra- 

Grimthainn,"  i.  e.   Crimthann's  cloak,  diction  to  all  our  antiquarians.     As  he 

It  is  evident  that  this  cloak  was  cele-  has  been  decidedly  mistaken  in  this,  the 

brated  in  Iri.-?h  romances. — O'D.  editor,  before  continuing  the  Doctor's 

"   Worth  a  hundred  cumhals.     Ano-  narraliv(!,  has  deemed  it  right  to  insert 

ther  version  of  this  story  says,  "  which  in   liis   text,  the  abovivgiven  extract, 

chain  was  worth  a  hundred  '  cumluiLs.'"  containing  the  reigns  of  three  kings,  so 

Gumhal  (Cúval  or  Cooal)  is  translated  that  the  reader  may  not  be  set  astray 

ancillis,  i.  e.  female  servants  or  slaves,  as  to  the  regular  order  in  which  the 

by  Lynch.     Other  authorities  say  that  Irish  kings  succeeded  one  another,  dur- 

a  "  cumhal "  was  of  the  value  of  four  ing  what  seems  to  have  been  a  most 

90WC.  critical  period  in  the  existence  of  the 


THE   HISTORY    OP    IRELAND. 


291 


dcred  by  the  Atliach-Tuatha.^^  These  are  tlie  three  nobles  who  es- 
caped froni  them  at  that  time :  Feradacli  Finn-fectnacli,  from 
whom  arc  sprung  all  the  race  of  Conn  of  the  Hundred  Battle^; 
Tibradi  Tirech,  from  whom  are  the  Dal  Araide;  and  Corb 
Olum,  from  whom  are  the  kings  of  the  Eoganachts,  in  Munster. 
And  as  to  these,  it  was  in  their  mothers'  wombs  they  escaped. 
Baini,  daughter  of  the  king  of  Alba,  was  the  mother  of  Feradach" 


Gaelic  nation.  The  translation  here 
given  is  Dr.  O'Donovan's,  with  some 
slight  chansrc  in  the  spelling  of  proper 
uanics,  M'hiuh  is  made  in  order  to  agree 
with  the  system,  with  regard  to  such 
names,  which  has  been  hitherto  followed 
in  this  work. 

^*  Athach-  7wai/ia,otherwise  Aitheach- 
Tuatha  [Ahagh-Tooaha).  "  This  name 
is  usually  latinized  '  Attacotti.'  Dr. 
O'Connor  calls  them  the  Giant  Race  ; 
but  Dr.  Lynch  and  others,  the  Plebeian 
Race.  They  were  the  descendants  of 
the  Fer-Bolgs  and  other  colonies,  who 
were  treated  as  a  servile  and  helot 
class  by  the  Scoti  (or  Gaels).  In  the 
I.«abhar  Gabhala  {Lavar  Gavaula)  of 
the  O'Cleries,  a  more  detailed  account 
of  the  murder  of  the  Milesian  nobility 
by  the  Fer-Bolgic  plebeians  is  given,  of 
which  the  following  is  a  literal  trans- 
lation : 

"  '  The  Attacotti  of  Ireland  obtained 
great  sway  over  the  nobility,  so  that  the 
latter  were  all  cut  off  except  those  who 
escaped  the  slaughter  in  which  the  no- 
bles were  exterminated.  The  Attacotti 
afterwards  set  up  Carbri  Cat-Kinn,  one 
of  their  own  race,  as  their  king.  These 
are  the  three  nobles  that  escaped  from 
this  massacre,  namely,  Feradach  Finn- 
fectnach,  from  whom  are  descended  all 
the  race  of  Conn  of  the  Hundred  Bat 
tics ;  Tibradi  Tirech.  from  whom  are 
the  Dal  Araide  ;  and  Corb  Olum,  from 
whom  are  the  nobles  of  the  race  of 
Ebcr  Finn.  These  sons  were  in  their 
mothers'  wombs  when  they  escaped 
from  the  massacre  ;  and  each  of  the 
three  queens  went  respectively  over  sea. 
Baini,  daughter  of  the  king  of  Alba, 
was  the  mother  of  Feradach  ;  Cruifi, 
daughter  of  the  king  of  Britnin,  was 
the  mother  of  Cor!)  Olum,  who  was 
otherwise  called  Dergtinui  ;  and  Aiui, 
daughter  of  the  king  of  Saxony,  v/as 
the  mother  of  Tibradi  Tirech,    Evil, 


indeed,  was  the  condition  of  Ireland 
during  the  time  of  this  Carbri,  for  the 
earth  did  not  yield  its  fruits  to  the 
Attacotti  after  the  great  murder  of  the 
nobility  of  Ireland,  so  that  the  corn, 
fruits  and  produce  of  Ireland,  were  bar- 
ren ;  for  there  used  to  be  but  one  grain 
upon  the  stalk,  one  acorn  upon  the  oak, 
and  one  nut  upon  the  hazel.  Fruitless 
were  her  harbors  ;  milkless  her  cattle  ; 
so  that  a  general  famine  prevailed  du- 
ring the  five  years  that  Carbri  was  in 
the  sovereignty.  Carbri  afterwards 
died,  and  the  Attacotti  offered  the  sov- 
ereignty to  Morann,  son  of  Carbri.  He 
was  a  truly  intelligent  and  learned  man, 
and  said  that  he  would  not  accept  of 
it,  as  it  was  not  his  hereditary  right ; 
and,  moreover,  he  said  that  scarcity 
and  famine  would  not  cease  until  they 
should  send  for  the  three  legitimate 
heirs,  to  the  foreign  countries,  namely, 
Feradach  Finnfectnach,  Corb  Olum, 
and  Tibradi  Tirech,  and  elect  Feradach 
as  king,  for  to  him  it  was  due,  because 
his  father  was  killed  by  them  in  the 
massacre  we  have  mentioned,  whence 
his  mother,  Baini,  had  escaped.  This 
was  done  at  Morann's  suggestion  ;  and 
it  was  to  invite  Feradach  to  be  elected 
king,  that  Morann  sent  the  celebrated 
Udhacht  (oofl.g///)  or  Testament.  The 
nobles  were  afterwards  sent  for,  and  the 
Attacotti  swore  by  the  heaven  and 
earth,  Sun,  Moon  and  all  the  elements, 
that  they  would  be  obedient  to  them 
and  their  descendants,  as  long  as  the 
sea  should  surround  Ireland.  They 
then  came  to  Ireland,  and  settled  each 
in  his  hereditary  region,  namely,  Ti- 
bradi Tirech  in  the  east  of  Ulster  ;  Corb 
Olum  in  the  south,  over  Munster ,  and 
Feradach  Finnfectnach,  at  Temhair  of 
the  kino's.'  " — 0' Donovan. 

1''  Feralac'i.  Conn  of  the  Hundred 
Battles,  who  was  the  ancestor  of  most  of 
the  royal  tribes  of   Ulster  and  Con- 


292 


THE    HISTORY    OF   IRELAND. 


Finn-i>ctnach  ;  Cruiii,  daughter  of  the  king  of  Britain,  was  the 
mother  of  Corb  Olum;^^  and  Aini,  daughter  of  the  king  of  Sax- 
ony, was  the  mother  of  Tibradi  Tirech.^^ 

"  The  Age  of  Christ,  14.  Carbri  Catkenn,  after  having  been 
five  years  in  the  sovereignty  of  Irehmd,  died.  Evil  was  the 
state  of  Ireland  during  his  reign  ;  iruiiless  her  corn,  for  there 
used  to  be  but  one  grain  on  the  stalk  ;  fruitless  her  rivers;  milk- 
less  her  cattle ;  plentiless  her  fruit,  for  there  used  to  be  but  one 
acorn  on  tlie  oak. 

"  Son  to  this  Carbri  was  the  very  intelligent  Morann,  who  was 
usually  called  Morann  Mac  Maein.^" 

"The  Age  of  Christ,  15.  The  first  year  of  Feradach  Finn- 
FECTNACH  as  king  over  Ireland.  Good  was  Ireland  during  his 
time.  The  seasons  were  right  ti'anquil.  The  earth  brought 
forth  its  fi'uit ;  fishful  its  river-mouths ;  milkful  the  kine ;  heavy- 
headed  the  woods. 

"  The  Age  of  Christ,  36.  Feradach  Finn-fectnach,  son  of  Crim- 
thann  Niadhnair,  after  having  spent  twenty-two  years  in  the 
sovereignty  of  Ireland,  died  at  Tcmhair. 

"  The  Age  of  Christ,  37.  Tlie  first  year  of  Fiatach  Finn,* 
son  of  Dari,  son  of  Dluthach,  in  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland. 


naught,  was  his  fourth  descendant.  The 
royal  tribes  (the  Mao  Morroughs,  &c.), 
of  Leinstcr,  are  not  of  his  posterity,  so 
that  their  ancestor  must  have  escaped 
the  slaughter,  as  well  as  the  three 
chiefs  named  above. 

*'  Corb  Gum.  His  fourth  descend- 
ant was  Olild  Olum,  ancestor  of  all  the 
royal  tribes  of  Munster.  Some  of  the 
Hcremonian  Ernaans  or  Degadiana  of 
West  Munster,  the  OTalvies,  O'Cou- 
nells,  0"Shcas,  &c.,  must  have  likewise 
escaped  the  massacre  of  Magh-Bolg, 
for  they  are  not  of  the  race  of  any  of 
those  here  mentioned. 

'*  TiBnAUi  TiRKCH  reigned  over  Ul- 
6tcr  for  thirty  years,  lie  was  the  an- 
cestor of  the  Magenn'ses  and  their  co- 
relatives  ;  but  other  (jiaelic  sopts  of  the 
Irian  stock,  such  as  the  O'Mooras,  the 
O'Connors  Kerry  and  ('orcomroe,  &c., 
are  not  of  liis  posterity,  so  that  their 
ancestors  must  have  also  escaped: 

"  Mirann  Mic  Mnein.  Tliis  fact 
of  Morann  Mac  Maein'a  having  been 
the  son  of  Carbri  Kenn-cait,  and  his 
having  been  the  promoter  of  Ferad- 
ach's  elevation  to  thi;  tliroiie  after  his 
father's  death,  ou'rht  to  have  demon- 


strated to  Dr.  Keating  his  mistake  in 
placing  Carbri's  usurpation  three  reigns 
later  than  it  really  was.  "  Mr.  Moore 
states  in  his  History  of  Ireland,  that 
the  administration  of  this  ccunseller 
succccdod  in  earning  for  his  king  (Fe- 
radach) the  honorable  title  of  '  The 
Just,'  and  that,  under  their  joint  sway, 
the  whole  country  enjoyed  a  lull  of 
tranquillity  as  precious  as  it  was  rare  ;" 
but  the  O'Clery's  assert  {in  the  trnd 
Idtt  quoted),  that  "Feradach  proceeded 
to  extirpate  the  Athach-'ruatlia,  or  to 
put  them  under  great  rent  aiid  servi- 
tude, to  revenge  upon  them  the  evil 
deed  they  had  committed  in  murdering 
the  nobility  of  Ireland. — O'F. 

"  FiATAcn  Finn.  The  ancestor  or 
father  of  this  king  was  apparently  not 
involved  in  the  slaughter  of  Magh-Bolg. 
From  him  was  d'scended  the  Dal-Fia- 
ta<;h,a  warlike  tribe  seated  in  the  pres- 
ent county  of  Down.  Mac  Donlevy, 
who  offered  such  brave  to  Sir  John  ])e 
Courcy,  in  the  I'ith  century,  was  head 
of  the  tribe.  The  editor's  copies  of 
Keating  call  this  king  Fiacaidh  Finn, 
and  his  descendants  Dal  Fiacach. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  293 

"  The  Ago  of  Christ,  39.  This  Fiatach  Finn  (from  whom  are 
the  Dal  Fiatach,  in  Uladh),  after  having  been  three  years  in  the 
sovereignty  of  Ireland,  was  killed  by  Fiachaidh  Finnfolaidh. 

"  The  age  of  Chi'ist,  40.  The  first  year  of  the  reign  of  Fiachaidh 
Finnfolaidh  over  Ireland. 

"  The  Age  of  Christ,  56.  Fiachaidh  Finnfolaidh,  after  having 
been  seventeen  years  in  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland,  was  killed 
by  the  provincial  kings  at  the  instigation  of  the  Athach-Tuatha, 
in  the  slaughter  of  iMagh-Bolg.^^  These  were  the  provincial 
kings  by  whom  he  was  killed:  Ellm,  son  of  Conra,  king  of  Ul- 
ster ;  Sanb,  son  of  Ketli  Mac  Magach,  king  of  Connaught ;  For- 
bri,  son  of  Finn,  king  of  Munster,  and  Eocaidh  Ankenn,  king 
of  Lcinster.  lie  left  of  children  but  one  son  only,  who  was  in 
the  womb  of  Ethni,  daughter  of  the  king  of  Alba.  Tuathal 
was  his  (the  son's)  name. 

"  The  Ago  of  Chriit,  57.  The  first  year  of  the  reign  of  Elim, 
son  of  Conra. 

"  The  Age  of  Christ,  76.  Elim,  son  of  Conra,  after  having 
been  twenty  years  in  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland,  was  slain  in  the 
battle  of  Achill,^^  by  Tuathal  Tectmar,  God  took  vengeance  on 
the  Athach-Tuaiha  for  their  evil  deed,^  durinsf  the  time  that 
Elim  was  in  the  sovereignty,  namely :  Ireland  was  without  corn, 
without  milk,  without  fruit,  without  fish,  and  without  every 
other  great  advantage,  since  the  Athach-Tuatha  had  killed 
Fiachaidh  Finnolaidh  in  the  slaughter  of  Magh-Bolg,  till  the  time 
of  Tuathal-Toctmar." 

■'  Magh  Bolg.i.e.  the  Belgian  Plain,  Conall  Kearnach  and  Fergus  Mac  Roigh 

now  Moybolgue.  a  parish  in  the  south-  were  not  involved  therein.     The  close 

east  of  Cavan,  extending  into  Meath. —  alliance,  also,  in  which  the  Irian,  Elim 

O'D.  Mac  Oonnrach,  (who  was,  also,  of  the 

^  Achi/l  or  Achilla,  the  old  name  of  royal  stock  of  Miledh),  with  the  plebe- 

the  hill  of  Skrcen,  near  Tara,  in  Meath.  ians,  shows  the  partial  nature  of  the 

— O'D.  slaughter  committed  by  the  oppressed 

-'  Evil-Deed.     That  the  slaughter  of  races.     It  is  likely,  then,  that  the  mas- 

the  Saer-Claima,  i.  e.  free  clans  or  no-  sacre,  in  both  the  insurrections  above 

bility  of  the  Gaels,  was  not  so  general  recounted,  was  confined  to  a  few  of  the 

as  represented  verbally  in  the  hyper-  chieftains  of  the  more  domiimnt  fam- 

bolic  accounts  given  of  the  first  insur-  ilies  of  the  jNIilesian  tyrants  of  the  At- 

rectiou  of  the  plebeians,  may  be  easily  tacotti.  —  It  is,    indeed,    questionable 

Been  from  the  events  recorded  in  our  whether  the  vast  majority  of  the  pres- 

Annals   and    other  records,  as  having  ent  descendants  of  the  Melesians  would 

taken  place  soon  after.      It  is  evident  now  qualify  that  struggle  for  freedom 

that  the  ancestors  of  the  Leinster  royal  on  the  part  of  the  uufree  tribes  by  the 

families,  of  the  Dal-Fiatach  of  Ulster,  name  of  evil  deed.      '•  Tempora  mun- 

the  race  of  Conari  Mor  or  the  Ernaans  tantur  et  nos  mutamur  in  illis."     The 

of  Munster,and  several  tribes  through-  times  have  changed,  and  we  have  changed 

out  Ireland,  of  the  races  of  the  Irians,  our  minds — or,  it  were  time  we  liad. 


294  -  THE    UISTOIiY   OF    IRELAND. 

Dr.  Keating^s  Uistory  resumed. 
FERADACn   riNN-FECTNACH,  ARD-RIGIl. 

A.  D.  4.^  Feradacli  Finn-fectuadi,  son  of  Criinlliaiin  Niadb- 
Kair,  son  of  Lugaidh  Riabli-n-Derg,  of  the  line  of  Eiimhon, 
ruled  Ireland  for  twenty  years.  {Naii^'^  Taethcaech^  daughter  of 
Loich^  son  of  Dari^  was  the  mother  of  Feradach.)  He  was  called 
Feradach  Finn-fectnacli  {F wfaghtnagh)^  Feradach  the  Fair 
and  Eightcoiis,  because  justice  and  truth  were  upheld  in 
Ireland  during  his  reign.  It  was  while  he  was  monarch 
that  Morann,  son  of  Maen  flourished.  This  was  that  impar- 
tial brehon  who  possessed  the  Collar  of  Morann.^^  It  was 
the  property  of  this  collar,  when  placed  round  the  neck  of  a 
brehon,  about  to  deliver  a  false  or  unjust  judgment,  that  it  was 
wont  to  contract  tightly  round  his  thi-oat,  which  it  continued  to 
compress,  ever  until  he  should  deliver  a  righteous  judgment.  It 
had  a  like  power  in  the  case  of  the  man  who  came  to  bear  false 
witness,  and  squeezed  his  throat  until  it  had  forced  him  to  ac- 
knowledge the  truth.  From  this  collar  has  come  the  old  saying, 
which  is  used  in  wishing  that  the  Collar  of  Morann  were 
placed  on  the  neck  of  him  that  comes  to  give  testimonj^,  in  order 
that  he  might  be  forced  to  declare  the  truth.  And  the  righteous 
Feradach  died  at  Liatrum. 

riACHAIDH  FINN,    ARD-RIGH. 

A.  D.  24."     Fiacaidh  Finn  ^^(from  whom  the  Dal-Fiacach  tribe 

"  A.  D.  15. — Four  Masters.  mantic  tale  about  lliat  iiionarcli's 
^  Nuir. — This  important  entry  rela-  "  J3ainleannaii"  {H(intannaan)  or  fairy 
live  to  the  iiiotlicr  of  Feradach  and  mistress,  cited  in  the  note  upon  liis  for- 
wife  of  Crnmthann,  the  Hero  of  Nair,  eifrn  expedition.  (.See  note  11,  p.  289). 
is  found  in  a  copy  of  Kealinii',  trans-  -'  CV/u)- o/"  3/oraníí,  called  in  Irish,- 
scribed  in  1753  by  William  OiSiodh-  "  Idh  Mhorainn"  (ecA-jJOiT/H)}),  i.  c.  the 
chain  (William  O'Shechan),  of  Cul-an-  Collar  or  Chain  of  Morann.  "  Thi.s 
Mhota  (Coolanvota) ,  near  Kanturk,  chain  is  mentioned  in  several  comnien- 
county  of  Cork,  and  approved  of  by  the  taries  on  the  l^rehon  Laws,  as  one  of 
celebrated  Munster  antiquary  and  bard,  the  ordeals  of  the  ancient  Irish." — O'D. 
Eoghan  O'Caeimh  (Owen  ()"Keeifc),  Feradach  appointed  Moraim  as  his 
which  has  been  kindly  lent'to  the  ed-  chief  brehon  or  jud,<;e,  immediately  after 
iter  by  the  transcriber's  jrrandson,  his  own  accession  to  the  throne.  Some 
James  Hheehan,  Esq.,  of  New  York,  say  that  this  justfud^-e  was  called  M,ac 
barrister-at-law.  It  clearly  shows  Maein,  from  his  mother,  in  order  to 
whence  kiniy  Crimthann,  Feradach  s  avoid  the  odium  attached  to  the  nanio 
father,  had  his  surname  "  Niedh-Xair."  of  his  father,  the  ])lebeian  usurper  (Jar- 
It  bears  out  the  assertion  of  O'Flaherty  bri  Cat-Keim,  who  appears  to  have 
heretofore  cited,  and  confutes  the  re-  been  the  Crf)mwell  of  Celtic  Ireland, 
pulsive  etymology  given  to  Crunithann's  '■"  A.  ]).  37. — Four  Blasters. 
surname  by  our  autiior,  in  treating  of  '•"  Fiaoaioii  V.,  called  otherwise, 
that  monarch's  reign.  It  also,  in  some  Fiatach  (/'a7ag-/i).  (See  extract  before 
measure,  explains  the  origin  of  the  ro-  givea.J 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  295 

is  sprung),  son  of  Dari,  son  of  Dluthach,  son  of  Desin,  son  of 
Eocaidh,  son  of  Sin,  son  of  Eoisin,  of  the  line  of  Erimhon,  held 
the  sovereignty  of  Ireland  for  three  years,  and  then  fell  bj 
Fiacaidh  Fnmolaidli. 

FIACAIDH   FINNOLAIDH,  AED-RIGH. 

A.  D.  28.^*'  Fiacaidh  Finnolaidh,^!  son  of  Feradach  the  Right- 
eons,  of  the  line  of  Erimhon,  held  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland 
for  twenty-seven  years.  He  received  the  surname  of  Finnolaidh, 
i.  e.  the  white  cows,  from  tJie  wliiteness  of  the  greater  part  of  the 
cattle  of  Ireland  during  his  reign ;  for  "Olaidh"  or  "folaidh"  means 
the  same  thing  as  cow.  (It  was  in  the  time  of  Fiacaidh  Finno- 
laidh, that  the  masterdom  of  the  world  was  enjoyed  for  two 
years  by  Titus  Vespasianus,^^  who  destroyed  the  citj'-  of  Jerusa- 
lem, in  A.  D.  40  (correctly  70),  in  vengeance  for  the  blood  of 
Christ.  At  that  time  the  people  of  Titus  were  known  to  sell 
thirty  of  the  Jewish  race  for  one  penny,  because  of  the  buying 
of  Jesus  by  the  Jews  for  thirtj^  pence  from  Judas).  The  reader 
should  be  here  informed,  that  according  to  Stow's  Chronicle,  there 
were  some  Scots  dwelling  in  Alba  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  27, 
that  is,  when  Fiacaidh  Finnolaidh  was  king  of  Ireland,  and  be- 
fore Carbri  Eiada  was  yet  alive.  It  was  by  the  plebeian  tribes, 
or  Athach-Tuatha  of  Ireland,  that  this  Fiacaidh  was  treacher- 
ously murdered. 

CARBRI   KENN-CAIT,  ARD-EIGH. 

A.  D.  54:P  Carbri  Kenn-Cait^  assumed  the  sovereignty  of  Ire- 
land. He  was  the  son  of  Dubthach,  son  of  Rughri,  son  of  Dith- 
con  Uaridnach,  son  of  Tath  Tedmannach,  son  of  Luigni  Liath- 
kenn,  son  of  Oris  Eclonnach,  son  of  Erndolb,  son  of  Eindal,  who 
was  called  the  son  of  the  king  of  Lochlin,  and  who  had  come 
with  Labraidh  Loingsech  to  the  fortress  of  Tuaim-Tennbaeth  ;^ 
though  others  say  that  he  was  of  the  race  of  the  Fer-Bolgs.  He 
reigned  for  five  years,  and  then  died  of  the  plague.     He  was 

™  A.  D.  40. — Four  Masters.  merated  among  the  Irish  kings  by  Tig- 

^'  Fiacaidh  VI.     He  was  but  sev-  hernach,  in  his  Annals.  Neither  docs  he 

enteen  years  in  the  sovereignty,  accord-  enumerate  as  such  Fiatach  or  Fiachaidh 

ing  to  the  Four  blasters.     Tlic  name  Finn,   the    predecessor   of   Fiachaidh 

is  pronounced  Feegha  FinnuUee.  Finnolaidh.     He  makes  him  but  king 

^   r/i«.s    Vespasianus.      This   entry  of    Emhain    or    Emania,   for   sixteen 

between  brackets,  is  found  but  in  one  years,  which  is  thought  to  be  correct, 

of  the  translator's  MSS.  though  he  was  more  powerful  than  the 

^  A.  D.  10.— Four  Masters.  actual  king  of  Ireland. 

"  Carbki  I.     This  is  the  monarch  so        ^  Tuaim  Tennhaeth{Tooim  Tinvvaih) 

unaccountably  displaced  by  Dr.  Keat-  is  another  name  for  the  royal  Lciiister 

ing.    A3  being  a  usurper,  he  is  not  enu-  fortress  of  Dinu-righ  on  the  Barrow. 


296  IBE   HISTORY    OF   IRELAND. 

called  Carbri  Kenn-Cait,^^  i.  e.  "cat-head,"  because  his  ears  were 
like  those  of  a  cat,  as  a  bard  thus  tells  us : 

"  The  hardy  Carbri  thus  was  formed, 
Who  Kri  swayed  from  south  to  north, 
Cat's  ears  upon  his  head  he  bore, 
With  cat-like  fur  those  ears  were  decked." 

The  following  was  the  manner  in  which  the  sovereignty  of 
Ireland  fell  into  the  hands  of  Carbri.  A  treacherous  plot  was 
formed  by  the  Unfreo  Tribes^^or  Athach-Tuatha  {Ahagh-Tooha) 
of  Ireland  against  the  king  and  nobles  of  that  country.  This 
plot  they  resolved  upon  putting  into  execution  by  means  of  u 
feast,  which  was  to  be  prepared  by  them  and  given  to  the  king 
and  the  nobles.  Magh-Cio,^^  in  Connaught,  was  the  place  where 
it  was  to  be  served.  And  they  were  three  years  getting  ready  for 
that  feast,  and  diu'ing  that  time  they  laid  up  one-third  of  their  prop- 
erty and  their  crops,  as  a  provision  therefor.  Then  the  Free  Tribes 
of  Ireland  came  to  partake  of  it,  together  with  their  three  kings, 
namely,  Fiacaidh  Finnolaidh,  king  of  Ireland,  and  his  wife 
Ethni,  daughter  of  the  king  of  Alba ;  Feig,  son  of  Fidach,  the 
Short-sighted,  king  of  Munster,  and  his  wife  was  Berta,  daughter 
of  Gortniadh,  a  king  of  Britain ;  and  Bresal,  son  of  Ferb,  king 
of  Ulster,  and  Ani,  daughter  of  a  king  of  Britain,  was  his  wife, 
and  her  father's  name  was  Cannioll.  There  were  three  chieftains'' 
over  the  Athach-Tuatha,  or  plebeians,  likewise;  namely, 
Monach,  Buadh,  and  Carbri  Cat-Kenn,  (or  Kenn-cait,)  who  was 
head  over  them  all. 

Nine  days  were  spent  in  the  enjoyment  of  that  feast,  and  then 
the  plebeians  fell  to  killing  the  men  of  the  Free  Tiibes  of  Eri,  all 
of  whom  they  slaughtered  upon  that  spot,  with  the  exception  of 

^  Kenrt-Cait.  A  more  natural  ety-  of  Fidach,  Avas  not  the  name  of  the 
mology  would  be  Keym,  i.  e.  King  or  fatlier  of  Corb  Ohim,  and  his  mother 
Khan  of  the  Catti  or  Attacotti,  i.  e.  was  called  Cru'fi,  not  Bcrta. 
the  Athach-Tuatha.  "  Cenn"  {keii'i)  ^"  The  ciiicftaiiis  of  the  insurgents 
the  Gaelic  for  •'  head,"  comes  nearer  to  were,  according  to  O'Flaherty,  "  Klim, 
the  English  word  "king"  than  the  king  of  Ulster;  Sanb,  king  of  Con- 
Saxon  "  Coning,"  the  root  usually  naught ;  T.uiraidh  Allathach,  great- 
given  to  it.                _  grandson  of  Cmiari  I.,  and  grandlathcr 

"   Unfree    Tribes,  in    Irish,   "  Dacr-  of  Conari  IT.,  king  of  Nortli  Munster  ; 

Clanna,''   sometimes  translated  plebc-  Forbri,  son  of  Finn,  of  the  line  of  1th, 

ians.     The  nol)le  or   free   tribes  were  king    of    south    Minister ;     and    Eo- 

called  "  Haer-t!lanna."  chaidh  Ankenn,  son  of  Brandubli  I?rec, 

*  Ma<j;k-Cro,  i.  e.  the  bloody  field,  king  of  Leinster.     Tie  adds  that  "  they 

apparently   another  name  for    Magh-  murdered  Fiachaidh  at  Temhair,  and 

Bolg.     Keating  plainly  confounds  the  not   at    Magh-Bolg,   as   they   contend 

persons   and   events,    that   took  jdace  who  have  penned  the  fal)ulous  story  of 

in  the  first  insurrection  with  those  that  the    preservation    of   Tuathal    in  his 

happened  in   the  second.     Feig,  sou  mother's  womb." 


THE  HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  297 

the  three  children,  yet  unborn,  of  those  three  women  above-men- 
tioned, the  wives  of  the  three  Irish  kings.  These  ladies,  then, 
escaped  to  Alba,  where  they  bore  three  sons,  named  Tuathal 
Tectmar,  {Toohal  Tcif/Ziilmr,)  Tibradi  Tirech,  {Tibradi  Teeragh,)  and 
Corb  Olum. 

AVith  respect  to  Ireland,  great  famines,  with  failures  of  crops 
and  many  misibrtuncs,  came  upon  the  land  ;  and  so  it  remained 
ever  until  the  three  sons  of  those  three  kings,  so  foully  mur- 
dered, had  grown  up  and  were  able  to  bear  arms.  Then,  when 
the  men  of  Ireland  had  heard  that  these  royal  princes  were  yet 
living,  they  sent  ambassadors  to  communicate  with  them,  and  to 
ask  of  them  to  return  and  resume  the  sovereignty  of  their  fore- 
fathers ;  and  they  bound  themselves  by  the  sun  and  the  moon  to 
render  them  obedience,  and  to  remain  thenceforth  ever  faithful 
to  their  rule.  Upon  this  the  youth  returned,  and  resumed  the 
inheritance  of  their  sires,  and  with  them  its  usual  happiness  came 
back  to  Ireland,  Carbri  having  died  of  the  plague,  as  before  men- 
tioned. 

ELIM,    ARD-RIGH 

A.  D.  5d.^  Elim,^'  son  of  Connra,  son  of  Rosa  Euadh,  son  of 
Rudraide  Mor,  son  of  Sithrighe,  son  of  Dubh,  son  of  Fomhor, 
of  the  line  of  Ir,  son  of  Miledh,  held  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland 
for  twenty  years,  when  he  was  slain  by  Tuathal  Tectmar. 

TUATHAL    TECTMAR,    ARD-RIGH. 

A.  D.  79.^  Tuathal  Tectmar,^  son  of  Fiacaidh  Finnolaidh,  son 
of  Feradach  Finn-fectnach,  son  of  Crimthann  Niadh-Nair,  son  of 
Lugaidh  Riabh-n-derg,  of  the  line  of  Erimhon,  held  the  sov- 
ereignty of  Ireland  for  thirty  years.  He  received  the  surname 
"Tectmar,"  {Taghivar^)  i.  e.  the  Welcome  or  the  Desired,  (from 
"techt,"  (taghi,)  a  coming  or  arrival,  by  reason  of  the  great  pros- 
perity that  had  come  upon  the  land  of  Ireland  during  his  reign. 
Fiacaidh  Finnolaidh  had  no  other  child  but  Tuathal,  of  whom 
his  wife,  Ethni,  daughter  of  the  king  of  Alba,  had  been  left 
pregnant  at  the  time  when  she  escaped  from  the  massacre  of 
Magh-Cro,  in  Connaught,  where  the  Athach-Tuatlia  {Ahagh- 
Toolia)  slaughtered  Fiacaidh  and  the  Free  Clans  of  Ireland. 
Tuathal,  then,  was  reared  and  educated  in  Alba,  until  he  had 
reached  his  twenty-fifth  year.  Now,  during  that  time,  misfor- 
tune had  spread  over  Eri ;  and,  as  the  Athach-Tuatha  were  suf- 
fering many  miseries,  they  entered  into  counsel  with  their  Druids. 

*"  A.  D.  57.— Four  blasters.  "=  Tuathal  I.     Tectmar,  or  Teacht- 

*'  Elim  II.  mliar,  {Tag'itvar).  is  translated,  "the 

*  A.  D.  76. — Four  Masters.  Legitimate,"  by  Dr.  O'Douovan. 


298  •  THE   HISTORY    OF   IRELAND. 

in  order  to  find  out  wlicncc  or  by  what  means  sucK  evils  had 
been  brought  upon  the  land,  and  how  it  might  be  rescued  there- 
from. The  Druids  replied,  that  all  their  woes  had  s|)iung  from 
the  foul  treason  whieli  thej  had  themselves  jDei-pet lated  aorainst 
their  kings  and  against  their  Free  Clans.  Thej  told  them,  more- 
over, that  its  wonted  prosperity  would  never  return  to  Ireland, 
until  some  man  of  the  race  of  those  kmgs,  whom  they  had  mur- 
dered should  assume  the  sovereignty  of  their  country. 

It  w^as  about  this  time  that  the  Athach-Tuatha  had  heard  that 
Fiacnidh  Finnolaidh  had  lelt  after  him  a  son,  who  was  named 
Tuaihal  Teetniar.  Upon  this,  large  numbers  of  them  take  coun- 
sel together,  and  came  to  the  resolution  of  sending  ambassadors 
to  Alba,  to  invite  over  that  prince. 

But,  during  all  this  time,  a  remnant  of  the  Free  Clans,  namely, 
the  children  of  Donn  Desach,  of  Leinster,  who  were  called 
Fiacaidh  Casin  and  Finnmall,  his  brother,  with  six  hui.dred  fol- 
lowers und ;r  their  command,  were  continuing,  as  plunderers,  to 
lay  waste  the  lands  of  Ireland,  in  vengeance  for  the  treason 
which  the  Athach-'^l'uatha  had  practised  upon  their  kinsmen. 

When  Tuathal  Toctmar  had  heard  this,  both  he  and  his 
mother,  Ethni,  set  out  for  Ireland,  attended  by  a  numerous  armed 
host,  he  being  then  twenty-five  j^ears  old,  and  thej'-  landed  at 
Irrus  Domnan,  where  they  were  joined  by  Fiacaidh  Casin  and 
his  band.  Thence  they  marched  to  Tcmhair,  (Tara,)  where  his 
party  saluted  Tuathal,  king  of  Ireland. 

Upon  this,  Elim,  son  of  Connra,  who  had  been  sovereign  of 
Ireland,  by  ihc  election  of  the  Athach-Tuatha,  from  the  death 
of  Carbri  Cat-Kenn  until  that  time,  came  to  fight  the  battle  of 
Achill  against  Tuathal.  In  that  engagement,  the  strength  of 
Athach-Tuatha  was  broken,  and  their  king,  Elim,  was  killed,  and 
the  greater  part  of  his  arm}^  was  slaughtered.  After  this,  the  Un- 
free  Clans  were  defeated  by  Tuathal,  in  twenty-five  battles,  in  each 
of  the  five  provinces  of  Ireland. 

AVhen  he  had  thus  broken  dowai  the  power  of  his  enemies  by 
these  defeats,  and  thereby  emancipated  tiie  Free  Clans  (jf  Ireland 
from  the  yoke  of  the  Athach-Tuathii,  Tuathal  convened  the 
General  Assembly  or  Feis  of  Temhair,  according  to  the  usage  of 
his  predecessors,-  who  had  been  wont  to  summon  and  bring 
together  a  general  royal  convention  in  the  beginning  of  their 
reigns,  in  order  to  regulate  tlic  laws  and  usages  of  the  country. 
Thither  the  nobles  of  the  Gaels  came  to  him  fiom  every  province 
of  Ireland,  and  there  they  elected  him  as  their  king;  for  he  had 
freed  them  from  the  bondage  of  the  Unfree  Clans.  And  they 
then  swore,  by  all  the  elements,  to  leave  the  sovereignty  of  Ire- 
land to  him  and  his  children  fn*  ever,  according  to  the  promise 
formerly  made  to  lugani  Mor, 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


299 


It  was  then,  also,  that  he  was  granted  four  portions  of  land, 
from  four  of  the  provinces,  of  which  he  constituted  that  terri- 
tory which  is  now  called  Meath,  as  the  peculiar  domain  of  everj 
monarch  who  shoidd,  thenceforth,  rule  Ireland.  For,  although 
the  name  of  Midhe  (m?(?,)  or  Ateath,  had  been  applied  to  a  dis- 
trict near  Uisnech,  ever  since  the  days  of  the  children  of  Nemedh, 
still  it  was  not  extended  to  those  districts  which  were  taken  from 
the  provinces,  until  the  reign  of  Tuathal,  by  whom  they  were 
incorpoi'ated  into  a  separate  and  distinct  territory.  Now,  when 
Tuathal  had  united  these  four  portions  together,  and  called  them 
all  by  the  common  name  of  Meath,  he  built  four  chief  longphorts,** 
i,  e.  chief  I'esidenccs  or  capitals,  therein,  that  is,  a  chief  residence 
in  each  particular  portion  thereof. 

Tlactga*^  was  thus  built  by  him  upon  that  portion  of  Mum- 


■"  Longphorís.  This  word  is  com- 
pounded of  "  long,"  a  house,  and  "  port," 
a  bank  or  embaukra:nt,  i.  e.  a  "  port" 
or  embankment  for  "  longa"  or  houses. 
The  word  "  long"  means  both  a  house 
and  a.  sup,  in  the  Gaelic  tongue.  It 
would  appear,  that  among  some  of  the 
tribjs  that  colonized  northern  Africa 
in  ancient  times,  there  was  one  word, 
a'so.  which  served  to  designate  a  house 
and  a  ship.  Taken  in  connection  with 
the  resemblance  there  is  between  the 
bardic  tradition  relative  to  the  occu- 
pation of  Northern  Africa  by  the 
Cianaa  Gaedhail,  descended  from  Eber 
Scot,  the  coincidence  may  not  be  alto- 
gether accidental;  nor  may  it  be  out 
of  place,  here,  to  quote  what  the  Eo- 
mnn  historian,  Sallust,  has  said  on  the 
subject  of  th:>se  races,  on  the  authority 
of  (Jarthagenian  book.9.  said  to  be  those 
of  the  NumiJian  king,  Hiempsal.  The 
reader  will  compare  it  with  what  has 
been  heretofore  related  on  the  same  sub- 
ject in  this  history  and  in  the  notes 
thereon : 

"  Africa  was  at  first  possessed  by 
the  Gaetulians  and  Lybians,  a  savage 
and  unpolished  people,  who  lived  upon 
the  flesh  of  wild  lieasts,  or  fed  upon  the 
herbs  of  the  field  like  cattle  ;  subject 
to  no  laws,  discipline,  or  government : 
without  any  fixed  habitation  ;  wander- 
ing from  place  to  place,  and  taking  up 
the  r  abode  wherever  night  overtook 
them.  But  when  Hercules  died  in 
Spain,  as  the  Africans  think  he  did,  his 
army,  made  up  of  divers  nations,  hav- 


ing lost  their  general,  and  many  com- 
petitors arising  for  the  command,  dis- 
persed, in  a  short  time.  Those  that 
were  Medes,  Persians  and  Armenians, 
sailed  over  into  Africa  and  took  pos- 
session of  those  places  that  lie  upon 
our  sea  {the  Mediterranean).  The  Per- 
sians, however,  settled  near  to  the 
ocean  ;  and  they  made  themselves  houses 
of  their  ships  turned  upside  down,  be- 
cause there  was  no  timber  in  the  coun- 
try, nor  had  they  an  opportunity  of  im- 
porting it  from  Spain,  having  no  com- 
merce with  that  nation,  on  account  of 
its  distance  from  them  by  sea,  and  their 
language,  which  was  not  understood 
there.  These,  by  degrees,  mixed  with 
the  Gelulians  by  intermarriages,  and  be- 
cause they  were  continually  shifting 
from  place  to  place  {Scots  oi-  Scythians  ?) 
trying  the  goodness  of  the  soil,  they 
called  themselves  Numidians  (i.  e.  pas- 
toral  wanderers).  The  houses  of  the 
Numidian  peasants,  which  they  call 
Mapalia,  are  still  like  the  hulls  of  ships, 
of  anohlongform.  with  coverings,  rising 
in  the  middle  and  bending  at  each  end." 

It  is  the  opinion,  and  not  an  un- 
tenable one,  of  some  of  our  antiqua- 
ries, that  the  tribe  of  Gaedal  formed 
one  of  the  nations  that  followed  the 
above-mentioned  Hercules  of  the  Span- 
iards and  Africans.  Some  will  have 
him  to  have  been,  himself,  the  man  our 
bards  have  named  the  Galamh  or  the 
Miledh  of  Spain. 

•"^  Tiaztga,  otherwise.  Tlachlgha, 
{Tlaghtga).    This  ancient  seat  of  the 


300  THE  HISTORY   OP   IRELAND, 

ha,  or  ifunster,  which  he  had  just  annexed  to  his  royal  domain. 
It  was  there  that  the  Festivid  of  the  Fire  of  Tkictga  was  ordered 
to  be  held,  and  it  was  thither  that  the  druids  of  Ireland  were 
wont  to  repair  and  to  assemble,  in  solemn  meeting,  on  the  eve  of 
Samhain,  for  the  purpose  of  making  a  sacrifice  to  all  the  gods. 
It  was  in  that  fire  at  Tlactga,  that  their  sacrifice  was  burnt ;  and 
it  was  made  obligatory,  under  pain  of  punishment,  to  extinguish 
all  the  fires  of  Ireland,  on  that  eve ;  and  the  men  of  Ireland 
were  allowed  to  kindle  no  other  fire  but  that  one;  and  for  each 
of  the  other  fires,  which  were  all  to  be  lighted  from  it,  the  king 
of  ]\[unster  was  to  receive  a  tax  of  a  sgreball,  that  is,  of  three 
pence,  because  the  land,  upon  which  Tlactga  was  built,  belongs 
to  the  portion  of  Meath  which  had  been  taken  from  Munster. 

UlSNECH  ( Uóhnagh),  the  second  chitf  longphort  or  capital,  he 
built  upon  that  portion  which  he  had  taken  from  Connaught. 
It  was  there  that  the  men  of  Ireland  held  that  great  meeting  or 
fair  which  was  called  the  Mordljáil  {mor-yauil),  or  Great  Con- 
vention of  Uisnecli.  It  was  the  usage  to  hold  this  fair  in  the 
month  of  May,  and  at  it  they  were  wont  to  exchange  their  goods 
and  their  wares  and  their  jewels.  At  it,  they  were,  also,  wont 
to  make  a  sacrifice  to  the  Ai'ch-God  that  they  adored,  whose 
name  was  Bel  ibayl).  It  was,  likewise,  their  usage  to  light  two 
fires  to  Bfl,'*^  in  every  district  of  Ireland,  at  this  season,  and 
to  drive  a  pair  of  each  kind  of  cattle  that  the  district  contained, 
between  those  two  fires,  as  a  preservative  to  guard  them  against 

Irish  Pantheon  or  Festival  of  all  the  was  the  kinj^  of  the  Irish  g-ods  ;  that 
Gods,  is  now  called  the  Hill  of  Ward,  is,  their  Jupiter.  The  sun  was  what 
near  Athboy,  in  the  county  of  Meath.  they  seem  to  have  adored  under  his 
It  is  not  likely  that  Tuathal  was  either  name.  From  the  ceremonies  observed 
the  institutor  of  this  feast  or  the  found-  with  regard  to  the  extinji^uishing  and 
er  of  t'.ie  temple  of  Tlactga.  Tlactga  re-lighting  of  the  private  fires,  on  the 
was,  apparently,  a  celebrated  scat  of  occasion  of  this  festival,  it  is  probable 
druidic  worship,  long  before  his  time,  that  the  ancient  Irish  were  Fire-wor- 
We  must,  then,  understand  him  but  to  shippers.  The  fires  still  lighted,  in 
have  repaired  its  old  buildings,  ruined  the  more  Gaelic  parts  of  Ireland,  on 
or  demolished  during  the  Attacottic  re-  the  eve  of  the  2ith  of  June,  may  be 
bell/ons,  and  resuscitated  its  ceremonies,  traced  to  the  c(!remf)ny  above  men- 
fallen  into  disuse  during  the  period  of  tioned,  as  observed  Avith  regard  to  the 
disorder  that  immediately  precedeil  his  cattle.  When  forbidden  by  the  church 
reign.  The  assertion  of  his  having  to  light  fires  in  honor  of  their  idol, 
founded  it,  may  have  originated  in  his  the  Irish  transferred  the  practice  from 
having  includi'd  it  in  Meath  and  takfiU  Bel's  eve,  which  is  the  eve  of  tlie  first 
it  under  his  own  immediate  protection,  of  May,  or  Bcltaino,  to  that  of  the 
from  beiu'j:  under  that  of  one  of  the  24th  oi"  June.  AVe  have  heard  Uisnech 
Munster  pentarchs.  (now  Usnagh  liill,  in  Meath),  cele- 
*°  Bel,  otherwise  spelled  Bcal.  From  brated  as  a  druidic  seat,  in  the  times 
what  is  here  said,  it  would  appear  that  of  the  Nemedians  and  Tuatha-Ue- 
Bel  (the  same  who  was  called  Bcilus  by  DananiH  ;  so  that  no  more  than  its  ro- 
the  Latins,  and  Baal  by  the  Ilebrcws),  edification  can  bo  claimed  for  Tuathal 


THE   HISTORY  OF   IRELAND.  801 

all  the  diseases  of  that  year.  It  is  from  that  fire,  thus  made  in 
honor  of  Bel,  that  the  day,  on  which  the  noble  feast  of  the  apos- 
tles, Philip  and  James,  is  held,  has-been  called  Beltaini  or  Beal- 
tiiine  {Bay UÍ7ime)\  for  "  Beltaini"  is  the  same  as  "Bcil-leiné,"i.  e. 
*'  Teinc  Bheil "  (Tinnie  Vayl)  or  Bel's  Fire.  It  was  likewise  or- 
dained, that  the  king  of  Connaught  should  receive,  as  a  tax,  the 
horse  and  the  garments  of  ever}^  chieftain  that  came  to  that  Great 
Convention;  for  the  ground  upon  which  Uisnech  is  situated 
belongs  to  that  part  of  Meath  which  was  taken  from  Connaught. 
Talti-*^  or  Tailteann  was  the  name  of  the  third  chief  long- 
phort  or  residence  constructed  by  Tuathal  Tectmar.  It  was 
there  that  the  men  of  Ireland  were  wont  to  contract  mamage 
alliances  and  strike  up  friendly  relations  with  one  another.  And 
most  proper  and  becoming  was  the  custom,  observed  at  that 
meeting,  namely,  the  men  were  on  one  side  of  the  place  of  assem- 
bly, apart  by  themselves,  and  the  women  on  the  other,  while 
their  fathers  and  mothers  were  arranging  all  preliminaries  be- 
tween them,  until  the  agreements  and  contracts  were  finally 
decided ;  as  the  bard  relates  in  the  following  verse : 

"  No  man  came  nigh  those  damsels  bright, 
Nor  dame  there  heard  soft  sigh  of  lover ; 
In  ranks  apart  each  sex  stood  ranged; 
Within  the  hall  of  sacred  Talti." 

Although  it  was  Lugaidh  Lamfada  that  first  instituted  the 
Fair  of  Talti  in  Ireland,  as  a  solemn  commemoration  of  his  own 
foster-mother,  Talti,  daughter  of  Maghmor,  king  of  Spain,  who 
had  been  the  wife  of  Eocaidh,  son  of  Ere,  the  last  king  of  the 
Fer-Bolgs,  (as  we  have  heretofore  stated),  when  the  same  Lugaidh 
buried  Talti  beneath  that  mound,  and  when  he  convened  that 
fair,  as  a  solemn  rite  or  memorial  in  honor  of  her ;  in  memory 
whereof,  the  name  Lughnasa  (Loonassa)  or  "Nasa  Lugha"  is  to 
this  day  given  to  the  first  of  August,  whereon  is  kept  the  feast 
of  St.  Peter's  Chains  ;  but,  although  the  sacred  mound  of  Talti 
had  been  in  existence,  and  the  solemn  fair  kept  up  ever  since 
the  days  of  Lugaidh  Lamfada,  still  Talti  was  never  erected  into 
a  royal  residence  until  the  days  of  Tuathal  Tectmar.  It  was  the 
king  of  Ulster  that  received  the  rent  or  taxes  of  this  fair ;  for 
the  ground,  whereon  Talti  stood,  formed  part  of  that  section  of 
Ulster  which  had  been  annexed  to  Meath.  The  following  was 
the  amount  of  that  rent  or  tax,  namely,  an  ounce  of  silver  from 
every  couple  that  got  married  during  the  festival. 

Temhair  was  his  fourth  royal  capital.  It  lies  in  that  quarter 
of  Meath  which  was  taken  from  Leinstcr.     We  have  already 

"  TaUi,  or  Tailteann,  now  called  Teltown,  in  Meath,  as  before  stated. 


302  .  THE   HISTORY    OF   IRELAND. 

told,  that  it  was  at  this  place  that  they  were  wont  to  cel- 
ebrate the  Feis  Temrach  {Fesh  Tavragh)  every  third  year,  having 
first  made  sacrifice  to  all  the  gods  at  Tlactga,  as  a  preparation  for 
that  great  convention.  It  was  here,  as  we  have  also  before  said, 
that  their  laws  and  usages  were  ordained,  and  that  the  annals 
and  historic  records  of  Ireland  were  subjected  to  examination,  in 
order  that  the  Ard-ollamhs  might  write  down  all  that  had  been 
sanctioned  thereof,  in  the  Eoll  of  the  King=!,  which  was  called 
the  Saltair  Temrach  (i.  e.  the  Psalter  of  Tara) ;  and,  according  to 
the  chief  book,  just  mentioned,  neither  law  nor  usage  nor  his- 
toric record  was  ever  held  as  genuine  until  it  had  received  such 
approval ;  and  nothing,  that  disagreed  with  the  Eoll  of  Temhair, 
could  be  respected  as  truth. 

I  shall  not  here  make  special  mention  of  the  laws  and  usages 
enacted  at  the  conventions  of  Temhair.  It  would  occupy  me 
too  long;  for  the  Law  Books  of  the  territorial  brehons  are  filled 
up  thereof  But,  I  shall,  nevertheless,  set  down  the  usage  that 
was  ordained  and  observed  at  Temhair  with  respect  to  the  ar- 
rangement of  the  nobles  and  the  warriors,  when  they  met  together 
in  the  Banquet  Hall,  to  partake  of  the  public  feast. 

It  was,  then,  the  i^rescribed  dutj^of  every  "Ollamh  re  Senchas" 
or  Doctor  of  Ilistory,  in  Ireland,  to  inscribe  in  the  Eoll  of  Tem- 
hair, the  names  of  all  such  nobles  as  Avere  lords  of  territories, 
each  lord  according  to  his  rank  and  title ;  and  every  chieftain  of 
those  bands  of  warriors  who  were  maintained  at  free  quarters," 
for  the  defence  and  guardianship  of  the  lands  of  Eri,  had  his 
name,  also,  in  that  roll,  by  the  Ard-ollamh.  Of  these  nobles, 
both  territorial  lords  and  captains  of  bands  of  warriors,  each 
man  was  always  attended  by  his  own  proper  shield-bearer.  Again, 
their  banquet-halls  were  arranged  in  the  following  manner,  to  wit: 
they  were  long,  narrow  buildings,  with  tables  arranged  along  both 
the  opposite  side  walls  of  the  hall ;  then,  along  these  side-walls 
there  was  placed  a  beam,  in  which  were  fixed  numerous  hooks 
(one  over  the  seat  destined  for  each  of  the  nobles,)  and  between 
every  two  of  them  there  was  but  the  breadth  of  one  shield.     Up- 


**  Free  qv/trters.  These  were  the  hired  nnf^ht)  or  quartcrasre,  upon  them, 
soldiery  of  that  day.  They  were  men  Hence,  "  ljuar)aidhe"  {bonuce)  come  to 
of  the  Noble,  or  Free-tribes,  who,  find-  signify  a  hired  soldier.  Tlie  word  Avatj 
ing  their  own  territories  too  narrow  for  anglicized  "  bonnaght"  during  the  An- 
them, or  being  expelled  therefrom,  cith-  glo-Norman  wars.  I'he  word  is,  seeni- 
er  by  a  more  powerful  clan  or  by  do-  ingly,  derived  from  "  buan."  i.  c.  Inst- 
mestic  revolution,  sold  their  swords  to  ?»g  or  duuiblc,  so  that  even  in  its  ety- 
some  chieftain  for  pay.  lie,  having  no  niohigy  it  has  some  analogy  (though 
money  to  pay  them  withal,  generally  probably  accidental)  with  the  Latin 
quartered  them  upon  his  serfs,  that  is,  "solidariua"  i.e.  //?Ve//'?iir,  whence  comes 
be  placed  them  at  "  buanacht"  {boo-  the  English  word  "  soldier." 


THE  HISTORY  OF   IRELAND.  303 

on  these  hooks  the  Shannachie*'  hung  up  the  shields  of  the  nobles, 
previous  to  their  sitting  down  to  the  banquet,  at  which  they  all, 
both  lords  and  captains,  sat,  each  beneath  his  own  shield.  How- 
ever, the  most  honored  side  of  the  house  was  occupied  by  the 
territorial  lords,  whilst  the  captains  of  w'arriors  were  seated  op- 
posite them,  at  the  other;  the  upper  end  of  the  hall  was  the 
place  of  the  ollamhs,  while  its  lower  end  was  assigned  to  the  at- 
tendants and  the  officers  in  waiting.  It  was  also  prescribed,  that 
no  man  should  be  placed  opposite  another  at  the  same  table,  but 
that  all,  both  the  territorial  lords  and  captains,  should  sit  with 
their  backs  towards  the  wall,  beneath  their  own  shields.  Again, 
they  never  admitted  females  into  their  banquet  halls :  these  had 
a  hall  of  their  own,  in  which  they  were  separately  served.  It 
was,  likewise,  the  prescribed  usage,  to  clear  out  the  banquet 
hall  previous  to  serving  the  assembled  nobles  therein ;  and  no 
one  was  allowed  to  remain  in  the  building  but  three,  namely,  a 
shannachie,  a  "  bolsgari "  or  marshal  of  the  houseliold,  and  a 
trumpeter,  the  duty  of  which  latter  officer  it  was  to  summon  all 
the  guests  to  the  banquet  hall  by  the  sound  of  his  trumpet-horn. 
He  had  to  sound  his  trumpet  three  times.  At  the  first  blast, 
the  shield-bearers  of  the  territorial  chieftains  assembled  round  the 
door  of  the  hall,  where  the  marshal  received  from  them  the 
shields  of  their  lords,  which  he  then,  according  to  the  directions 
of  the  shannachie,  hung  up,  each  in  its  assigned  place.  The 
trumpeter  then  sounded  his  trumpet  a  second  time,  and  the 
shield-bearers  of  the  chieftains  of  the  military  bands  assembled 
round  the  door  of  the  banquet  hall,  where  the  marshal  received 
their  lord's  shields  from  them,  also,  and  hung  them  up  at  the 
other  side  of  the  hall,  according  to  the  orders  of  the  shannachie, 
and  over  the  table  of  the  warriors.  The  trumpeter  sounded  his 
trumpet  the  third  time,  and,  thereupon,  both  the  nobles  and  the 
warrior  chiefs  entered  the  banquet  hall,  and  there  each  man  sat 
down  beneath  his  own  shield,  and  thus  were  all  contests  for  pre-, 
cedency  avoided  amongst  them. 

The  Boroimhe  (Borivvie)  or  Boromlia''^  Laighen  (Borooa  Loyen), 

i.  e.  the  Lcinster  Tribute^  down  here. 

It  was  this  Tuathal  Tectmar,  of  whom  we  are  now  treating, 
that,  in  vengeance  for  his  two  daughters,  named  Fithir  and  Da- 

**  Smnnachie.  "  Senctaidhe,"  of  hair.  In  that  special  case  it  is  not  mis- 
which  this  is  an  anglicised  form,  de-  applied,  but  it  lacks  propriety  of  cos- 
rived  from  "  sen"  {slian)  old,  properly  tume,  and  is  thence  likely  to  lead  to 
means  h-storian.     Some  translate  it  by  false  notions. 

Iierald,  in  describing  the  duties  of  that  "  Boromha.     This   word   is    mostly 

ofiBccr  at  the  "  Feis  "  of  Tara  or  Tem-  translated  covj-tribute,  but  it  was  not 


80á  THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 

rinni,  first  imposed  the  Boromlia,  as  a  permanent  tax,  upon  the 
men  of  Leinster.  At  this  time  there  reigned  in  Leinster  a  king 
who  was  called  Eocaidh  Ainkenn."  This  man  had  married  Da- 
rinni,  daughter  of  Tuathal  Tectmar,  and  taken  her  to  his  resi- 
dence at  Magh-Lugadh,  in  Leinster.  But,  after  some  time,  he 
came  to  Temhair,  and  having  informed  Tuathal  Tectmar  that 
Darinni  was  dead,  he  next  demanded  her  sister  Fithir,  also,  as 
wife ;  and  Tuathal  granted  her  to  him ;  and  he,  thereupon,  bore 
her  off  to  his  own  dwelling.  But  when  Fithir  saw  her  sister 
aHve,  she  fell  dead  through  shame-;  whereupon  Darinni,  having 
come  to  make  her  lamentations  over  her  betrayed  sister,  died 
herself  upon  the  spot,  of  grief  It  is  in  record  of  that  event, 
that  the  bard  has  made  the  following  verse : 

"  Fithir  and  Darinni  mild 
Were  conquering  Tuatbal's  daughters  ; 
Through  shame  the  gentle  Fithir  died— 
For  her  Darinni  died,  through  sorrow." 

When  Tuathal  heard  of  the  death  of  these  two  ladies,  he  was 
seized  with  violent  rage  and  indignation ;  and  he  sent  ambassa- 
dors to  the  noble  chieftains  of  Eri,  to  complain  of  the  foul  and 
treacherous  act  of  the  king  of  Leinster.  Upon  this,  these  nobles 
sent  him  aid  in  men  and  arms,  in  order  that  the  might  wreak 
ample  vengeance  for  the  deed.  But  then,  as  Tuathal  was  about 
to  plunder  and  devastate  Leinster,  the  Lagenians,  not  being  able 
to  meet  him  in  the  field,  submitted  to  a  fine,  which  was  to  be 
paid  by  themselves  and  their  posterity  after  them,  as  a  retribu- 
tion for  thi  djath  of  his  daughters,  both  to  Tuathal  himself  and 
to  every  king  of  his  race  that  should  succeed  him  on  the  Irish 
throne.     The  f(;llowing  was  the  amount''  of  that  fine,  which  the 

merely  a  cow-tribute  ;  and  if  there  be  150  hogs,  1.50  covcrlctts  or  pieces  of 
no  authority  for  so  translating  it  but  cloth,  to  cover  beds  withal  ;  150  caul- 
the  "  sanasaiii"  or  etymologies  of  the  drons,  with  two  passing  great  caul- 
Irish  bards,  of  which  we  have  seen  so  drons,  consisting  in  breadth  and  deep- 
many  absurd  specimens  hitherto,  it  is  ness  five  fists,  for  the  kings  own  brew- 
most  uncertain  whether  the  word  "  bo,"  ing  ;  1 50  couples  of  men  and  women  in 
a  cow,  enter  at  all  into  its  composi-  servitude,  to  draw  water  on  their  backs 
tion.  The  celobnitod  monarch.  Brian,  for  the  said  Ijrcwing  ;  together  with  150 
had  his  surname  IJonmiha  or  Bt^roimhc  maids,  with  the  king  of  Jjcinster's  owp 
(usually  anglicized  Boru),  from  having  daughter,  in  like  bondage  and  scrvi- 
enforcod  the  payment  of  the  tribute  tude." 
now  treated  of.  O'FIaherty  tells    us  that  Eocaidh 

"  Ainkena,  commonly  spelled  Ain-  was   beheaded    by   'J'uathal,   and    his 

cheaun.    ills  first  wife's  name  is  other-  brother   Ere   set  by  him,  as  king  of 

wise  spelled  Dairfliinc.  Leinster    in    his    stead.      They   were 

"  TÚC  nmnaul.     In   the  Annals  of  both    Damnoniau   Belgians,  or    Fer- 

Clonmacnoise,  the  amount  of  the  borom-  Bolgs. 
ha  is  stated  iia  follows  :   "  150   cows, 


THE  HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  305 

people  of  Lcinster  were  bound  to  pay,  every  second  year,  to  the 
kings  of  Ireland,  as  a  punishment  for  the  death  of  the  children 
of  Tuathal,  namely,  three-score  hundred  cows,  three-score  hun- 
dred ounces  of  silver,  three-score  hundred  mantles,  three-score 
hundred  hogs,  three-score  hundred  wethers,  three-score  hundred 
brazen  cauldrons ;  and  the  following,  also,  is  the  apportionment^ 
that  was  made  thereof,  to  wit,  one-third  to  Connaught,  one-third 
to  the  Oirghialla,  and  one-third  to  the  Ui  Neill.  In  the  tale 
called  the  Eoroimhc  Laighen  {Borivvie  Loyen),  we  find  the  fol- 
lowing verses  in  record  of  these  facts : 

"  Three-score  hundred  kine  they  pay, 

Kine  free  from  fault ; 
Three-score  hundred  ounces  pure 

Of  silver  white ; 
Three-score  hundred  mantles  fine, 

Of  choicest  woof; 
Three-score  hundred  well-fed  hogs 

Of  highest  price ; 
Three-score  hundred  wethers  broaa, 

Of  thickest  fleece ; 
Three-score  hundred  cauldrons  bright, 

Of  copper  red. 
One-third  of  these  is  Connact's  due 

By  usage  old ; 
One-third  the  bold  Oirghialla  claim  ; 

One-third  Clan  Neill." 

This,  then,  was  the  tribute,  which  was  called  the  Boroimhe  of 
Leinster,  and  which  continued  to  be  exacted  during  the  reigns 
of  forty  kings,  from  the  reign  of  Tuathal  to  the  time  when  Fin- 
nacta  I.  was  monarch  of  that  country,  as  the  bard  tells  us: 

"  Full  forty  monarchs'  reigns  had  passed, 
When  generous  Finnacta  was  king  ; 
They  all  the  boromha  had  claimed. 
Since  Tuathal  dwelt  at  Tlactga." 

It  was  the  holy  saint  Moling,  that  at  length  procured  its  final 
abolition.  He  persuaded  Finnacta  to  promise  to  forego  its  exac- 
tion until  Monday ^^  by  which  Monday  he  meant  the  Day  of  Gen- 
eral Judgment,  which  is  called  the  Monday  of  Eternity,  The  Bo- 
romha was  sometimes  submissively  paid  by  the  people  of  Leinster ; 
at  others,  they  resisted  its  exaction.    Thence  arose  many  wars  and 

"  Apportionment.      "  One  third  of  remainder  between  the  queen  of  Tem- 

of  this  tribute  was  paid  to  the  kings  of  hair  and  the  king  of  Munster." — 0'- 

Ulster,  until  the  destruction  of  limhain,  Flaherty. 

when  it  was  transferred  to  the  Oirgh-        "  Monday.     "  According  to  the  an- 

ialla  by  Muredach,  monarch  of  Ireland  ;  cient    historical    romance    called   the 

another  third  was  paid  to  the  kings  of  Baromha-Laigken,  St.  Moling  obtained 

Connaught ;    Tuathal  distributed  the  its  remission  while  the  celebrated  Ad- 

20 


306 


THE   HISTORY   OF  IRELAND. 


conflicts  between  them  and  tlie  monarcli,  in  wliicli  countless  mul- 
titudes fell  on  either  side. 

Tuathal  Tectmar  was  at  length  slain^^  by  Alal,  the  son  of  Ro- 
craide. 


amnan  was  in  Ireland ;  and,  contrary 
to  the  latter's  will,  who  wished  that  the 
Leinstcr  men  should  pay  to  the  race  of 
Tuathal  Tectmar,  forever.  It  apj^ears, 
however,  that  Moling's  sanctity  pre- 
vailed against  the  repi-esentative  of 
Tuathal  and  his  aristocratic  rela- 
tive, Adamnan,  Abbot  of  lona  ;  for, 
by  a  singular  use  of  the  ambiguity  of 
the  Irish  word  "  luau"  (which  means 
Monday,  and  also  the  Day  of  Judg- 
ment), in  his  covenant  with  the  mon- 
arch, he  abolished  this  exorbitant  trib- 
ute— not  till  Monday,  as  the  monarch 
understood,  but  till  the  Day  of  Judg- 
ment, as  the  saint  intended.  "  It  would 
be  better,''  says  a  writer  in  the  Dublin 
University  Magazine,  "  for  the  people 
of  Leinstcr  to  have  continued  to  pay 
the  Borumean  tribute  to  this  day,  than 
that  their  St.  Moling  should  have  set 
an  example  of  clerical  special  pleading 
and  mental  reservation,  in  the  equivo- 
cation by  wliich  he  is  represented  to 
have  procural  the  release  from  that 
impost."  On  this  it  may  be  observed, 
that  if  St.  Moling  was  really  guilty  of 
this  equivocation,  his  notions  were  not 
of  a  very  lofty  pagan  character,  and 
not  at  all  in  accordance  with  the  doc- 
trine of  the  Gospel  and  the  practice  of 
the  primitive  Christians  ;  but  it  is  to 
be  suspected  that  the  equivocation  had 
its  origin  in  the  fanciful  brain  of  the 
author  of  the  historical  romance  called 
the  "  Boromha  Laighcn,"  who  (lisplaijs 
his  own,  not  St.  Moling's  mornUtij,  in 
the  many  strange  incidents  with  which 
he  embellishes  the  simple  events  of  his- 
tory. We  may  easily  believe  that 
Adamnan  wished  that  the  race  of  Tu- 
athal should  remain  forever  the  domi- 
nant family  in  Ireland  ;  but  were  we  to 
believe  him  to  have  been  such  a  person 
as  this  story  represents  him  to  have 
be^n,  wc  should  at  once  reject  as  ficti- 
tious the  character  of  him  given  by  the 
Venerable  Bede,  who  describes  him  as 


'  Yir  bonus  ct  sapiens,  et  scientia  scrip" 
turarum  nobilissime  instructus,'  i.  e.  a 
truly  good  and  wise  man,  and  one  most 
remarkably  learned  in  the  knowledge 
of  the  Scriptures." — O'D.'s  Notes  on  the 
Four  Masters. 

St.  Moling  flom-ishcd  in  the  sixth 
century. 

"  Slain.  "  Tuathal  Tectmar,  after 
having  been  thirty  years  in  the  sover- 
eignty of  Ireland,  was  killed  by  Mai, 
son  of  Rocraide,  king  of  Ulster,  in 
]\Iagh-Line.  Kenn-Guba  is  the  name 
of  the  hill  on  which  he  was  killed,  as 
this  quatrain  proves. 

'Tuatlial,  for  whom  there  was  fair, 
Chief  of  Meath  of  tliousand  heroes, 
Was  womuied,  that  fair  chief  of  Fremhaln, 
On  the  hill-side  o'er  Glenu-an-Gabann.'  " 
Four  Masters. 

Kenn  or  Cenn-Guha,  i.  e.  the  Hill 
of  Grief,  is  now  called  Ballyboley  Hill, 
in  Kilwaughter  Parish,  near  the  place 
where  the  three  baronies.  Upper  Glen- 
arm,  Upper  Antrim,  and  Lower  Bel- 
fast meet.  Tuathal's  monument  is  still 
to  be  seen  on  this  hill,  at  a  place  now 
called  Carndoo. — O'D. 

'•  During  the  reign  of  Tuathal,  there 
were  appointed  courts  for  the  better 
regulation  of  the  concerns  of  trades- 
men and  artificers  ;  an  institution, 
which,  could  we  place  reliance  on  the 
details  relating  to  it,  would  imply  an 
advanced  state  of  interior  traffic  and 
merchandise.  One  fact,  which  appears 
pretty  certain  is,  that  previously  to  the 
system  now  introduced,  none  of  the 
Milesian  or  dominant  caste  had  conde- 
scended to  occupy  themselves  in  trade  ; 
all  mechanical  employments  and  handi- 
crafts being  left  to  the  descendants  of 
the  old  conquered  Iriln's  ;  while  for  the 
issue  of  the  minor  l)ranchcs  of  the  Mi- 
lesians, were  reserved  the  appointments 
in  the  militia  (i.  o./ír;/j/í)  of  Krin,  and 
the  old  hereditary  offices  of  antiquaries, 
bards,  physicians  and  judges. — Moore." 


THE  HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  307 

MAL,    ARD-RIGH. 

A.  D.  109.^  'Mai,  son  of  Eocraide,  son  of  Catbbaiclh  Finn, 
son  of  Giallcaidh,  son  of  Finncaidh,  son  of  Muredach,  son  of 
Fiacaidli  Fiunamnas  son  of  Irial  Glunmar,  son  of  Conall  Kear- 
nach,  son  of  Amirghin,  son  of  Gas  Trillsech,  son  of  Gas,  son  of 
Factna,  son  of  Gathbaidh,  son  of  Kinga,  son  of  Eudraide  Mor, 
(from  wliom  the  clans  of  Eudraide  are  called),  of  the  line  of  Ir, 
son  of  Miledh,  held  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland  for  four  years,^' 
when  he  fell  of  Feidlimidh  Eectmar. 

FEIDLIMIDH  RECTMAR,   ARD-RIGH. 

A.  D.  113.^  Feidlimidh  Eectmar,  son  of  Tuathal  Tectmar, 
son  of  Fiacaidh  Finnolaidh,  of  the  line  of  Erimhon,  held  the 
sovereignty  of  Ireland  for  nine  j^ears,  Baini,  daughter  of  Seal 
Balb,^  the  wife  of  Tuathril  Tectmar,  was  the  mother  of  Feid- 
limidh. He  was  called  Feidlimidh  Eectmar,^"  or  Feidlimidh  the 
Legal,  by  reason  of  the  justice  of  legal  decisions  passed  in  Ire- 
land during  his  reign ;  for  he  ordained  and  enforced  during  his 
own  time,  a  law  similar  to  that  which  is  called  in  Latin  the  Lex 
Talioim,^^  or  Law  of  Like  for  Like,  which  requires  that  the  crim- 
inal should  be  made  to  atone  for  his  crime  by  suffering  a  punish- 
ment similar  to  the  injury  done  to  his  neighbor,  such  as  a  head 
for  a  head,  a  cow  for  a  cow,  a  hand  for  a  hand,  a  leg  for  a  leg, 
and  so  on,  for  every  other  injury  besides.  From  that  law  it 
came  to  pass,  that  the  men  of  Ii-eland  became  reformed  in  their 
habits  during  the  reign  of  Feidlimidh.  At  last  he  died  on  his 
pillow. 

CATHAEIR   MOR,  ARD-RIGH. 

A.  D.  122.^     Cathaeir  Mor,  son  of  Feidlimidh  Fir-urglas,  son 

°*  A.  D.  107. — Four  Masters.  Latin  "  Pasclia  ;"  "  clann"  and  "claud," 

"  Four  years.     Tighcruach  does  not  children,  Welsh  "  plant ;"  and  "  claud" 

give  this  Mai  as  monarch  of  Ireland,  or  "  clann,"  to  plant,  Latin  "  planto." 

but  makes  the  next  king  immediately        '^  Rechtmar,  otherwise,  Keachtnihar 

succeed  his  father  for  nine  years.  {Raghtvar),  is  an  adjective,  formed  on 

"  A.  D.  111. — Four  Masters.  "  recht"  (rag/t<) ,  i.  e.  law  or  justice, 

"•  Sea/ jB(7/6,  i.e.  Seal  the  Stammerer.  Latin 'ecfu/w.     It  means /egfl/ ,■  though 

OTlaherty  calls  him  king  of  Finland,  some  translate  it  the  Lawgiver,  in  this 

whose  people  the  Irish,  in  early  times,  instance. 

called  Fomorians.   May  not  "  Lapland"        "^'  Lex  Talionis.     The  more  general 

be  cognate  with  "  Lochlain,"  the  Irish  opinion  is,  that  Feidlimidh   abolished 

for  all  Scandinavia  ?     See  how  often  this  cruel  and  barbarous  law,  and  intro- 

the  Gaels  use  the  letter  "  c"  for  the  duced  the  system  of  atoning  for  crimes 

"  p"  in  other  tongues,  and  vice  versa,  a&  by  an  eraic  or  fine,  in  its  stead. 
"  sccht,"  seucn,  Latin  "septem  ;"  "cos,"  ""  A.  D.  120. — Four  Musters, 
afoot,  Latin  "  pes  ;"  "  Caisg,"   Easter, 


308 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


of  Cormiic  Gellta-Gactli,  son  of  Niadh-Corb,  son  of  Cu-Corb,  son 
of  Concobar  Abradli-iuadh,  son  of  Finn  the  Poet,  son  of  liosa 
Kuadb,  son  of  Fergus  Fargi,  son  of  Nuadath  Ncct,  of  the  line 
of  Erimhon,  held  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland  for  three  years. 
Cathaeir  Mor  had  thirty  sons,  as  the  bard  records  in  the  follow- 
ing verse : 

"  Thirty  sons,  a  goodly  clan. 
Sprang  from  Cathaeir  of  Cualan 
These  thrice  ten  chiefs  of  warrior  mien, 
Were  strong,  broad-branching  stocks  of  heroes." 

nowever,  there  ^ve^e  twenty  of  those  sons  who  left  no  offspring 
after  them.  These  are  the  names  of  the  sons  whose  progeny  has 
survived :  Dari  Barrach,^  Brcsal  Einech-glas,  Fergus,  Olild, 
Crirnthann,  Rosa  Failghi,  Eocaidh  Temenn,  Aengus,  and  Fiacaidh 
Baoheda.  Though  the  latter  was  the  youngest  of  Cathaeir's  sons, 
vStill  it  was  his  posterity  that  most  frequently  held  the  sovereign 
power  in  Leinster.  O'Tuathail  (O'Toole)  and  O'Brainn  (O'Byrnc), 
are  of  the  race  of  Fiacaidh  Bacheda ;  and  Mac  Murcada  (Mac 
Murrough),  is  of  the  race  of  Bresal  Belach,  his  son;  O'Concobair 
Falghi  (O'Connor  Faly),  O'Dimasaigh  (O'Dempsy),  Clann  Colgain 
(Mac  Colgan)  and  O'Duinn  (O'Dunn),  draw  their  origin  from 
Rosa  Failghi  {Robsa  Fauhjee)^  as  we  shall  set  down  hereafter, when 
tracing  the  genealogies  of  the  children  of  Miledh.  In  the  end, 
Cathaeir  fell  by  Conn  of  the  Ilundred  Battles,  son  of  Feidlimidh 
Rcctmar.^ 

CONN   KED-CATHACn,    ARD-RIGH. 

A.  D.  125.«5    Con  Ked-Cathach  {Kaid-  Cahagh),  son  of  Feid- 


•"  Dari  Barrack.  From  Dari,  who 
was  the  second  son  of  Cathaeir,  came 
the  noble  tribe  of  Ui  Bairrchi,  th(>  chief- 
tiin  family  of  which  took  the  name  of 
0  Gorman  or  Mac  Gorman,  after  the 
estal)]ishment  of  surnames.  Tliey  were 
anciently  seated  between  the  Ui  Drona 
and  Ui  Mnredaigh,  near  the  town  of 
Carlow.  Shortly  after  the  English  in- 
vasion, they  were  driven  out  of  their 
oriirinal  territory  by  Baron  Walter  de 
Biddlcsford,  who  Ijccame  master  of  all 
the  territory  round  Carlow.  After  this, 
a  party  of  them  proceeded  into  Ulster, 
and  another  into  Uaithni  ((hnci/),  in 
Tipperary.  From  the  latter  place  they 
apjain  mifrrat'^d  intoThomond,  now  the 
county  of  Clare,  and  settled  amon,:rst 
the  Dalcassians.  in  the  territory  of  Ui 
Brccain  (now  Ibrickan),  in  the  west  of 


that  county,  where  the  bard,  Maellin 
Og  Mac  Bruaidedha  (Brooidee),  who 
was  chief  poet  of  Ui  Fermaie  and  Ui 
Brecain.  in  ir)G3.  has  told  us  that  they 
had  then  be(!n  supporting  poets  and 
feeding  the  poor  for  the  last  lour  hun- 
dred years.  This  family  must  be  dis- 
tingui^ihcd  from  the  Mac  Gormans  of 
Clonmacnoise,  called  Mac  Cuinn  na- 
m-bocht. — See  Notes  to  Leahhar  na  g- 
Ccnrt. 

"'  According  to  the  famous  Will  of 
Cathaeir  Mor,  as  published  in  the 
Ix;ab!iar  na  g-Ceart,  Cathaeir  was  slain 
by  the  Fiann  or  Militia  of  Jjuaigni,  in 
the  battle  of  Talti.  The  Aimals  of 
Clonmacnoise  say  that  "  king  Cath- 
aeir's army  was  overthrown  an(l  himself 
slain  and  burii'd   near  the  Boyne." 

"'  A.  D.  VIZ.— Four  Masters. 


THE   HISTORY   OF  IRELAND.  309 

limidh  Kectmar,  son  of  Tuatlial  Tectmar,  of  the  line  of  Eriinhon, 
held  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland  for  twenty  years,  until,  being 
taken  unawares,  he  was  treacherously  slain,  in  the  district  of 
Temhair,  by  the  contrivance  of  Tibradi  Tirech,  son  of  Mai,  son 
of  Eocliraide,  who  was  then  king  of  Ulster.  Fifty  warriors,  dis- 
guised as  women,  had  been  sent  by  Tibradi,"^  for  the  purpose  of 
assassinating  him;  and  Emhain  Aiacha  was  the  place  whence 
they  set  out  upon  that  treacherous  design.  Una,  daughter  of  the 
king  of  Lochlin,  was  the  mother  of  this  monarch. 

Partition  of  Ireland  hetween  CoNN  and  EoGAN  MoR,  King  of 
Munster,  who  teas  also  called  MOGH  Nuadath. 

This  was  that  Conn  from  whom  Mogh  Nuadath,  having  van- 
quished him  in  ten  battles,  wrested  the  one  half  of  Ireland.  Sida, 
daughter  of  Flann,  son  of  Fiacra,  one  of  the  Ernaans  of  Munster, 
was  the  mother  of  Mogh  Nuadath. 

The  contest  between  these  kings  originated  in  the  following 
manner:  The  Ernaans,  of  the  posterity  of  Fiacaidh  Fer-mara, 
of  the  race  of  Erimhon,  had  gained  supremacy,  in  Munster,  over 
the  race  of  Eber  Finn  ;  so  that  three  chieftains  of  that  tribe  now 
held  the  sovereignty  of  all  ]\[unster  between  them.  Their  names 
were  Lugaidh  Ellathach,  Dari  Dornmar,  and  Aeugus.  But, 
when  Mogh  Nuadath  saw  that  the  supremacy  of  his  native  prin- 
cipality had  been  thus  usurped  by  the  race  of  Erimhon,  he  pro- 
ceeded to  Leinster,  where  he  had  been  fostered  by  Dari  Barrach, 
son  of  Cathaeir  Mor,  aiul  there  he  procured  from  his  foster- 
father  a  numerous  auxiliary  force,  wherewith  to  recover  the 
kingdom  of  Munster,  which  was  his  birth-right.  He  then  began 
by  marching  into  Ui  Liathain,  in  the  south  of  ^Munster,  where 
that  Acngus,  above  mentioned,  had  established  his  sway.  Him 
!Mogh  Nuadath  vanquislied  and  expelled  from  that  country,  so 
that  he  was  forced  to  betake  himself  straightway  to  supplicate 
assistance  from  Conn,  who  gave  him  five  catha  {caliaf  (battalions 
or  legions),  that  is,  fifteen  thousand  fighting  men.  AVitli  these 
Aengus  marched  upon  theterritory  of  Liathan,^^  and  there,  upon 
the  height  of  Ard-Nomidh,^^  he  was  met  by  Mogh  Nuadath,  who 
routed  him  a  second  time,  Avith  great  slaughter  of  his  followers. 

^  Tihradi.    The    Annals   of  Clon-  insr  to  hold  ths  Convention   of  Tara ; 

macnoise    inform   us,  that  when    this  and  that  he,  profiting   I)y  their  suggesr- 

prince  had  vanquished  his  enemies,  he  tion,  surprised  and  murdered  tlie  mon- 

reigned   quietly  and    prosperously   for  areh  on  Tuesday,  the  20tli  of  October, 

twenty  years  ;  but   that  then  liis  own  A.  T).  172  (correctly  173). 
brothers,   Eocaidh  Finn  and  Fiacaidh        ^  Catha.     Tlie  regular   Irish   Oath 

Suighdi,  sent  a  private  message  to  Ti-  consisted  of  3,000  fighting  men. 
bradi.  king  of  Ulster,  to  come  and  at-        '^  Liathmi.     Barrymore,  co.  Cork, 
tack  him  unawares,  as  he  was  propar-        ^  Ard-Nemidh,  or  Nemed's  Height, 


310  •  THE   HISTORY   OF  IRELAND. 

After  tliis  victory,  ^fogli  Kiiadath  expelled  from  Mnnster  all 
of  the  Ernaans  that  refused  to  do  him  homage.  From  these 
events,  a  great  war  broke  out  between  Comi  and  the  Munster 
prince,  in  which  the  former  was  defeated  in  ten  battles,™  such  as 
the  battle  of  Brosnach,  the  battle  of  Sampait,"  the  battle  of  Gri- 
an,"  the  battle  of  Atli-luain,"  the  battle  of  Magh-Atha-Crioch,'^^ 
where  Fiacaidh  Righ-fada,  son  of  Feidlimidh  Rectmar,  was  slain, 
the  battle  of  Asal,"  the  battle  of  Uisnech,^®  &c.  This  war  then 
lasted  ever  until  Mogh  Nuadath  had  forced  Conn  to  yield  up 
one-half  of  Ireland  to  himself.  All  of  Ireland  that  lies  south  of 
Ath-cliath  and  Galimh  (i.  e.  Dublin  and  Galway,  with  the  Eskir 
Riada  for  its  boundary)  was  ceded  to  Mogh ;  and  the  name  which 
that  half  got  was  Leth-Mogha  {Láh-Moiva),  i.  e.  ikfogh's  Half, 
or  Letli  Eoghain  {Ldh-owin),  from  Eogan,  who  was  called  Mogh 
Nuadath.  The  northern  half  was  called  Leth-Cuinn"  (ZaA- 
Quinn),  from  Conn  Kc-d-Cathach.  It  is  in  reference  to  this  par- 
tition, that  the  bard  speaks  in  the  following  verse : 

"  Great  Eogan,  fortune-favored  chief, 
Soars  high  as  Conn  of  the  Hundred  Fights — 
These  heroes  twain,  of  glory  bright,  ^ 

Between  them  share  green  Eri's  land." 

Another  reason,  also,  is  given  for  Eogan's  having  succeeded 
in  wresting  the  half  of  Ireland  from  Conn.  They  say  that  a 
great  famine,  which  lasted  for  seven  years,  came  upon  Ireland 
during  the  reign  of  Conn,  and  tliat,  long  before  the  time  of 
scarcity  had  arrived,  one  of  the  druids  of  Mogh  had  forewarned 
him  of  the  calamity  that  was  impending  over  the  whole  nation. 

now  Great  Island,  on  which  is  situated  the  king  of  Spain's  son,  and  a  great 

the  Cove  of  Cork.  army  of  Spaniards,  picked  occasion  to 

'°  Battles.  Brosmach,  the  river  Bros-  quarrel  and  full  out   with  the  king,  for 

na,  in  Eli.  the  customs  and  shippings  of  Dub- 

''  Sampait,  unknown.  lin,    alleging    that    there  came    more 

"  Grian,  possibly  Enoc-Greni  [Knock-  ships  of  King  Conn's  side  tlian  of  his 

Grainc),  i.  e.  the  Hill  of  the  Sun,  over  side,  and  that  he  would  have  the  cus- 

Pallasgrean,   barony  of  Coonagh,   co.  toms  in  conmion  between  them  ;  where- 

Limeri'ck.  upon    they    were    incensed    mightily 

"  Ath-Luain,  i.  e.  the  Ford  of  the  against  each  other,  and  met  with    the 

Moon,  now  called  Atlilono.  two  great  armies,  at  the   i)lains  and 

"  Mugli-Alha-Cnuch,unknov,-n  to  the  Iloatli  of  Moylina,    in  the  territory  of 

e(3it(,r.  Fercall,    wlicre  tlu!    armies    of  Owen 

"■  Asal,  a  plain  near  Croom,  County  were  defeated   and  himself  and  FregiLS 

Limerick.  (Fraech)the  king  of  Spain's  son,  slain, 

'"   Uisncch,  in  Mcath.  and   buried  in  two  little  hillocks,   now 

"  Leth-Cu'mn  and  Leth-Mo^hn.  "  This  to  be  seen  at  the  said  plain,  wliich  are, 

division  of  Ireland   stood   for  one  year  fus  some  say,  the   tombs   of  the  said 

after,  until  Owen  More,  alms  Moynold,  Owen  and  Frogus." — Annals  of  Clem- 

being  well  aided  by  his  brother-in-law,  nacnoisc. 


THE   HISTORY  OF   IRELAND.  311 

Eogan,  upon  liearing  it,  determined  to  make  preparation  to  meet 
the  approacliing  season  of  want ;  and,  for  that  purpose,  he  made 
use  of  venison  and  fish  as  his  principal  articles  of  immediate  con- 
sumption as  food,  while  ho  stored  up  his  corn.  Besides  this,  he 
expended  upon  corn  all  the  rents  and  tributes  that  he  received. 
He  thus  succeeded  in  filling  up  his  granaries.  Then,  when  the 
season  of  want  had  come,  numbers  of  the  people  of  Ireland  had 
come  to  him  from  all  sides,  who  submitted  themselves  to  Eogan, 
and  covenanted  to  pay  him  rents  and  tributes,  as  a  compensation 
for  their  support  during  the  time  the  famine  lasted.  So  we  read 
in  the  duan  beginning  with  the  line,  "  Great  Eogan,  fortune- 
favored  chief,"  which  speaks  as  follows : 

"  Eogan  excelled  the  warlike  Conn 
Not  by  the  battles  he  had  fought — 
More  food  the  darmg  Eogan  owned, 
More  ships  and  herds  and  neighing  steeds. 

A  fearful  famine  smote  the  land,  . 
Though  luck  it  brought  to  glorious  Eogan, 
And  men  were  known  to  eat  their  kind 
In  awe-struck  Eri's  dreary  dwellings. 

And  when  folk  knew  the  plenteous  store 
Of  corn  and  meat  that  chief  had  hoarded, 
They  bound  themselves  in  vassal  thrall 
'Keath  Eogan's  sway  for  sustenance." 

Mogh  Nuadath  was  known  by  four  names,^^  to  wit,  Eogan,  or 
Eoghan  Fidh-Fetach  {Owen  Fee-fcvjtagh)^  Eoghan  Mor  {Otven 
More),  Eoghan  Taighlech  or  Taidhiech  {Owen  Toylagh),  and 
Mogh  or  Modh  Nuadhat  {Moio  Nooaih) ;  as  the  bard  tells  us  in 
this  verse : 

"  By  four  auspicious  names  he  is  known — 
We  call  him  Eogan  Mor,  the  bounteous. 
And  Eogan  Fidh-fetach,  far-famed, 
Eogan  Taiglech  and  !Mogh  Nuadath." 

Now,  if  you  would  learn  the  cause  of  each  of  the  surnames 
enumerated  in  the  above  verse,  jon  may  read  the  Coir  Anmann 
(Etymology  of  Names),  and  you  will  find  them  explained 
therein. 

Bera,  daughter  of  Eber  Mor,  son  of  Midna,  king  of  Castile, 
was  the  wife  of  Eogan  Mor ;  and  she  bore  him  a  son  and  two 

"'  Names.    This  king  of  Munster  is  or  "  taidlech,"  is  interpreted  splendid. 

most  generally  called  ^Mogh  Nuadath  The  exact  meaning  of  "  Fid-fetach"  the 

(said  to  mean  the  sf?-o)i^  icorkman),  in  editor  has  no  means  by  him  of  ascer- 

order  to  distinguish  him  from  his  grand-  taining,  and  he  is  unwilling  to  hazard 

son,  Eoghan  Mor,  or  the  Great,  son  of  any  guess  of  his  own  on  the  word. 
Olild  Olum.    The  epithet  "  taighlech," 


312 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


daughters.  Olild  Olum  was  the  name  of  that  son,  and  Sgoth- 
niamh  {Skohnemv)  and  Cainnell  were  those  of  the  two  daugh- 
ters :  here  is  a  quotation  from  a  Shannachie  in  record  of  that 
fact: 

"  Bera,  mighty  Eber's  child, 
AVas  Olild  Olum's  mother, 
And  mother  of  two  damsels  fair, 
His  sisters,  Cainnell  and  Sgothniamh."" 

And,  furthermore,  according  to  some  historians,  it  was  by 
Conn  of  the  Hundred  Battles,  who  made  an  attack  upon  him  be- 
fore dawn,  that  Eogan  Mor  was  treacherously  slain  in  his  bed, 
as  they  Avere  on  the  point  of  engaging  each  other  in  buttle  upon 
the  plain  of  Magh-Lena*"  {Moy-Layna). 

This  monarch  Avas  called  Conn  Ked-Cathach,  Conn  of  the 
Hundred  Battles,  from  the  hundreds  of  battles'*  which  he  fought 


"  Cainnell  and  Sgoihniamli.  The 
first  of  these  names  means  to7xh  or  light  ; 
the  second  is  compounded  of  Sgoth,  a 
fiower,  and  Niamh,  splendor. 

"  Magh  Lena  lay  in  the  territory 
of  Fera-Ceal,  in  the  present  Kings 
Comity,  which  comprised  the  modern 
baronies  of  Fircall,  Ballycowan  and 
Ballyboy.  O'Mulloy  was  its  chief.  The 
evening  before  this  battle.  Conn  ob- 
served to  his  council  of  war,  that  Eo- 
gan's  army  was  superior  to  his  own  in 
numbers  and  discipline,  consisting  of 
27,000  Gaelic  warriors,  2,000  Spani- 
ards, and  1,000  other  foreigners  ;  and, 
therefore,  he  determined  to  attack  his 
enemy  that  very  night,  or  before  light 
next  morning.  To  this  all  his  chiefs 
agreed,  except  Goll  Mac  Morna  (Mac- 
pherson's  Gaul),  the  Fer-Bolg  chief- 
tain of  the  Fiann  or  militia  of  Con- 
naught,  who  rose  and  said  :  "  On  the 
day  that  my  first  arms  were  put  into 
my  hands,  I  swore  never  to  attack  an 
enemy  at  night,  by  surprise,  or  at  any 
disadvantage.  To  this  day  I  have  re- 
ligiously adhered  to  that  promise,  and 
shall  not  break  it  now."  The  attack 
was  then  made  without  him.  The 
Munstcr  men,  though  surprised,  fought 
bravely,  and  Eogan  and  liis  Spanish 
cousin  Fraech  dealt  death  on  every 
side.  Conn  is  losing  the  fight ;  but,  as 
it  is  now  day,  and  lie  calls  upon  Goll 
with  his  Fianna  to  attack  the  king  of 


Lcth-Mogha  The  latter,  now  exhaust- 
ed by  wounds,  soon  falls  under  the 
sword  of  the  chief  of  the  Fiann,  as  does 
also  the  Spaniard  Fraech.  GoH's  war- 
riors, upon  this,  raised  the  body  of 
Eogan,  i)ierccd  with  wounds,  upon 
their  shields,  and  exposed  it  in  triumph 
to  the  contending  armies.  ]5ut  Gol! 
saw  it,  and  said  :  "  Lay  down  the  body 
of  Munster's  king,  for  he  died  as  a 
hero  should."  The  defeat  and  death  ol" 
Eogan  did  not  destroy  the  treaty  of 
partition  made  between  him  and  Conn. 
With  the  single  exception  of  his  suc- 
cessor, the  Ithian  Mac-niadh,  the  lineal 
descendants  of  this  Eberian  prince 
reigned  uninterruptedly  over  L(>th  Mo- 
gha  for  more  than  a  thousand  years 
after  his  fall.  We  are  told  that  Eo- 
gan's  children,  being  minors,  the  Mun- 
stcr clans  elected  Mac-niadh  as  their 
king,  and  prepared  to  renew  the  war  ; 
but  that  Conn  made  a  peace  with  the 
latter  chief,  confirming  the  previous 
partition,  and  giving  him  his  daughter 
Sadb  in  marriage. — See  O'Halloraivs 
Ilistori/  if  Ireland. 

"'  C'onn  reigned  over  Ireland  for 
thirty-five  years,  according  to  the  Four 
Masters,  while  Keating  and  others  al- 
low him  but  a  reign  of  tw(nity.  This 
discrepancy  may  be  explained  on  tlie 
snp])(»si(ion  that  some  of  our  annalists 
did  not  consider  him  as  full  monarch 
until  after  the  death  of  his  rival,  Eogaa 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  813 

against  the  pentarchs  or  provincial  kings  of  Ireland,  as  tlie  bard 
explains  in  the  following  verse : 

"  One  hundred  fights  in  Mumha  wide 
Conn  Ked-Cathach  the  just  had  fought, 
One  hundred  'gainst  the  Ulta  brave, 
And  sixty  fights  'gainst  Laighen's  sons." 

CONARI,   ARD-RIGH. 

A.  D.  145."  Conari,  son  of  Mogh  Lamha,  son  of  Lugaidh 
Ellathiich,  son  of  Carbri  Crom-kenn,  son  of  Dari  Dornmar,  son 
of  Carbri  Fimibar,  son  of  Conari  Mor,  son  of  Edirsgél  of  the 
line  of  Erirahon,  held  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland  for  seven  years, 
when  he  fell  by  the  hand  of  Nemedh,  son  of  Sruib-kenn, 
Ethni,  daughter  of  Lugaidh,  son  of  Dari,  was  the  mother  of  this 
monarch. 

Of  the  descendants  of  this  Conari,  are  the  Dal  Eiada  {Daul 
Reeada)  of  Alba  or  Scotland,  the  Basgnigh"  from  Leim-Con- 
culainu  {Laim  Concullin)^  and  the  Musgraide  {Moosgree\  as  the 
bard  says  in  the  following  verse : 

"  The  Alban  Gaels,  of  Eiada's  line, 
The  Basgnigh  bold  from  Leim  Conciilainn, 
And  Musgraide  whom  reproach  ne'er  reached. 
Are  sprung  from  comeliest  Conari  [Conner  le)" 

ART  AELNFER,    ARD-RIGH. 

A.  D.  152/*  Art  Aeinfer*'  {Eenar\  son  of  Conn  Ked-Cathach, 
son  of  ieidhmidh  Eectmar,  son  of  Tuathal  Tectmar,  of  the  line  of 

•■-  A,  D.  158. — Four  Masters,  Conari  them  descend  from  one  of  the  O'Don- 

il,  nells  of  the  Kinel-Conaill,  planted  in 

"  Basgnigh.    This  celebrated  tribe  Munster  during  Cromwell's  days.    The 

inhabited  the  territories  now  known  as  great  objection  to  this  is,  tliat  the  race 

the  baronies  of  Moyarla  and  Clouder-  of  any  such  northern   O'Dounell  has 

law,  in  the  county  of  Clare.    After  the  not  had  time  since  then  to  have  become 

establishment  of  surnames,  the  chief  so  extremely  numerous  as  the  O'Don- 

iamilies  of  them  took  the  names  of  nells  now  are  in  those  counties.     Dr. 

O'Baiskinn  and  O'Domhnaill  or  O'Don-  O'Brien  will  have  it  that  the  O'Don- 

nell.     On  the  increasing  power  of  the  nells  of  Corcobaskin  are  of  the  same 

Dalcassians,  the   Clan  of  Mac  Math-  stock  as  the  Mac  Mahons,  they  being, 

ghamhna  (Mac  Mahon,  descended  from  according  to  him,  descended  from  the 

Murkertach  Mor  O'Briain,  king  of  Ire-  eldestson  of  King  Murkertach,  Domnall 

land)    became  chiefs  of  this  country,  O'Briain,  whose  eyes  had  been  put  out 

and  reduced  the  race  of  king  Conari  to  by  his  unnatural  uncle,  Diarmaid,  suc- 

comparative  insignificance.— &c  Notes  cessor  of  Murkertach,  as  thief  of  the 

to  Leabhcrna  g-Ceart.   TheO'Donnells  Dalcassians,  and  founder  of  the  family 

and  Mac  Donnells,  still  so  numerous  in  of  O'Brien.     Conari  had  reigned  eight 

the  counties  of  Clare,  Limerick    and  years,  according  to  the  Four  Masters, 

Tipperary,  are  most  probably  the  rep-  when  he  fell  by  the  sou  of  Sruibhgheann. 

resentatives  of  this  ancient  and  warlike  "  A.  D.  IGG.—Four  Masters. 

tribe ;  though  some  would  fain  make  ^  Art  III. 


314  THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 

Erimlión,  held  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland  for  thirty  years.  His 
wife  was  Mcdb  Lcthderg  {Mive  or  Maive  Lahyarg),  daugliter  of 
Conan  of  Cualann,  and  from  her  is  called  Eath-Meidbi  (Rauh- 
Meivie),  close  by  Temhair.  The  reason  why  he  was  called  Art 
Aeinfer  {Eenar),  i.  e.  Ai-t  the  Solitary,  was  because  he  was  the 
only  one  of  his  father's  sons  that  survived ;  for  his  two  brothers, 
Conla  and  Crinna,  were  slain  by  Eocaidh  Finn,  the  brother  of 
Conn,  Conn,  indeed,  had  two  brothers,  namely,  this  Eocaidh 
Finn,  and  Fiachaidh  Suighdi,  and  it  was  by  their  hands  that 
those  two  brothers  of  Art  fell,  in  testimony  of  which  the  follow- 
ing two  versos  have  been  recorded  in  our  history : 

"  The  brothers  of  the  royal  Conn 
Were  Eocaidh  Finn  and  Fiacaidh  Suighdi, 
Who  Conla  slew  and  Crinna  brave, 
Conn's  comely  sons,  their  youthful  nephews. 

Thence  Art  abhorred  proud  Eocaidh  Finn, 
Ilcmcmberin.!i  well  his  slaughtered  brothers. 
And  called  himself  the  Lonely  Art, 
Bereft  thus  of  those  kindly  princes." 

Conn,  indeed,  had  six  children  in  all,  namely,  Art  Aeinfer, 
Conla,  Crinna,  Maein,  Saradh  and  Sadb  {Sara  and  /Soive)-  as  is 
read  in  the  duan,  which  begins  with  this  rann  down  here : 

"  The  names  I  know  of  Coini's  six  children, 
Macin,  Saradh,  8adh,  Sil-Eohiim's  mother, 
And  the  heroes  fair  and  brij,'ht  of  feature 
Conla,  Crinna,  with  Art  the  Lonely." 

As  we  have  just  said,  Conla  and  Crinna  were  slain  by  Eocaidh 
Finn  and  Fiacaidh  Suighdi,**  Saradh  was  married  to  Conari, 
son  of  Mogh  Lamha,  to  whom  she  bore  the  three  Carbris, 
namely,  Carbri  Eiada,  Carbri  Baschaein  (BosJceen),  and  Carbri 
Musg.  And  it  was  the  posterity  of  Carbri  Riada  that  went  to 
Alba  (Scotland),  and  it  is  they  that  arc  called  the  Dal-Riada.  For, 

^  Eocaidh FinnnndFiacaldhSuighdi.  ferity  Fotliarta,  from  Eocaidh's  name. 
When  Art  succeeded  Conari  as  mon-  Of  these  the  two  principal  were  the 
arch  of  Ireland,  he  banished  his  uncle  barony  Forth,  in  Carlow,  and  the  bar- 
Eocaidh  Finn  Fothart  and  his  sons  ony  Forth,  in  Wexford ;  and  some 
from  Meath,  because  tlicy  had  assassi-  others  [hercloforc  mentioned).  Li  all 
nated  his  brothers,  Connla  and  Crinna,  tlie.se  his  race  became  extinct  or  ob- 
and  had  betrayed  his  fatlicr  to  the  scurc  at  an  early  period,  except  in  the 
Ulstermen.  Eocaidh  bein^i  married  Forliia-ta  Fea,  in  Carlow,  where 
to  Uchdelbha  [Ufr/idclvii),  tlie  grand-  O'Xolan,  his  descendant,  retained  con- 
daughter  of  Cathaeir  M(;r,  proceeded  sick'rable  possessions  till  the  sevcn- 
into  Leinster,  and  the  king  of  that  teentii  century. — O'D.  Fiacaidh,  the 
province  bestowed  upon  him  and  his  otlier  brother  of  Conn,  was  the  ancestor 
sons  certain  districts  called  by  pos-  of  the  celebrated  tribes  of  the  Dcsics, 


THE   HISTORY   OF  IRELAND.  315 

Eocaidh  Munrcmar,  one  of  the  descendants  of  Carbri  Riada,  Lad 
two  sons,  named  Erca  and  Eolcu.  From  Erca  has  sprung  the 
Dal  Riada  of  Alba ;  the  Dal-Riada  of  Uladh,  who  are  also  called 
the  Rutach,"  and  are  the  progeny  of  Eolcu. 

Sadb  (Sadhbh,  Soive),  her  sister,  the  above-named  daughter 
of  Conn,  was  married  to  Mac-niadh,  son  of  Lugaidh,  a  des- 
cendant of  Lugaidh  son  of  Ith ;  and  she  bore  him  a  son  named 
Lugaidh,  who  was  also  styled  IMac-Con.  Then,  after  the  death 
of  Mac-Niadh,  she  was  married  to  Olild  Olum,  to  whom  she 
bore  nine  sons,  seven  of  whom  fell  in  the  battle  of  Magh 
Mocrumhi  {Jifoy  Moclcnvvie),  as  Olild  Olum  himself  has  told  us 
in  the  following  verse  : 

"  Mac-Con  has  slain  my  seven  sons, 
How  sad  my  bitter,  piercing  wail ! 
Eogan,  Dubmercon,  and  Mogh-Corb, 
Lugaidh,  Eocaidh,  Dithorba,  Tadg  !" 

Cormac  Gas  and  Kian  (Keean)  were  the  names  of  the  two 
sons  of  Olild  Olum,  that  returned  from  the  battle  of  Magh 
Mocrumhi. 

Now,  although  Olild  Olum  had  nineteen  sons  in  all,  to  wit, 
nine  by  Sadb,  daughter  of  Conn,  and  ten  by  other  women, 
nevertheless,  none  of  them  left  any  posterity  after  them,  except 
three,  as  the  bard  informs  tis  in  the  following  verse : 

"  Nineteen  fleet  sons  that  chieftain  had 
(The  beauteous  Olild  Olum), 
Of  them,  the  clans  of  three  survive, 
From  whom  have  sprung  our  free-born  races."^ 

Children  of  Sadb,  daughter  of  Conn,  were  those  three  who 
have  left  issue.  The  first  of  them  was  Eogan  Mor,  son  of  Olild 
Olum,  who  fell  in  the  battle  of  Magh  Mocrumhi,  by  the  hand 
of  Búinni  Brit,  son  of  the  king  of  Britain.  And  the  son  of 
Eogan  was  Fiacaidh  IMul-lethan,  from  Avhom  have  sprung  the 
clan  of  Carthach  (MacCartliy),  the  races  of  Sulliban  (O'Sul- 
livan,)  of  Caemh  (O'Keeffe),  and  of  Kellachan  (O'Calla- 
ghan),  with  their  kindred  branches;  and  Munca,  daughter 
of  Dil,  son  of    Da-Crega,  the   druid,  was  the    mother  of  this 

'"  Rutach,  i.  e.  the  "Routi,  in  Antrim,  prince,  to  have  established  the  suprem- 

is  said  to  be  a  corruption  of  Dal-Riada.  acy  of  his  race  upon  such  solid  founda- 

*  Free-horn  races.      Olild-Olum  was  tions  in  times  of  such  extreme  con\iiI- 

the   founder  of  the  Eberian   sway  in  siou  ;  for  his  dynasty  continued  to  rule 

Munster,  and  from  him  sprung  all  the  the  south  of  Ireland,  in  spite  of  intes- 

clans  that,  thenceforth,  were  able  to  lay  tine  and  external  wars,  from  his  own 

claim  to    its    sovereignty.     He  must  time  down  to  the  English  invasion, 
have  been  both  a  great  and  an  able 


316  THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND, 

chief;  and  Ath-Isel,"  on  the  Siuir,  was  the  place  where  he 
was  born ;  and  he  was  called  "  Fiacaidh  Fer-da-liach"  {Feegha 
Fer-daw-leeagJi),  i.  e.  Fiacaidh  of  the  two  doleful  tales,  for 
woeful  were  the  two  accidents  that  befel  him,  namely :  the 
killing  of  his  father  on  the  field  of  Mocrumhi,  shortly  after  his 
mother  had  conceived  him,  and  the  death  of  his  mother,  who 
expired  immediately  after  giving  him  birth.  Thence  it  was  that 
the  name,  Fiacaidh  Fcr-da-liacli,  continued  to  be  applied  to  him. 
Olild  Olum  speaks  thus  upon  this  subject,  as  we  read  in  the 
Catli  Muighe  Mocrumhi  {Cah  Moye  Mocruvie),  i.  e.  the  battle  of 
Magh  Mocrumhi: 

"  Two  woes  to  th  ee  death  wrought — 
At  once  came  two  dire  wails — 
Thy  sire  and  mother,  both 
To  thee  have  caused  great  dole. 

Thy  sire  and  mother  both — 
Thy  greatness  in  the  bud — 
The  man  was  slain  in  fight, 
The  dame  died  in  thy  birth." 

He  was  also  surnamed  Maeil-lcthan ;  because,  when  the  time 
of  his  birth  had  arrived,  her  father,  the  druid,  had  told  Munca 
that  her  child  should  become  a  king  if  his  birth  were  delayed 
for  twenty-four  hours ;  but  that  he  should  become  nothing  more 
than  a  druid,  if  born  within  that  time.  ''Then,"  said  ]S[unca, 
"in  hopes  that  my  child  may  yet  become  a  king,  he  shall  not 
be  born  for  these  twenty-four  hours,  unless  he  pass  through  my 
side."  She  then  went  into  a  ford  upon  the  river  Siuir,  that 
flowed  by  her  father's  dwelling,  and  there  she  remained  station- 
ary, seated  upon  a  stone.  And  when  the  auspicious  hour  had 
arrived,  she  came  foith  out  of  the  river,  gave  birth  to  her  sou,  and 
then  died  immediately  upon  the  spot.  It  was  that  son,  theUj 
that  was  named  Fiacaidh  Maeil-lethan ;  and  he  was  so  desig- 
nated because  the  crown  of  his  head  (Mullach)  was  made  broad 
(lethan)  by  tlie  obstruction  which  his  mother  had  given  to  his 
birth,  by  remaining  sitting  in  the  ford.  Thus,  the  term  "  ^Maeil- 
lethan"""  {Mucel-láhán),  i.  e.  broad-head,  has  remained  attached 
to  his  name. 

The  second  son  of  Olild  Olum,  that  left  a  progeny  after  him, 
was  Cormae  Cas,  fi-om  whom  have  sprung  the  Dal-g-Cais  {Daul- 
gash),  the  Siol-Acdha  {Sheel  Aya),  that  is,  the  clan  of  Mac  Con- 

**  Ath-Isel,    now    Athassel,   on    the  ready   animadverted   upon.     As   if   a 

river  Suir,  still  famous  for  its  ruined  man  could  not  liave  a  broad  or  a  large 

abbey.  hi'ad,  witiiout  assigning  an  inipossibla 

^  Maeil-htlian.   This  ridiculous  story  reason  therefor, 
is  on  a  par  with  the  many  others  al- 


THE    HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  317 

mara  (MacNamara),  and  the  Siol-g-Clannchadha  {Sheel-Glan- 
ghiLce)  (Mac  Clancliy).  And  it  was  to  this  Cormac  that  Olild 
Glum  had  left  tlic  heirship  of  Munster,  before  he  learned  that 
Fiacaidli  Maeil-lcthan  had  been  born  to  Eogau  Mor ;  but,  when 
he  had  heard  of  this,  tlie  arrangement  he  made  was,  to  leave  the 
succession  to  his  kingdom,  inmiediately  after  his  own  death,  to 
Oormac  Cas,  during  that  prince's  lifetime,  decreeing  that  the 
royal  power  should  be  possessed  by  Fiacaidh  Maeil-lethan  next 
after  the  death  of  Cormac,  and  that  the  kingdom  should  con- 
tinue to  be  inherited,  for  ever,  thus  alternately,  during  each 
successive  reign,  by  the  descendants  of  Cormac  Cas,  and  of 
Fiacaidh  Maeildethan.  For  some  generations,  the  kingdom  of 
Munster  was  inherited  according  to  this  arrangement. 

The  third  son  of  Olild  Olum,  who  left  a  progeny  after  him, 
was  Kian ;  and  of  his  posterity  are  the  clans  of  O'Kerbhail  (i.  e. 
O'Carroll),  O'Meachair  (i.  e.  O'Meagher),  Oh-Eadhra  (i.  e.  O'llara), 
O'Gadhra  (i.  e.  O'Gara  or  Guiry)  O'Cathasaigh  (i.  e.  O'Case^^), 
and  O'Conchabhair  of  Kiannacht  (i.  e.  O'Connor  of  Keenaght  in 
Ulster.) 

Olild  Olum,  who  had  a  reign  of  sixty  years,  is  the  first  king 
of  the  line  of  Eber,  who  is  named  in  the  Royal  Roll  (Reim  Righ- 
raidhe),  as  having  ruled  the  two  provinces  or  pentarchates  of 
Munster  ;  for,  previous  to  the  banishment  of  Mac-Con  by  Olild, 
the  sovereignty  of  Munster  was  possessed  by  two  races,  namely : 
the  tribe  of  Darini,  of  the  line  of  Lugaidh,  son  of  Ith,  from 
which  sprang  Mac-Con  ;  and  the  tribe  of  Dergthini,  of  the  blood 
of  Eber,  of  which  came  Olild  Olum.  And,  whenever  the  sover- 
eignty of  Munster  was  possessed  by  the  tribe  of  Darini,  the 
brehonship  and  tanistship  was  held  by  the  tribe  of  Dergthini ; 
and,  again,  Avhen  the  kingly  power  was  in  the  hands  of  the  line 
of  Dergthini,  the  tanistship  and  brehonship  was  the  right  of  the 
former  race.  Thus  it  continued  until  Mac-Con's  ainbition^^ 
soared  beyond  the  brehonship  of  Olild  Olum.     For  this  was  he 

"'  Mac-Con's  amhition.  In  the  twenty-  Riada,  son  of  Conari  11.,  in  revenge 
first  year  of  the  reign  of  Art  III.,  "  the  for  his  own  father.  Carbri  Musg  wound- 
battle  of  Kennfebrat  {Kcnfewrat,  now  ed  Lugaidh,  i.  e.  Mac-Cou,  in  the  thigh, 
part  of  Sliabh  Iliach,  near  Kilmallock)  so  that  he  was  ever  afterwards  lame." 
was  fought  by  the  sons  of  Olild  and  the  — See  Four  Masters.  After  this  defeat 
three  Carbris,  i.e.  Carbri  Muse,  Carbri  ^lac-Con  and  his  party  applied  for  pro- 
Riada,  and  Carbri  Bascaein,  against  tection  to  the  monarch  Art,  but  finding 
Dadera  the  Druid,  Nemedh,  son  of  none,  he  fled  from  the  kingdom,  accom- 
Sroib-kenn,  and  the  south  of  Ireland ;  panied  by  Lugaidh  Laga,  the  brother 
where  fell  Nemedh,  son  of  Sroibkenn,  of  Olild  Olum,  who  was  displeased  at 
king  of  the  Ernai  of  Munster,  and  the  friendship  that  existed  between  the 
Dadera,  the  Druid  of  the  Darini.  Dad-  latter  and  Art  Acinfer,  who  liad  caus- 
era  was  slain  by  Eogan,  son  of  Olild  ;  etl  the  death  of  Mogh  Nuadath,  their 
Nemedh,  son  of  Sroib-kenn,  by  Carbri  father. 


318  -  THE  HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 

driven  out  of  the  country,  and  forced  to  spend  some  time  in 
exile.  During  his  banishment  he  made  himself  allies  and 
friends,  so  that  he  was  enabled  to  return  to  Ireland,  accompanied 
by  Beinni  Brit,  sou  of  the  king  of  Great  Britain,  and  backed  by 
a  great  force  of  foreigners.  With  these  he  challenged  Art 
Aeinfer,  king  of  Ireland,  to  a  battle,  in  revenge  for  his  suppo'it 
of  Olild  Olum.  Upon  this,  bo.th  parties  having  mustered  their 
forces,  they  prepared  to  contend  in  battle  upon  the  plain  of 
Mocrumhi,  whither  Art  led  his  entire  host,  and  whither,  also, 
came  the  nine  sons  of  Olild  Olum,  followed  by  the  seven  legions 
(i.  e,  caths)  of  Munster,  as  auxiliaries  to  Art,  while  Mac-Con, 
with  his  foreigners,  stood  opposed  to  them  in  hostile  array.  The 
battle  of  Magh  Mocrumhi  was  then  fought,  and,  in  it.  Art  and 
his  forces  were  completely  routed.  There,  also,  that  king  him- 
self was  slain,  by  the  hand  of  tlie  stout  champion,  Lugaidh  Laga, 
son  of  Eogan  Taighlech,  and  brother  of  Olild  Olild,  for  that 
waiTÍor  fought  on  the  side  of  Mac-Con.  Seven  of  the  sons  of 
Olild  Olum  likewise  fell  upon  that  field. 

Olild  Olum  had  been  first  named  Aengus.  The  cause  of  his 
being  called  Olild  Olum  arose  from  the  result  of  a  criminal 
intercourse  which  he  had  with  Aini,  daughter  of  Ogamhal;  for, 
as  this  damsel  lay  by  Olild's  side,  his  unwilling  mistress,  she 
completely  bit  oif  one  of  his  ears  from  his  head,  in  vengeance 
both  for  the  violence  to  which  he  had  subjected  herself,  and  for 
his  having  slain  her  father  shortly  before.  Thence  he  was  called 
Olild  Olum,"^  which  means,  Olild  of  the  Bare  Ear ;  the  latter 
word  being  derived  from  "o,"  an  ear,  and  **lom,"  hare:  and  the 
cause  why  he  was  named  Olild"  (otherwise  sjoelt,  Oilioll) — which 
is  the  same  as  "oil,  oil,"  that  i?,,  great  blemish — was  by  reason 

^  Olum.  Dr.  O'Connor  considers  must  Lave  bitten  off  the  ear  of  liis 
this  word  to  mean  the  same  thing  as  fourth  ancestor,  Corb  Olum,  or  Dcrg- 
"  oUamli,"  i.  e.  a  learned  sage  or  doctor,  thcini,  likewise,  which,  however  sala- 
But  Dr.  O'Donovan  informs  us  that  it  cious  the  tribe  may  have  been,  is  ex- 
is  always  written  "  olum"  by  our  anti-  cecdiiigly  improbable.  This  fact  must 
quarics,  and  understood  to  mean  of  the  go  far  to  prove,  that  tlie  surname 
bare  ear,  thus  tacitly  admitting  the  "  Olum"'  was  hereditary.  Can  we  be- 
truth  of  the  horrible  and  disgusting  lievo  that  the  misfortune  of  having  an 
story  told  above.  The  word,  however,  ear  bitten  oil"  was  so  likewise? 
with  all  due  deference  to  Dr.  O'Dono-  ^  Olild.  AVhatcver  ground  there  be 
van,  is  sometimes  written  "colum,"  for  believing  that  "  Olum"  means  hare 
which,  coming  from  "  eol,"  knowledge,  car,  there  can  be  none  for  thinking  that 
may  well  mean  sage,  and  Dr.  O'Connor  this  name  Olild  was  applied  to  the 
be  right  after  all.  There  is  also  strong  Munster  king,  as  a  dishonoring  epithet, 
presumptive  evidence  that  "  Olum,"  or  It  was  then  already  grown  old  as  a 
"  Eolum,"  whatever  it  means,  was  not  projicr  name  amongst  the  Gaels.  It 
acquired  by  Olild  alone,  amongst  his  had  In-en  borne  by  numberless  chieftaina 
family.  If  the  Danaan  Aini  bit  off  his  and  warriors,  and  by  three  Irish  mon- 
ear,  some  other  fair  Danaan  or  Belgian  archs,  and   several    provincial  king^ 


THE  HISTORY  OF   IRELAND.  319 

of  three  great  personal  blemishes  with  which  he  h(id  met,  and 
which  stuck  to  him  to  the  day  of  his  death ;  for  he  was  bare 
of  an  ear,  he  had  black  teeth,  and  his  breath  Avas  foul.  These 
blemishes  were  brouglit  upon  him  in  the  following  manner : 
immediately  after  losing  his  ear,  as  we  have  just  told,  through 
the  vengeance  of  Aini,  he  was  seized  witli  a  violent  fit  of  rage, 
and,  under  its  influence,  he  struck  his  spear  through  that  damsel's 
body  into  the  earth,  so  that  the  head  of  the  spear  was  dashed 
against  a  stone,  by  which  its  point  was  bent.  Olild,  thereupon, 
took  the  spear-hcad  between  his  teeth,  in  order  to  straighten  its 
point,  and  the  poison  that  was  upon  the  blade,  got  thus  into 
them,  so  that  they  became  black  all  at  once.  Thence  there  also 
arose  a  foul  odor  from  his  breath,  that  contaminated  him  to  his 
grave ;  for  he  had  broken  the  three  sacred  injunctions  (gesa), 
that  had  been  attached  to  that  spear.  These  were,  never  to 
allow  its  head  to  touch  vipon  a  stone ;  never  to  take  it  between 
the  teeth ;  and  never  to  use  it  in  slaying  a  woman.  Thus  it 
happened,  from  his  having  violated  these  thiee  sacred  injunc- 
tions, that  those  three  blemishes  above  mentioned  came  upon 
him,  and  that,  from  them,  men  called  him  Oilioll,  which  is  inter- 
preted "  oil,  oil,"  or  great  blemish.''* 

LUGAIDH   MAC-COISr,    ARD-RIGH. 

A.  D.  182.»'  Lugaidh,'*  that  is,  Mac-Con,  son  of  Mac-Niadh, 
son  of  Lugaidh,  son  of  Dari,  son  of  Fer-Ulni,  son  of  Edbolg, 
son  of  Dari,  son  of  Sithbolg,  of  the  line  of  Lugaidh,  son  of  Ith, 
son  of  Breogan,  held  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland  for  thirty  years. 
As  we  have  above  stated,  Sadb,  daughter  of  Conn  of  the  Hun- 
dred Battles,  was  the  mother  of  Mac-Con.  Lugaidh,  who  was  the 
son  of  Mac  Niadh,  was  called  by  the  nickname  of  Mac- Con,  for 

long  ages  before  Olild  Olum  was  born,  remembered  as  one  of  the  Banshees  of 

Oilioll  is  a  very  modern  way  of  spell-  Munster. 

ing  the  word  :  in  the  old  MSS.  it  is        '■"  Great  blemish.    We  have,  a  little 
found    written    Aileld,   Alild,    Oileld,  before,  seen  Olild  called  "  Olild  Alainn 
Olild,  AMI,  &c.    To  suppose  that  it  Olum,"  i.  e.   beauteous   Olild  Olum ; 
could   mean    anything   disgraceful,  is  which  it  is  not  likely  that  the  historic 
perfectly  absurd.     We  may,  then,  set  bard  would  have  ventured  upon,  had  he 
the  whole  tale  down  as  a  lying  calumny,  been  of  so  offensive  a  presence,  as  this 
invented  to  depreciate  the  race  of  Eber,  tale  would  make  him.     The  grand  ob- 
seeing  upon  what  untenable  foundations  jection  to  it  is  that,  if  he  was  so  de- 
it  has  been  built.     The  lady  Aini,  formed,  he  could  scarcely  have  main- 
whom  Olild  is  said  to  have  so  cruelly  tained  himself  on  the  throne  amongst  a 
used,  was  a  Danaan  ;  her  father,  whom  people  so  much  taken  by  externals  aa 
Olild  had  slain,  is  elsewhere  called  Eo-  the  Gaels, 
gabal.     It  is  from  her  that  the  Hill  of       '^'  A.  D.  196.— Four  Masters. 
Knockany,  near  Bruff,  co.  Limerick,        ^  Lugaidh  V. 
has  it  name.     She  is  now  traditionally  , 


320  THE   HISTORY    OF   IRELAND. 

the  following  reason :  when  he  was  an  infant  in  the  house  of 
his  step-father,  Olihl  Olurn,  the  latter  chief  had  a  certain  hound, 
which  was  named  Elair  Derg  (Red  Eagle).  The  infant  Lugaidh 
happening,  once,  to  creep  to  this  hound  upon  his  hands  and 
feet,  the  animal  took  him  kindly  to  its  breast,  and,  thence- 
forward, it  was  f  jund  impossible  to  keep  him  away  from  his 
strange  nurse.  Hence  he  got  the  name  of  Mac-Con,"  (i.  e.  son 
of  the  "cu"  or  wolf-hound). 

Now,  when  Mac-Con  had,  as  we  have  seen,  gained  great  pre- 
eminence, after  his  return  from  banishment,  and  after  winning 
the  battle  of  ]\f  agh  ]\Iocrumhi,  where  Art  Aeinfer  fell,  he  made 
himself  master  of  all  Ireland  in  the  course  of  one  week ;  and 
he  enjoyed  the  sovereignty  thereof  for  thirty  years,  as  we  read 
in  the  duan,  which  commences  with  the  line,  "  Cnuca's  hilV* 
o'er  Liii's  stream."     The  following  are  its  words : 

"  In  one  week's  time,  (no  humble  glory !) 
Brave  Lugaidh  conquered  Eri's  plains  : 
Subduing  both  her  royal  chieftains, 
In  those  seven  days  he  won  her  throne. 

For  thirty  years,  with  strength  unbroken, 
Mac-Con,  thence,  held  unrivalled  sway  ; 
But,  then,  the  curly-headed  hero, 
Unvanquished  still,  by  treason  fell." 

Now,  this  Mac-Con,  of  whom  we  are  speaking,  was  not  of  the 
race  of  Enna  Muncaein,  of  the  line  of  Eber,  although  that  state- 
ment is  made  in  the  duan  which  commences  with  the  line 
"  Comely  Conari,  son-in-law  of  Conn ;"  but  he  was  descended  of 
the  line  of  Lugaidh,  son  of  Ith,  son  of  Breogan.  Miledh  of 
Spain,  son  of  Bill,  (Bilkli^)  son  of  Breogan,  and  Lugaidh,  son 
Ith,  son  of  Breogan,  were  cousin-germans.  So  that,  although 
the  posterity  of  Lugaidh  Mac  Itha  are  of  the  Fine  Gaedhail, 
{Finneh  Gayil^)sú\\  they  are  not  of  the  Clanna    Milidh,  {Clonna 

""  Mac-Con.  "  This,  however,  is  clear-  Keating  has  taken  no  notice  of  the  re- 
ly the  guess  of  derivation  of  a  posterior  niarkabli;  battle  tliat  was  fought  Iiere  in 
age.  The  word  Mac-Con  would  cer-  the  reign  of  Conn  of  the  Hundred  Bat- 
tainly  denote  /i/aw  Ciinis,  but  it  might  ties,  by  tliat  monarch,  against  his  rival 
also  be  Oguratively  used  to  denote  son  liogan  Mor.  In  it  ]']ogan  was  defeated, 
of  a  hero  ;  and  as  his  father's  name  and  his  ally,  ("umhal,  son  of  Trenmor, 
was  Mac-Niadh,  that  is,  son  of  a  hero,  chieftain  of  the  Fiann  of  Ixiinster  and 
it  might  not,  perhaps,  be  considered  fatlier  of  the  celebrated  Finn,  or  Fingal, 
over  presumptuous  in  an  etymologist  of  fell  llierein,  by  the  hand  of  (Jnll  Mac 
the  present  day,  to  reject  th(5  story  Morna.  l'>ogan  had  to  fly  thence  to 
about  the  greyhound  Irttch,  and  subsli-  Spain,  whence,  returning  with  a  power- 
tute  a  modern  conjecture  in  its  place."  ful  force,  he  soon  retrieved  his  lost 
— Dr.  O'Donovan.  fortune,   and   forced    Conu   to   divide 

"  Cnuca's  hill.    This  is  probaVjly  the  Ireland  with  him. 
place  now  Castlekuock,  near  Dublin. 


THE    HISTORY    OF   IRELAND, 


321 


Afeeleh,)  or  cliildren  of  Miledb,  but  they  are  nevertheless  their 
kinsmen,  as  a  bard  thus  tells,  in  speaking  of  three  of  the  clans 
of  the  children  of  Ith,  in  the  following  rann : 

"  0  Cobthaigh"'  of  the  festive  horns, 
Oh-Edirsgeoir""  and  0  Floinn-Arda,' 
Clans  whose  ancestral  tree  ne'er  fell, 
Three  clans  out  of  the  sons  of  Miledh." 

Here  follow  the  names  of  the  other  clans  that  have  sprung 
from  the  stock  of  Lugaidh,  son  of  Ith  ;  to  wit,  O'Laegari,''  (now 
O'Laerj,)  and  O'Bari'  of  Kinn-Muintiri-Bari,  in  Carbery ;  Mac 
Plannchada,*    (now    Mac  Clanchy,)  of  Dartraide ;    O'Cuirnin,^ 


*  O'Cobthaigh.  This  clan,  the  mem- 
bers of  which  now  call  themselves 
Cowhig  and  Coifey,  was  formerly 
seated  in  the  territories  at  present 
kno^sTi  as  Barriroe  east  and  west, 
in  the  county  of  Cork,  where  the 
former  splendor  of  the  clan  is  attested 
by  the  ruins  of  their  feudal  castles 
which  still  exist.  Dr.  Smith  says,  in 
his  history  of  Cork  :  "  Almost  on  every 
headland  of  this  barony  were  castles 
erected  by  the  Irish,  seven  of  which 
belong  to  the  sept  O'Cowhig,  as  Dun- 
deedy,  Dunowen,  Dunore,  Duneen,  Dun- 
cowhig,  Dunworley,  and  Dungoohy. 
The  O'Cowhigs  seem  to  have  been  in 
early  times  more  powerful  than  their 
kinsmen,  the  O'Driscolls  or  0-h-Edirs- 
geoil,  and  O'Flynn  or  O'Floinn-Arda. 
They  lay  nearest  to  the  English  free- 
booters, were  the  earliest  robbed,  and 
fell  soonest  into  obscurity.  The  pro- 
genitor, from  whom  they  took  their 
name,  was  called  Cobthach  Finn,  son 
of  Dungalach,  the  twelfth  in  descent 
from  king  Lugaidh  Mac-Con.  The 
word  Cobthach  means  victor. 

'"•  O-h-Edirsgeoil.  The  territory  of 
O'Driscoll,  or  0-h-EdirsgeoiI,  who  in 
latter  times  was  the  most  distinguished 
chief  of  tlie  Corca-Luighe,  originally 
comprised  the  entire  of  the  diocese  of 
Ross.  But  when  the  Eoganacht  clans 
of  O'Mahony,  O'Donovan,  O'Cullane, 
or  Collins,  and  O'SuUivan  were  driven 
into  this  territory,  after  the  English 
invasion,  it  was  narrowed  to  the  follow- 
ing parishes  in  the  territory  of  Car- 
berry,  viz. :  Myross,  Glanbarahane, 
Tuliagh,  Creagh,  Kilcoe,  Aghadown, 
and  Clear  Island. 
21 


'  O'Floinn-Arda.  The  castle  of  Ar- 
dagh,  midway  between  Skibbereen  and 
Baltimore,  was  one  of  this  chiefs  prin- 
cipal seats. 

'■'  O'Laegari.  The  chieftain  of  this 
sept  of  the  descendants  of  Mac-Con 
was  driven  from  the  seabord  of  Corca 
Luighe  about  the  time  of  the  English 
invasion.  After  which  he  settled  with 
his  followers  in  the  parish  of  Inchagee- 
lagh,  or  Iveleary,  in  the  barony  of 
Muskery. 

^  O'Bari.  This  name  is  now  some- 
times confounded  by  English-speaking 
people  with  that  of  the  Norman  De 
Barry,  or  Barry.  Their  territory,  still 
called  Muinter-Bhairé  (Munter-vaurie), 
lies  in  the  parish  of  Kilcroghaue,  county 
of  Cork. 

The  O'h-Aeda  (O'Hea),  O'Dunlaing 
(O'Dowling),  O'Dubhchonua  (O'Do- 
heny),  O'Lonain  (sometimes  called 
Lannin,  Lenane  and  Leonard),  0'Lh,i- 
digh  (Liddy),  O'Duinin  (Downing), 
and  several  other  names  still  numerous 
in  the  south-west  of  IMunster.  are  of 
this  race. —  See  Third  Part. 

*  Mac  Flannchada,  of  Dartraide. 
The  territory  of  this  Sept,  which  musl 
be  distinguished  from  the  Dalcassian 
Mac  Clanchies,  chief-brehons  of  Tho- 
mond,  Avas  comprised  within  the  present 
barony  of  Rossclogher,  co.  of  Leitrim. 
In  Irish,  the  name  is  properly  spelled 
Mac  Fhlannchadha  {Mac  Lonnúghuee), 
as  being  derived  from  a  chief  named 
Flanncaidh,  the  twenty-third  descend- 
ant from  Dari  Sir-chrechtach,  or  Darini. 
They  were  called  Dartraide,  from 
Doighri,  Dart,  grandfather  of  this 
Flanncaidh. 


322  THE   HISTORY    OF   IRELAND. 

(now  O'Curneen,)  and  Mac  Amhalgaidh,^    {Mac  Avjlcf/,)  of  Cal- 
raide  ;'  and  Mac  Allinn'  of  Alba,  (Scotland.) 

This  Mac-Con  was  the  third  chieftain  of  the  line  of  Lugaidh, 
son  of  Ith,  that  won  the  kingdom  of  Ireland.  The  first  king  of 
this  race  was  Eocaidh  Edgothach,  Avho,  having  ruled  that  coun- 
try for  four  _years,  (from  A.M.  2866  to  A.M.  2870,)  was  slain  by 
Kermna,  son  of  Ebric ;  the  second  king  was  Eocaidh  Apthach, 
son  of  Finn,  who  fell  by  the  hand  of  Finn,  son  of  Bratha,  when 
he  had  reigned  but  one  year,  (A.M.  8301  to  A.M.  3302);  and  the 
thii'd  king  was  this  Mac-Con,  of  whom  we  are  now  treating.  In 
testimony  of  these  facts,  the  following  verse  has  been  left  on 
record : 

"  Three  kings  there  sprung  from  tall  Mac  Itha, 
Two  Eocaidhs  first,  then  rose  proud  Lugaidh, 
Who,  by  his  glorious  deeds  and  battles, 
Avenged  our  injured,  dear  Clan  Itha." 

It  was  a  poet,  named  Fercheas,  son  of  Coman,  that  assassinated 
Mac-Con,  with  a  species  of  javelin,  called  rincne,  at  the  instiga- 
tion of  Cormac,  son  of  Art,  as  the  king  stood  with  his  back 
against  a  pillar-stone  at  Gort-an-oir,  near  Derg-rath,  in  Magh 
Femhenn,  to  the  west  of  Ath-na-Carbad,  and  while  he  was  there 
engaged  in  distributing  silver  and  gold  to  the  poets  and  ollamhs 
of  Ireland.  "When  the  poet  Fercheas,  son  of  Coman,  who  was 
dwelling  at  Ard-na-Geimlech  (Avhich  is. now  called  Cnocach), 
heard  that  Mac-Con  was  thus  occupied,  he  entered  the  assembly 
with  the  others  of  his  class,  bringing  the  rincne  with  hi  in.  Then, 
when  he  had  reached  the  presence  of  Mac- Con,  he  thrust  his 
victim  through  the  body  with  his  weapon,  until  it  met  the  pillar- 
stone,  against  which  the  prince  had  leaned  his  back,  and,  there- 

O'Cnirnin.     In  latter    ages,  the  ritories  known  by  this    name,    from 

head  of  this  family  resided  at  Inis-AIoe,  having  been  possessed  by  branches  of 

iiocha  Gilo,  or  Church  Island,  in  Lough  the    tribe  of   the   Calraidc    (Cotree), 

(iill,  barony  of  Carbury,  and  county  of  which  had  t;iken  its  name  from  Lugaidh 

filigo.   The  O'fiurneens  were  for  many  Cal,  son  of  Dari  Sir-Crechtach.    In  the 

centuries  hereditary  poets   to  the  0'-  genealogy  of  the  Corca-Luighe,there  are 

Ruaircs,  princes  of  Brefni.  eight  territories  enumerated  of  this  do- 

^  Mac  Jma/^aidk.    This  is  evidently  nomination, 

a  mistake.     The  sept  here  called  Mac  "  Mnc-AlUnns.     "  Certain  it  is  that 

Amalgaidh  was  a   branch   of  the  Ui  many  illustrious  houses  in  North  Brit- 

Fiacrach,  whose  family  name  was  0'-  ain  trace  their  origin  to  him  (Mac-('on) 

Maeilf  hina,  now  O'Mullany,  and  who  through  his  son  ;    as   the   Campbells, 

tnicceeded  the  Itliian  tribe  of  the  Cal-  who,  to  this  day,  are  called  in  the  Eree 

raide  as  possessors  of  the  Calraidc  of  tongue  the  ('lanna  Mhic-Cuin,  i.  e.  the 

Magh   h-Eleag,   a  district   nearly   co-  posterity  of  Mac-Con,  Ihe  Mac  Aliens, 

pxtensivc  with  the  parish  of  Crosnio-  &c." — O'JIalloran.     '•  Fotliad  Conanu, 

lina,  l)arony  of  Tirawley,  and  county  of  son  of  King  Mac-i'on,  wiis  the  founder 

Mayo.  of  the  Camj)bcUs." — 0' Flaherty. 

'  Calraide.    There  were  several  tcr- 


THE   HISTORY    OF   IRELAND.  323 

upon,  Mac-Con  died  immediately  of  the  wound.  Gort-an-oir' 
{Gortanore\  that  is,  the  field  of  gold,  has  been  the  name  of  that 
place  ever  since ;  and  it  has  been  so  called,  from  the  quantity  of 
gold  there  distributed  by  that  monarch  to  the  bards  and  ollamhs 
of  Ireland. 

The  reason  why  he  had  come  into  Munster  was,  because  the 
druids  had  foretold,  that  he  should  not  remain  one  half  year 
more  Ard-righ  of  Ireland,  unless  he  had  got  possession  of  Tem- 
hair  within  that  time.  For  this  reason  did  he  come  into  Mun- 
ster, in  order  to  solicit  help  from  his  brothers"  (by  his  mother 
Sadb),  the  sons  of  Olild  Ohmi.  But  they  remembered  their 
ancient  grudge  against  hira,  for  having  caused  the  death  of 
Eogan  Mor  and  their  other  brothers,  at  the  battle  of  Magh  Mo- 
crumhi.  lie  was  on  his  return  from  his  fruitless  suit,  when  he 
met  his  death  in  the  manner  just  stated. 

FERGUS  DUBH-DEDACH,    ARD-RIGH. 

A.  D.  212."  Fergus^^  Dabh-dedach  {Dhoo-yaidagli)^  son  of 
Finncaidh,  son  of  Ogamhan,  son  of  Fiatach  Finn,  son  of  Dari, 
son  of  Dluthach,  son  of  Dethsin,  son  of  Eocaidh,  son  of  Sin,  son 
of  Rosin,  son  of  Tren,  son  of  Rothren,  son  of  Arndell,  son  of 
Maui,  son  of  Forga,  sou  of  Olild  Eronn,  son  of  Fiacaidh  Fer-mara, 
son  of  Acngus  Tuirraech  of  Temhair,  of  the  line  of  Erimhon, 
assumed  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland,  and  held  it  for  one  year. 
He  was  called  Fergus  Dubh-dedach,  that  is,  Fergus  the  Black- 
toothed,  because  he  was  disfigured  by  two  great  black  teeth. 

This  Fergus  was  the  man  who  had  come  between  Cormac, 
son  of  Art,  and  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland,  Avhen  the  said  Cormac 
had  been  expelled  by  the  Ulta  and  Connactaigh,  though  he  bad 
given  them  his  hostages,  and  had  made  a  feast"  for  them  in  the 
north  of  Breagh  (Brea);  at  which  feast  an  attendant  on  the  king 
of  Uladh  placed  a  lighted  torch  beneath  the  hair  of  Cormac,  by 
Avhich  it  was  greatly  burned.     Now,  the  persons  who  had  cora- 

"  Gort-an-oir.      This   place   is    still  Moglia,  while  Cian,01ikrs  yoimgest  son, 

pointed  out,  near  the  fort  of  Derg-rath,  still  reig-ued  over  the  Elian  territories, 

in  the  parish  of  Derrygrath,  about  four  "  Mac-Conu  was  killed/'  say  the  Four 

miles  to  the  north-east  of  Cahir  county,  Masters,  "  after  he  had  been  expelled 

Tipperary.     Cnocach    is    now    called  from  Temhair,  by  Cormac,  grandson  of 

Knockagh,  and  is  situated  about  three  Conn." 

miles  north-east  of  the  same  town.     In  ^^  A.  D.  226.     Four  Masters. 

the  Loabhar  Gabhala,  it  is  called  Ard  ^^  Fergus   II.     His   father  is  else- 

Feirchis,  i.  e.  the  Hill  of  Fercheas. —  where  called  Imchadh. 

O'D.  »3  J  ye/si.     By  this  feast  and  these 

'"  His  brothers.     His  kinsmen  were  hostages,  Cormac  sought  to  purchase 

perhaps  the  better  translation.    Fiacha  the  support  of  the  Ulidian  tribes,  in 

Maeii-lethan,   the   grandson   of   Olild,  his  strati 
was,   probably,  already  king  of  Ijetb- 


324  THE    HISTORY    OF    IRELAND. 

mitted  this  outrage"  upon  Cormac,  were  the  three  sons  of  Finn- 
caidh,  son  of  Ogamhan,  son  of  Fiatach  Finn,  namely  :  Fergus 
Dubh-dedach,  Fergus  Cas-liaclach/^  and  Fergus  Folt-lebar. 

Cormac,  thereupon,  went  to  solicit  aid  from  Tadg,  son  of  Kian, 
son  of  Olild  Oluin,  who  was  then  very  ^jowerful  in  the  Elian 
territoi-ies.  And  the  reply  that  Tadg  gave  him  was,  that  he 
would  give  him  aid,  but  that  he  should  get  lands  in  return  there- 
for. "  I  shall  give  thee,"  said  Cormac,  "  all  the  land  that  thou 
canst  encompass  with  thy  chariot  on  the  day  thou  wilt  have 
routed  the  Ferguses  in  battle,"  "  Well,  then,"  said  Tadg,  "  I 
anticipate  victory  for  thee,  if  thou  canst  but  find  that  redoubted 
champion,  Lugaidh  Laga/®  my  grandfather's  brother,  and  canst 
bring  Imn  into  the  field  with  thee ;  for  it  is  most  probable  that 
he  will  himself  slay  the  whole  three  of  the  Ferguses.  And 
Etharla,  near  Sliabh  Grod,  is  the  place  where  that  warrior 
now  is." 

Upon  hearing  this,  Cormac  set  out  for  Etharla,"  and  there  he 
found  Lugaidh  Laga,  lying  down  in  his  hunting  booth.  Cormac 
then  thrust  his  spear  through  the  booth,  and  pricked  Lugaidh 
Laga  in  the  back.  "  Who  wounds  mc?"  cried  tiie  warrior,  "  It 
is  I,  Cormac  Mac  Airt,"  replied  his  visitor.  "  Thou  hast  good 
cause  for  wounding  me,"  said  Lugaidh,  "for  it  was  I  killed  thy 
father.  Art  Acinfer."  '*  Award  me  an  eric  for  the  deed,"  said 
Cormac.  "  Thou  wilt  gi:^t  a  king's  head  on  the  battle-field," 
replied  the  champion,  "Then,"  said  Cormac,  "give  me  the 
head  of  Fergus  of  the  Black  Teeth,  the  king  of  Uladh,  who  is 
now  opposing  my  accession  to  the  throne  of  Ireland."  "That 
thou  wilt  get,"  said  Lugaidh.  Upon  this  the  prince  returns  to 
Eli,  to  Tadg,  son  of  Kian,  and  they  both  march,  with  a  numerous 
force,  to  Brugh-mic-an-oigh"  {Broo-rnick-an-Oi)^  at  Crinna-Chinn- 
Cumair,  and  there  the  battle  of  Crinna  was  fought,  between 
Cormac  and  the  three  Ferguses. 

Tadg  had  another  motive  for  marching  against  the  Ulta,  for 
it  was  this  Fergus,  their  king,  that  slew  his  father,  in  the  battle 
of  Samhain.     But  Tadg  did  not  allow  Cormac  to  take  part  in 

"  Outrage.     By  the  loss  of  his  hair,  '*  Lugaidh  La gn.    This  warrior  was 

Cormac  was  prevented  from  hiding  in-  the  most  redoubteil,  as  well  as  the  most 

auguratcd  king  of  Ireland,  as  he  was  fierce  and  savage  champion  of  iiis  day. 

disqualified  for  that  ceremony  by  being  His   name   is   now  pronounced   Looee 

thus  personally  disfigured.    The  reader  Law. 

will  remember  som.'thing  similar,  in  the  "  FAliarla,  now  called  Aharlow,  a 

talc  of  Ouchullainn  and   Curigh  Mac  romantic  glen  lying  north  of  the  Gaul- 

Dar'i,  already  related.  tics,  which  were  anciently  called  Sliabh 

*^  Feriius  Caí-TiíJc/í'c//,  i.e.  Fergus  of  (J  rod. 

the  Crooked  Teeth.    He  was  also  styled  '"  Brugh-mic-n-n-oigh  is  tlie  name  of 

Fergus  Bot, or  the  Fiery;  Fergus  Foltr  a  place  on  the   River    Boyne,    near 

lebliar  [Folt-lcowar),  i.  e.  Fergus  of  the  Stackallan  Bridge. 
Flowiiiíí  IJair. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  325 

the  action,  but  he  placed  him  on  a  hill,  behind  the  field  of 
slaughter,  accompanied  by  an  attendant  or  gilla.,  whilst  he  him- 
selfj  aided  by  Lugaidh  Laga,  made  head  against  the  Ferguses. 
And  then  Fergus  Folt-lebar  was  the  first  of  the  brothers  that 
fell  by  the  hand  of  the  latter  warrior,  who  immediately  cut  off 
his  head,  and  proceeded  with  it  to  the  hill  where  Cormac  was 
remaining.  But  when  Cormac  saw  that  the  armies  were  about 
coming  to  close  quarters,  what  he  did  was,  to  put  the  clothes  of 
Dcilenn  Druth,  his  giUa^  or  attendant,  upon  himself,  and  to  dress 
the  attendant  in  his  own ;  for  he  was  well  aware  that  Lugaidh, 
when  his  warlike  ire  was  roused,  and  when  the  battle-rage  was 
upon  him,  could  be  trusted  by  neither  friend  nor  foe. 

When  Lugaidh,  then  bearing  in  his  hand  the  head  he  had  cut 
off,  came  into  the  presence  of  the  attendant,  disguised  as  Cormac, 
he  demanded,  if  that  were  the  head  of  Fergus  of  the  Black 
Teelh.  "No,"  said  the  gilla^  "  but  it  is  the  head  of  Fergus  the 
Long-haired,  his  brother.  Hearing  this,  Lugaidh  rushed  back 
to  the  fight,  and  soon  cut  off  the  head  of  Fergus  Cas-fiaclach. 
With  this,  also,  he  came  to  the  hill  where  the  gilla  stood  dis- 
guised as  Cormac.  "  Is  this  the  head  of  the  king  of  Uladh,"  said 
Lugaidh.  "No,"  replied  the  gilla,  "but  it  is  the  head  of  the 
other  of  his  brothers."  Upon  hearing  this,  Lugaidh  dashed  the 
head  upon  the  ground,  and  returned  to  the  fight  a  third  time, 
and  brought  off  thence  the  head  of  Fergus  of  the  Black  Teeth. 
He  then  demanded  the  same  question  as  before  of  the  gilla,  who 
replied,  that  it  was  the  head  of  the  king  of  Uladh.  Upon  this, 
Lugaidh  flung  the  head  at  him,  and  striking  him  therewith  upon 
the  breast,  he  killed  him  upon  the  spot  by  the  blow.  Im- 
mediately after,  Lugaidh  himself  fell  into  a  swoon,  by  reason  of 
the  quantity  of  blood  which  he  had  lost  from  his  wounds.'^ 

As  to  Tadg,  son  of  Kian,  he  completely  vanquished  the  host 
of  Uladh,  for  he  routed  them  seven  times  within  that  one  day ; 
having  pursued  them  from  Ath-Crinna  to  Qlas-an-Era,  on  the 
side  of  Uroni-Innasglainn,^"  as  the  bard  Flatinagan  tells  us  in  the 
following  rann : 

"  Tadg  Mac  Kein,  that  gore-stained  battle-axe, 
Was  seveu  times  victor  in  one  day, 
And  broke  the  routed  ranks  of  Uladh, 
From  Criniia's  ford  to  high  Ard-Keia." 

'9   Upon  the   slaughter  of   the  three  Then  Corniac  said,  'Itis  well  done; 

_,  ii       771  \i     i        1  His  hand  has  never  failed  Lagx  " 

Ferguses,  the  tour  Masters  have  pre-    ,^  ,,   ,,      .  ,.1         •   Ti  l 

served  an  ancient  rann,  of  which  the    ^fll'^l?^  '^  "'^^'  ^^'^"^'  '"  ^^'  ^"""^>' 

following  is  a  translation :  ^'  .}^^         1  i  r» 

^  -"  Drum-I-nasg'ainn,     now    Drnm- 

"Upon  one  stone  at  Eath-Oo  iniskliu  and  Druiuiskiu,  ÍQ  the  present 

W  ere  slain  the  three  Ferguses.  COunty  ot  Louth. 


326  THE   HISTORY    OF    IRELAND. 

Tadg  then,  tliougli  be  had  received  three  spcar-wounds, 
mounted  his  car,  and  ordered  his  charioteer  to  drive  him  to- 
wards Temhair,  ho])ing  to  encompass  its  tojslI  walls  within  the 
circuit  to  be  made  b}-  his  war-steeds  within  that  day.  They 
then  drove  straight  upon  Temhair,  though  Tadg  had  swooned 
several  times,  from  the  loss  of  the  blood  which  continued  to  flow 
from  his  wounds.  And  Avhen  they  had  thus  reached  near  to 
Ath-Cliath,  Tadg  addressed  his  charioteer,  and  said :  "  Have  we 
yet  taken  in  Temhair?"  "We  have  not,"  said  the  charioteer: 
and  Tadg,  thereupon,  killed  him  at  a  blow. 

Soon  after  the  slaughter  of  his  charioteer,  Cormac,  son  of  Art, 
f '11  in  with  him,  and  seeing  the  throe  great  wounds  from  which 
Tadg  was  suflering,  he  commanded  his  own  physician  to  put  a 
live  chafer  into  one  of  them,  a  grain  of  barley  into  another,  and 
the  splinter  of  a  spear-blade  into  the  third,  and  then  to  cause 
the  wounds  to  heal  externally."' 

In  consequence  of  this  treatment,  the  warrior  wasted  away  in 
withering  disease  for  a  whole  year,  until  Lugaidh  Laga  went  to 
Munster  in  search  of  the  Wise  Surgeon,  which  physician  came,  at 
his  request,  and  brought  Avith  him  his  tliree  pupils.  AVhen 
these  heard  the  groans  of  Tadg,  upon  their  arrival  at  his  dun 
(fort),  the  Wise-Sui'geon,"^  upon  being  informed  by  Tadg  about  his 
llrst  sore,  he  demanded  of  the  first  of  his  three  pupils,  and  said  : 
"  What  is  the  cause  of  this  sore  ?"  *'  l^hat  is  a  sore  caused  by 
a  sharp  prickle,"  said  the  pupil,  "  and  the  prickle  is  an  awn  of 
barley."  Next,  when  he  had  heard  all  about  the  second  sore,  he 
demanded  of  his  second  pui)il  what  was  its  cause.  "  This  is  a 
sore  caused  by  a  live  worm,"  said  he,  "for  a  live  chafer  has 
been  put  into  the  second  wound."  He  was  then  told  all  about 
the  third  sore,  and  again  asked  of  his  third  pujiil  what  had 
caused  it.    "This  is  a  sore  whose  cause  is  the  point  of  a  weapon," 

'^  The   extravagant  and  impossible  a  territorial  reward  for  that  battle  thai 

story  here  told  is  evidently  a  calumny,  Cormac  }^ave  to  Tadij,  the  Kiannacta, 

invented  in  order  to  tarnish  the  glory  which  arc  in  Mafih-Breagh,  as  is  cole- 

of  Cormac  Mac  Airt,  who  was  one  of  bratcd  in  other  books." 
the  greatest  and  wisest  of  our  pagan        "   Wise- Surgeon.     Faithliagh  (Fah- 

monarchs.     It  may  be  remarked,  that  leca)  is  tlie  term  used  in  the  original, 

the  greater   our  monarchs   and  chief-  This  word  is  usually  translated  surgeon; 

tains  appear  to  have  been,  the  mt)re  but,  as  it  was  given  as  a  (Ustindivc  title 

were  they  subject  to  such  calumnies,  to  this  physician,  the  translator  thinks 

Thus  have  AengusTuirm(>ch,  Cnncobar  it  to  be,  in  this  instance,  ])ut  by  mi.s- 

Mac  Nessa,  Crinithan  Niadh-nair,  Olild  take,  either  for  '•  Aith-Iiagh"  (.I/i  leca), 

Olum,  and  the  great  Cormac  been  each,  which  would  mean  a  veteran  or  experi- 

in   turn,   most   vilely  defamed   by  the  euced  physician ;    or  for   "  faithliagh" 

Btory-tellers  of  their  enemies.    The  Four  [fnwleca),i\\\\sii  physician.     O'Hallo- 

Mast:ii-3  relate  that,  "  h\  the  army  of  ran  calls  him  Finghiu  Faithliagh  (i^<?i- 

Cormac  came  Tadg,  son  of  Kian,  and  ecu  Fawleca). 
Lu;iaidli  to  that  battle  ;  and  it  was  aa 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  327 

said  the  third  pupil.  Tlien  the  Wise-Surgeon  entered  tlic  house 
where  the  patient  was  lying,  and  proceeded  at  once  to  place  an 
iron  plough-share  in  the  fire ;  and  there  he  left  it  until  he  had 
made  it  quite  red,  saying  that  he  was  preparing  to  operate  with 
it  upon  Tadg.  But  when  the  latter  saw  him  getting  ready  the 
red  iron,  in  order  to  thrust  it  through  his  body,  his  heart  trem- 
bled so  violently  within  him,  and  his  terror  became  so  great, 
that  he  forcibly  cast  out  from  his  several  sores  the  grain  of 
barley,  the  chafer,  and  the  splinter  of  the  spear-head.  After  thi« 
the  Wise-Surgeon  performed  a  radical  cure  of  his  wounds,  so  that 
Tadg  became  perfectly  healed  within  a  very  short  time  after. 

This  warrior  afterwards  won  large  possessions  in  Leth-Cuinn ; 
for  Connla  and  Cormac  Galengach  were  the  sons  of  Tadg,  son  of 
Kian,  son  of  Olild  Olura,  and  from  him  have  sprung  the  O'Haras, 
O'Gares,  O'Caseys  (of  Breagh,  in  Meath),  and  the  O'Connors 
Keenaught  (i.  e.  the  O'Connors  of  Ulster).  The  following  are 
the  territories  that  were  possessed  hj  his  posterity,  namely :  the 
Galenga,  both  east  and  west ;"  the  Kiannacta,"  both  south  and 
north  ;  and  the  Luighui,  both  east  and  west. 

But  there  were  some  other  tribes  of  the  blood  of  Eber,  besides 
these,  who  had  won  territories  in  Leth  Cuinn  ;  such  as  the  race 
of  Cochlan,  son  of  Lorcan,  son  of  Dathin,  son  of  Tecari,  son  of 
Tren,  son  of  Sidhe,  son  of  Anbili,  son  of  Beg,  son  of  Aedgan, 
son  of  Delbaeth,  son  of  Cas,  son  of  Conall  Ech-luath,  son  of 
Lugaidh  Menu,  son  of  Aengus  Tirech,  son  of  Fer-Corb,  son  of 
Mogh-Corb,  son  of  Cormac  Cas,  son  of  Olild  Olum.  The  terri- 
tories acquired  by  these  were   the   seven  Delbna^''   {Dállávna\ 

^  Gallenga,  east  and  west,  i.  e.  in  already    pointed    out;    so     have    the 

Meath  and  in  Oonnaught.     Before  ex-  Luighni. 
plained.  The  importance  of  the  services  ren- 

^  Kinaimda,  south.  This  territory  dered  by  Tadg  to  king  Cormac,  are 
extended  from  the  River  LifFey  to  near  suiBciently  attested  by  the  largeness 
Drunnskin,  m  the  county  of  Louth  and  fertility  of  the  territory  given  to 
(comprehending  the  barony  of  Ferrard,  him  as  a  reward  for  his  valor  ;  as  is  the 
or  Arda  Kianacta,  in  that  county) .  bravery  of  his  descendants  by  the  num- 
Duleek,  in  Meath,  is  mentioned  as  in  it.  bcr  and  extent  of  the  territories  won 
O'Cathasaigh,  or  O'Casey,  of  Saithni,  by  them  in  Ulster  and  Connaught. 
in  Ma^h  Breagh,  was  one  of  its  princi-  The  posterity  of  Kian  did  not,  how- 
pal  chiefs.  He  was  dispossessed  shortly  ever,  all  migrate  to  these  new  districts ; 
after  the  English  invasion,  by  Hugo  de  the  chief  part  of  his  descendants  ruled 
Lacy,  This  tribe  must  be  distinguished  the  Elian  territory  down  to  a  late 
from  the  O'Cathasaigh,  or  O'Caseys,  of  period.  Thei'e  is  an  ancient  historic 
Coillti  Mabinecha,  whose  territory  lay  tale  still  extant,  called  the  Cath  Crinna. 
on  the  borders  of  the  counties  of  Cork  which  minutely  describes  the  battle  of 
and  Limerick,  near  the  town  of  Mit-  Crinna.  "  Some  of  its  details  are  le- 
chelstoun.  The  Kianacta  Breagh  did  gendary,  but  it  is  true  as  to  its  main 
not  include  Tara  within  their  bounds,  facts." — O'D. 

The  northern   Kianacta.  the  tribeland        ^  Seven    Delbna.     1.    O'Finnallaia 

of  O'Connor  of  Glengiven,  has  been  was  the  chief  of  Delbna  Mor,  now  call- 


328  -.  THE   niSTORY   OF    IRELAND. 

namely:  Delbna-Mor,  Dclbnu-Beg,  Delbna  Edthartha,  Dclbna  of 
larthar-Midhe  (i.  e.  of  the  Avest  of  Meath),  Delbua  of  Sith 
Nennta,  Delbna  of  Cuil-Fabar,  Delbna  of  Tir-da-loch,  in  Con- 
naught. 

Remember,  reader,  tliat  it  was  Lugaidh  Laga  that  slew  Fergus 
of  the  Black  Teeth,  of  whose  reign  we  have  just  treated;  and 
that  Avhere  he  slew  him  was  at  the  battle  of  Crinna;  and  that  it 
was  at  the  instigation  of  Cormac  Mac  Airt  that  he  did  the 
deed. 

CORMAC   UL-FADA,  ARD-RIGH. 

A.  D,  213.^*  Cormac  Ul-fada,  son  of  Art  Aeinfer,  son  of  Conn 
Ked-cathach,  of  the  line  of  Erimhon,  assumed  the  sovereignty 
of  Ireland,  which  he  held  for  forty  years.  He  was  styled 
Cormac  Ul-fada,  either  on  account  of  his  wearing  a  long  beard,'^ 
i.  e.  "ulcha  fada;"  or  from  the  phrase  "  Ula  abh-fad  {Ulla-vad), 
which  means  far  or  remote  from  Uladh ;  for  he  had  been  for  ten 
years  banished  from  Ulster  or  Uladh,  by  the  Ulidians,  who  had 
inflicted  many  evils  upon  him  previous  to  his  accession  to  the 
Irish  monarchy. 

And  the  mother  of  Cormac  was  named  Ectach,^'  daughter  of 
Olketach,  the  Smith.  And  it  was  on  the  eve  of  the  battle  of 
Mocrumhi,  that  he  was  conceived  of  Art  by  the  Smith's  daugh- 

od  the  Darony  of  Dclvrn,  county  West-  Adhnaigh  (now  HjTiey^  was  also  one 

meath  ;    2.  Ó'Maeil-challainn,  or  Mul-  of  the  principal  septs  of  the  Connaugh 

holland.  of  Delbna  Beg,  now  the  barony  Delbna. — See  notes  to  the  Leibhar-na-g 

of  Demi   Fore,   in   the  same   county ;  Ceart. 

3.  Mac  Coehlain,  or.Coghlan,  of  Delbna  '^  A.  D.  227.     Four  Masters. 

Ethra,  or  Edthartha  (JíAarfj/í),  now  the  '"''  Lorifr-beard.    This  is  the  least  forc- 

barony  of  Garrycastic,   Kings   Coun-  cd  and  the  most  probable  explanation 

ty  ;  4.  O'Scolaidhe,  of  Delbna  lartliar  of  the  surname  "  Ul-fhada"   (Ulladcla. 

Midhe    [Eerhar-Mce),  otherwise  called  The  second  is  silly,  and  unfounded  in 

Delbna  Tennmhuigh  (Tenvoye),  which  fact.     OTIaherty   gives   one   scarcely 

lay   somewhere   in   Tebtha   or  Teffiá  ;  better,  though  one  seemingly  more  in 

.").  Delbna-Sithe-Nennta  [Sheehic  Nen-  accordance  with  historic  events,   i.  e. 

to)    was   probably   another   name   for  that  lie  was  called  "  Ul-f  hadu''  because 

Delbna   Nuadath,  which  lay  between  he  banished  the  "  Ulta"  once  or  twice 

the  rivers  Suck  and  Shannon,  in  the  to  the  Isles  of  Man  and  the  Hebrides, 

barony   of  Athlone,   county   lloscom-  far  (fad)  from  their  Jiative  "  Uladh." 

mon ;  this  sept  sunk  early  under  the  ■"  Editch.     The  Gaels  were  not  the 

Ui  Maii'i  ;  G.  O'Fathartaigh  (0"Faher-  only  race  of  conquerors  that  claimed 

ty)  was  lord  of  Delbna  Culi   Fabair,  the  riglit  by  which  Art  is  said  to  have 

which  was  situated  on  the  east  side  of  got   pdsscssion  of  tliis  damsel,  whose 

Ijough  Corrib  ;    7.  Mac  Conroi  (now  name  Kehtuch  (/ííg///ng/í),  i.  e.  admira- 

sometinies  corrupted  to  King)  was  lord  ble,  kills   of  her   unusual   attractions, 

of  Delbna  of  Tir-da-loch  (i.  e.  the  land  Down  to  the  last  century  a  similar,  and 

of  the  two  lakes),  which  lay  between  even  more  barbarous  usage,  under  the 

Loch  Orbsen  (Ijough  Corrib)  and  Loch  name  of  Droit  du  Seip;neur,  was  main- 

Lurgaa  (the  Bay  of  Galway).     O'h-  tained  in  some  of  the  most  polished 


THE   HISTORY  OF   IRELAND.  á29 

tor,  who  was  that  king's  dowered  mistress ;  for,  by  a  custom  then 
prevailing  in  Ireland,  whenever  a  king  or  nobleman  had  placed 
his  aifectLons  upon  the  daughter  a  brughaidh  {brooee),  or  biatach 
(beeatagh),  and  wished  to  make  her  his  concubine  or  paramour, 
he  had  a  perfect  right  to  get  possession  of  her  as  such,  upon  his 
presenting  her  with  a  sufficient  dowry  or  marriage  portion.  It 
was  thus  that  Art  had  acquired  possession  of  Corrnac's  mother ; 
for  it  was  not  she  that  was  his  married  wife,  but  Medb  Leth- 
derg  {Meive  láh-ijarg\  daughter  of  Conan  of  Cualann,  after  whom 
Rath-Meidhbhe  {Rawh-Meivie,  i.  e.  Medb's  Fort),  near  Temhair, 
has  been  called. 

Wonderful,  indeed,  was  the  vision  which  was  then  seen  by 
Ectach,  the  mother  of  Cormac.  She  imagined,  as  she  lay 
asleep  by  the  side  of  Art,  that  her  head  had  been  struck  off 
from  her  body,  and  that  there  grew  out  of  her  neck  a  large 
and  stately  tree,  whose  branches  spread  over  the  whole  of  Eri ; 
and  then,  that  a  sea  came  and  overwhelmed  the  tree,  and  laid  it 
prostrate  upon  the  earth ;  and  afterwards,  that  another  stately 
tree  sprung  out  of  the  roots  of  the  first,  but  that  there  blew  a 
whirlwind  from  the  west,  which  laid  it  low.  When  the  damsel 
had  seen  this  vision,  she  started  from  her  sleep,  and  told  its 
purport  to  Art.  "  It  is  true,"  said  Art,  "  that  every  womans' 
head  is  her  husband.  I  shall  then  be  taken  off  fi-om  thee  on 
to-morrow,  in  the  battle  at  Magh  Moerumhi;  and  that  stately 
tree  that  appeared  to  spring  from  thy  neck,  shall  be  a  son  whom 
thou  shalt  bear  to  me,  and  who  shall  rule  all  Eri  as  her  king ; 
and  the  sea  that  is  to  overthrow  it,  means  the  bone  of  fish  which 
he  shall  swallow,  and  by  which  he  shall  be  strangled.  And  the 
other  stately  tree,  that  seemed  to  spring  from  the  roots  of  the 
first,  means  also  a  son  who  shall  be  born  to  thy  son,  and  who 
shall  likewise  reign  as  king  of  Eri ;  and  that  whirlwind  from  the 
east  that  is  to  lay  it  prostrate,  betokens  a  battle  that  shall  be 
fought  between  him  and  the  Fiann  of  Eri,  and  he  shall  be 
slain  therein  by  the  Fiann,  but,  from  that  day  forth,  all  good  for- 
tune shall  depart  forever  from  the  Fiann."  And  that  vision  was 
fulfilled,  both  in  the  case  of  Cormac  and  of  his  son  Carbri ;  for  it 
was  by  having  made  him  swallow  the  bone  of  a  fish  that  the 
"  Siabrada"  {Sheevree  or  Sheevraglm)^  that  is,  the  demons,  stran- 

nations  of  Europe.    The  facts  tliat  the  have  founded  feudalism,  or  forgotten 

offspring  of  such  unions  were  not  deem-  by  their  descendants. 

ed    illegitimate,   and    that    the    noble  The   following  events  are  recorded 

ravisher  was  forced  by  Brehon  law  to  by  the  Four  Masters  as  having  taken 

grant  a  dowry  to  the  injured  maiden,  place   during   the    reign   of    Cormac, 

were    attenuating    circumstances   that  who,  if  not  the  very  greatest,  was  one 

seem-to  have  been  either  overlooked  by  of  the  greatest  monarchs  that  ever  ruled 

the  chivalrous  Teutons,  who  are  said  to  Ireland. 


330  THE   HISTORY  OF   IRELAND. 

gled  Cormac  ;  and  Carbri  Lificar  fell  by  the  Fiann  at  tbe  battle 
of  Gabra  {Gaura  and  Gavra). 

Some  histoiians  will  have  it  that  Ethni  Taebh-fada  {Taivdda), 
daughter  of  Cathaeir  Mor,  was  the  wife  of  Cormac ;  but  that  as- 
sertion cannot  be  true,  when  we  are  told  that  she  was  also  the 
mother  of  Carbri  Lificar ;  for  there  were  eighty-eight  years  from 
the  death  of  Cathaeir  Mor  to  the  accession  of  Cormac  to  the 
sovereignty  of  Ireland,  namely :  the  twenty  years  that  Conn  had 
reigned ;  the  seven  years  of  the  reign  of  Conari,  son  of  Mogh 
Lamha ;  the  thirty  years  of  Art  Aeinfer ;  and  the  thirty  years 
of  i\Iac-Con ;  with  the  one  year  of  Fergus  Dubh-dudach,  who 
immediately  preceded  the  present  monarch.  But  it  is  the  truth 
to  state  that  Ethni  Ollamda,  daughter  of  Dunlaing,  son  of  Enna 
Niadh  (Neea),  was  the  mother  of  Carbri  Lificar,  and  the  wife  of 
Cormac. 

It  was  she  that  was  the  foster-child  of .  Buikedh  Brugh,  a 
wealthy  grazier,  v/ho  dwelt  amongst  the  Leinstermen,  and  whose 
wont  it  was  to  keep  the  cauldron  of  hospitalit}^  constantly  on 
the  fire,  for  tlie  purpose  of  entertaining  every  one  of  the  men  of 
Ireland  that  might  come  to  his  house.  Now  this  Buikedh  Brugh 
Avas  thus  circumstanced:  he  was  a  man  of  abundant  w^ealth,  for 
he  had  seven  herds  of  cattle,  and  in  each  herd  of  these  there 
were  seven-score  of  cows.  With  these  he  had  large  herds  of 
horses,  and  of  every  other  description  of  stock  in  like  manner. 
Knowing  this,  the  nobles  of  Leinster  made  a  practice  of  coming 
to  his  house,  attended  b}^  bands  of  their  followers,  and  at  their 
departure  thence  they  usually  took  oli'  with  them — one  party  a 
drove  of  his  kine ;  another  a  stud  of  his  brood  mares,  with  their 
colts  ;  another  a  troop  of  his  steeds.  In  this  manner  they  soon 
stripped  hiin  of  all  his  wealth,  so  that  at  last  there  remained  in 
his  possession  but  seven  cows  and  a  bull.  With  thcsj,  he  stole 
away  by  night  from  Dun  Buikidh,  and  betook  himself,  with  his 
wife  and  his  foster-child  Ethni,  to  an  oak-wood  that  lay  near 
Ken  annus  (Kells),  in  Meath,  at  which  place  Cormac  was  wont 
to  reside  at  that  time.  There  Buikedh  built  him  a  hut,  in 
which  he  dwelt  with  his  wife  and  his  foster-child;  and  there 
did    Ethni    serve   and   wait  u])on  her   nurse,    anel    her   foster- 

A.  1).  234.    ITie  eighth  year  of  Cor-  battle  of  Sruth   (Shrule,   co.  Louth), 

mac,  Olilil  Olum,  son  of  Moj.'^h  Nua-  an-airist  the  Ulstcrmen ;  the  battle  of 

(lath,    kiivj;   of  Munstor,  died. — A.  D.  Sli^'Iir   Ciialf^nii    (co.   Louth). — A.  I). 

236.     The  battle  of  Granard  (in  Long-  237.     The  l)attle  of  Arth-BL-tlia  (prob- 

ford),  by  Corraac,  against  the  Ulster,  ably  Ballyijay,   co     Monaghan);    the 

men.     A  battle  at  Eu,  in  Magh  Aei-  battle  of  Duiniia,  this  year  \)y  Cormac. 

against  Aedh,  son  of  Eocaidh,  son  of  — A.  D.  238.   A  battle  at  Aeil-tochair 

Conall,  king  of  Connaught.     A  battle  thrice,  and  three  battles  at  Dubhadh 

at  Eth  ;  the  battle  of  Kenn-Dari  ;  the  (I)owth,  on  the  Boyne,  co.  Mcathj — 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


331 


father,  as  if  she  were  their  maid-servant.  AVhile  they  were  thus 
situated,  king  Corniac  chanced  to  ride  out  one  day  alone,  for  the 
purpose  of  traversing  the  lands  that  lay  around  his  town;  and, 
in  the  course  of  his  ride,  he  came  upon  the  beautiful  maid  Ethni, 
whom  he  espied  milking  the  seven  cows  of  her  foster-father. 
And  it  was  thus  that  she  proceeded  to  perform  her  task :  she 
had  brought  with  her  two  pails,  into  one  of  which  she  milked 
the  first  half-draught  from  the  cows,  and  then,  taking  the  second 
pail,  she  milked  the  second  half-draught  therein.  She  then 
returned  to  the  hut  of  her  foster-father,  and  having  left  the  milk 
within,  she  brought  thence  two  other  pails,  and  also  a  horn, 
which  she  held  in  her  hand ;  with  these  she  betook  her  to  a 
stream  that  ran  not  far  from  the  hut.  and  by  means  of  the  horn 


A.  D.  239.  The  battle  of  Allamagh 
(probably  the  plain  of  the  river  Ela, 
now  Alio,  CO.  Cork),  and  seven  bat- 
tles at  É.bé  (now  Slieve  Ilva,  co. 
Clare).— A.  D.  240  The  battle  at 
Magh  lect,  and  the  fleet  of  Cormac 
sailed  across  Magh  Rein  (i.  e.  the  plain 
of  Rian,  i.  e.  the  sea)  this  year,  so  that 
it  was  on  that  occasion  he  obtained  the 
sovereignty  of  Alba  (Scotland). — A.  D. 
241.  These  are  the  battles  of  Cormac, 
fought  against  Munster  this  year  :  the 
battles  of  Berre  ;  the  battle  of  Loch 
Lein  (Ki'larney);  the  battle  of  Luim- 
nech  (Limerick);  the  battle  of  Grian  ; 
the  battle  of  Clasach  :  the  battle  of 
Muiresg  ;  the  battle  of  Ferta,  in  which 
fell  P^ocaidh  Taebh-fada,  son  of  Olild 
Olum  ;  the  battle  of  Samhaiu,  in  wliich 
fell  Kian,  son  of  Olild  Olum ;  and  the 
battle  of  Ard-cam.  The  massacre  of 
the  girls  at  Claein-ferta,  at  Temhair,  by 
Dunlaing,  son  of  Euna  Niadh,  king  of 
Leinstcr.  Thirty  royal  girls  was  their 
number,  and  a  hundred  maids  with 
each  of  them.  Twelve  princes  of  the 
Leinstermen  did  Cormac  put  to  death 
together,  in  revenge  for  that  massacre, 
together  with  an  exaction  of  the  Bo- 
rumha,  with  an  increase  after  Tuathal. 
["  In  times  of  Paganism  we  find  in 
Ireland  females  devoted  to  celibacy. 
There  was  in  Tara  (Temhair)  a  royal 
foundation  of  this  kind,  wherein  none 
were  admitted  but  virgins  of  royal 
blood.  It  was  called  Cluain-Fert,  or 
the  place  of  retirement  until  death,  as 
they  never  retired  from  the  precincts  of 


the  house  from  their  first  reception. 
The  duty  of  these  virgins  was  to  keep 
constantly  alive  the  fires  of  Bel,  or  the 
Sun,  and  of  Samhain,  or  the  Moon, 
which  customs  they  borrowed  from 
their  Phoenician  ancestors.  Dunlaing, 
son  of  Endeus,  broke  into  this  retreat, 
with  a  number  of  wretches  equally 
abandoned,  and  not  being  able  to  vio- 
late the  virgins,  basely  put  them  to  the 
sword.  Besides  putting  the  principal 
perpetrators  to  death,  Cormac  obliged 
their -successors  to  send  thirty  white 
cows,  with  calves  of  the  same  color, 
every  year  to  Temhair,  and  thirty  brass 
collars  for  these  cows,  and  thirty  chains 
to  keep  them  quiet  whilst  milking." — 
0-Hal.]~A.  D.  248.  The  twenty- 
second  year  of  Cormac,  a  battle,  at 
Pochard  Murthemni  (now  Faughard, 
near  Dundalk),  by  Cormac,  this  year. 
The  battle  of  Crinna  Fregobail  was 
fought  by  Cormac,  against  the  Ulster- 
men,  where  fell  Aengus  Finn,  son  of 
Fergus  Dubh-dedach,  king  of  Ulster, 
with  the  slaughter  of  the  Ulstermen 
about  him. — A.  D.  265.  Kellach,  son 
of  Cormac,  and  Cormac 's  law-giver, 
were  mortally  wounded,  and  the  eye  of 
Cormac  himself  was  destroyed  with  one 
thrust  of  a  lance,  by  Aengus  Gaibh- 
uaibthech,  son  of  Fiacha  Suighdhe, 
son  of  Feidhlimidh  the  Law-giver. 
Cormac  afterwards  fought  and  gained 
seven  battles  over  the  Deisi,  in  re- 
venge for  that  deed,  and  he  expelled 
them  from  their  territory,  s,o  that  they 
are  now  in  Munster. 


332  THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 

she  filled  one  of  the  pails  with  the  water  which  ran  near  the 
bank,  and  the  other  with  that  which  ran  in  the  middle  of  the 
stream.  She  again  returned  to  the  hut  with  her  pails,  and  soon 
came  fortli  a  third  time,  bearing  in  her  hand  a  sickle,  for  the 
purpose  of  cutting  rushes.  As  she  cut  these,  she  took  care  to 
set  every  sickle-full  of  green  rushes  that  were  long,  on  one  side, 
while  she  set  the  short  rushes  on  the  other.  Now  it  also  hap- 
pened that  Cormac,  smitten  with  love  for  the  maiden,  had  con- 
tinued to  stand  by  her  while  she  was  performing  all  of  those 
offices ;  and  he  at  length  demanded  of  her,  for  whom  she  had 
made  that  careful  selection  of  the  milk,  the  water,  and  the  rushes. 
"The  person  for  whom  I  have  made  it,"  said  she,  "has  a  right 
to  still  greater  kindness  from  me,  if  it  were  in  my  power  to  ren- 
der it."  "  Of  what  name  is  he  ?"  said  Cormac.  "  Buikedh  Brugh," 
replied  she.  "  Is  that  Buikedh,  the  biatach  {beeatagh\^^  said 
Cormac,"  that  Leinsterman  who  is  so  fomous  throughout  Ireland?" 
"  It  is,"  replied  the  maid.  "  Then  thou  art  his  foster-child,  Etlini, 
daughter  of  Dunking,"  said  the  king.  "lam,"  replied  Ethni. 
"  It  has  happened  well,"  ^'^aid  Cormac,  "for  thou  shalt  be  my 
only  wife."  "  The  disposal  of  me  does  not  rest  with  myself," 
said  Ethni,  "  but  with  my  foster-father."  Upon  this,  Cormac  ac- 
companied her  to  Buikedh,  upon  whom  he  promised  to  bestow 
rich  presents,  provided  lie  got  Ethni  as  his  wife.  Buikedh, 
thereupon,  consented  to  give  the  maiden  in  marriage  to  the 
king ;  who,  upon  his  part,"  granted  the  "  taath"  or  district  of 
Oghrán,  with  store  of  cattle,  and  which  lay  near  Temhair,  to 
Buikedh,  to  possess  during  his  lifetime.  And  then  the  marriage 
of  Cormac  was  consummated,  and  she  bore  him  a  distinguished 
son,  who  was  named  Carbri  Lificar. 

This  Cormac  was,  indeed,  one  of  the  wisest  monarchs  that 
ever  possessed  Ireland.     Of  this  fact,  let  his  Tegasg  Eiglr'  {Tag- 

™  Tegasrr  Rijrh.  Copies  of  this  work,  of  Ireland    to   Temhair,   and   ordered 

ascribed  to  kinj^  Cormac,  are  yet  ex-  them  to  write  tlie  Chronicles  of  Ireland 

tant  in  the  Book  of  Ltiinster  and  in  the  in  one   book,   which   was   named    the 

Book  of  BaJlymote  ;  and  translated  ex-  Psalter   of    Temhair.     In   that   book 

tracts  from  it  are  }^iven  in  the  Dublin  were  entered  the  coeval  exploits   and 

Pe??ni//oumrt/,  vol.i.  pp.  213,  214,  21.5,  synchronisms  of  the  king's  of  Ireland 

and  231,  232. — O'D.  with   the  kin<is  and   emperors   of  the 

0'Flah(!rty  says,  that  "  Cormac's  lit-  world,  and  of  the  kings  of  the  provinces 

erary  productions,  still  extant  in  mauii-  with  the  monarchs  of  Ireland.     In  it 

script,  prove  him  tr)  have  been  an  able  was  also  written  what  the  monarchs  of 

legislator  and  antifpiarian  :    his   laws,  Ireland  were  entitled  to  receive  from 

enacted  for  the  public  good,  were  never  the  provincial  kings,  and  the  rents  and 

abrogated  while   the   Irish   monarchy  dues  of  the  provincial  kings  from  their 

lasted."  subjects,  from  the  noble  to  the  subalt- 

"  It  was  thig  Cormac,  son  of  Art,  crn.     In    it   also   were   described    the 

also,    that    collected    the    Chroniclers  boundaries  and  mearcs  of  Ireland,  from 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  833 

gash  Ree),  or  Book  of  Precepts  for  Kings,  which  was  transcribed 
by  his  son,  Carbri  Lificar,  bear  testimony,  as  well  as  the  many 
other  praiseworthy  institutes,  named  from  him,  that  are  still  to 
be  found  in  the  books  of  the  Brehon  Laws. 

Cormac  was  also  one  of  the  kings  that  kept  the  most  princely 
household,  and  that  maintained  the  largest  retinue  of  attendants, 
that  ever  held  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland.  The  truth  of  this 
fact  may  be  learned  from  the  account  which  the  bard-snge  of 
king  Diarmaid,  son  of  Kerbeol,  namely,  Amirghin,  son  of  Amal- 
gaidh,  son  of  Mael-Buadna,  has  given  of  the  Hall  of  Mi-Cuarta, 
built  and  regulated  by  king  Cormac  himself,  in  the  book  called 
the  Dinn-Senchas,  written  by  the  said  Amirghin,  However,  it 
was  long  before  the  time  of  Cormac  that  the  Hall  of  Mi-Cuarta 
was  first  founded ;  for  we  have  seen  that  Slanoll,  king  of  Ireland, 
died  within  its  walls,  many  ages  before  the  reign  of  the  present 
king.  This  is,  then,  what  must  be  meant,  namely,  that  it  was  in 
Cormac's  time  that  it  was  first  converted  into  a  banquet  hall. 
It  was  three  hundred  feet  in  length,  and  thirty  cubits  in  height, 
and,  in  breadth,  it  was  fifty  cubits.^"  In  it  there  was  a  flaming 
lamp,  and  it  was  entered  by  fourteen  doors.  It  contained  one 
hundred  and  fifty  beds,  besides  Cormac's  own.  One  hundred 
and  fifty  warriors  stood  in  the  king's  presence  when  he  sat  down 
to  the  banquet.  There  were  one  hundred  and  fifty  cup-bearers 
in  waiting;  and  the  hall  was  provided  with  one  hundred  and 
fifty  jewelled  cups  of  silver  and  gold.  Fifty  over  one  thousand 
was  the  number  of  the  entire  household.  It  was  lipon  the  mag- 
nificence and  goodness  of  Cormac  that  the  bard  composed  the 
following  verse : 


"  The  monarch  Art  left  but  one  child, 
Cormac,  the  royal  sage  of  Coranu  : 
Rich  gifts  he  dealt  with  bounteous  hand — 
A  hundred  clans  have  sprung  from  Cormac." 

Ten  was  the  number  of  Cormac's  daughters,  and  his  sons  were 
three,  as  the  bard  tells  us  : 


shore  to  shore,  from  the  province  (cuig-  dimensions  here  given  of  the  Hall  of 

edh)  to  the  cantred  (tuath),  from  the  Mi-Cuarta  have  been  verified  by  raod- 

cantrcd  to  the  townland   (baili),  from  ern  researches  made  upon  the  spot ;  as 

the  townland  to  the  traighidh  {t>awee)  have  also  the  much  more  minute  and 

of  land.     These  things  are  celebrated  elaborate   descriptions  of  the  several 

in  the  Lsabhar  na  h-Uidhri.    They  are  constructions  at  Temliair  given  by  our 

evident  in  the  Leabhar  Dinnsenchasa."  antiquaries,  bards,  and  by  the  writers  of 

— Four  Masters.  historic  romance. — See  Petrie's  Antiqui- 

^  It  is  to  be  here  remarked  that  the  ties  of  Tara  Hill. 


834  THE   HISTORY   OF  IRELAND. 

"  Ten  claii£>-hters  the  wise  Cormac  had, 

With  three  most  royal  sons. 
.  Three  plunderers  that  wasted  Clar 

Were  Dari,  Carbri,  Kellach." 

Dari  was  slain  at  Dubh-ros  (Doo-russ),  on  the  Boyne,  in  the 
plain  of  Brcagh  ;  and  it  was  Aengus  Gaeith-buailtech"  [Ayneesse 
Guee-vooillagh)  that  killed  Kellach,  as  the  bard  relates  in  the 
following  verse : 

"  Famed  Aengus  of  death-dealing  spear 
Slew  Kellach,  son  of  Cormac, 
In  Dubh-ros  Dari ;  and  Tadg  Mac  Kein 
Fell,  near  the  Boyne,  ia  smooth  Magh-Brcagh." 

In  order  that  the  events  of  this  epoch  maj'-  be  the  better  un- 
derstood, I  shall  give  down  here  a  short  genealogical  memoir  of 
the  following  persons  and  tribes : 

Settlement  of  the  FofJiariaigh''  and  Laeighsigh  in  Ldnster. 

Y^ou  must,  in  the  first  place,  understand  that  Feidliraidh  Rect- 
mar  (king  of  Ireland)  had  three  sons,  namely :  Eocaidh  Finn, 
Fiacaidh  Suighdi,  and  Conn  of  the  Hundred  Battles,  as  has  been 
heretofore  recounted.  Of  these,  Conn  and  his  posterity  abode 
at  Temhair,  and  possessed  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland.  Eocaidh 
Finn  went  to  dwell  in  Leinster;  and  it  was  in  his  time  that  Cu- 
Corb,  son  of  Mogh-Corb,  was  king  of  that  pentarchate.  It  was, 
also,  by  this  Eocaidh  Finn  that  Lacighsech  {Lueeshagh)  Kenn- 
mor,"  son  (or  rather  descendant)  of  Conall  Kearnach,  had  been 
fostered  and  educated. 

About  the  same  time  the  !Muimhnigh  {Muivnih  or  Mueenih) 
or  Munstermen  held  great  sway  in  Leinster,  so  that  they  were 
in  possession  of  the  whole  of  Osraide  {Osree)  and  of  Lacighis" 
{Lueesh)^  as  far  as  Mullach  Masden.     But  when  Cu-Corb  saw 

"  Grie/i'-iiifi/V/ec/i,  i.  c.  spear  or  jave-  tain  here  meant  was  Lugaidh  Laeigh- 

lin-striking.     lie   is  elsewhere   called  sech   {Looce   Liiccsh'ifjh) ,  the    son    or 

Qa,ihh-ljii\hhthw}\  {Guiv-uoiffafrh),  i.e.  descendant    of    Laeighsech    Cenn-mor 

of  the  terril)lc  spear,  which  is  a  much  (Kcmi-nwr),  the  grandson  (not  the  son) 

more  elegant  compound.  of  Cionall  Kearnach. 

^  Fotkar'nigh.     The  territories  pes-        ^  Laelghis.     The  name  of  this  terri- 

sessed  by  this  tribe  have  been  hereto-  tory   has    been  anglicized,    I>eix,     It 

fore  described.     O'Nolan   and  O'Lor-  originally  comprised  the  present  baro- 

cain,  now  Larkin,  arc  its  chief  repre-  nies  of  i;ast  and  West  Maryborough, 

scntatives.  Htriidl)al!y,     and     Oulienagh,    in    the 

^  Laeifrlisech  Kenn-mor,  i.e.  T^'ieiirh-  Qiief-n's  county.    The  chieftain  sept  of 

aech  of  the  Large  Head.     The  chief-  the  descendants  of  Lugaidh  Laeighscch 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  835 

the  Munstermen  gaining  such  supremacy  in  his  principality,  he 
demanded  aid,  wherewith  to  expel  them  out  of  Leinster,  from 
Eocaidh  Finn.  The  latter  consented  to  his  request,  and  assem- 
bled his  partisans  from  all  sides,  so  that  he  succeeded  in  muster- 
ing together  a  numerous  army,  over  which  he  set  his  own  foster- 
son,  Laeighsech  Kenn-mor,  as  general ;  then,  having  joined  his 
forces  to  those  of  Cu-Corb,  the  Leinster  king,  he  made  head 
against  the  men  of  Munster,  Laeighsech  Kenn-mor  holding 
the  command  of  their  united  armies,  as  general-in-chief  Thus 
they  succeeded  in  driving  the  intruders  from  Mullach-Masden 
(Mullaghmast)  to  the  Berba  (Barrow),  where  they  gave  them  a 
great  defeat,  at  Ath-Truiisdin  {Aivh-trusMeen\  near  Athy,  which 
is  now  called  Ath-ui-Berba  {Atvh-eeh-Berva).  Thence  they 
followed  up  the  pursuit  until  they  routed  them  again  at  Coir- 
teni,"°  in  Magh-Kiada.  From  this  place,  also,  they  continued  to 
pursue  their  enemies  until  they  had  given  them  a  third  great 
defeat  at  Slighe-Dala  {S hlee-'daicla),  which  is  now  called  the 
Belach-Mor,  or  Great  Eoad  of  Ossory.  Thus  was  the  pentarchate 
of  Leinster  relieved  by  those  chiefs  from  the  bondage  of  the 
Munstermen.  In  reward  thereof,  Eocaidh  Finn  got  a  grant  of 
the  Seven  Fotharta-Laighen  {Foharta  Loyen)^  or  Fotharts  of 
Leinster,  for  himself  and  his  posterity  for  ever.  His  dalta  (foster- 
son)  got  a  like  grant  of  the  Seven  Laeighsecha  (Leix)  for  him- 
self and  his  progeny,  as  a  warrior's  fee,  for  his  generalship  in 
expelling  the  Munstermen  from  the  places  just  mentioned.  Be- 
sides this,  the  king  of  Leinster  covenanted,  both  for  himself  and 
for  his  successors  on  the  throne,  that  the  back  of  every  ox, 
and  the  ham  of  every  swine  slaughtered  for  his  and  their  tables, 
should  be  given  as  a  "  curadh-mir"  (curra-meer),  or  champion's 
portion,  to  the  king  of  Laeighis  ;  and  that  one  of  the  battle-axe 
men  of  the  king  of  Laeighis  should  be  for  ever  maintained  in 
the  house  of  the  king  of  Leinster,  at  this  king's  own  expense,  for 
the  purpose  of  receiving  that  fee  on  the  part  of  his  chieftain,  the 
said  king  of  Laeighis.  It  was  also  one  of  the  privileges  of  the 
latter  king,  to  be  one  of  the  privy-council,  or  coniidential  advisers 
of  the  king  of  Leinster;  and  in  public  conventions  he  occupied 
the  fourth  place,  next  to  that  king's  person.  It  was  he,  also,  that 
had  the  right  of  distributing  all  the  presents  made  by  the  king 
of  Leinster  to  his  nobles  and  ollamhs ;  and  every  present  made 
to  that  king  himself  had  first  to  be  placed  in  the  hands  of  the 
lord  of  Laeighis,  for  it  was  through  his  ministry  that  all  such 

took  the  name  of  O'Mordha  {O'Mora),        ^' Coirteni.    Magh  Riada, -where  this 

now  O'Moore,  from  Mordha  (i.  e.  ma-  place  was  situated,  was  the  name  of  a 

jestic),  the  twenty-eighth   in  descent  plain  in  Laeighis  or  Leix. 
from  Conall  Keurnach. — O'D. 


336  THE   HISTORY   OF   IKELAND. 

gifts  Avere  to  be  presented.  The  king  of  Leinster  was  also  bound 
to  retain  in  his  ])ay  seven  of  the  followers  of  the  king  of  Lacighis, 
who  were  to  be  in  continual  attendance  on  his  person,  for  the 
purpose  of  putting  on  his  armor,  and  of  accompanj-ing  him  on 
his  expeditions.  Upon  his  part,  the  king  of  Laeighis  had  no 
duty  to  pay,  with  the  exception  of  seven  oxen,  which  he  was 
bound  to  send  to  the  hunting-booth  of  the  king  of  Leinster  ;  but 
he  was,  nevertheless,  bound  to  maintain  seven-score  of  warriors 
at  his  own  expense,  for  the  service  of  the  king  of  Leinster.  lie 
had  also  the  priviledge  of  leading  the  van  of  the  Leinster  army 
when  entering  a  hostile  territory ;  and  in  battle  it  was  his  right 
to  hold  the  "bearna  bhaeghail"  (Jjarna  vaijil),  or  gap  of  danger. 
In  addition  to  these,  the  king  of  Laeighis  was  further  bound 
to  render  aid  to  the  king  of  the  Fotharta,  and  to  rise  out  with 
him  in  all  his  public  conventions  and  general  musterings.  This 
was  because  Eocaidh  Finn,  son  of  Feidlimid  Rectmar,  that  had 
fostered  Leighscch  Kenn-moi",  from  whom  the  Laeighsigh  {Luee- 
shih)  are  descended.  These  usages  were  constantly  maintained 
amongst  their  posterity  until  the  English  invasion. 

The  Sdtlement  of  the  Desi  (Daishie)  in  Munster. 

With  regard  to  Fiacaidh  Suighdi  {Feeaghai  Suee),  the  other 
brother  of  the  monarch  Conn,  it  was  near  Temhair  that  he  had 
acquired  a  territory,  namely,  the  Desi  Temrach'*  {Daishie  Tav- 
ragh),  but  he  never  succeeded  in  making  himself  monarch.  He 
had,  however,  three  sons,  who  were  named  Rosa,  Aengus  Gaei- 
buailtech  and  Eogan.  Of  these,  Aengus  Gaei-buailtech  surpass- 
ed all  the  Avarriors  of  his  day  in  prowess  and  daring. 

At  this  time,  a  certain  distinguished  warrior  fell  under  the 
enmity  of  Cormac  Mac  Airt,  and  there  was  found  no  person  who 
would  dare  to  be  his  security  against  the  vengeance  of  the  mon- 
arch, but  Aengus  Gaei-buailtech.  The  king  then  gave  him  Aen- 
gus, as  guarantee  for  his  safety ;  and  Aengus  took  the  nobleman 
under  his  especial  protection.  But  it  happened,  soon  after,  that 
Kellach,  son  of  Cormac,  made  that  nobleman  captive,  in  viola- 
tion of  the  safeguard  of  Aengus,  and  put  out  his  eyes,  without 
even  asking  leave  of  the  king,  his  father.  When  Aengus  heard 
thereof,  he  marched  straight  to  Temhair,  attended  by  a  nume- 
rous host,  and  there,  by  a  cast  of  his  dreaded  spear,  he  slew 
Kellach,  son  of  Cormac,  as  he  stood  behind  his  father  in  the 
palace,  and  at  the  same  time  wounded  Cormac  himself  in  the 
eye,  so  that  he  was  thenceforward  trusting  to  one  eye.    Cormac, 

"  Desi  Tcmrach,  i.  e.  the  Desi  of    Dceco,  in  the  county  of  Meath. 
Tara  or  Temhair,  now  the  barony  of 


THE   HISTORY  OF   IRELAND.  337 

upon  this,  immediately  mustered  a  large  army,  aud  drove  Aen- 
gus  and  his  kinsmen  into  bani.shment. 

Many,  indeed,  were  the  battles  which  this  race  of  Fiacaidh 
Suighdi  gave  to  Cormac,  though  he  succeeded  in  driving  them 
into  Leinster,  where  they  remained  for  one  year.  Thence  they 
proceeded  into  Osraide,  and  finally  they  came  to  Olild  Olum, 
whose  wife,  Sadb,  daughter  of  Conn  of  the  Hundred  Battles, 
was  a  kinswoman  of  their  own.  Olild  gave  them  the  territory 
which  they  thenceforward  called  the  Desi  Mumhan"  {Daishi 
Moon)^  or  Desi  of  Munster ;  for  the  Desi  Temrach  {Daishi  Tav- 
ragli)  had  been  their  native  country,  previous  to  their  expulsion 
thence  by  Cormac.  Those  three  sons  of  Fiacaidh  Suighdi  then 
divided  their  new  territory  between  them  in  three  parts. 

Though  some  have  called  this  tribe  the  posterity  of  Olild 
Eronn,  and  Ernaide,  or  Ernaans,''  still  they  are  not  of  the  race 
that  is  so  called,  for  it  is  the  descendants  of  Conari,  son  of  Mogh 
Lamha,  that  have  been  named  Ernaide.  It  was,  indeed.  Core 
Dubinn,  son  of  Carbri  Musg,  that  was  the  author  of  bringing  the 
race  descended  from  Fiacaidh  Suighdi  into  Munster;  but  it  was 
the  posterity  of  the  latter,  not  the  former,  that  were  called  Desi. 
And  Aengus,  son  of  Eocaidh  Finn,  son  of  Feidlimidh  Eectmar, 
was  their  chieftain  on  their  expedition  to  Munster,  and  in  part- 
nership with  him  were  the  three  sons  of  Fiacaidh  Suighdi, 
namely  :  Eosa,  Eogan  and  Aengus  Gaei-buailtech. 

It  happened  that  about  this  time  Carbri  Musg"'  had  acquired 
great  power  in  Munster,  and  that  during  his  time  misfortunes 
and  failures  of  crops  came  upon  that  principality.  Nor,  indeed. 
was  that  to  be  wondered  at,  for  it  was  through  incest  that  Core 
had  been  borne  to  him  by  Dubinn,  who  was  his  own  sister ;  for 
they  were  both  the  children  of  Conari,  son  of  Mogh  Lamha,  and 
of  Saradh,  daughter  of  Conn  of  the  Hundred  Battles.  When, 
then,  the  nobles  of  Munster  had  taken  notice  that  misfortunes 

^  Desi  Murahan.    This  territory,  in  mistake    above  noticed  by   Keating, 

the  latter  times  of  Irish  independence,  The  likelihood  is,  that  the  Desi  got  the 

comprised  the  present  county  of  Water-  territory   now  called  "V^'atcrford  from 

ford,  where  its  name  is  still  preserved  the  Iberians,  for  the  purpose  of  finally 

in  those  of  the  baronies  of  Dccies  with-  subjugating  its  more  early  inhabitants. 

in  and  Decies  without  Drum.  ^  Caibri  Musg.    It  does  not  appear, 

^  Ernaans.  This  name,  as  before  from  the  text,  what  immediate  con- 
stated, belonged  originally  to  a  Belgian  nection  the  story  of  Carbri  Musg  has 
or  Danann  tribe.  It  had  been  usurped,  with  the  Desi.  We  must  not  under- 
as  we  have  seen,  by  the  descendants  of  stand,  that  he  was  then  king  of  Mun- 
the  Gaelic  chieftain  Olild  Erann,  of  the  ster  ;  but  that  he  was.  as  bore  repre- 
liue  of  Fiacaidh  Fer-mara.  Possibly  sented,  a  powerful  chieftain,  the  nume- 
a  branch  of  the  original  Ernaans  still  rous  and  extensive  territories  called 
occupied  the  glens  and  fiistnesses  of  the  Musgraide,  or  Muskery,  from  his  de- 
Comarachs,  and  may  have  led  to  the  sccndantg,  bear  convincing   testimony. 

22 


388  THE   HISTORY    OF   IRELAND. 

had  fallen  upon  their  country  during  the  rule  of  Carbri,  they 
demanded  of  that  chieftain,  what  it  was  that  had  taken  its  pro- 
duce and  good  luck  from  their  land.  And  Cormac  answered 
them,  and  said,  that  it  Avas  an  incest  that  he  had  himself  com- 
mitted with  his  own  sister,  namely,  with  Dubinn,  and  tliat  she 
had  borne  him  two  sons,  namely,  Core  and  Cormac.  When  the 
chiefs  of  jMunster  heard  this,  they  demanded  to  get  the  sons,  in 
order  that  they  might  destroy  them,  by  consuming  them  with  fire, 
and  then  cast  their  ashes  into  the  running  stream.  "Let  that 
be  done  by  you,"  said  Dinach  the  Druid,  '•  as  far  as  Cormac  is 
concerned;  but  let  not  Corc^"  be  killed  by  your  hands.  Let  him 
be  given  to  me,  and  I  shall  take  him  Avith  me  out  of  Eri."  His 
request  Avas,  granted  him ;  and  he  took  the  child  with  him  to 
Inis-Baei,*^  Avhere  he  found  a  vestal  named  Baei,  under  Avhose 
protection  he  placed  him.  With  her  lie  left  him  for  a  year, 
at  the  end  of  Avhich  he  took  him  to  Saradh,  daughter  of  Conn  of 
the  Hundi'cd  Battles,  AA'ho  Avas  his  grandmother,  by  both  his 
parents. 

But  to  return  to  the  Desi.  They  demanded  of  their  sooth- 
sayers, if  it  were  their  destiny  to  find  a  place  of  shelter  or  of 
fixed  residence  in  Munster ;  and  the  soothsayers  ansAvcred  them, 
and  advised  them  to  remain  in  that  land.  And  they,  moreover, 
said  that  the  Avife  of  Enna  Kenn-sclach,  Conaing  by  name,  was 
then  pregnant,  and  that  the  child  to  be  brought  by  her  should 
be  a  daughter.  That  daughter  they  advised  the  Desi  to  demand 
in  fosterage,  telling  them  to  give  her  full  value  in  in-esents,  in 
order  to  get  her  from  her  parents.  The  daughter  Avas  after- 
wards born,  und  she  Avas  fostered  by  the  Desi,  and  Ethni  Ua- 
thach^  {Ethnic  Ooliagh)  Avas  her  name.  She  Avas  fed  upon  the 
flesh  of  infants  by  the  Desi,  in  order  that  she  might  the  sooner 
become  marriageable,  because  a  distinguished  druid  had  foretold, 
that  her  fosterers  should  receive  lands  from  the  man  Avhose  Avife 
she  should  become.  And  upon  arriving  at  maturity,  she  Avas 
wedded  to  Aengus,  son  of  Nadfracch,  king  of  Munster,  Avho,  as 
a  reward  for  getting  her  to  Avife,  bestoAved  upon  the  Desi,  Magh- 
Femhen,  that  is,  the  district  called  tlie  "  trian''  {(reecm),  or  third 

^  Core.    This  Core  became  a  (lis-  and  over  memorable  siege,  in  1G02,  im- 

tinguished  chieftain  in  the  course  of  der  its   braA'e   commandant,   Richard, 

time,  and  Avas  the  founder  of  several  son  of  Rosí,  sou  of  Couula  Mageoghe- 

septs  of  the  Eremonian  Ernaans.   Corca  gan. 

Dubni,  now  (!oraguiny,  in  Kerry,  lias        "  Ethni  Uathach.    The  anachronism 

seemingly  received  its  name  from  liim.  of  this   horrible  legend  is  enough   to 

*'  hits  Bad,  i.  e.  the  Island  of  IJaei.  prove  it  a  lietion.  Aengus  Mac  Nad- 
It  is  now  called  Bear  Island,  being  in  fraeich,  the  king  of  Mun.ster,  whoso 
Bantry  Bay.  On  it  was  situated,  in  wile  this  Ethni  in  said  tr)  have  been, 
aftcrtimes,  O'Sullivan's  castle  of  Dun-  did  not  reign  over  Munstrr  lor  at  lea.st 
Baei  (Dunboy),  famed  for  its  glorious  two  liundred  year:i  after  the  settlcmojit 


THE   HISTOEY   OF   IKELAND.  339 

of  Clnsdn-mela  {Cloo'in-meUa),  and  the  Trian-medonacli  {Treean- 
veonagh),  or  middle  third,  after  the  expulsion  of  the  Osraidigh 
(Ossoriaus)  from  these  territories.  Afterwards,  both  Aengus 
and  Ethni  were  sluin  by  the  Leinstermen,  in  the  battle  of  Kell- 
osna,  ft)ur  miles  east  of  Leith-glenn  (now  Leighlin  Bridge).  For 
the  race  sprung  from  Fiacaidh  Suighdi,  called  also  the  Desi, 
possessed  at  first  but  the  territory  which  is  known  as  the  Desi 
Deskert  {Beshkeri),  or  Southern  Desi,  and  which  extends  from  the 
Eiver  Siuir  soúithwards  to  the  sea,  and  from  Lis-mor  to  Kenn* 
Criadain  (Credan  Head).  But  when  Ethni  Uathach  was  mar- 
ried to  Aengus,  son  of  Nadfraech,  king  of  Munster,  then  it  was 
that  this  prince  bestowed  upon  them  the  Desi  Tuaiskert  {Todish- 
kert),  or  Northern  Desi,  which  extends  from  the  above-mentioned 
Eiver  Siuir  to  Corca-Ethrach  {Coré-áháragh),  which  is  called 
Machari  Caisil  {Maghera  Cashil),  or  the  Plain  of  Cashcl.  O'Fae- 
lain,  who  came  of  that  stock,  was  the  king  of  the  northern  Desi, 
and  where  he  had  his  dun-phort  (or  stronghold)  was  on  the  bank 
of  the  Siuir,  at  Innis-Lemnacta*^  {Tnnish-lewnaghta) ;  and  that  is 
the  place  that  is  now  called  Dun-ui-Faelain  {Doon-ee-Aylaian\ 
i.  e.  the  dun  of  O'Faelain.  The  posterity  of  another  of  the  broth- 
ers possessed  the  southern  Desi,  and  it  was  their  chieftain  that 
was  styled  O'Bric ;  and  there  he  had  his  dun-phort  in  the  south, 
by  the  sea-shore,  at  the  place  which  is  now  called  Oilean  Ui 
Bhric  (Idaivn-ee-vricli),  i.  e.  O'Bric's  Island.**  The  Desi  continued 
thus  divided  into  two  septs  until  that  of  O'Bric  became  extinct, 
and  then  the  chieftainship  of  the  two  territories  fell  to  O'Faelain, 
whose  posterity  continued  to  rule  them  for  a  long  period  after- 
wards, until  the  Sil  Ebir  {Sheel  Aivi'r),  or  Eberians,  deprived 
them  of  the  northern  Desi;  so  that,  upon  the  arrival  of  the 
Anglo-Normans,  they  held  possession  but  of  the  southern  Desi. 
Understand,  that  it  was  Aengus  Osraidech*^(J.meesA-e  Osremgh), 
with  his  tribe,  that  liad  ])reviously  held  the  lordship  of  Magh 
Femhen,*^  called  the  Northern  Desi,  and  that  it  was  the  tribe  of 
Fiacaidh  Suighdi  that  had  expelled  him  and  his  followers  from 

of  the  Desi  in  that  Fifth.     He  was  the  *'  O'Bric's  Island  lies  near  Bonma- 

eighth   in   descent   from   Olild   Olum,  hon,  in  the  county  of  AVaterford. 

and  the   sixth   from   Fiacaidh  ^laeil-  '"  Aengus  Osmidech,  thiit  i?,  Aengns 

lethan,  in  whose  reign  the  race  of  Fia-  the    Ossorian.       He    is    tlie  ancestor 

caidh  Suighdi  fixed'inWaterford.   The  of    the   Fitz-Patriclis,   and  other  cor- 

story  is  evidently  a  calumny,  invented  relatives. 

to  detract  from  the  glory  of  the  des-  "^  Magh  Femhen,  the  barony  of  Tfifa, 

cendants  of  the  first  Christian  king  of  east  co.  Tipperary.     Cluain-mela,  i.  e. 

Cashel.  the  Field  or  Park  of  Honey,  now  Clon- 

•'  Inis   Lemnnda,   i.  e.  the  Isle   of  niel,  lay  therein.     Middicthird  is  also 

Xew-milk.     Its  exact  situation  is  un-  a  barony  ia  the  same  county, 
known  to  the  editor,  as  well  as  that  of 
Dun-Ui-Faelain. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 

that  territory ;  and  it  is  fiom  the  defeats  which  were  given  to 
him  at  those  places,  tliat  Cnoc-nrlaide*^  {Cnoc-urluee)^  i,  c.  the 
Hill  of  Slaughter,  and  Mullach  Aindconacli*^  yMullagh-ingónagh\ 
i.  e.  the  Height  of  Compulsion,  in  Magh  Femhen,  have  received 
the  names,  whicli  they  bear  to  the  ])rcsent  day.  Cnoc-uilaide, 
indeed,  from  the  Urlaide^  or  slaughter  of  the  champions  in  the 
battle ;  and  Mullach-Aindconach,  from  the  compulsory  (Aiudeo- 
nach)  driving  forth  of  the  Ossorians. 

Cormac's  war  ^(;^^;/^  Fiacaidh  Maeil-lethan,^^ /ci??^'  of  Munster — 
The  sons  of  thai  Prince — His  death. 

It  came  to  pass  about  this  epoch,  that  Cormac,  son  of  Art, 
experienced  a  scarcity  of  meat  and  provisions,  for  he  had 
expended  all  his  rents,  by  reason  of  the  multitude  of  the  folk 
of  his  household.  He  thereupon  consulted  the  Ard-fedmann- 
ach  {Ardfeimanagh),  or  high-steward  of  his  domestic  affairs,  as 
to  the  measures  to  be  adopted  in  order  to  supply  his  followers 
with  sustenance,  until  the  time  had  come  round  for  again  de- 
manding his  rents  from  the  fifths  or  ])rovinces.  The  advice 
which  his  high-steward  gave  him  was,  to  muster  a  numerous 
army,  and  to  march  therewith  straight  into  Munster,  for  the 
purpose  of  enforcing  payment  of  the  rents  thence  due  to  the 
king  of  Ireland.  "For,"  said  he,  "  these  people  pay  rent  to  you 
but  for  one  Fifth,  while  there  are  two  Filths  in  IVIunster,  out  of 
each  of  which  a  rent  is  justly  due  to  the  Ard-righ  of  Eri."  Upon 
the  advice  Cormac  determined  to  take  immediate  action ;  and 
forthwith  he  s^mt  an  embassy  to  Fiacaidh  Maeil-hithan  {Fceagha 
Mueelláhán),  who  was  then  king  of  Munster,  demanding  from 
hini  the  rent  of  the  two  Fifths.  Fiacaidh  sent  him  answer,  that 
he  would  pay  no  more  rent  to  him  than  had  been  paid  to  the 
kings,  his  predecessors.  And,  when  this  reply  w-as  brought  to 
Cormac,  he  assembled  a  large  army,  and  marched  forward 
without  halting  until  he  reached  Drom-diamhari'*(c/e(;2;e)TÚ')  which 

"  Cnoc-Urlaide.     Unknown    to  the  called  Forbais  Droma-damh/rari,  i  e. 

editor.  the  Encampment  on   Drom-damli,?ari, 

*"  Mullach   Angeonnch,   now   called  has  been  founded  upon  tliis  e.xpedition. 

Mulla^'-liingonc     a    townland    in    tlic  "  It  looks  very  stranpe  that  neitber  the 

parish  of  Newcliapcl,    near    Clonmel.  Four   Masters   nor   Tipliernach  make 

It  was   otherwise  called   Indeon  na-n-  any  special  mention  of  Cormac's  cxpc- 

Desi.     {Intléo'i-rvi-Daishi).  dition  into  Munster.     The  truth  is,  the 

*'  Fiacaidh  Maeil-lethnn,  the  posthu-  annalists  of  Leth  Chuinn  pass  over  the 

mous  son  of  Eog-an  Mor,  son  of  Olild  affairs  of  Munster  very  slightly,  and 

Olurn,  killed  at  the  battle  of  Mocrumhi,  seem  unwilling  to  aekiiowledge  any  tj-i- 

gucceeded  his  uncle  Cormac  Cas  as  king  «mpli  of  the  king  of  that  province  over 

of  Munster.  the  race  of  Conn  of  the  Hundred  liatr 

"  Drom-diamhari  is  also  called  Drom-  ties  ;  and  this  feeling  was  mutual  on  the 

damhgari.     An  ancient  historic  tale,  part  of  the  race  of  Olild  Olum." — O'D. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  841 

is  now  called  Cnoc-Loingi  (Knocklong,  county  Limerick,)  and 
there  he  pitched  a  stationary  camp ;  and  thither  also  marched 
Fiacaidh  Macil-lethan,^!  king  of  Munster,  to  meet  him  front  to 
front.  Now,  Cormac  was  accompanied  on  that  occasion  by  cer- 
tain Alban  (Scotch)  druids,  whom  he  set  to  practice  druidic 
magic  against  the  king  of  ]\[nnster,  so  that  both  men  and  beasts 
were  in  danger  from  a  scarcity  of  water.  This  compelled  the 
king  of  Munster  to  send  for  Mogh  Ruith,^^  the  druid,  then  dwell- 
ing in  Kiarraide  Luachra  (Kerry).  And,  when  this  druid  had 
arrived,  the  king  was  compelled  to  bestow  upon  him  two  can- 
treds  of  land,  namely,  the  territories  called,  at  present,  Condon's 
and  Roche's  countries ;  then  ]\[ogh  Ruith,  upon  receiving  this 
grant,  unlocked  the  barrier  that  had  been  placed  before  the 
waters,  and  that  had  withheld  them  from  the  host  of  Munster. 
This  he  effected  by  hurling  into  the  air  a  magic  javelin,  which 
he  possessed  ;  and^  in  the  place  where  his  shaft  fell,  there  imme- 
diately burst  forth  a  springe  of  pure  water,  wherewith  the  men' 
of  Munster  were  relieved  from  the  violent  thirst  that  had  till 
then  oppressed  them.  Forthwith,  the  king  of  Munster  flung 
himsjlf  and  his  refreshed  warriors  upon  Cormac  and  his  host, 
and  drove  the  invaders  out  of  his  territories,  without  their  having 
even  withstood  him  in  a  battle  or  having  taken  off  their  spoils.  He 
followed  up  his  pursuit  of  tliem  into  Osraide,  where  he  compelled 
Cormac  to  give  him  securities  and  pledges,  as  guaranties  that  he 
would  send  hostages  to  him  from  Temhair  to  Rath  Naci,  which 
is  called  Cnoc  Ratliflmn^  {Knockraffan),  in  order  to  make  atone- 
ment for  every  injury  that  he  had  inflicted  upon  Munster  in  that 
invasion.  It  is  in  record  of  that  contract,  that  some  bard  has 
composed  the  following  verse : 

"  The  good  king  Fiacaidh  Maeil-lethan 
Owned  full  ouc-half  of  this  wide  laud, 

*'  Fiacaidh  Maeil-lethan  succeeded  his  scendants  took  the  names  of  O'Diibha- 

nncle,  Cormac  Cas,  as  king  of  Munster.  gain,  O'Dugaiu  or  Duggan,  and  O'Cos- 

Ile  seems  to  have  been  fully  a  match  graide,    now    Coskery,    Coskran    iind 

for  his  rival,  Cormac  Mac  Airt.     The  Cosgrave. 

invasion  here  spoken  of  was  apparently  "  A  spring  well,  which  he  is  said  to 

undertaken  for  the  purpose  of  destroy-  have  caused  to  issue  from  the  earth,  is 

ing  the  compact,  made  between  Eogau  still  pointed  out  near  Knocklong,  coun- 

Mor  and  Conn  of  the  Hundred  Bat-  ty  Limerick, 

ties.  "^  Cnoc  Rathfann.    The  ruins  of  Fia- 

"  Mogh  Ruith.    This  druid  was  de-  caidh's  rath  still  exist  on  the  to\\T)land 

scended  from  Fergus  Mac  Roigh,  and  of  KnockrafFan,  a  few  miles  to  the  east 

of  the  same  race  with  the  O'Connors,  of  Cahir,  county  Tippcrary.     It  was 

Kerry.     The  territory  given  to  him  by  situated  ou  the  river  Suir.  and  became, 

Fiacaidh,  for  his  services  on  this  occa-  some  time  previous  to  the  P^nglish  in- 

eion,  was  Fermaighe   Fcni    {Fermoye  vasion.  the  chief  seat  of  that  branch  of 

Faini),  now  the  baronies  of  Ferraoy  his  descendants  that  took  the  name  of 

and  Condons,  county  Cork.     His  de-  O'Suillibain  (O'Sullivan). 


342  THE    HISTORY    OF    IRELAND. 

Aud  strong  Tcmhair  sent  hostages 

To  Eathiaun's  fort  the  bright  llath  Naei." 

This  Fiacaidli  had  two  sons,  namely,  Olild  Flann  Mor  and 
Olild  Flann  Beg.^  Of  these,  Olild  Flann  Mor  died  without 
issue,  and  thence  all  of  the  posterity  of  Fiacaidh  Maeil-lcthan 
that  survive,  arc  descended  from  Olild  FLann  Beg.  It  was  upon 
this  circumstance  that  the  bard  composed  this  verse,  down  here : 

"  Sons  of  great  Fiacaidli  Maeil-lethan 
Were  Olild  Flann  Mor,  childless  chief, 
And  Olild  Flann  Beg,  happy  sire, 
Whose  race  now  widely  rules  in  Mumha." 

Olild  FLinn  Mot  being  thus  without  ofispring,  adopted,^  as 
his  son,  his  brother,  Olild  Flann  Beg,  to  whom  he  left  his  per- 
sonal wealth  and  inheritance,  on  the  condition  that  both  himself 
and  his  posterity  should  place  the  name  of  Olild  Flann  Mor  on 
the  genealogical  tree,  between  that  of  Fiacaidh  Maeil-lethan  and 
his  own.  And  it  is  so  that  it  is  found  given  down  in  the  Psalter 
of  Cashel,  and  in  other  ancient  books ;  but  we  must  not  under- 
stand thereby,  that  Olild  Flann  Mor  was  the  father  of  Olild  Flann 
Beg  ;  for  the  reason  why  the  name  of  Olild  Flann  Mor  was  thus 
placed  after  that  of  Fiacaidh  Maeil-lethan  on  the  genealogical 
tree,  was  in  order  to  fulfil  that  agreement,  made  between  the  two 
brothers,  as  we  have  just  related. 

It  was  Connla,"  sou  of  Tadg,  son  of  Kian,  son  of  Olild  Olum, 
that  treacherously  murdered  Fiacaidh  Maeil-lethan  at  Ath-isel 
{AvjJieeshel),  now  Athassel,  on  the  river  Siuir.  He  was  impelled 
to  perpetuate  that  foul  treason  by  the  following  motive.  Whilst 
still  a  youth,  and  residing  in  the  house  of  Cormac  Mac  Airt,  king 
of  Ireland,  for  the  purpose  of  learning  i^olite  manners  and  acquir- 
ing skill  in  warlike  exercises,  he  was  attacked  by  some  leprous 
disease,  Avhereupon  Cormac  one  day  told  him  tljat  it  was  his  des- 
tiny to  be  cured  thereof  only  by  bathing  himself  in  the  blood  of 
a  king,  adding  that  he  should  be  healed  of  his  disease,  as  soon  as 
he  had  accomplished  that  deed.     Soon  after  he  had  received  this 

"  Olild  Flann  Be^  eventually  succeed-  na  d-Tri  Finn  Kmna,"  i.  o.  Son  of  the 

ed  his  cousin,  Mogh  Corb,  son  of  for-  Three  Fiinis  of  Eniliaiu,  applied  to  the 

mac  Cas,  as  king  of  the  Southern  Half  Irish  monarch,  Lugaidh  Kiahh-n-derg. 

of  Ireland.    It  does  not  appear  that  his  "  Connla.    'I'here  is  much  that  is  ex- 

eld'T  brother  was  ever  more  than  king  aggerafed  and  ini])rnbaltle  in  the  narra- 

of  Desmond.  tiou  of  Fiacaidh's  death.     His  cousin 

"■  Adopted.     From  this  it  is  evident  Connla,  over  whose  native  territory  of 

that  the  custom  of  adoption  was  jirac-  Kli  that  Icing  claimed  sovereignty,  had 

ticed    amongst   the   Irish  Tribes,  and  possibly  other  reasons  for  his  treason 

what  is  recorded  here  may  serve  to  ex-  than  that  here  related,  ajiparcntly  from 

plain  that  strange  expression,  "  Mac  some  historic  romance. 


TUE    IIISTOEY    OF   IRELAND,  343 

advice,  Connla  ^^•cnt  to  visit  his  cousin,  Piacaidh  Maeil-letban, 
then  king  of  IMuustcr.  And  where  this  king  was  then  abiding 
was  at  the  rath  of  Kathfann,  which  is  this  day  called  Cnoc- 
Eafann,  Avith  his  foster-mother,  -whose  "name  was  Kathfann. 
And  when  Connla  presented  himself  at  that  jjlace,  he  received 
a  kindly  welcome  from  his  royal  kinsman.  Then,  on  a  cer- 
tain day  soon  after  his  arrival,  Fiacaidh  Avent  forth  along  the 
banks  of  the  Siuir,  attended  by  a  number  of  his  household,  and 
having  Connla  by  his  side,  carrying  his  spear.  "When  they  had 
thus  arrived  at  Ath-Isel,  the  king  went  into  the  water  to  swim. 
Then  did  Connla  remember  the  advice  of  Cormac,  and  thereupon 
he  advanced  to  the  edge  of  the  bank,  whence,  flinging  his  own 
spear  at  Fiacaidh  as  he  was  swimming,  he  thrust  him  through  in 
the  water,  and  thus  slew  him.  Nevertheless,  the  king  lived  to 
reach  the  bank  and  save  the  life  of  Connla,  commanding  his 
household  not  to  kill  his  treacherous  relative  and  guest.  Thus 
did  Fiacaidh  Maeil-lethan  end  his  life. 

Finn  Mac  Cumhail  and  the  Fiann^  na  n-ERENN. 

We  have  already  related,  on  the  authority  of  the  Shannachies, 
that  king  Cormac  had  ten  daughters,  but  of  these  we  shall  here 
speak  of  no  more  than  two,  namely,,  of  Grainni,^^  who  was  at  first 
the  wife  of  Finn,  son  of  Cumhal  {Cúvál  or  Cooal)^  but  who  after- 
wards eloped  with  Diarmaid  O'Duibne  {Decrmid  CDuivnie  or 
Divynee);  and  of  Ailbi  {AJvie)^  daughter  of  Cormac,  who  also 
became  the  wife  of  Finn  after  the  elopement  of  her  sister. 

Now,  I  hold  it  to  be  untrue  for  any  jDcrson  to  assert  that  Finn 
and  the  Fiann  (Feeann)  never  had  existence.  For,  in  testimony 
of  their  having  really  existed,  we  have  still  remaining  those 
three  proofs,  whereby,  with  the  single  exception  of  what  is  re- 
corded in  Holy  AVrit,  the  truth  of  all  historic  facts  are  tried. 
These  are,  first!}",  common  oral  tradition,  handed  down  from 
father  to  son ;  secondly,  ancient  Avritten  documents,  and  thirdly, 
ancient  landmarks  and  monumental  remains.  We  have  ever 
heard,  and  are  constantly  hearing  it  repeatefi'   f?3ni  mouth  to 

^  Fiann.    This  word  is  used  in  a  maid  aud  Grainni — this  lady  was  not 

oollcctive  sense,  and  must,  throughout  actually  married  to  Finn.     She  e'oped 

this  work,  be  understood  as  the  order  with  Diarmaid  from  her  marriage  feast. 

of  men  called  the  •' Fiann"  [Feeann).  Diarmaid  O'Duibni.  styled  in  ancient 

Its  plural,  "  Fianna,"  means  bands  or  romances,  "  the  dark  haired  Diarmaid 

bodies  of  the  Fianit.      An   individual  of  bright   face  and  white  teeth,"  was 

member  of  the  order  was  styled  "  Fein-  the  Paris  of  the  Fiann,  without  the 

nidhe"  [Fainyee).  effeminacy  of  the  Trojan  prince.     By 

^'  Grainni.     According  to  the  Fen-  his  race,  he  was  of  the  Ernaide  of  Muu- 

niau  romance — "  Toraidhech  Dhiarma-  ster.     He  is  represented  as  the  most 

da's  Grainni"  [Toreedght   Yeermoda's  agile  warrior  of  the  Fiann. 
Grannyeh),i.e.  the  Chase  after  Diar- 


344  THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 

mouth,  that  Finn  and  Fiann  once  had  existence  ;  and  again,  oiir 
ancient  books  record  their  adventures  very  fully ;  and  we  still 
have  living  witnesses  of  their  existence  in  the  ancient  names  at- 
tached to  the  localities,  and  the  monumental  remains,  that  have 
been  called  after  them — such  as  Suidhe  Finn  (Suec-Fiun),  i.e. 
Finn's  Seat  or  resting  place,  upon  Sliabh-na-m-ban-bh-fionnG" 
{Sb'eve-na-man-vj/nn),  which  was  so  called  from  this  hero,  Finn 
0  Baeisgni;"'  and  Glenn  Garaidh  {Gkn-garra),  i.e.  Garaidh's  val- 
ley, which  is  called  after  Garaidh  Glun-dubh  {gloon-duv),  son  of 
Morna,  and  which  lies  in  Ui  Fathaidh"  (ee  Fahie),  and  Leba 
Diarmoda  is  Grainni  {Labha-yeermodas-Granini),  i.  c.  Diarmaid 
and  Grainni's  Bed,  inUi  Fiacrach  Aidhni"  {Ee  Feerjhragh  Fjijnié)^ 
which  is  now  called  Duithche  Ui  Sechnasaigh  [Dohee-Shaugh- 
nasg)^  or  O'Shaughnasy's  country ;  and  so  likewise  of  numbers 
of  other  localities  throughout  Ireland. 

But  if  any  person  should  say,  that  a  great  deal  of  what  has 
been  told  of  the  Fiann  is  incredible,  in  that  I  hold  him  to  be  per- 
fectly correct.  But,  there  was  no  country  in  the  world  in  which 
men  did  not  write  untrue  stories,  in  the  daj's  of  Paganism.  I 
could  even  point  many  stories  of  that  kind,  such  as  the  Knight 
of  the  Sun  and  similar  ones,  that  were  composed  even  in  the 
times  of  the  Faith.  Nevertheless,  there  is  no  country  in  which 
some  true  and  credible  histories  were  not  written  at  the  same 
time.  In  like  manner,  although  many  fabulous  and  romantic 
tales,  such  as  tlie  Cath  Finn-Tragha  (Cah-Finn-Troxje),  or  Battle 
of  Veutry ;  the  Bruighen  Caerthann  {Brueen  Kairhan),  or  For- 
tress of  Caerthann;  the  Imthecta  an  Ghilla  Decair  {Imhaghl  an- 
yilla  dacker),  or  the  Adventures  of  the  Dissatisfied  Clown,  and 
such  like,  have  been  written  upon  Finn  and  the  Fiann  for  pas- 

"  Sliabh-nn-m-han-hh-fionn,  i.  e.  the  "^  Ui  Fathaidh.  There  were  two 
mountain  of  the  fair  women,  now  Slieve-  tribes  in  Connaught,  of  this  name  ;  one 
naraan,  county  Tipperary.  The  term  situated  cast  of  Loujih  Corrib,  in  the 
'•fionn,"  i.  e.  foir,  now  applied  to  this  county  of  Gal  way ;  the  other  was  lo- 
mountain,  is  thought  to  be  a  corrup-  cated  in  Ui  Mani,  in  the  same  county, 
tion  of  Femhenn  {Fewean),  the  old  The  name  is  anglicized  O'Fahy.  Tlicrc 
name  of  the  territory  where  it  is  situ-  was  also  a  tribe  of  this  name  in  the 
ated.  Finn's  seat  upon  this  mountain,  liarony  of  IfTa  and  Offa,  county  Tip- 
as  well  as  upon  the  several  mountain  perary. 

ranges  in  Ireland  and  Scotland,  where  •"  Ui  Fincrach  Aidni.  The  tribe- 
places  so  called  are  found,  probably  re-  name  of  tlie  O'Heynos,  O'Sliaughnea- 
ceived  its  name  from  the  fact  of  that  sies,  Mac  Kilkellies,  and  tlu'ir  correla- 
chief  having  been  wont  to  make  it  his  tives.  Tlieir  territory  lay  on  tlic  bor- 
station,  whilst  his  warriors  were  making  ders  of  the  counties  of  (ialway  and 
their  bittiie  on  the  lowlands  beneath.  Clare.     Tliosc  altar-tombs,  compo.sed 

"   O'liac/sgiii,   i.  c.   descendant   of  of  innnonse  stones,  so  frequent  in  Iro- 

Baeisgni  (BueeshJcni),  son  of  the  Irish  land,  arc  sometimes  popularly  but  im- 

monarch,Nuadath  Nect,from  whom  the  jjroporly  called  the  Beds  of  Diarmaid 

clan  of  Bacisgni,  of  which  Finn  was  the  and  (Jrainni. 
hereditary  chieftain,  received  its  name. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  845 

time's  sake,  it  is  nevertheless  certain  that  some  true  and  credible 
histories  have  been  written  of  them  likewise." 

It  is,  also,  proved  that  their  persons  were  of  no  extraordinary 
size,  compared  with  the  men  that  lived  in  their  own  times,  and, 
moreover,  that  they  were  nothing  more  than  members  of  a  body 
of  buaiiadha  (boonagha),  or  soldiers,  maintained  by  the  Irish 
kings,  for  the  purpose  of  guarding  their  territories,  and  of  up- 
holding their  authority  therein.  It  is  so  that  captains  and  sol- 
diers are  at  present  maintained,  by  all  modern  kings,  for  the 
purpose  of  defending  their  rule  and  guarding  their  countries. 

The  members  of  the  Fiann  lived  after  the  following  manner. 
They  were  quartered  upon  the  people  of  Ireland  from  Samhain 
(All  Hallows)  to  Beltani  (May),  and  their  duty  was  to  uphold 
justice  and  to  put  down  injustice  on  the  part  of  the  kings  and 
lords  of  Ireland,  and  also  to  guard  the  harbors  of  the  country 
from  the  oppression  of  foreign  invaders.  Then,  from  Beltani  to 
Samhain,  they  lived  by  hunting  and  the  chase,  and  by  perform- 
ing the  duties  demanded  of  them  by  the  kings  of  Ireland,  such 
as  jDrevcnting  robberies,  exacting  fines  and  tributes,  and  putting 
down  public  enemies,  and  every  other  kind  of  evil  that  might 
afflict  the  country.  For  performing  these  duties  they  received  a 
certain  fixed  pay,  just  as  a  fixed  stipend  is  at  present  given  by 
all  the  kings  in  Europe,  to  the  captains  and  officers  that  are  em- 
ployed in  executing  their  commands. 

ilov.'cver,  from  Beltani  till  Samhain,  the  Fiann  had  to  content 
itself  with  game,  the  product  of  its  own  hunting,  as  its  mainte- 
nance and  pay  from  the  kings  of  Ireland.  That  is,  its  warriors 
had  the  flesh  of  the  wild  animals  for  their  food,  and  the  skins  for 
wages.  During  the  whole  day,  from  the  morning  until  the  night, 
they  ate  but  one  meal,  of  which  they  were  wont  to  partake  to- 
wards evening.  About  noon,  it  was  their  custom  to  send  what- 
ever game  they  had  killed  in  the  morning,  by  their  attendants, 
to  some  appointed  hill,  where  there  should  be  a  convenience  of 
wood  and  moorland.  There  they  used  to  light  immense  fires, 
into  which  they  put  a  large  quantity  of  round  sandstones. 
They  next  dug  two  pits  in  the  yellow  clay  of  the  moor,  and, 
having  set  part  of  the  venison  upon  spits  to  be  roasted  before 

*'  The  tales  here  mentioned,  as  well  Irish  students.     Until  these  Tales  of 

as  all  the  other  documents  relating  to  the  Fiann,  with  the  Ossianic  Poems, 

the  Fiann  which  still  remain,  are  now  be  given  to  the  public  in  a  translated 

in  a  fair  way  of  being  published  by  form,  nothing   like  a  correct   picture 

the  Ossianic  Society  of  Dublin.     If  the  can  be  drawn  of  the  state  of  Ireland, 

Irish  public,  both  at  home  and  in  Ame-  during  the  days  when  Finn  and  his 

rica,  will  only  support  that  Society  as  warriors  flourished — days  which  may 

it  deserves,  our  Fenian  literature  will  be  said  to  constitute  the  heroic  epoch 

soon  be  placed  within   tlic   reach  of  of  our  history. 


846  THE  HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 

tbe  lire,  they  bound  up  the  remainder  with  sugans,  in  bundles 
of  sedge,  which  the}-  phiced  to  be  cooked  in  one  of  the  pits  they 
had  previousl}'-  dug.  There  they  set  round  them  the  stones 
which  had  been  heated  in  the  fire,  and  kept  heaping  them  upon 
the  bundles  of  meat,  until  they  had  made  them  seethe  freely,  and 
the  meat  had  become  thoroughly  cooked.  From  the  greatness 
of  these  fires,  it  has  resulted  that  their  sites  are  still  to  be  recog- 
nized, in  many  parts  of  Ireland,  by  their  burnt  blackness.  It  is 
they  that  are  commonly  called  "  Fualacta-na-Fiann"  {Foohghta- 
na-veean),  that  is,  the  Cooking-places  or  Kitchens  of  the  Fiann. 

As  to  the  warriors  of  the  Fiann,  when  they  w'cre  assembled  at 
the  place  where  their  fires  had  been  lighted,  they  used  to  gather 
round  the  second  of  those  pits,  of  which  we  have  spoken  above, 
and  there  every  man  stripped  himself  to  his  skin,  tied  his  tunic 
round  his  waist,  and  then  set  to  dressing  his  hair  and  cleansing 
his  limbs,  thus  ridding  himself  of  the  sweat  and  the  soil  con- 
tracted during  the  day's  hunt.  Then  they  began  to  supple  their 
thews  and  muscles  hj  gentle  exei'cise,  loosening  them  by  fric- 
tion, until  they  had  relieved  themselves  from  all  sense  of  stiffness 
and  fatigue.  AVhen  they  had  accomplished  this,  they  sat  down 
and  ate  their  meal.  That  over,  tliey  commenced  constructing 
their  "fiann-bhotha"  {feean-vohá\  or  hunting  booths,  and  prepar- 
ing their  beds,  and  so  put  themselves  in  train  for  sleep.  Of  the 
following  three  materials,  then,  did  each  man  construct  his  bed, 
namely,  of  the  brushwood  of  the  forest,  of  moss,  and  of  fresh 
rushes.  The  brushwood  was  laid  next  the  ground,  over  it  was 
laid  the  moss,  and  lastly  the  fresh  rushes  were  spread  over  all. 
It  is  these  three  materials  that  arc  designated  in  our  old  romances 
as  the  "Tri  Cuilcedha  na-Fiann"  {Three  quilkagha  na  veeann), 
that  is,  the  Three  Beddings  of  the  Fiann. 

Campion  tells  us  in  his  Chronicle,  that  Finn,  son  of  Cumhal, 
was  the  same  person  whom  some  authors  have  called  Roanus. 
But  this  assertion  of  his  is  unfounded  in  fact ;  for  you  must  un- 
derstand that  his  father  was  Cumhal,  son  of  Trenmor,  the  fourth 
in  descent  fiom  Nuadath  Ncct,  monarch  of  Ireland,  and  that  his 
mother  was  Muirrinn  Mong-caein,  that  is,  Muirrinn  of  beauteous 
hair,  daughter  of  Tadg  {Teigue),  son  of  Nuadath,  the  druid  of  the 
monarch  Cathaoir  Mov. 

Almlia"  {Alva),  of  Leinster,  was  the  native  inheritance  of 
Tadg,  son  of  Nuadath.  It  was  from  him  that  Almha  fell  into 
the  possession  of  Finn,  in  right  of  his  mother.     It  was  the  king 

•"  Almha,  otherwise  Alinhain  (Alwin).  the  poem  called  the  "  Builli  Oisiii,"  i.  e. 

Tlic  site  of  Finn's  fortress,  at  this  place,  the  Iia<rc  of  Oisin,  occur  tlie  following 

is  now  called  the  Hill  of  Allen  in  the  verses,  descriptive  of  Finn's  dwelling  at 

county  of  Kildare.    'J'he  place  is  highly  Almha  : 
celebrated  in  the  Ossianic  Poems.     In 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND,  347 

of  Leinster  that  gave  liiin  Formacil  na  bh-Fiaun'^^  {Formeel  na 
veean),  where  Liiimnech  Laighen  {Lymnagh  Loyen)  is  now  situ- 
ated. 

Buchanan,  in  his  History  of  Alba  (Scotland),  has  called  Finn 
a  giant,  telling  us  that  he  was  fifteen  cubits  in  height.  But  that 
statement  is  untrue ;  for  it  is  evident  from  our  ancient  historic 
books,  that  he  was  of  no  extraordinary  size  beyond  the  men  of 
his  own  time.  It  is  also  evident  from  them,  that  there  were  men 
in  the  Fiann  who  were  more  remarkable  for  their  personal  prow- 
ess, their  valor,  and  for  the  size  of  their  bodies  than  he.  The 
reason,  inde;:d,  Avhy  he  was  made  Kigh-Feiunedh  (Ree-Faineh), 
or  king  of  the  Fiann,  and  set  over  the  warriors,  was  simply  be- 
cause his  father  and  grandfather"  had  held  that  ];)Osition  before 
him.  Another  reason,  also,  why  he  had  been  made  king  of  the 
Fiann,  was  because  he  excelled  his  cotemporaries  in  intellect  and 
in  learning,  in  wisdom  and  in  subtlety,  and  in  experience  and 
hardihood  in  battle-fields.  It  was  for  these  qualities  that  he  was 
made  king  of  the  Fiann,  and  not  for  his  personal  prowess,  or  for 
the  great  size  or  strength  of  his  body, 

111  or.linary  times,  the  host  maintained  as  a  standing  army, 
under  Fmn's  command,  amounted  to  three  "  Catha"  {cdha),  styled 
the  Three  "Catha"  of  the  Gnath-Fiann  {Gnah-Feeann),  or  ordi- 


'•  I  feasted  in  the  Iiall  of  Finn, 
And  at  eacii  banquet  tiiere  I  saw 
A  thousand  rich  cups  on  his  board, 
Whose  rims  were  bound  with  purest  gold. 

And  twelve  great  buildings  once  stood  there, 
The  dwellings  of  those  mighty  hosts, 
Euled  by  Talg's  daughter's  warlike  son. 
At  ..Imha  of  the  noble  Fiann. 

Ati'\  constantly  there  burned  twelve  fires, 
Within  each  priucely  house  of  these, 
And  round  each  flaming  hearth  there  sat 
A  hundred  warriors  of  the  Fiann." 

The  fortress  of  Almha  was  at  length 
destroyed,  and  its  buildings  burned,  by 
Garaidh  Mac  Morna,  chief  of  the  Fiann 
of  Connaught.  Its  destruction  forms 
the  subject  of  one  of  Oisin's  lays.  Some 
traces  of  its  fortifications  still  exist 
upon  the  hill  of  Allen. 

Tiie  resemblance  of  this  name,  Almha 
or  Almhain,  to  Alba,  the  Gaelic  name 
of  modern  Scotland,  was  laid  hold  of 
by  Macpherson  and  his  followers,  in 
their  surreptitious  attempts  to  rob  Ire- 
land of  Finn  and  his  heroes.  It  is  true 
that  the  aspirated  forms,  mh  and  bh 
closely  resemble  each  other  in  power, 
and  that  Almha  or  Almhain  rai^'ht  be 
written  Albha  or  Albhain,  without  caus- 
ing any  very  perceptible  difference  in 


the  pronunciation  of  the  words,  which 
is  either  Alva  or  Aiwa,  Alvin  or  Alwin, 
and  sometimes  Alloo'in.  But,  unluckily 
for  their  imposition,  the  letter  "  b  "  is 
never  found  aspirated  in  Alba,  the 
name  of  Scotland,  either  in  the  Erse  or 
Irish  tongues.  Thus  there  is  no  double 
entendre  possible  on  the  subject. 

^  Formaeil  na  b-Fiann.  The  trans- 
lator has  not  been  able  to  determine 
where  this  Formaeil  lay,  which  could 
have  been  granted  to  Finn  by  the  king 
of  Leinster.  There  was  a  Sliabh  For- 
maeli,  now  called  Sliabh  0  Floiun,  in 
the  county  of  Roscommon.  There  was 
another  place  of  the  same  name  in  the 
county  Tyrone.  But  neither  of  these 
were  in  Leinster.  The  place  was  most 
probably  situated  upon  the  Shannon, 
the  lower  part  of  which  was  formerly 
called  Luimnech. 

^  His  father  and  grandfather.  Both 
Cumhal  and  Trennior  ( Trainmore)  had 
been  chiefs  of  the  Fiann  before  Finn. 
It  was  not,  then,  that  chieftain  who  in- 
stituted the  order,  as  some  have  im- 
agined. 


348  THE  HISTORY   OF  IRELAND. 

narj  Fiann.  In  each  ''cath'"^  (cá/<)  of  these,  there  were  three 
thousand  men.  Thiá  was  the  case  when  the  people  of  Ireland 
were  at  peace  with  one  another ;  but  whenever  hostilities  broke 
out  between  any  of  the  nobles  of  Ireland  and  the  Ard-righ,  or 
whenever  it  was  found  necessary  to  send  forces  to  Alba,  in  order 
to  support  the  Dal-liiada*^'  against  the  Ahnhuraigh'"  {alvoorih), 
or  foreigners,  then  there  were  usually  seven  "catha"  placed 
under  the  command  of  Finn — so  that  he  might  have  at  his  dis- 
posal a  force  numerous  enough  to  enable  him  to  afford  aid  to  the 
Dal-Riada  in  Alba,  and,  at  the  same  time,  to  protect  Ireland 
from  either  foreign  or  domestic  oppression. 

Under  Finn,  the  Eigh-Feinnedh,  there  were  many  chieftains.^ 
There  was  the  cath-nihiledh  {cah-veeleh),  in  command  of  the 
"  cath  ;"  the  Kenn-fedhna  {kerm-faana),  over  each  band  of  a 
hundred  men,  like  the  captains  of  the  present  day ;  the  "  taeisech- 
caegad"  {iueesagh-caegad),  or  leader  of  fifty,  and  the  "  taeisech- 
naenmhar"  {naynoor)^  or  leader  of  nine  warriors.  This  arrange- 
ment resembled  that  practiced,  at  the  same  time,  amongst  the 
Éomans;  for,  when  ten  files  or  ten  ranks  were  made  of  the 
hundred  men,  there  was  a  man  whom  they  called  the  "  taeisech- 
naenmhar,"  set  at  tlie  head  of  each  rank.  Hence,  when  we  read 
in  the  histoi'ies  of  Ireland,  or  in  our  old  romances,  of  any  warrior 
of  the  Fiann,  who  is  there  styled  "fer  comhlainn  céd"  {fer  cohlinn 
caid\  that  is,  a  match  for  a  hundred  in  battle,  or  of  one  styled  a 
match  for  fifty,  or  for  nine,  or  any  other  such  term,  we  must  not 
understand  therefrom  that  such  man  was,  in  his  own  proper  per- 
fion,  able  to  repel  the  attacks  of  either  one  hundred,  or  of  fifty, 
or  of  nine  armed  men ;   we  must  merely  understand,  that  the 

**  Cath,  plural  catlui,  is  usually  trans-  stood  the  Romans,  and,  perhaps,  the 

lated  battallion.     That  term  is,  how-  T'eutonic  hordes.     The  presence  of  the 

ever,  likely  to  lead  to  misconception  as  Fiann  in  Scotland  must  have  been  fre- 

to  the  effective  force  of  the  catk.     Le-  quent,  for  their  names  are  scarcely  less 

pion  would  have  given  a  better  idea  of  wedded  to  the  Ilijihlands  of  Alba  than 

the  bodv  of  warriors  composing  it.  to  those  of  Ireland. 

•=*  Dal-Riada.  The  first  permanent  "  Chieftains,  i.  c.  olTicers.  These 
colony  of  the  Scots  (i.  e.  Gaels),  under  officers  are  somewhat  dilL'rently  styled 
Carbri  Iliada,  the  son  of  Conari  II,  by  and  arranged  by  other  authorities, 
the  daughter  of  Conn  of  the  Hundred  namely,  1st,  the  Righ  Feneidh,  in  su- 
Battles,  hud  been  already,  for  some  ])reme  command  ;  2d,  the  Taeisech 
time,  seated  in  that  part  of  modern  Catlia  (y'l/ccN '/r/g/i  C(//to).  or  command- 
Scotland  now  called  Argj'leshire,  cr  of  a  cath  ;  IJrd,  the  Fcr-comhlann- 
"  which,  taking  the  name  of  its  prince-  mhilc  {Fer-cohlann-vecleh),  or  comniand- 
ly  founder,  grew  up,  in  course  of  time,  er  of  a  thousand ;  4th,  the  Fer-comh- 
into  the  kingdom  of  Dalriad»  ;  and  lann-ched,  or  leader  of  a  hundred ;  Sth, 
finally,  on  the  destruction  of  the  Picts  tiie  Fer-comhlann-caegad,  or  leader  of 
by  Kenneth  Mac  Alpine,  became  the  fifty  ;  and  Gtli,  tlie  Fcr-comhiann- 
kingdom  of  all  Scotland." — 3Ioore.  naeninhar,  or  leader  of  nine. 

'"  Alinhuraigh.    By  these  are  under- 


THE  HISTORY  OF   IRELAND.  349 

warrior  so  styled  was,  with  the  band  under  his  immediate  com- 
mand, a  match  for  another  warrior  of  lii:e  rank,  commanding  an 
equal  number  of  men. 

The  Gesa'^  (gassa),  i.  e.  the  sacred  in  junctions  of  the  Fiann. 

There  were  four  injunctions  laid  upon  every  person  admitted 
into  the  order  of  the  Fiann : 

The  first  injunction  was,  never  to  receive  a  portion  with  a  wife, 
but  to  choose  her  for  good  manners  and  virtues ; 

The  second  was,  never  to  offer  violence  to  any  woman , 

The  third  was,  never  to  give  a  refusal  to  any  mortal,  for  any- 
thing of  which  one  was  possessed ; 

The  fourth  was,  that  no  single  warrior  of  them  should  ever 
flee  before  nine  champions. 

Here  follow  the  conditions,  attached  hy  Finn  to  the  "■  Gradha 
GaisgV  (grawa  gashkie);  or  Degrees  in  Chivalry,  which  each 
warrior  was  obliged  to  receive^  previous  to  his  admission  into 
the  Order  of  the  Fiann. 

The  first  condition.'^  No  man  could  be  admitted  into  the  Fiann, 
either  at  the  Mordhail  of  Uisnech,  the  Aenach  of  Talti,  or  at  the 
Feis  of  Temhair,  until  both  his  father  and  mother,  his  tribe  and 
his  relatives,  had  first  given  guaranties  that  they  should  never 
make  any  charge  against  any  person  for  his  death.  This  was  in 
order  that  the  duty  of  avenging  his  own  blood  should  rest  with 
no  man,  other  than  himself;  and  in  order  that  his  friends  should 
have  nothing  to  claim  with  respect  to  him,  however  great  the 
evils  inflicted  upon  him. 

The  second  condition.  No  man  could  be  admitted  into  the 
Fiann,  until  be  had  become  a  bard,  and  had  mastered  the  Twelve 
Books  of  Poesy.'* 

The  third  condition.''^    No  man  could  be  admitted  into  the 

"  Gesa.    These  appear  to  have  been  the  twelve  rules  for  bardic  composi- 

the  general  vows  of  chivalry  by  which  tion. 

all  members  of  the  order  were  bound.  "^  Third  Condition.    The  reason  for 

In    addition   to    them,  each    warrior  this  trial  was  to  make  sure,  that  the 

had   some   particular  "geis"    (gziisA),  claimant  for  admission  was  competent 

or  vow,  by  which  he  was  individually  to  fill  the  post  of  Fer-comhlanu-naen- 

bound.  mhar,  or  officer  placed  at  the  head  of 

"  First  Condition.  The  object  of  a  file  of  nine  men,  in  which  position  he 
this  condition  was  designed  to  over-  was  expected  to  ward  oif.  from  his  files- 
come  those  hereditary  feuds,  which  men,  the  javelins  of  an  equal  file  of  at- 
were  the  cause  of  so  much  Vjloodshed  tacking  enemies.  Tiie  conditions  that 
amongst  the  Gaels,  and  to  substitute  follow  were  designed  to  insure  swiftness 
the  obligations  of  discipline  for  the  ties  and  lightness  of  foot,  steadiness  of  hand, 
of  Icindred.  exactitude  of  personal  adjustment,  agi- 

"  Twelve  Booh  of  Poesy.    Perhaps  lity  and  obedience  to  orders. 


350  THE   HISTORY   OF  IRELAND. 

Fiann,  until  a  pit  or  trencli,  deep  enough  to  reach  to  his  knees, 
had  been  dug  in  the  earth,  and  he  liad  been  placed  therein,  armed 
Avith  his  shield,  and  holding  in  his  hand  a  hazel  stall",  of  the 
length  of  a  warrior's  arm.  Nine  warriors,  armed  with  nine 
javelins,  were  then  set  opposite  him,  at  the  distance  of  nine 
ridges ;  these  had  to  cast  their  nine  weapons  at  him,  all  at  once, 
and  then,  if  he  chanced  to  receive  a  single  wound,  in  spite  of 
his  shield  and  staff,  he  was  not  adniitted  into  the  order. 

The  fourth  condition.  No  man  was  admitted  into  the  Fiann, 
until — having  had  his  hair  previously  plaited — he  had  been  made 
to  run  through  a  thick  wood,  where,  having  given  him  but  the 
odds  of  a  single  tree,  jolaced  between  him  and  them,  all  the  men 
of  the  Fiann  started  off  at  once  in  his  pursuit,  with  fall  intent  of 
wounding  him.  In  this  trial,  they  gave  him  but  the  odds  or  ad- 
vantage of  one  tree,  and  if  they  came  up  to  him  they  wounded 
him,  and  he  was  refused  admission  into  the  Fiann. 

The  fifth  condition.  No  man  was  admitted  into  the  Fiann, 
whose  arms  trembled  in  his  hands. 

The  sixth  condition.  No  man  w'as  admitted  into  the  Fiann, 
if  a  single  braid  of  his  hair  had  been  loosened  out  of  its  plait  by 
the  branches  of  the  trees  (as  he  ran  through  the  wood). 

The  seventh  condition.  No  man  was  admitted  into  the  Fiann, 
whose  footstep  had  broken  a  single  withered  branch  in  his 
course. 

The  eighth  condition.  No  man  was  admitted  into  the  Fiann, 
unless  he  could  jump  over  a  branch  of  a  tree  as  high  as  his  fore- 
head, and  could  stoop  under  one  as  low  as  his  knee,  through  the 
agility  of  his  body. 

The  ninth  condition.  No  man  coiild  be  admitted  into  the 
Fiann,  unless  he  could  pluck  a  thorn  out  of  his  heel,  with  his 
hand,  without  stopping  in  his  course. 

The  tenth  condition.  No  man  could  be  admitted  into  the 
order,  until  he  had  first  sworn  fidelity  and  homage  to  the  Eigh- 
feinnedh. 

KiarnaiC^ — Cormac  builds  his  first   mill — The  sages,  Fithil  and 

Flaiihri. 

It  happened,  while  Cormac,  son  of  Art,  was  sovereign  of  Ire- 
land, that  some  nobles  of  Uladh  made  a  plundering  expedition 
along  the  coasts  of  Alba,  in  which  they  fell  in  with  Kiarnait 
{KeerniU),  daughter  of  the  king  of  the  Ci-uthnigli  (Picts),  and 
carried  her  off  with  them,  over  the  sea,  in  captivity.     But  when 

"  Kiarnait.  Sonio  Trish  antiquaries  datioii,  or  Kiarnait  could  scarcely  have 
reject  tlie  story  of  tliis  lady  aitoirethcr.  become  so  celebrated  as  she  is,  in  Irish 
It  must,  however,  have  had  some  foun-    song,  as  a  paragon  of  beauty. 


THE   HISTORY  OF   IRELAND.  351 

Cormac  heard  the  fame  of  the  beauty  of  Kiamait,  he  made  a 
public  demand  of  her  from  the  adventurers  of  Uladh.  She  sur- 
passed all  the  women  of  her  day  in  beauty,  and  for  that  reason 
Cormac  loved  her  exceedingly.  But  when  Ethni  Ollamda, 
daughter  of  Dunlaing,  who  was  Cormac's  lawful  wife,  had  heard 
that  Kiarnait  was  in  that  lying's  possession,  she  determined  that 
he  should  not  have  both  herself  and  his  paramour  at  the  same 
time.  She  then  forced  him  to  deliver  up  to  her  own  keeping  the 
captive  Kiarnait,  of  whom  she  made  a  slave,  in  which  condition 
she  was  compelled  to  grind,  with  a  quern,'''  nine  pecks,  or  nine 
hecLrm'^  of  corn  each  day.  Notwithstanding  this  bondage,  Cor- 
mac contrived  to  meet  his  mistress  in  secret,  and  she  soon  became 
pregnant.  When  in  this  condition,  she  could  no  longer  perform 
her  appointed  task  at  the  quern.  She,  therefore,  went  privately 
to  her  lover,  and  told  him  of  the  state  in  which  she  was.  Upon 
hearing  it,  Cormac  sent  to  Alba  for  handicrafts-men,  to  construct 
him  a  mill,  and  they  did  build  him  a  mill ;  and  thus  was  Kiar- 
nait released  from  the  drudgery  to  which  she  had  been  con- 
demned by  Ethni.  It  was  upon  this  subject  that  the  bard  com- 
posed the  following  verses : 

'•  Kiarnait,  enslaved  by  Cormac's  queen, 
One  hundred  men  to  feed  from  quern. 
Nine  kearns  of  corn  each  day  should  grind  ; 
Too  rude  a  toil  for  her  soft  hands  ! 

Then  came  to  her  the  noble  king, 
By  stealth  into  her  lonely  chamber, 
And  soon  the  lady  fair  conceived. 
And  could  no  longer  work  at  querning. 

Conn's  grandson  then,  with  pity  smote, 
Brought  millwrights  from  beyond  the  sea."' 
Thus  great  Mac  Airt  built  his  first  mill, 
To  save  from  toil  his  beauteous  slave." 

"  Quern.  The  use  of  this  most  an-  cnce,  into  which  was  inserted  a  perpen- 
cient  implement  is  scarcely  yet  obso-  dicular  handle,  whereby  the  machine 
lele  in  some  of  the  rural  districts  of  was  worked.  It  was  usually  turned 
Ireland.  Some  eighty  or  one  hundred  by  two  persons,  sitting  opposite  each 
years  since,  its  employment  was  nearly  other,  and  both  holding  the  handle  at 
universal  amongst  the  agricultural  poi>  the  same  time.  The  quern  was  usually 
ulation  of  that  country.  It  was  a  spe-  from  two  to  three  feet  in  diameter.  Its 
cies  of  hand-mill,  composed  of  a  shallow,  Irish  name  is  bro,  gen.  bron.  Its  intro- 
circular  trough  of  stone,  with  a  pivot  duction  into  Ireland  dates  from  the  re- 
of  hard  wood  in  the  centre,  upon  which  motest  antiquity, 
was  poised  the  miniature  mill-stone —  "  Kearns.  This  measure  is  some- 
fitting  loosely,  but  evenly,  into  the  times  translated  quarter.  Some  deem 
trough.  In  the  upper  stone  were  that  it  received  its  name  from  its 
worked  two  holes ;  one,  in  its  centre,  squared  form,  as  if  "  Cetharn  "  (Ku- 
for  supplying  the  quern  with  corn  ;  and  Imrn)  from  "  Cethair  "  [KZhir). 
another,  more  towards  its  circumfer-  '»  Millwrights  from  beyond  the  sea. 


352  THE   HISTORY    OF   IRELAND. 

It  Avas  also  in  the  time  of  Corraac  that  the  sage,  Fithil  {Fikil), 
lived.  It  Avas  he  that  AA^as  Ard-brethemh  {Ard-brcliav\  or  chief- 
brehon  to  that  sovereign.  When  Fithil^''  Avas  on  the  point  of 
death,  he  sent  for  his  son,  Avho  Avas  called  Flaithri  {Fldhree),  and 
this  Flaithri,  also,  Avas  a  Avise  and  a  learned,  man.  To  this  son 
Fithil  gave  his  blessing,  and,  at  the  same  time,  Avarned  him  to 
avoid  three  things  most  carefally — telling  him  that  he  Avould 
find  it  to  his  advantage  to  abide  by  his  dying  advice.  These 
Avere :  Never  to  undertake  the  education  or  fosterage  of  a  king's 
son  ;  Never  to  entrust  any  secret,  in  Avhicli  there  Avas  any  dan- 
ger, to  his  Avife ;  Never  to  elevate  the  son  of  a  serf  to  a  high 
position ;  And  never  to  give  his  purse,  or  his  treasure,  into  the 
safe-keeping  of  his  sister. 

But  as  soon  as  Fithil  had  died,  Flaithri  determined  to  test  the 
Avisdom  of  these  three  counsels.  In  order  to  make  trial  of  them, 
he  first  received  a  son  of  Cormac  Mac  Airt  as  his  foster-son,  soon 
after  Avhich  he  took  the  child  Avith  him  into  a  forest,  Avhere  he 
gave  him  into  the  care  of  one  of  his  own  SAvine-herds,  that  dwelt 
Avithin  the  depths  of  the  Avilderness,  and  he  commanded  this  herd 
to  conceal  the  boy  carefully,  until  he  should  receive  a  certain 
particular  token  from  himself.  Thence  he  returned  home  to  his 
own  dwelling,  and  Avhen  there  he  counterfeited  the  appearance 
of  being  oppressed  by  great  anxiety  and  grief.  Upon  this,  his 
wife  demanded  the  cause  of  his  anxiety,  and  he  ansAvered  that 
it  Avas  no  liglit  one.  Then,  Avhen  she  saAV  that  he  continued  to 
be  Aveighed  down  by  sorrow,  she  began  to  tease  him  incessantly, 
by  obstinately  demanding,  what  it  Avas  that  caused  his  trouble  of 
mind.  lie  at  length  consented  to  reveal  the  cause  of  his  sorrow 
to  her,  if  she  Avould  only  promise  to  keep  the  matter  entirely 
secret.  Upon  this  she  solemnly  swore  to  conceal  Avhatevcr  he 
might  relate  to  her  as  his  secret.  "Then,"  said  he,  "I  am  ren- 
dered unhai)py  by  reason  of  an  unfortunate  treason  that  I  have 
committed,  for  I  "have  slain  my  foster-son,  the  son  of  the  king." 
Upon  hearing  this,  his  Avife  screamed  loudly  and  called  upon  the 

It  is  a  disputed  question,  whether  the  "  Fithil  and  Flaithri.—"  These  wore 

Irish  were  acquainted  with  the  use  of  successively  Cormac's  suiireiuc  judges  ; 

the  mill  bfifore  the  reign  of  Cormac  the  former  of  whom  was  his  instructor 

Ul-fada.     Its  use  must,  however,  have  from  youth  to  maturity  ;  and  the  mcr- 

becn  familiar  in  Houlh  Britain  in  his  ited  celebrity  of  the  pupil   reflects  a 

day  ;  for  the  ]{omans  had  been  then,  for  a  splendc^r  of  fame  on  the  great  and  re- 

considi'rable  time,  masters  of  that  coun-  spectabh;  cajjacity  of  the  master.     But 

try.     Cormac  may  have  sent  to  liritain  both  Fithil  and  Flaithri  have  left  mon- 

for  mechanics  to  construct  a  mill  for  uments  of  their  own  to  perpeluate  their 

him,  at  the  suggestion  of  his  foreign  memory,  some  of  which  have  endured, 

paramour,  who'^  iiad  seen  them  in  her  through  many  a  miserable  national  vi- 

own  nation,  and  thus  given  origin  to  the  cissitude,  to  this  a^y"— Transaction 

legend  above  recounted.  of  the  Gaelic  Society. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  353 

folk  of  the  house  to  bind  up  the  parricide,  for  he  had  killed  the 
young  prince.  Flaithri  had,  also,  i^reviously  elevated  to  a  high 
position  the  son  of  one  of  his  own  herdsmen,  so  that  this  person 
had  now  become  a  rich  man.  He  had  likewise,  shortly  after  his 
father's  death,  given  a  portion  of  his  treasure  to  be  kept  for  hira 
by  his  sister ;  so  that  not  one  of  the  four  things,  against  which 
his  father  had  warned  him,  might  pass  without  its  trial. 

Now,  when  the  herdsman's  son  found  his  benefactor  in  bonds, 
there  was  no  one  found  who  was  severer  against  him  than  he, 
because  by  this  he  hoped  to  receive  some  of  the  inheritance  of 
Flaithri  from  the  king,  who  was  determined  upon  his  death. 
Finding  himself  in  this  difficulty,  the  sage  sent  a  message  to  his 
sister,  demanding  of  her  to  send  him  whatever  treasure  he  had 
entrusted  to  her,  in  order  that  he  might  therewith  make  friends 
for  himself  around  the  person  of  the  king.  But  when  his  mes- 
senger reached  his  sister,  she  denied  that  she  had  ever  received 
any  such  treasure  from  him.  When  this  news  came  to  Flaithri, 
who  was  now  on  the  point  of  being  led  to  execution,  he  demanded 
to  be  led  before  the  king,  in  order  that  he  might  communicate  to 
him  an  important  secret.  When  brought  before  the  king,  he 
told  his  sovereign  that  the  young  prince  was  safe  and  well,  tell- 
ing hull,  at  the  same  time,  to  hold  himself  in  bonds  until  his 
foster-son  should  be  brought  into  his  presence.  Messengers  were 
then  immediately  sent  ior  the  child,  and  when  he  had  come  from 
the  swine-herd,  who  had  had  him  in  safe  guardianship,  and  saw 
his  foster-father  still  in  bonds,  he  cried  loudly,  and  kept  weeping 
ever,  u.ntil  Flaithri  was  set  at  liberty. 

The  king  then  privately  demanded  of  the  sage,  why  he  had 
allowed  himself  to  be  reduced  to  such  an  extremity.  "  In  order 
that  I  might  test  the  truth  of  four  counsels  given  me  by  my 
father,"  said  Flaithri.  "  In  the  first  place,  it  is  not  prudent  for 
any  person  to  take  upon  himself  the  rearing  of  a  king's  son,  lest 
he  may  be  guilty  of  any  negligence  towards  his  charge,  whence 
might  result  the  injury 'or  destruction  of  the  foster-child,  and  the 
])lacing  of  the  life  or  death  of  the  foster-father  at  the  absolute 
disposal  of  the  king.  Secondly,  it  is  not  according  to  the  laws 
of  nature  that  any  of  the  general  run  of  women  could  keep  a 
dangerous  secret ;  therefore,  it  is  not  prudent  to  entrust  any  such 
secret  to  one's  wife.  The  third  counsel  which  my  father  gave 
me  was,  never  to  elevate  to  high  position  and  wealth  the  son  of 
a  serf,  or  a  person  of  low  degree,  for  it  is  the  wont  of  such  per- 
sons to  be  ungrateful  for  kindnesses  they  have  received,  and 
moreover,  they  feel  sore  that  the  knowledge  of  the  meanness 
whence  they  had  sprung,  should  be  possessed  by  those  that  have 
elevated  them.  Good,  also'  was  the  fourth  counsel  which  my  fatl  ler 
gave  me,  namely,  never  to  give  any  treasure  into  the  safe-keeping 

23 


854  THE   HISTORY    OF   TRELAND. 

of  my  sister,  for  it  is  the  nature  of  women  to  make  a  spoil  of 
whatever  treasures  may  be  given  them  in  trust,  by  their  rela- 
tives." 

Personal  attendants  of  the  Irish  sovereigns. 

It  was  ordained,  during  the  reign  of  Cormac,  that  it  should  be 
obligatory  upon  every  monarch  that  might,  in  future,  rule  over 
Ireland,  to  keep  in  constant  attendance  upon  his  person,  ten  offi- 
cers, who  were  scarcely  ever  to  leave  his  presence.  These  were, 
a  prince,  or  chief  of  noble  blood,  a  brchon,  a  druid,  a  physician, 
a  bard,  a  historian,  a  musician  and  three  stewards.  The  prince 
was  the  companion  and  champion  of  the  king ;  the  office  of  the 
brehon  was  to  explain  the  the  laws  and  customs  of  the  country 
before  the  king ;  the  druid's  office  was  to  offijr  sacrifices,  and  to 
draw  omens  and  auguries,  by  means  of  his  science  and  heathen 
arts ;  the  physician's  duty  was  to  perform  cures  for  the  king, 
and  queen,  and  tlie  royal  household ;  the  bard  was  maintained 
for  the  purpose  of  praising,  or  of  satirizing  every  one,  according 
to  his  good  or  evil  deeds  ;  it  was  the  historian's  office  to  record 
and  preserve  the  genealogies,  history  and  adventures  of  the  no- 
bles, from  time  to  time ;  the  musician's  office  was  to  play  upon 
the  harp,  and  to  chant  poems  and  songs  before  the  king ;  and  the 
three  stewards  had  to  wait  upon  the  king,  and  supply  his  per- 
sonal wants,  for  which  purpose  they  had  a  numerous  train  of 
cup-bearers,  butlers  and  other  servitors,  under  their  orders. 

This  custom  was  maintained  in  force  from  the  days  of  Cormac, 
down  to  the  death  of  Brian,  son  of  Kcnncidi,  nor  had  any  change 
been  made  in  its  arrangement,  except  that,  when  the  kings  of 
Ireland  had  i-eceived  the  Faith  of  Christ,  they  substituted,  in 
place  of  the  druid,  a  Christian  priest,  as  a  soul's-friend  (or  spirit- 
ual adviser),  who  duty  it  was  to  perform  divine  service,  and  ex- 
plain the  law  of  God  to  the  king  and  to  his  household.  Here 
follows  a  record,  left  by  a  Shannachic,  upon  this  matter : 

"  Tex  liegemen  feal  stand  round  the  king, 
'Mongst  them  nor  grudge  nor  rivalry — 
1  can  recount  their  duties  well, 
Both  sages,  prince  and  officers. 

The  presence  of  each  prosperous  king, 
A  brehon,  bard,  and  lord  should  grace ; 
For  king  whose  court  is  shunned  by  these, 
No  rightful  Fenian  king  can  be. 

A  soul's-friend,"'  to  make  known  Gfxl's  Word, 
A  shennchaidc  to  s<;t  right  all  wrong, 

"  Soul's-friend,  i.  e.  an  ulmoaer  or  father-confessor.  The  Irish  term  is  aoam. 
chara. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


855 


With  minstrel  sweet  to  strike  the  chord, 
All  rightful  Feuiau  kiugs*'^  niáÍDtaiu. 

A  learned  leech  fills  the  fourth  place, 
With  skill  to  heal  the  body's  ills ; 
Three  stewards  close  the  honored  band, 
Which  now  I've  named  to  Eri's  hosts. 

The  king  who  holds  not  to  this  law 
Shall  iili  no  place  on  regal  roll ; 
Nor  e'er  shall  dwell  in  Temhair's  halls, 
A  king  maintaining  not  these  Ten." 

King  Cormac^s  religion^^ — His  resignation — Renunciation  of  Druid- 
ism — His  Death  and  Burial. 

In  consequence  of  tlie  righteousness  of  the  deeds,  judgments, 
and  laws  of  Cormac,  it  resulted  that  God  granted  to  him  the  light 
of  the  Faith,  seven  years  before  his  death.     For  this  reason  did 


-^  Fenian  kin^s,  that  is,  a  king  ac- 
cording to  the  Feinechas  {Fainaghas), 
i.  e.  the  Constitutional  Law  of  the 
Gaels,  which  was  so  called,  either  from 
the  Brehon  Laws  having  been  com- 
posed in  the  Bérla  Féui,  or  from  the 
word  Feni  itself,  which,  as  we  have 
heretofore  seen,  was  the  most  ancient 
tribe-name  of  the  Gaelic  or  Gaedalic 
race. 

"  It  was  Cormac  who  composed  the 
Tegasg-ua-Righ,  to  preserve  manners, 
morals  and  government  in  the  king- 
dom. He  was  a  famous  author  in 
laws,  synchronisms  and  history  :  for  it 
was  he  that  established  law,  rule  and 
direction  for  each  science,  and  for  each 
covenant  according  to  propriety  ;  and 
it  is  his  laws  that  have  goAxrned  all 
that  adhered  to  them  to  the  present 
time. 

"  It  was  this  Cormac,  son  of  Art,  also, 
that  collected  the  chroniclers  of  Ireland 
to  Temhair,  and  ordered  them  to  write 
the  chronicles  of  Ireland  in  one  book, 
•which  was  named  the  Psalter  of  Tem- 
hair. In  that  book  were  entered  the 
coeval  exploits  and  synchronisms  of 
the  kings  of  Ireland,  with  the  kings 
and  emperors  of  the  world,  and  of  the 
kings  of  the  provinces  with  the  mon- 
archs  of  Ireland.  In  it  was  also  writ- 
ten what  the  monarchs  of  Ireland  were 
entitled  to  receive  from  the  provincial 
kings,  and  the  rents  and  dues  of  the 


provincial  kings  from  their  subjects, 
from  the  noble  to  the  subaltern.  In  it, 
also,  were  described  the  boundaries  and 
meares  of  Ireland,  from  shore  to  shore, 
from  the  province  (fifth)  to  the  cantred 
(tuaith),  from  the  cantred  to  the  town- 
land  (bailé),  and  from  the  townland  to 
the  traighidh  (troijeh)  of  land.  These 
things  are  evident  in  the  Leabhar  na 
h-Uidhre  ;  they  are  evident  in  the 
Leabhar  Dinnsenchas  (both  extant)." 
— Fcitr  Masters. 

"  Cormac's  religion.  Mr.  Moore,  in 
his  History  of  Ireland,  has  made  the 
following  rather  skeptical  remarks  upon 
the  subject  of  this  royal  sages  conver- 
sion to  the  Christian  Faith.  They  are 
here  quoted,  for  the  well-merited  trib- 
ute thereafter  paid  to  his  love  of  justn 
ice :  "  That  this  prince  was  enlightened 
enough  to  reject  the  sup?rstili(ins  of 
the  druids,  and  that,  in  consequence  of 
his  free  thinking  on  such  subjects,  he 
had  that  powerful  bcdy  opposed  to  him 
throughout  the  whole  of  his  reign, 
there  can  be  litlle  doubt ;  but  M'hether 
he  substituted  any  purer  form  of  faith, 
for  that  which  l:e  had  repudiated,  is  a 
point  not  so  easily  ascertained.  A  cir- 
cumstance recorded  of  him,  however, 
shows  how  vigorously  he  could  repress 
intolerance  and  cruelty,  even  when  di- 
rected against  a  body  of  religionists  to 
whom  he  was  himself  opposetl.  Amongst 
the  ancient  institutions  oi  Tara.  was  a 


856 


THE   HISTORY   OF    IRELAND. 


he  refuse  to  adore  gods  made  with  hands,  and  began,  thenceforth, 
to  paj  homage  to  the  True  God.  Hence,  he  is  said  to  have  been 
the  third  man  tliat  held  the  Faith  in  Ireland,  previous  to  the 
arrival  of  Saint  Patrick.  The  first  of  these  was  Concobar  Mac 
Nesa,  who  believed  upon  hearing  of  Christ's  Passion  from  the 
druid,  Bacrach ;  the  second  was  Morann  Mac  Maein ;  and  this 
king,  Cormac  Mac  Airt,  was  the  third. 

Cormac's  ordinary  place  of  abode  was  at  Temhair,  afler  the 
usage  of  the  kings,  his  predecessors.  Uere  he  continued  to 
dw.'ll  until,  as  heretofore  told,  his  eye  had  been  destroyed  by 
Aengus  Gaei-buailtech.  Thenceforward  he  resided  at  Achail,  in 
the  House  of  Cleitech,  or  at  Kenan nus.  For  it  was  not  deemed 
either  honorable  or  auspicious,  by  the  nobles  of  Ireland,  that  any 
king,  who  had  been  disfigured  by  a  personal  blemish,**  should 
dwell  at  Temhair,     For  this  reason  did  Cormac  resign  the  king- 


sort  of  College  of  Sacred  A^irgins,  whose 
vocation  it  appears  to  have  been,  like 
the  Dryads  or  fortunci-tellers  among  the 
Gaels,  to  divine  tiie  future,  for  the  in- 
dulgence of  the  superstitious  or  the 
credulous.  In  one  of  those  incursions, 
of  which  the  territory  of  the  monarch 
was  so  often  the  object,  the  place  where 
those  holy  Druidesses  resided,  and  which 
bore  the  name  of  the  '  Retreat  until 
Death,'  was  attacked  by  the  king  of 
Leinster,  and  the  whole  of  the  sacred 
inmates,  together  with  their  handmaids, 
most  inhumanly  massacred.  This  bru- 
tal sacrilege  the  monarch  punished  by 
putting  twelve  of  the  Lagenian  chief- 
tains most  concerned  in  it,  to  death  ; 
and  exacting  rigorously  the  Boarian 
tribute,  from  the  province  to  which 
they  belonged." 

The  direct  testimony  of  the  ancient 
historians  of  Ireland,  in  relation  to  Cor- 
mac's conversion,  is  nmch  nn^re  author- 
ity than  the  m^re  conjectures  of  Mr. 
iloore.  An  ancient  tract,  in  the  Leah- 
har  na  h-Uidhre,  a  work  compiled  in 
the  twelftli  century,  which  is  quoted 
by  Dr.  Petrie,  (in  his  Hound  Towers, 
p.  99,)  speaks  thus  upon  this  subject : 
"Erin  was  prosperous  during  his  time, 
and  just  judgments  were  distributed 
throughout  it  l^y  him  ;  so  that  no  one 
durst  attempt  U)  wound  a  man  in  Ire- 
land during  the  short  jubilee  of  seven 
years  ;  for  Cormac  had  the  faith  of  the 
one  true  (iod,  according  to  the  law ; 


for  he  said  he  would  not  adore  stones, 
or  trees,  but  that  he  would  adore  him 
who  made  them,  and  who  had  power 
over  all  the  elements,  i.  e.  the  One 
Powerful  God,  who  created  the  ele- 
ments ;  in  him  he  would  believe  And 
he  was  the  third  person  who  had  be- 
lieved, in  Erin.,  before  the  arrival  of 
St.  Patrick.  Concobar  Mac  Nesa, 
to  whom  Altus  had  told  concerning 
the  CruciCxion  of  Christ,  was  the  first ; 
Morann,  son  of  Carbri  Cinncait,  (who 
was  surnamed  Mac  Macin,)  was  the 
second  person  ;  and  Cormac  was  the 
third  ;  and  it  is  possible  that  others 
followed  on  their  track,  in  this  belief" 
— Senclias  na  lielcc,  i.  c.  Hislori/  of  the 
Cemeteries. 

"*  A  personal  blemish.  "  Where 
Cormac  held  his  court  was  at  'I'ara,  in 
imitation  of  the  kings  who  ])reccded 
him,  until  his  eye  was  destroyed  by 
Engus  (jaibhuaiiihnech,  but  he  after- 
wards resided  at  Achail  (the  liill  on 
which  the  shrine  of  St.  Columkille  is 
at  this  day),  and  at  Onannus  (Kell.s), 
and  at  the  house  of  Cletech  ;  for  it  was 
not  lawful  that  a  king,  M'ith  a  personal 
blemish,  should  reside  at  Tara.  In  the 
second  year  after  the  injuring  of  his 
eye,  he  came  Ijy  his  death  at  tlui  house 
of  ('letech,  the  bone  of  a  salmon  having 
stuck  in  his  throat.  And  he  told  his 
people  not  to  bury  him  at  IJrugh  (bo- 
cause  it  was  a  cemetery  of  idolators), 
for  lie  did  not  worship  the  same  god  as 


THE   DISTORT   OF   IRELAND.  357 

dom  to  his  son,  Carbri  Lificar,  to  whom  he  also  gave  up  the  pos- 
session of  Teniliair,  retiring  liimself  to  the  ro^'al  houses  of  Chn- 
tech  and  of  Achail,  both  not  far  from  the  royal  capital.  It  was 
in  these  that  he  composed  his  Tegasg  Righ,  or  Regal  Institutes, 
designed,  as  already  told,  for  the  purpose  of  teaching  kings  how 
it  was  right  that  they  should  act  and  comport  themselves.  From 
the  time  that  Cormac  gave  up  the  sovereignty,  he  never,  thence- 
forward, worshipped  any  but  the  True  Heavenly  God. 

Upon  a  certain  day,  while  Cormac  was  residing  in  the  House 
of  Cleitech,  the  druids  set  about  the  adoration  of  the  Golden  Calf 
in  his  presence,  and  the  whole  of  those  there  assembled  joined  in 
the  same  worship,  in  imitation  of  their  priest.  The  druid,  Maeil- 
glienn,  then  demanded  of  Cormac  why  it  was  that  he  did  not 
adore  the  Golden  Calf  and  their  other  gods,  like  every  other  per- 
son. "I,"  said  Cormac,  "  will  offer  no  adoration  to  any  stock  or 
image,  shaped  by  my  own  mechanic.  It  were  more  rational  to 
oiF.r  adoration  to  the  mechanic  himself,  for  he  is  more  worthy 
than  the  work  of  his  hands."  The  druid  then  excited  the  Golden 
Calf,  so  that  it  bounded  into  their  presence.  "  Ilast  thou  seen 
that,  Cormac?"  said  Maeilghenn.  "Whatever  I  may  see,"  re- 
plied Cormac,  "I  will  make  no  adoration  to  aught,  save  to  the 
God  of  Heaven,  of  Earth,  and  of  Hell." 

Soon  after,  a  meal  was  prepared  for  the  king,  and  he  began  to 
eat  of  a  salmon  from  the  Boinn.  Thereupon  the  demons  of  the 
air  came  and  attacked  him,  at  the  instigation  of  j\Iaeilghenn,  the 
druid,  and  by  them  the  king  was  slain.®'  Other  accounts  say  that 
he  was  killed  by  a  bone  of  a  salmon,  that  had  stuck  in  his  throat 
and  clicked  him ;  but  he  was  engaged  in  eating  of  that  fish  when 
the  demons  had  attacked  him. 

When  he  found  the  symptoms  of  death  upon  him,  he  com- 
manded his  relations  not  to  bury  his  body  at  Brugh,  on  the 
Boinn,  where  several  of  the  preceding  kings  of  Temhair  were 

any  of  those  interred  at  Brush  ;  but  to  death  thus  :  "  A.  D.  266.   _  Forty  years 

bury  him  at  Ros-na-Righ,  with  his  ilice  was  Cormac  in  the  sovereignty  of  Ire- 

to  the  east.     He  afterwards  died,  and  land  when  he  died  at  Cleitech,  the  bone 

his  servants  of  trust  held  a  council  and  of  a  salmon  sticking  in  his  throat,  on 

resolve'd  to  bury  him  at  Brugh,  the  account  of  the  Siabhradh  (genii)  which 

place  where  the  kings  of  Tara,  his  pre-  Maeilghenn,  the  druid,  incited  at  him, 

decessors,  were  buried.     The  body  of  after  Cormac  had  turned  against  them, 

the  king  was  then  thrice  raised  to  be  on  account  of  his  adoration  of  the  true 

carried  to  Brugh,  but  the  Boyne  swelled  God,  in  preference  to  them.     Where- 

up  thrice  so  that  they  could  not  come  ;  fore  a  devil  attacked  him,  at  the  insti- 

60  that  they  observed  that  it  was  vio-  gation  of  the  druids,  and  gave  him  a 

lating   the  judgment  of  a  prince,  to  painful  death.'" — The  trick  by  which 

break  through  his  testament ;  and  they  the  druids  turned  the  king's  accidental 

afterwards  dug  his  grave  at  Ros-na-  death  to  their  own  advantage,  needs  no 

Eigh,  as  he  himself  had  ordered." — //.  comment. — Ed. 
**  The  Four  Masters  record  Cormac's 


358  TDE   HISTORY    OF    IJIELAND. 

laid.  And  then  (when,  contrary  to  his  injunctions),  the  host  was 
bearing  liim  thither,  the  demons  thrice  opposed  the  progress  of 
the  funeral,  bj  raising  an  immense  flood  before  it,  in  the  river; 
for  these  s])irits  did  not  wish  to  allow  his  bod}-  into  an  idolatrous 
cemeterj,  by  reason  of  his  having  believed  in  the  True  Cod. 
But  the  fourth  time,  the  men  that  carried  the  body  entered  with 
it  into  the  swollen  stream ;  but  there  the  current  of  the  Boinn 
swept  oif  their  burden,  and  bore  it  along  to  Kos-na-Kigh.  There 
the  corpse  was  separated  from  the  fund,  or  bier,  and  thence  the 
ford  of  Ath-fuaid  (Aivh-fooid),  the  ford  of  the  bier,  on  the  Boinn, 
has  had  its  name.  It  was  retained  at  that  place,  and  a  grave 
was  made  for  it,  and  it  was  buried  at  Eos-na-Righ.®*^ 

In  the  course  of  long  ages  after  this,  St.  Columkille®^  visited 
Eos-na-Righ,  and,  discovering  there  the  head  of  KingCormac,  he 
buried  it  anew ;  and  the  saint  remained  upon  the  spot  until  he 
had  said  thirty  masses  over  it  and  upon  that  spot  was  built  a 
Christian  church,  which  remains  to  the  present  day. 

Ancient  Cemeteries  of  the  Irish  Kings. 

Formerly,  in  Pagan  times  there  were  two  "  primh-roilig"  ^ 
{preeve-relig)  or  chief  cemeteries  in  Ireland,  and  in  them  the 
greater  number  of  the  ancient  monarchs  of  Ireland  were  buried. 
These  were  Brugh,  on  the  Boinn,  and  Eoilig-na-righ  {rellig-7ia-rcc\ 
near  Cruachain"'*  (crooghin).    It  is  evident,  from  the  fact  just  nar- 

"  Ros-iin-Ris;h,  now  llossnaroe,  situ-  maindor  of  tho  Scnchas   na  Relcc  is 

ated  on  the  river  lioync,  near  the  vil-  here  jiivcii  down,  slifi-htly  abridfrcd  from 

lage  of  Slane,  in  the  county  of  East  tlic  traiishvtion   f^iven   in   the  learned 

Meath.  work  of  Dr.  l*etric  : — "  Those  were  tiic 

''■'  Si.  Columhlle  wag  a  lineal  descend-  chief  cemeteries  of  Kri,  before  the  Faith, 

ant  of  the  monarch  Cormac.  viz:  Cruacha,  Bruirh.  Talti.  lAiachair 

"  Two   primh-roilip;.      In  the  Sen-  Ailbi.  Acnach  Aill)i,  Acnach  Culi,  Ao- 

cfias  na  Relec  from  which  extracts  have  nach  Colmain  and  Temhair  Erann. 
already   been   made,  there   are    eight  Je/mc/i  C'nf(/c//«?i.  In  the  first  placu, 

places  enumerated,  as  the  chief  ccmcte-  it  was  tiicre  the  race  of  Erimlion,  i.  e. 

rics  of  the  i'agan  Irish.  At  these  places  the  kings  of  Tcniliair  were  used  to  bury 

several  of  the   monuments,  mentioned  until  tiie  time  of  Criuithaun,  son  of 

in  the  ancient  records  of  Ireland,  are  Lugaidh  Kiahh-n-dorg    (who  was  the 

still  in  existence.     Home  of  them,  after  first  king  of  them  tliat  were  interred  at 

remaining  unknown  or  unnf)ticcd   for  Brugh),  viz :    Cobthach   Cael-Breagh 

ages,  have  been  recently  identified  from  and  Labraidh  lioingsech,  aiid_  Eocaidh 

the   references   made   to   them  in  the  Feidlecli  with  his  three  sons,  i.  e.  Bros, 

writings  of  the  Gaelic  Shannachies —  Nar  and  Lothur,  and  Eocaidh  Arenih, 

thus  affording  unquestionable  proof  of  Lugaidh  Kiabh-n-derg,  the  six  daiigli- 

the  truth  of  many  pi  the  more  import-  ters  of  Eocaidh   Feidlech,  i.  e.    Mcdb, 

ant  facts  related  in  the  early  history  of  Clolhra.  Miiresg,  Derbri,  Mugain  and 

this  country.     For  the  latter  rea.son,  lOii,  and  .Mild  .Mac  Madawitli  his  seven 

and  from  its  giving  an  explanation  of  brothers,  i.  e.  Ketli,  Anion, l)oche,_  et 

some  of  the  allusions  made  in  the  poem  cetera,  and  all  the  kings  down  to  (,'riin- 

above  cited  by  Dr.  Keating,  the  re-  thann;  these  were  all  buried  at  Cruacha. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


359 


rated,  that  Bruglion  the  Boinn  was  one  of  the  burial-places  of  the 
kings  of  Ireland ;  that  Koilig-na-righ,  at  Cruachain,  was  also  an- 
other, is  proved  from  the  following  lajof  Torna  Eigcs  (Aiguess): 

"  A  kill!?  of  Fál's  fair  land  rests  here, 
Dathi  the  brave,  Fiacaidh's  son, 
0  Cruacha  !  thou  hold'st  him  concealed 
From  Gallic  and  from  Gaelic  men. 


Why  was  it  not  at  Brugh,  that  the 
kings  of  ilie  race  of  Cobthauh,  down  to 
Crimthanu,  were  interred?  Not  diffi- 
cult, because  the  two  provinces,  which 
the  race  of  Erinihon  possessed,  were 
the  province  of  Gale5n  (Lcinster),  and 
the  province  of  Olnecmacht  (Con- 
naught).  In  the  first  place,  the  pro- 
vince of  Galeón  was  occupied  by  the 
race  of  Labraidh  Loiugsech,  and  the 
province  of  Olnecmacht  was  the  in- 
heritance of  the  race  of  Cobthach 
Cael-Breagh  ;  wherefore  it  ( Connaught) 
was  given  to  Medb  before  every  other 
province.  The  reason  why  the  govern- 
ment of  this  laud  was  given  to  Metlb 
is,  because  there  was  none  of  the  race  of 
Eocaidh  (Feidlech)  fit  to  receive  it  but 
herself,  for  Lugaidh  (Riabh-n-derg)  was 
not  fit  for  action  at  the  time.  And, 
therefore,  whenever  the  monarchy  of 
Ireland  was  enjoyed  by  any  of  the  race 
of  Cobthach  Cael-Breagh,  the  province 
of  Connaught  was  his  native  j^rincipal- 
ity.  And  for  this  reason  they  were  in- 
terred at  the  Aenach  of  Cruacha.  But 
they  were  interred  at  Brugli  from  the 
time  of  Crimthann  Niadh-Nar  to  the 
time  of  Laegari,  the  son  of  Niall,  ex- 
cept three  persons,  namely.  Art  the  son 
Conn,  and  Cormac  the  son  of  Art,  and 
Niall  of  the  Nine  Hostages. 

We  havi  already  mentioned  the 
cause  why  Cormac  was  not  interred 
th(;re.  The  reason  why  Art  was  not  in- 
terred there  is,  because  he  believed  the 
day  before  the  battle  of  Muccramma 
(Mocrumhi)  was  fought,  and  he  predict- 
ed the  Faith  in  Ireland,  and  he  said  his 
own  grave  would  be  at  Dumha  Derg- 
luachra,  where  Treoit  (Trevet,  in 
Meath),  is  at  this  day.  When  his  body 
was  afterwards  carried  eastward  to 
Dumha  Derg-luachra,  if  all  the  men  of 
Eri  were  drawing  it  thence,  they  could 
not,  so  that  he  was  interred  a4,  that 
place,  becau»3  there  was  a   Catholic 


church  to  be  afterwards  built  where  he 
was  interred, 

AVhere  Niall  was  interred  was  at 
Ochain  (Ocha),  i.  e.  Och  Caine,  so  called 
from  the  sighing  and  lamentation  which 
the  men  of  Eri  made  in  bewailing  Ni- 
all. 

Conari  Mor  was  interred  at  Magh 
Feci,  in  Bregia  (i.  e.  at  Fert  Conari)  : 
however  some  say  that  it  was  Conari 
Carpraige  that  was  interred  there,  and 
not  Conari  Mor,  and  that  Conari  Mor 
was  the  third  that  was  interred  at  Tem- 
hair,  viz. :  (Conari  and  Laegari  and  .... 

At  Talti  the  kings  of  Uladh  were 
used  to  bury,  viz.  Ollamh  Fodla  with 
his  descendants,dowii  to  Concobar,  who 
wished  that  he  should  be  carried  to  a 
place  between  Slea  and  the  sea,  with 
his  face  to  the  east,  on  account  of  the 
Faith  which  he  had  embraced. 

The  nobles  of  the  Tuatha  De  Dan- 
anns  were  used  to  bury  at  Brugh  (i.  e. 
the  Daghda  with  his  three  sous ;  also 
Lugaidh,  and  Oe,  and  011am,  and  Og- 
ma,  and  Etan  the  Poetess,  and  Carpre, 
the  son  of  Etan),  and  Crimthann 
(Niadli-Nair)  followed  them,  because 
his  wife  Nar  was  of  the  Tuatha  Dea. 
and  it  was  she  solicited  him  that  he 
should  adopt  Brugh  as  a  burial-place 
for  himself  and  his  descendants  ;  and 
this  was  the  cause  that  they  did  not 
bury  at  Cruacha— (*  See  note  10,  p. 
289,  and  note  26,  p.  295,  ni  refutation 
of  the  absurd  and  calumnious  derivation 
given  to  the  surname  Niadh-Nair. — 
Ed.) 

The  Lagcnians  (i.  e.  Cathacir  and  his 
race,  and  the  kings  who  were  before 
them)  used  to  bury  at  Aenach  Ailbi. 
The  Clan  Degadh  (i.e.  the  race  of  Co- 
nari and  Erna)  at  Tcmhair  Erann. 
The  men  of  Munster,  (i.e.  the  Derg- 
thini)  at  Aenach  Culi  and  Aenach 
Colmain  and  the  Connacians  at  Crua- 
cha. 


360  TUE    HISTORY    OF   IRELAND. 

Beneath  thee  rests  fierce  Dungalach, 
Who  captives  led  iVom  eastern  lands; 
And  Tuuthal,  Couu  and  Tumaltach 
In  glory  sleep   within  thy  walls. 

Of  PiOcaidh  Feidlech's  three  fair  sons, 

I  sing  the  tombs  beneath  thy  ramparts ; 

Where  Eocaidh  Aremh  lies  full  low, 

Slain  by  the  hand  of  Mael  the  mighty,     (i.  e.  Sidmal.) 

King  Eocaidh  Feidlech  lies  concealed 
Beneath  thy  mound,  and  beauteous  Derbri, 
With  Clothra,  dame  of  high  degree. 
And  Medb,  the  heroine  queen,  and  Muresg. 

And  regal  Eri,  Fodla,  Banba, 
Three  august  ladies,  bright  and  young  ; 
In  Cruacha  dwell,  from  mortals  hidden, 
Those  queens  of  Dana's  tíacred  Tribes. 

Kcrmad's  three  sons  are  laid  on  Sith-drum^ 
Long-handed  Lugaidh  lies  on  Liath-droni, 
With  the  sons  of  Aedh,  son  of  the  Daghda, 
Near  whom  lies  tall  and  warlike  Midhir. 

Beneath  thy  pillar-stones  are  laid, 
Gaunt  Cobliiach  and  great  lugani. 
And  Badbcha  too — all  regal  chiefs — 
And  here  lies  tall  and  haughty  Olild." 

EOCAIDH  GUNATII,  ARD-RIGH. 

A.D.  253.**  Eocaidh  Gunath,"^  son  of  Fiacli,  son  of  Imcaidb,  son 
of  Bresal,  son  of  Siorcaidh,  son  of  Fiacaidli  Finn  (from  whom  is 
called  the  Dal-Fiacach),  son  of  Dluthach,  son  of  Rosin,  of  the 
line  of  Erimhon,  held  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland  for  one  single 
year,  wlien  he  fell  by  Lugna,^  son  of  Fertri  (otherwise  by  Lu- 
gaidh, son  of  Aengus,  son  of  Fertri). 

CARBRI  LIFICAR,   ARD-RIGH. 

A.D.  254.®^  Carbri**  Lificar,  son  of  Cormac  Ulfada,  son  of  Art 
Aeinfer,  son  of  Conn  Ked-cathach,  of  the  line  of  Erimhon,  held 
the  sovereignty  of  Ireland  twenty-seven  years.     The  reason  why 

^HilhDrum.    Perhaps  Sidhe  Truim,  '' Lu2;ita.  called   by  some,  Lugaidh 

an  ancient  mound  near  Slane,  in  Mealli.  Menu,  sun  of  Aengns  Finn,  his  own  kiiis- 

Sith  Drum  was,  also,  an  old  name  for  man.      O'Flaherty  says  that  I'.ocaidh 

the  Rock  of  (Jashcl.  (Junnath  was  grandson   of  King  Fcr- 

"  A.  D.  207.     Four  Masters.  gus  of  the  Black  'J'eeth. 

^  Eocaidh  XII.     Tighcrnach  does  "^  A.  I). 'JOH.     Four  blasters. 

not  allow   this   chieftain  the   title  of  "'  Carhri  11.     According  to  the  an- 

king.  nals  just  cited,  this  monarch  reigned 


THE   HISTORY   OF    IRELAND. 


361 


he  was  called  Carbri  Lificar  was,  because  he  had  been  reared  near 
the  River  Lili  (Liftey),  of  Leinster.  Ethni  Ollamda,  daughter  of 
Dunlaing,  was  his  mother.  It  was  by  the  hands  of  Simeon,  son 
of  Kerb,  one  of  the  Fothartaigh  of  Leinster,  that  he  fell,  at  the 
battle  of  Gabra^^  {Gowra). 

The  follo^v■ing  was  the  reason  why  the  battle  of  Gabra  was 
fought.  Samhair,  daughter  of  Finn,  son  of  Cumhal,  was  the  wife 
of  Cormac  Gas,  son  of  Olild  Glum;  and  she  was  the  mother  of 
Tinni  and  Connla.     Through  this  relationship,  Mogh  Gorb,^  the 


but  seventeen  years.   He  there  is  stated 
to  have  fought  three  battles  against 
the  Muustor  men  in  the  4th  year  of  his 
reign  (271),  and  four  in  tlie  year  fol- 
lowinsr,  in  defence  of  the  rights  of  Lein- 
ster.—" A.  P.  276,  the  9th  year  of  Car- 
bri. — Angus  Gaibuaibtech  (chief  of  the 
Desi)  was  liilled  this  year  by  the  sons  of 
Carbri,  namely,  Fiacaidh  Sraibtini  and 
Eocaidh  Doimlen.  A.D.  283,  the  16th 
year  of  Carbri. — Finn,   grandson   of 
Baesgni,  fell  by  Achlech,  son  of  Duibd- 
renn,  and  the  sons  of  the  Urgrenn,  of  the 
Luaigni  of  Temhair,  at  Ath-Brea  upon 
the  Boiuu,  of  which  it  was  said  : 
'  Finn  was  killed,  it  was  with  darts,* 
With  a  lamentable  wound ; 
Achlech,  son  of  Dubdrenn,  cut  off 
The  heaa  of  the  son  of  Mochtamain. 
Were  it  not  that  Caeilti  took  revenge. 
It  would  have  been  a  victory  after  all  his  true 

battles : 
The  three  were  cut  off  by  him. 
Exulting  over  the  head  of  the  royal  champion.'  " 
— Four  Masters. 

°^  Gabra,  otherwise  called  Gabhra 
Aichlá,  from  its  contiguity  to  Achill, 
now  the  hill  of  Skreen,  near  Tara,  in 
Meath.  Gabhra,  Anglice,  Gowra,  is 
now  the  name  of  a  stream  which  rises 
in  a  bog  in  the  townlaud  of  Prants- 
town,  parish  of  Skreen,  receives  a  trib- 
ute from  the  well  of  Neamhnach  on 
Tara  Hill,  joins  the  River  Skene  at 
Xowthstown,  and  unites  with  the  Boyue 
at  Ardsallagh. — Id. 

*  "  The  following  words  were  interlined  in  the 
text:  i.  e.  dona  qaith  iascaidi  ro  fforvu/h  e, 
i.  e.  by  fishing  gaffs  he  was  wounded.  It  is  stated 
in  the  Dublin  copy  of  the  annals  of  Inisfallcn, 
that  Finn  Mac  Cumhail,  the  celebrated  general 
of  the  Irish  militia,  fell  by  the  hands  of  Athlach, 
son  of  Dnbdrenn.  a  treacherous  fisherman,  who 
(fired  with  the  love  of  everlasting  notoriety) 
slew  him  with  his  gaff  at  Rath-Brei'igha,  near  the 
Boyne,  whither  he  had  retired  in  his  old  age  to 
pass  the  remainder  of  his  life  in  tranquility. 
This  Athlach  was  soon  after  behoiided  by  Caeiiti 
Mac  Ronaiu  the  relative  and  faithful  follower 
of  Finn." — O'Donovan. 


"^  Mogh  Goto.  This  prince  was  the 
principal  opponent  of  the  monarch,  and 
not  the  Clanna  Baeisgni,  or  Irish  Mili- 
tia, as  stated  by  modern  popular  wri- 
ters. Since  Eogan  Taidhlech,  or  Mogh 
Nuadath,  grandfather  of  Cormac  Cas, 
had  been  murdered  in  his  tent  by  Goll, 
son  of  Morna,  at  the  battle  of  Magh 
Leana,  the  king  of  Munster  cherished 
the  most  rancorous  hatred  against  the 
Clanna  Morna,  who  were  a  military 
tribe  of  the  Fer-Bolgs  of  Connaught ; 
and  in  order  to  be  revenged  of  them, 
they  formed  an  alliance  with  the  Clanna 
Baeisgni,  another  military  tribe  of  the 
Scotic  or  Milesian  race,  the  most  dis- 
tinguished chief  of  whom  was  Finn 
Mac  Cumhail.  Cormac  Cas,  king  of 
Munster,  married  Samhair,  daughter 
of  this  warrior,  and  by  her  had  three 
sons — Tinni  and  Connla,  of  whom  no 
account  is  preserved,  and  Mogh  Corb, 
the  ancestor  of  the  celebrated  Brian 
Boru,  who  inherited  all  the  valor  and 
heroism  of  his  ancestor.  After  the 
death  of  Finn,  Carbri  disbanded  and 
outlawed  the  forces  of  the  Clanna 
Baeisgni,  and  retained  in  his  service 
the  Clanna  Morna  only.  The  Clanna 
Baeisgni  then  repaired  to  Munster,  to 
their  relative,  Mogh  Corb,  who  retain- 
ed them  in  his  service,  contrary  to  the 
orders  of  the  monarch.  This  led  to  the 
bloody  battle  of  Gabra,  in  which  the 
two  rival  military  tribes  slaughtered 
each  other  almost  to  extermination. 
In  this  battle  Osgar,  son  of  Oisin  (Os- 
sian),  met  the  monarch  in  single  com- 
bat, but  he  fell ;  and  Carbri,  reiurning 
from  the  combat,  was  met  by  his  own 
relative,  Simeon,  one  of  the  P'otharta 
(who  had  been  expelled  into  Leinster), 
who  fell  upon  him  severely  wounded, 
after  the  dreadful  combat  with  Osgar, 


362  THE   HISTORY   OF    IRELAND. 

son  of  Cormac  Gas,  aided  Oisin  {Osheen),  son  of  Finn,  IiÍjí  moth- 
er's brother,  and  the  tribe  of  Baeisgni  {Bueesknic)  in  opposition  to 
the  attacks  made  upon  them  bj  Carbri  Lificar  and  Aedh  Cacmli^ 
{Aih  Caiv\  son  of  Garaidh  Glun-dubh  {Garmi-Gloonduv),  chief  of 
the  tribe  of  Morna.  At  that  time,  the  tribe  of  Morna  was  in  pos- 
session of  the  huannacht  (that  is,  they  formed  the  standing  army 
of  Irehand),  and  had  been  at  enmity  with  Finn  and  the  tribe  of 
Baeiso-ni  for  fnll  seven  years.  For  this  reason,  the  faction  of 
Garaidh  Glun-dubh  set  on  Carbri  Lificar  and  the  pentarchs  of 
Ireland  to  dethi-one  Mogh  Corb,  hoping  thereby  to  succeed  in 
procuring  the  banishment  of  the  tribe  of  Baeisgni.  And  thence 
came  the  battle  of  Gabra. 

FATIIADII   AIRGTIIECII   AND    FATHADH  CAIEPTHECH,   ARD-RIGH. 

A.D.  2S1.^^  Fathadli^  Airgthech  {Fáháh  Arrikagh)  and  Fathadh 
Cairpthech  {Carpagh),  both  sons  of  Mac-Niadh,  son  of  Lugaidh, 
and  of  the  line  of  Lagaidh,  son  of  Ith,  assumed  the  sovereignty  of 
Ireland.  They  reigned  conjointly  for  one  year,  at  the  end  of 
which,  Fathadh  Cairpthech  was  slain  by  Fathadh  Airgthech. 
And,  then,  Fathadh  Airgthech  was  himself  slain  by  the  Fianni""  at 
the  battle  of  Ollarba.^ 

FIACAIDII   SRAIBTINI,    ARD-RIGH. 

A.  D.  282.2  Fiacaidh^  Sraibtini  {Feegha  Sraffi.nnie\  son  of  Car- 
bri Lificar,  son  of  Cormac  Ul-fada,  of  the  line  of  Erimhon,  held 
the  sovereignty  of  Ireland  for  thirty-three  years,  when  he  fell  b}* 

and  (lispatclied  him  at  a  single  blow,  monarchf?  of  Ireland  ;  evidently  because 

O'Donovau.  they  regarded  them  as  usurpers.    They 

"  Aelh  Cacrnh  was  the  last  king  of  were  the  sons  of  the  monarch,  Mac- 

Connaughtof  the  raceofthe  Fer-Bolgs.  Con,  and  from  their  brother,  Acngus 

Aedh  and   M  ogli  Corb  botli  escaped  Gai-fuilech,  i.  e.  Acngus  of  the  Bloody 

from  the  bloody  field  of  Gabra,  but  Spear,  is  descended  the  clan  of  Driscoll 

coming  to  an  engagement  soon  after  and  its  correlatives, 

at  Spaltrach,  ill  Muskery,  Mogh  Corb  "^  F/Vi/in.  From  this  passage  it  would 

fell  by  the  hand  of  the  king  of  Con-  appear  that  some  of  this  body  still  sur- 

uaught.     Poetic  tradition  will  have  it,  vived  tlie  l^atlle  of  Gabra.    According 

that  the  warrior  Cacilli  and  the  bard  to  O'Fiaherty,  the  slayers  of  Fathadh 

Oisin,  alone  of  tlieir  kimlred  survived  Airgthech  were  of  the  Clanna  Baeisgni, 

this  fight  at  Gabra,  and  that  they  lived  and    apparently   commanded    by   the 

to  recount  the  exploits  of  their  com-  warrior,   Caeilti,  by  whose   hand  this 

panions  in  arms  to  St.  Patrick  in  after  monarch  fell. 

times.  It  is  the  lays  attributed  to  them  '  Ollnrbn.     Now  the  River    Larno, 

that  are  called  the  Ossianic  Poems,  and  in  the  county  of  Antrim. 

upon  them  Macphcrsoa  built   his   fa-  ''  A.  I).  28(1.     Foily  Maxfers. 

mous  forgery.  '  Fiacaidk  VII.    This  monarch  reigu- 

'■"  A.  D.  285.     Four  Masters.  cd  thirty-seven  years,  according  to  oth- 

*•'  Falhaih.      Some  of  our  antiqua-  er  accounts, 
rics  did  not  count  the  two  Fathadhá  as 


THE   HISTOEY   OF   IRELAND.  363 

the  three  Collar,  in  the  battle  of  Dubh-Comar.*  Aeifi,  daughter 
of  the  king  of  the  Gall-GaedhaiP  {Gaul-Gaeil),  that  is,  of  the  For- 
eign Gaels,  was  the  wife  of  Fiacaidh  Sraibtini  and  the  mother  of 
Muredach  Tirech,  And  the  reason  why  he  was  called  Fiacaidh 
Sraibtini,^  was  because  it  was  at  Duu-Sraibtini,  in  Connaught, 
that  he  had  been  fostered. 

In  order  that  the  meaning  of  the  following  events  may  be  the 
better  understood,  we  shall  set  down  here,  from  the  Psalter  of 
Cashcl,  both  the  cause  of  the  battle  of  Dubh-Comar  and  a  narra- 
tion of  the  relationship  that  existed  between  the  Collas  and  Fia- 
caidh Sraibtini.  It  is,  then,  at  Carbri  Lificar  that  the  Oirghial- 
laigh,  that  is,  the  Clans  of  the  Collas,  separate  from  the  clans  of 
Niall,  and  from  the  Connachtaigh  {Connauglitih)  or  Erimonians 
of  Connaught.  Now,  Fiacaidh  Si'aibtini,  son  of  Carbri  Lificar, 
was  the  grandfather  of  Eocaidh  Muigh-medon,  son  of  Muredach 
Tirech,  son  of  Fiacaidh  Sraibtini.  From  the  Muredach  here 
mentioned,  have  sprung  the  clans  of  Niall  and  the  men  of  Con- 
naught. Eocaidh  Dublein  was  also  son  of  Carbri  Lificar,  and 
brother  of  Fiacaidh  Sraibtini.  This  Eocaidh  had  three  sons, 
namely :  the  three  Collas,  and  from  these  are  descended  the 
Ui  Mhic  Uais  (ee-vic-Oosh),  the  Ui  Mhic  Crimthainn  {ee-vic- 
Crijfinn),  and  the  Moghdorna  {Mowrna).  The  real  names  of  the 
three  Collas  were,  Carrell,  Muredach  and  Aedh.  Here  follows  a 
quotation  from  an  ancient  bard  in  testimony  thereof: 

"  Of  the  Three  Collas  have  you  heard, 
Eocaidh 's  sons  of  highest  fame, 
Colla,  Menn,  Colla  Da-crioch, 
And  Colla  Uais,  the  Ard-righ? 

Their  names,  all  three,  I  know  full  well — 
Carrell  and  Muredach  and  Aedh  ; 
By  these  was  slain  a  mighty  king. 
On  yonder  fair,  well  cultured  plain. 

Carrell  was  Colla  Uais,  the  king ; 
Muredach,  Colla  Da-crioch  ; 
And  glorious  Aedh  was  Colla  Menn. 
Mighty  were  they  beyond  all  braves  !  " 

*  Duhh-Comar.     This  name  signifies  equally  applicable  to  any  of  the  Gaelic 

the  "  black  confluence."    "  It  is  quite  septs  then   settled  in  Alba   and   the 

evident  that  it  was  the  ancient  name  of  Hebrides. 

the  confluence  of  the  Blackwater  and  °  Sraibtini.    Other  authorities  assert 

the  Boyne." — O'D.  that  he  received  this  cognomen  from 

^  Ga/Z-Guc'/'irtiZ  may  mean  some  por-  showers  of  fire  {sraib  theini),  i.  e.  thun- 

tion   of  the  Clamia  Breogaiii   or  Bri-  der   storms,  that  occurred  during  his 

gantes,  of  Gaelic  origin,  settled  in  Bri-  reign, 
tain  or  Gaul ;  but  the  name  would  be 


36 i  THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 

Oilech,  daughter  of  the  king  of  Alba,  aud  wife  of  Eocaidh 
Dublcin,  was  the  mother  of  the  three  Collas.     It  was  these  three 
Collas  that  perpetrated  the  parricide  upon  Fiacaidh  Sraibtiui, 
whereby  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland  w^as  lost  forever  to  thcni  and 
their  posterity.     The  Ibllowing  was  the  occasion  of  that  pnrri- 
cide  :  Avliilst  Fiacaidh  Sraibtini  was  sovereign  of  Ireland,  he  had 
a  distinguished  son,  who  was  called  Muredach  Tirech  ;  and  this 
Murcdach  was  the  commander-in-chief  of  his  father's  armies,  for 
the  king  himself  w^as  not  allow^ed  to  enter  the  battle-field.     Upon  a 
certain  occasion,  Muredach  had  marched  into  IVIunster,  attended 
by  an  army,  whence  he  brought  off  hostages  and  spoils.     At 
the  same  time  the  king,  his  father,  chanced  to  be  at  Dubh-Comar, 
near  Talti,  attended  b}'  another  host;  and  there  he  was  accompanied 
by  the  three  Collas,  the  three  sons  of  his  brother,  who  had  led 
their  forces  to  his  aid  to  that  place.     Then,  when  tlie  multitude 
heard  of  the  successes  that  Muredach  had  obtained  in  Munster, 
they  said  in  common  that  he  was  the  presumptive  king  of  Ire- 
land.    "  What  shall  become  of  us,"  said  the  Collas,  "  if  Muredach 
become  sovereign  after  Fiacaidh  ?    What  we  had  better  do,"  said 
they,  "  is  to  give  battle  to  the  old  king,  and  when  we  have  slain 
him,  with  liis  host,  we  shall  easily  overcome  his  son,  -whenever 
he  may  arrive."     In  the  meantime,  Fiacaidh  was  engaged  in 
conference  with  a  certain  druid,  named  Dubcomar,  and  this  druid 
addressed  him  in  the  following  words:   "0  king,"  said  he  "if 
thou  vanquish  the  Collas  now,  and  slay  them,  no  king  of  thy 
posterity  shall  ever  reign  over  Ireland  after  thee."     "  Then," 
said  the  monarch,  "I  prefer  rather  to  fall  by  the  Collas  myself, 
and  to  have  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland  descend  to  my  posterity, 
than  to  have  them  slain  by  me,  and  have  the  sovereignty  of 
Ireland  descend  to  their  children."     After  this,  the  hosts  were 
drawn  up  in  battle  array,  and  they  charged  one  another  from 
each  side.     But  the  army  of  Fiacaidh  Sraibtini  was  routed  in 
that  engagement,  and  he  was  slain  liimself  therein,  just  as  the 
druid  Dubcomar  had  prophesied  to  him. 

COLL  A  UAIS,  ARD-RIGH. 

A.  D.  315.^  Colla  Uais,  son  of  Eocaidh  Dublein,  son  of  Car- 
bri  Lificar,  of  the  line  of  Erimhon,  held  the  sovereignty  of 
Ireland  for  four  years;  at  the  end  of  which,  both  himself  and 
his  brothers  were  driven  by  ^furedaeh  Tirech  into  banishment 
to  Alba,  where  they  received  a  military  maintenance  {huaujuicht) 
from  the  Alban  king.  For  Oilecli,  daughter  of  Ugari,  king  ot 
Alba,  was  the  mother  of  the  three  Collas.     The  reason  why  Car- 

'  A.  D.  323.     Four  Masters. 


THE   HISTORY  OF   IRELAND.  365 

rell  was  styled  Colla  Uais,  that  is,  Colla  the  Noble,  was  because 
of  the  distinction  which  he  had  obtained  beyond  the  other 
Col  las,  for  he  had  held  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland,  and  the  others 
had  not. 

MUREDACH  TIRECH,  ARD-KIGH. 

A.  D.  319."  IMurcdach^  Tircch  {Marreeagh  Teerarjli)^  son  of 
Fiacaidh  Sraibtini,  of  the  line  of  Erimhon,  held  Ireland  for 
thirty  three  years,  and  then  he  fell  by  Caelbadh,  son  of  Crunn 
Dadraci.  Muirrenn,  daughter  of  Fiacaidh,  king  of  Kinul-Eogain, 
was  the  wife  of  Murcdach  Tircch,  and  the  mother  of  Eocaidh 
Muigh-medon. 

As  to  the  Collas,  they  were  banished  into  Alba  by  Muredach 
Tirech,  as  we  have  related  above.  Three  hundred  warriors  was 
the  number  of  their  host.  The  king  of  Alba  received  them  with 
great  respect,  and  gave  them  military  maintenance,  by  reason  of 
their  great  valor  and  hardihood.  They  remained  with  him  for 
three  years ;  after  which  they  returned  to  Ireland,  in  hopes  that 
Muredach  would  perpetrate  a  parricide  (finghal)  upon  them,  and 
that  the  sovereignty  might  fall  to  their  posterity  in  consequence 
thereof."*  In  coming  from  Alba,  they  brought  over  no  stronger 
escort  than  a  band  of  nine  warriors  with  each  of  them.  After 
landing,  they  made  no  delay  until  they  arrived  in  the  king's 
presence  at  Temhair.  "  Have  you  brought  me  any  news,  my 
cousins?"  said  the  king.  "We  have  no  sadder  news  to  tell," 
said  they,  "  than  the  deed  which  we  have  ourselves  done,  name- 
ly, the  killing  of  thy  father  by  our  hands."  "That  is  news  we 
have  already  known,"  said  the  king;  "but  it  is  of  no  conseqence 
to  you  now,  for  no  vengeance  shall  be  wreaked  upon  you  there- 
for, except  that  the  misfortune,  which  has  already  pursued  you, 
shall  not  leave  you."  "  This  is  the  reply  of  a  coward,"  said  the 
Collas.  "Be  not  sorry  for  it,"  replied  the  king.  "You  are 
welcome."  After  this  they  spent  a  long  time  in  great  friendship 
with  Murcdach,  so  that  they  became  the  commanders  of  that 
king's  armies  in  war. 

• 
A.  D.  331.     Conquests  of  the  Collas  in  Uladh — Destruction  of 
Emhain  Macha. 

At  last  the  king  told  them  (the  Collas),  that  it  was  time  for 
them  to  conquer  some  territory,  as  an  inheritance  for  their  pos- 

A.  D.  327.     Four  Masters.  '»  They  harl,  it  is  said,  bee»  told  by 

'  Muredac'i  II.      According  to  the     a  druid,  that   if  they  covild   provoke 

last-cited  authority,  this  king  reigned     their  cousin,  king    Muredach,  to  slay 

but  thirty  years.  thorn,  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland  would 

fall  to  their  posterity. 


366  THE   HISTORY    OF   IRELAND. 

teritj.  "  Of  Avhat  territory  dost  thou  wish  that  we  should  make 
sword-land  ?  "  said  they.  (There  were  not,  in  their  own  time, 
any  warriors  more  intrepid  than  they.)  "  March  into  Ulster," 
said  lie,  "  for  you  have  good  cause  of  enmity  with  its  people ; 
for  an  attendant  upon  the  king  of  Uladh  once  burnt  the  beard  and 
hair  of  Cormac,  son  of  Art,  with  a  torch,  in  Northern  Magh 
Breagh.  When  Cormac  had  become  king  of  Ireland,  an  over- 
whelming force  of  the  Ulstermen  came  against  him,  and  having 
extorted  hostages  from  him,  they  banished  him  into  Connaught. 
After  that  a  peace  was  made  between  Cormac  and  them,  and  they 
prepared  a  feast  for  him  at  Northern  Magh  Breagh,  and  it  was 
on  that  occasion  that  a  servant  of  the  king  of  Ulster  burned  the 
hair  of  Cormac.     Now,  that  deed  is  still  unavenged." 

After  this,  king  Muredach  furnished  them  with  a  numerous 
army,  with  which  the  Collas  marched  into  Connaught.  There 
the  men  of  Connaught  joined  their  standard,  with  a  force  con- 
sisting of  seven  catha.  Thence  they  marched  to  the  Carn  of 
Achadh  Leth-derg,"  in  Fernmagh.  From  that  hill,  they  fought 
seven  battles  against  the  Ulstermen,  that  is,  a  battle  on  each  day 
during  a  whole  week.  Six  of  these  battles  were  fought  by  the 
Connaughtmen,  and  the  seventh  by  the  Collas.  In  it  Fergus 
Fogha,'^  king  of  Emhain,  was  slain,  and  the  Ulstermen  were 
finally  routed.  They  were  then  pui'sucd,  with  great  slaughter, 
from  the  Carn  of  Eocaidh  to  Glen  Eighe.''  From  the  latter  place, 
the  Collas  marched  back  upon  Emhain,  which  they  plundered, 
and  then  burned,  so  that  Emhain  has  remained  since  then  without 
a  king  to  inhabit  it. 

The  Collas  next  took  the  following  territories  from  the  Ulster- 
men,  namel}^:  Moghdurna,'*  Ui  Mic  Crirathainn,"  and  Ui  Mic 
Uais.     Colla  Mcnn   took  possession  of  Moghdurna,  CoUa  Ua 

"  Achad-ldh-derg.    Tliis  place,  situ-  "     Moghdurna,     properly     Crioch 

atcd  in  tlie  barony  of  Farney   (Fecn-  Moplulurna    (Creeagk  Mowrna),  now 

magh),  CO.  Moiiaghan,  is  not  yet  iden-  tlie   barony  of  Crcmorne,   co.    Monor 

tified. — O'D.  glian.      The   O'Hanratties,    la    Irish, 

'-  Fergus  Fogha,  son   of  Fraechar  O'li-Innrechtaigh,  of  the  race  of  Colla 

Fortriiin,  was  the  last  king  of  Uladh  Mcnn,  were  the  ancient  possessors  of 

that  resided  at  Emhain.  this  territory.    In  O'Dubhagan's  poem, 

'^  Glenn  Riglie,  that  is,  the  vale  of  tlie   chief  of    this   t(>rritory   is   called 

the  Righe,  now  the  Newry  river.   From  ()".Machaiden.  In  after  times,  they  were 

this  time,  downward,  the  name  Uladh  encroached  on  by  the  MacMahons. 

is  applicil   to  the  circumscribed  terri-  "  Ui  Mic   Crimthainn,  that  is,  the 

tory  of  the  Clanna  Rudraide,  narrowed  territory  of  the  descendants  of  Crimth- 

by  this   conquest  to  the   counties  of  ann,  son  ofFiach,  sonof  Degaidh  Durn, 

Down  and  Antrim.   "  It  was  originally  son  of  Rochadh,  son  of  Colla  Da  Cri- 

tlie  name  of  all   Ulster,  but  after  the  och.     In  latter  times,  it  appears  that 

year  332,  it  was  applied  to  that  por-  this  name  was  confined  to  the  barony 

tion  of  the  east  of  Ulster,  bounded  on  of  Slane,  county  Meath  ;  but  Keating 

the  west  by  the  Lower  Baim  and  lyough  could  scarcely  have  meant  it  in  that 

Ncagh,  and  by  Glenn  Righe." — O'D.  confined  sense.     From  Colla  Da-Criocli, 


thp:  history  of  Ireland. 


367 


Crioch  {Daiu   Cremgh)  of  Ui  Mic  Crimtliainn,  and  Colla  TJais 
seized  upon  Ui  Mic  Uais.'* 

And,  as  before  stated,  it  was  by  Caelbach,  son  of  Crunn  Bad- 
raei,  that  the  monarch  Muredach  was  slain." 

CAELBACH,    ARD-EIGH. 

A.  D.  352.''  Caelbach,  son  of  Crunn  Badraei,  son  of  Eocaidh 
Coba,  son  of  Lngaidh,  son  of  Jiosa,  son  of  Imcaidh,  souof  Feidli- 
midh,  son  of  Gas,  son  of  Fiacaidh  Araide,  son  of  Aengus  Gaib- 
nenn,  son  of  Fergus  Foglas,  son  of  Tibradi  Tirech,  son  of  Bresal, 
son  of  Ferb,  son  of  Mai,  son  of  Eocraide,  of  the  line  of  Ir," 
son  of  Miledh,  held  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland  for  one  year.  It 
was  by  Eocaidh  Muigh-Medon,""  that  he  was  slain. 


EOCAIDH   MUIGH-MEDON,  ARD-EIGH. 

A.  D.  353.''  Eocaidh"  Muigh-Medon,  son  of  Muredach  Ti- 
rech, son  of  Fiacaidh  Sraibtini,  of  the  line  of  Erimhon,  held  the 
sovereignty  of  Ireland  for  seven  years.  Mong-finn,  daughter  of 
Fidach,  the  wife  of  Eocaidh  Muigh-medon,  was  the  mother  of 
Brian,"  Fiacaidh  or  Fiacra,"*  Fergus  and  Olild.     Carthann  Cas- 


whose  territory  it  was,  are  descended 
the  jSIac  Mahons  of  Moaaghan,  tlie  Ma- 
guires  of  Fermanagh,  the  O'Hanlons  of 
Orior,  the  Mac  Canus,  Mac  Manuses,  the 
O'Kellies  and  O'Maddens  of  Ui  Mani, 
in  Gal  way,  and  their  numerous  kindred 
septs. 

'^  Ui  Mic  Uais,  now  Moygish,  in 
West  Meath.  The  descendants  of  the 
Colla  Uais  are  the  Mac  Donalds  of 
Antrim  and  the  Isles  of  Scotland,  with 
the  Mac  Dugalds,  Mac  Allisters,  Mac 
Rories  and  their  correlatives,  and  also 
the  clans  of  Mac  Sheehie,  O'Flynn  or 
O'Lyn  of  Moylinny,  Mac  Aedha  or  Ma- 
gee  of  Island  Magee,  the  O'Gnives, 
O'Kerin,  and  several  others  in  Ireland. 

"  Slain.  He  was  slain  by  Caelbadh, 
son  of  Crunn,  king  of  Uladh,  at  Port- 
righ,  overDaball. 

Daball  was  the  old  name  of  the  Black- 
water  of  Ulster.  Portrigh  is  thought 
to  be  the  place  now  called  Beubm-b. — 
See  Four  Masters. 

•"  A.  D.  356.— four  Masters. 
"  Of  the  race  of  Ir. — Caelbadh,  oth- 
erwise Caelbach,  was  of  the  blood  of 
the  Clanna  Kudraide.   O'Halloran  says 


that  he  was  the  last  prince  of  the  royal 
house  of  Ir  (that  is,  of  the  Ulidians), 
that  sat  upon  the  Irish  throne.  After 
defeating  Muredach, he  marched  straight 
to  Temhair,  and  was  there  saluted  king. 
However,  Tighernach  does  not  count 
him  among  the  Irish  raonarchs.  But 
his  having  been  even  partially  acknowl- 
edged as  such  has  its  meaning  in  our 
history ;  it  tells  of  a  vigorous  effort 
made  by  the  Iriaus  to  recover  the  ter- 
ritory from  which,  by  Muredach's  aid, 
they  had  been  recently  expelled  by  the 
three  Collas. 

-"  Muigh-Medon.  This  surname  is 
generally  spelled  either  Muighmhead- 
hain  or  Muighmheodhain,  and  is  pro- 
nounced somewhat  like  Mooivaan  or 
Moovebne.  Dr.  O'Connor  has  trans- 
lated it  Camporum  Cultor,  i.  e.  tiller  of 
fields ;  but  Dr.  0 'Donovan  says  that 
this  is  a  mere  guess.  The  derivation 
recorded  by  Keating,  he  very  justly 
styles  a  silly  legend. 

^  A.  D.  353.— Four  Masters. 

^  Eocaidh  XIII. 

^  Brian.  From  this  son  sprung  the 
several  clans  of  the  Ui  Briaiu,  of  Con- 


368 


THE    HISTORY    OF    Hi  ELAND. 


dubh  {Carhan  Cas-duv),  duugliter  of  the  king  of  Britain,  was  his 
second  wif,>,  and  by  her  he  had  Niall  of  the  Nine  Ilostag'is.  He 
was  called  Kocaidh  Muigli-medon,  because  bis  head  and  breast 
resembled  those  of  king  Murcdach  Tircch,  but  his  waist  or  middle 
(medon)  resembled  that  of  a  slave  (mogaidh),  whose  name  was 
Mingadach. 

It  was  against  this  king  that  the  battle  of  Cruachain-Clacnta 
was  gained  by  Enna  Kennselaeh,^^  kingof  Leinster;  and  there  it 
was  that  Kednathech,  the  bard-sage  (file)  of  Eocaidh  !Muigh- 
medon  happened  to  be  made  prisoner.  But  when  Enna  came  up 
to  where  he  was  detained,  he  demanded  of  his  people,  why  they 
had  spared  the  life  of  the  druid.  "  Whilst  I  live,"  said  the  druid, 
"  thou  shalt  never  gain  victories  from  this  hill,  where  I  now  stand." 
Upon  this,  Enna  transfixed  him  with  his  spear ;  and,  as  the 
weapon  passed  through  the  d raid's  body,  a  laugh  broke  forth 
from  Enna.  "  Ila  !  "  said  the  druid,  "  that  laugh  is  foul  (salach); 
and  this  word  foul  (salach)  shall  be  attached  as  a  surname  to  thy 
posterity  after  thee,  forever."  Hence,  the  descendants  of  that  chief 
have  been  called  "Kinn-salaigh,"^^  that  is,  fouMieads,  ever  since. 

Enna  Kennselach  was  a  very  powerful  prince  in  his  da}^,  as 
may  be  understood  from  the  lay  composed  by  Dubthach  Ua 
Lugair,  who  was  Ard-Ollamh  of  History  in  Ireland,  at  the  time 
when  St.  Patrick  came  thither  to  propagate  the  Faitli. 

naui^ht,  namely,  the  O'Connors,  kin<rs 
of  Connauirlit  in  after  times,  the  O'Reil- 
lies  and  O'Rnairc:^,  of  Brcfni ;  the  O'- 
Flaherties,  Mac  Dermotts,  Mac  Don- 
oughs,  and  their  kindred  clans. 

*'  Fiacaidh,  more  commonly  called 
Fiachra.  was  the  founder  of  the  pow- 
erful tribes,  known  as  the  Ui  Fiachrach, 
who  were  long  the  rivals  of  the  Ui 
Briain  for  the  sovereignty  of  Con- 
naught.  Their  most  powerful  clans 
were  the  O'Dubhda,  now  ODowd,  and 
O'Caomhain,  now  Keevan,  princes  of 
the  Northern  Ui  Fiachrach,  and  the 
O'Heynes,  O'Shaughnessies,  0"Cleries, 
and  Mac  Kilkcllies,  and  others,  hereaf- 
ter to  be  mentioned,  of  the  Southern  Ui 
Fiachrach. 

'*  Enna  Kenn-Selach.  According  to 
O'Halloran,  the  I^nnster  king  was  pow- 
erfully aided  in  this  war  by  Iviigaidh 
Ijamh-derg,  who  was  then  kingof  Jjcth- 
Mogha  and  chieftain  of  the  Dal-g-Cais. 
He  tells  UR,that  the  cause  of  the  war  was 
the  exaction  of  Boromha  í/íiiglien  by 
the  monarch,  which  Enna  resisted,  and, 
with  the  help  of  Lugaidh,  defeated 
Eocaidh  in  fifteen  battles. 


According  to  the  same  authority,  it 
was  during  this  reign,  that  Lugaidh  con- 
quered, fi'om  the  people  of  Connaught, 
that  district  which  is  now  called  the 
county  of  Clare,  and  made  it  the 
sword-land  of  his  posterity. 

'^  Kmn-Salaigli.  The  absurdity  of 
supposing  that  any  powerful  tribe 
would,  of  its  own  accord,  assume  a  sur- 
name affixed  to  it  as  a  reproach,  is 
enough  to  prove  that  the  above  cannot 
be  the  meaning  of  this.  But  the  latter 
of  its  component  parts  is  not  "  salach" 
(milliigli).  which  does  mean  foul  or  de- 
filed ;  it  is  "  selach"  [sJiel/agfi),  which, 
whatever  be  its  exact  sense  in  this  in- 
stance, is  a  word  of  cpiite  a  different 
origin.  A  branch  of  his  descendants 
have  taken  the  name  of  0"lvinshellagh, 
from  the  surname  of  linna.  'I'lie  Mac 
Murroughs,  kings  of  Jjcinster,  the  0'- 
Cavanaghs,  O'Murphies,  i)"Maeil-Riain 
or  O'liyan,  and  the  O'Dowlings  of  I/'in- 
stcr,  with  their  several  correlative 
branches,  are  s[)rung  from  this  prince. 
A  brother  of  his  was  the  founder  of 
the  O'Byrnes  and  O'Tooles. 


THE   HISTORY   OF  IRELAND.  369 

"  A  battle  fought  by  Leinstcrmen,"  is  the  first  line  of  the  lay ; 
but  of  it,  I  shall  here  quote  but  the  two  following  verses,  which 
show  the  great  power  exercised  by  Enna  during  his  own  time : 

"  A  fine  was  paid  to  Enna 
From  Manilla,  with  reluctance — 
An  ounce  of  gold  from  every  lis, 
Within  the  coming  jear. 

"  A  fine  was  paid  to  Enna 
From  Leth-Cuinn,  the  hospitable — 
A  sgrebalP  from  each  hearth 
111  all  its  fair  fortresses." 

And,  according  to  the  Psalter  of  Cashel,  this  Enna  routed  the 
clans  of  Conn  in  thirteen  battles, 

Eocaidh  Muigh-medon  died  in  Temhair. 

CRIMTHANN,  ARD-RIGH. 

A.  D.  360.28  Crimthann,29  son  of  Fidach,  son  of  Dari  Kerb,»» 
son  of  Olild  Flann  Beg,  son  of  Fiacaidh  Maeil-lethan,  son  of 
Eogan  Mor,  son  of  Olild  Olum,  of  the  line  of  Eber^^  Finn,  son  of 
Miledh  of  Spain,  held  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland  for  seventeen 
years.  Fideng,  daughter  of  the  king  of  Connaught,  was  his 
wife. 

It  was  this  Crimthann  that  gained  victories  and  extended  his 
sway  over  Alba,  Britain  and  Gaul,  as  the  shannachie  tells  us  in 
the  following  rann : 

"  Crimthann,  son  of  Fidach,  ruled 
The  Alban  and  the  Irish  lands : 
Beyond  the  clear  blue  seas  he  quelled 
The  British  and  the  Gallic  might." 

It  was  also  this  Crimthann,  that  conferred  the  kingdom  of  Leth- 
Mogha,  or  Munster,  upon  his  own  foster-son,  namely,  upon  Conall 
Echluath^  (i.  e.  Conall  of  the  Swift  Steeds),  son  of  Lugaidh  Menu. 

'"  A  sgrehall — an  Irish  coin,  worth  and  3d,  Eocaidh  Liathanach,  from  whom 

three    pence.     Its    aspirated    form    is  sprung  the  UiLiathain,  consisting  of  the 

'•  sgrebhall"  shcrewall,  or  shcrtvul.  O'Liathain,  now  anglicized  Lyons,  and 

■-'  A.  D.  306. — Four  blasters.  the  O'h-Anamcada. 

■^    Crimtiiaxn    III.      This    prince  ^^  Of  the  line  of  Eber.     No  prince 

reigned  but  thirteen  years,  according  of  this  stock  had  been,  now,  monarch 

to  the  last-cited  authority.  of   Ireland    during    thirty-two  reigns. 

■'°  Dari  Kerb.  This'  prince,  who  Duach  III,  styled  Dalta  Degadh,  the 
was  the  second  son  of  Olild  Flann  Beg,  fifteenth  progenitor  of  Crimthann,  was 
left  issue :  1st,  Fidach,  father  of  Crimth-  the  last  prince  of  the  line  of  Eber  that 
ann,  whose  line  became  e.xtinct ;  2d,  Fia-  had  been  saluted  supreme  king.  He 
caidh  Fidghenti,  ancestor  of  the  tribe  reigned  from  A.  M.  3912  to  3922. 
called  Ui  Fidghenti,  comprising  the  **  Conall  Ech-luath.  "  On  the  de- 
clans  of  Donovan,  O'Coilleain  or  Collins,  cease  of  Eocaidh,  who,  after  all,  died 
O'Kinealy,  0'Mcehan,Mac  Eneiry,  &c.;  peaceably  at  Tara,  Crimthann,  son  of 

24 


370  THE   HISTORY    OF   IRELAND. 

The  jxisterity  of  Fiacaidh  Maoil-lethan,  felt  offended  at  this  gift, 
and  they  said,  that  Conall  did  not  act  the  part  of  a  good  kinsman 
in  accepting  it  whilst  Core,  son  of  Lugaidh,  a  man  every  way 
qualified  to  make  a  good  king,  was  then  to  be  found  among  the 
«iescendants  of  Fiacaidh.  The  dispute  that  thence  arose,  was 
left  to  the  arbitration  of  learned  sages,  who  decided  that  the 
kingship  of  Munster  should,  for  that  time,  be  possessed,  first  by 
Core,  son  of  Lugaidh,  for  he  was  the  elder  representative  of  the 
race ;  and  after  him,  that  one  of  the  descendants  of  Cormac  Cas 
should  succeed  to  the  throne  of  Munster.  Upon  this,  the  race 
of  Fiacaidh  ;N[aeil-lethan  gave  securities  and  guarantees,  upon 
their  part,  that  they  should  allow  the  possession  of  the  sover- 
eignty of  Munster  to  descend  quietly  to  Conall  Ech-luath,  after 
the  death  of  Core,  or  to  Conall's  son,  should  he  himself  be  no 
longer  alive.  This  decision  was  made  in  accordance  with  the 
will  of  Olild  Olum,  which  ordained  that  the  supreme  power 
should  be  possessed  alternately  by  each  of  these  two  families  of 
his  descendants,  namely,  by  the  progeny  of  Fiacaidh  Mail-lethau 
and  that  of  Cormac  Cas.  It  was  uj)on  the  above  condition  that 
Conall  Ech-luath  resigned  the  kingdom  of  Munster  to  Core. 

This  Core  had  a  son,^^  who  was  named  Cas  Mac  Cuirc,  from 
whom  has  descended  the  clan  of  O'Donnchadha,  or  O'Donoghoo 
Mor,  from  which  again  sprung  O'Donoghoo  of  the  Glen.  From 
him  are  also  sprung  the  clans  of  O'Maghthamhna,  or  O'Mahony 
Finn,  O'Mahony  Roe,  O'Mahony  of  Ui-Floinn-Laei,  O'Mahony 
of  Carbery,  and  O'Mullane. 

Conall  Ech-luath  became,  eventually,  king  of  Munster,  after 
the  death  of  Corc.^     And  Crimthaun,  son  of  Fidach,  gave  the 

Pidach,  son  of  Dari  Kerb,  of  the  race  chieftains  of  the  Eofjanacht  of  Magh 

of  Heber  and  Engcnian  line,  throuf^h  Gcrghinn,  now  called  Marr,  in  Scot- 

the  great  influence  of  his   cousin,  Lu-  land,  are  derived, 

ofaidh  (king  of  Munster,  of  the  Dalcas-  Through  the  enmity  of  his  stepmother, 

sian   line,)    was  proclaimed   monarch ;  Daela,  Core  had  lieen  banished  by  his 

and  in  return  for  this,  on  the  death   of  father,  and  took  refuge  in  Alba,  where 

Lugaidh,  which  happened  soon  after  he  he  married  Mong-finn,  daughter  of  Fc- 

had  his  son  Conall  Kch-luath(^g-/i-fooa/i)  radach,  king   of  the   Picts.      Hence, 

appointed  king  of  Ix;th-Mogha,  to  the  probably,  arose  the  settlement  of  some 

^reat  prejudice  of  his  own   family." —  of  his  p(jstcrity  in  that  country. 

O'lfalloran.  "'  Jfler  ike  dcalh  of  Core.     From  the 

^  Had  a  son,  l^c.  TTis  other  sons  were  vagueness  with  which  Dr.  Keating  has 

Nadfraéch,  from   whom   most  of  the  here  expressed  himself,  some  have  im- 

succeeding  kings  of  Desmond  sprung ;  agined  that  he  meant  that  Core  died 

Mani   Lemna,  from  whom  descended  during  Crimthann'a  reign.     However, 

the  ancient  Mor-mhaeir,  or  High  Stew-  that   inference    by  no  means   foUow.s 

arda  of  Ticnnox,  in  Scotland  ;  and  Car-  from   our   author's   words.     The   fact 

bri  T>uachra,  otherwise  surnamed  Cruth-  that  the  Irish  monarch  appointed  his 

nech,   or   the   Fict,   from    whom    the  friend,  Conall    (who   was   a   powerful 

O'Moriartics,  chiefs  of  th(!  Koganacht  chieftain,   as   king   of   Tlmmond,   and 

of  Ivoch  T>ein  in  Kerry,  and  the  ancient  lica<l  of   the  Dal-g-(JaÍ3    tribe,)  as  rc^ 


THE   HISTORY   OF  IRELAND.  871 

hostages  of  the  chiefs  of  Ireland,  Alba,  Britain,  and  Gaul,  into 
the  hands  of  his  foster-son,  Conall.  Upon  this  ilict  Cormac,  son 
of  Culinan,  has  composed  the  following  verses  : 

"  Ech-luath  received  the  Irish  rents,'^ 
Whilst  Crimthann  Ibught  for  foreign  spoil,'* 
And,  though  he  crossed  not  Mana's  wave, 
No  worthier  king  could  tribute  claim. 

"  What  Fidach's  son,  great  Crimthann,  brought, 
Of  captive  Gauls  from  over  sea, 
He  gave  into  the  red-glaived  hand 
Of  Conall,  famed  for  fleetest  steeds. 

"  Conall  of  Fleet  Steeds  made  a  tour 
Through  all  the  tribes  on  Crimthann's  part — 
Opposed  at  Dun-Liamna,''  that  chief 
In  slaughtered  heaps,  left  his  proud  foes. 

"  He  owned  Fert-Conaill  on  ^lagh-Femhenn, 
Drom-Cormaic,  Ani,  and  Dun-g-Clair, 
Caisel's  stronghold,  Liamhain's  great  rath, 
Fair  Dun-Kermna,  Eocair-Maigh." 

The  death  of  the  monarch,  Crimthann,  was  caused  by  Mung- 
finn,  daughter  of  Fidach,  his  own  sister,  who  gave  him  a  poi- 
soned drink  at  Inis-Dornglas,  in  hopes   that  the  kingdom  of 

gent  during  his  own   foreign  expedi-  friends ;  and  the  Gaels  did  not  carry 

tions,  by  no  means  implies  the  previous  on  less  agriculture  on  the  east  of  the 

death  of  the  king  of  Leth-Mogha.     Be-  sea  (channel),  than  at  home  in  Scotia  ; 

sides,  it  is  opposed  to  the  almost  uni-  and  they  erected  habitations  and  regal 

versal  tradition  which  represents  Core  forts  there  ;  thence  is  called  Dinn  Trad- 

as  the  rival  of  the  next  king,  Niall,  for  uii,  i.  e.  the  triple-fossed  fort  of  Crim- 

tlie  Irish  throne.      Conall  must  have  thann  Mor  Mac  Fidaigh,  king  of  Eri, 

succeeded  Core,  some  time  during  the  Alba,  and  as  far  as  the  Icciaii  Sea;  and 

reign  of  Niall.  thence  is  called  Glastimber  na-n-Gaed- 

*^  All  En's  rent.      That  is,  he  re-  hal,  i.  e.  Glastonbury  of  the  Gaels,  a 

ceived  them  as  Crimthann's  representa-  large  church  which  is  on  the  brink  of 

tive.    "  Before  entering  upon  his  foreign  the  Iccian  Sea,  &c.     And  it  was  at  the 

expedition,  he  appointed  Conall,  whose  time  of  this  division,  also,  that  Dinn 

integrity  he  could  depend  on,  as  regent  Map  Lethain,  in  British  Cornwall  (Bre- 

of  Ireland." — O'Halloran.  tan  Corn),  received  its  name,  i.  e.  Dun 

^  Foreign  spoil.     In  Cormac's  Glos-  mic  Liathain  ;  for  map,  in  British,  is 

sary,  under  the  words  Mogh  Eime,  it  is  the  same  as  mac  (i.  e.  son).     And  they 

stated  that  he  extended  his  dominion  continued  in  this  power  for  a  long  time 

over  Norih  Britain  and  Wales,  where  after  the  arrival  of  St.  Patrick." — See 

many  places  received  names  from  his  p.  SiO,  Battle  of  Magh  Rath,  Additional 

people.     This  passage,  of  which  the  fol-  Notes. 

lowingisatranslation,isoneof  the  most  ^  Dun   Liamna,  i.  e.  the   Dun   of 

curious  and  important  iu  Irish  history :  Liamhain  [Lceaviun)  is  situated  in  the 

"  At  that  time,  the  sway  of  the  Gaels  west  of  the  county  of  Wicklow.    It  was 

was  great  over  the  Britons ;  they  divi-  one  of  the  residences  of  the  kings  of 

ded  Alba  between  them  in  holdings,  Leiuster,  and  is  now  known  as  Dunlav- 

and  each  knew  the  habitations  of  his  an.  The  other  places  enumerated  in  this 


J72 


THE  HISTORY  OF   IRELAND. 


Ireland  would  fall  to  lier  fovorite  son,''  Brian,  son  of  Eocaidh 
Muigb-Mcdon.  Of  the  venom  of  that  drink,  king  Criinthann 
soon°died,  at  Sliabh  oidhidli-an-ri^li''(*S7itíei;-ííe-au-?-eíí),  to  the  north 
of  Limerick.  Mung-finn,  also,  died  herself,  immediately,  from 
the  effects  of  that  poisoned  cup,  for  she  had  swallowed  some  of 
its  contents,  in  order  to  induce  her  brother  to  drink  thereof 

NIALL   NAEI-GHIALLACir,   ARD-RIGH. 

A.  D.  377/°  NialP'  Naei-Ghiallach  {Keeal  Nee-T/eeallagh),  or 
Kiall  of  the  Nine  Hostages,  son  of  Eocaidh  ^luigh-Medon,  son 
of  Muredach  Tirech,  of  the  line  of  Erimhon,  held  the  sovereignty 
of  Ireland  for  twenty-seven  years.  Carthann  Cas-dubh  {Carhan 
Cas-duv),  daughter  of  the  king  of  Britain,  was  the  mother  of 
Niall.  His  first  wife  was  Inne,  daughter  of  Lugaidh.  She  was 
the  mother  of  his  son,  Fiacaidh.  His  second  wife  was  called 
Roighnech  {Boenagh),  who  bore  him  seven  sons,*'  namely,  Lae- 


verse  were  amongst  the  royal  residences 
of  Munster  ;  their  locations  are  else- 
wliere  pointed  out. 

'■^  Her  favorite  son.  Her  parricide 
had  not  the  efTect  she  desired.  None 
of  Brian's  posterity  ever  sat  Tjpon  the 
throne  of  Ireland,  except  Rudraide,  or 
Koderick  O'Connor,  the  last  of  its 
kings,  and  Tordelbach,  or  Torlough, 
the  third  last. 

»  Sliahh-Oididh-an-Righ,  i.  e.  the 
mountain  of  the  king's  death.  It  is 
now  called  the  Cratloe,  or  Glennagross 
mountain,  in  the  Vjarony  of  Buuratty, 
and  county  of  Clare. 

•">  A.  D.  379.— Four  Masters. 

^'  Niall  I.  '•  On  the  death  of  Crim- 
tliann,  several  canflidates  ajipearcd  for 
the  succession.  Enna  (Kennselach), 
king  of  Leinster,  the  better  to  streng- 
then his  interest,  seized  on  the  palace 
of  Tara  (Temhair).  but  soon  after  evac- 
uated it.  Core,  king  of  Leth  Mogha, 
solicited  the  suffrages  of  the  princes 
and  electors,  but  was  opposed  by  the 
whole  force  of  Lcth-Cuinn.  These 
dreaded  the  [)Ower  of  the  Ileberians, 
who,  as  kings  of  Southern  Ireland,  ac- 
knowledged no  kind  of  dependence  on 
the  monarchs,  and  united,  as  one  man, 
to  support  the  claims  of  young  Niall, 
who  was  accordingly  elected.  Core 
l)rotested  against  the  election,  and  ajv 
pealed  to  the  sword.  Much  blood  was 
spilt  on  the  occasion.     But  T(jrna,  the 


bard  of  Niall,  at  length  interposed  ;  a 
pe^ce  was  thence  concluded,  and  Core 
acknowledged  Niall's  election,  deliver- 
ing up  his  son,  Carbri,  with  others  of 
his  nobles,  as  hostages.  In  return,  he 
received,  as  presents  (or  as  a  foe),  from 
the  monarch,  one  thousand  steeds,  five 
hundred  suits  of  armor,  one  hundred 
and  ninety  gold  rings,  and  fifty  gold 
cups.  It  was  the  custom  of  the  Irish, 
that  the  acknowledged  sovereign  made 
presents  to  his  former  antagonist." — 
O'llatloran. 

"  Seven  sons.  It  appears  that  Niail 
had  fourteen  sons  in  all  ;  however,  none 
of  them  left  posterity  but  the  eight 
above  mentioned  :  1.  Fiacaidh,  his  son 
by  Carthann,  who  was  the  ancestor  of 
the  septs  of  Mac  Kochagain  (Mageogh- 
egan),  and  O'Maelmhuaidh  (O'Mulloy) ; 
2.  Laegari,  or  Laeghairé  (Lniierie), 
from  whom  came  the  O'Coindelbhain 
(O'lveudelan  or  Quinlan),  of  Ui  I^aeg- 
hari ;  3.  Conall  (Vimthanni,  ancc-itor 
of  the  O'Maeilshechlainn  (0'Mela-;h- 
lin) ;  4.  Mani,  from  whom  descended 
Mae  Catharnaigh  [Mac  Cahnrnij),  a 
name  now  changed  to  Fox,  with 
O'Breen  and  Magawley.  All  these 
settled  in  Meath,  and  were  called  tiie 
Southern  Ui  Neill.  After  the  csUib- 
lishment  of  surnames,  they  branched  out 
into  many  sul)-septs,amongst  which  were 
those  cixWcA  the  Four  'I'ribes  of  Temhair, 
namely,  O'JIart,  O'Regan,  O'Kelly  of 


THE  HISTORY  OF  IRELAND.  373 

gari,  Enna,  Mani,  Eogan,  two  Conalls  and  Carbri,  as  the  poet 
says  in  the  following  verse  : 

"  Joyful  the  heart  of  Roighnech  bright ! 
She  bore  Laegari,  son  of  Niall, 
Enna  and  Mani,  of  great  deeds, 
Eogan,  two  Conalls,  and  Carbri." 

Alba  for  the  first  time  receives  the  name  of  ScoTiA,  or  Scotland 
— Ireland  called  Scotia  Major  ;  Scotland,  Scotia  Minor. 

The  monarch,  Niall,  proceeded  to  Alba  with  a  powerful  a.rmy, 
for  the  purpose  of  strengthening  the  Dal-Kiada,  and  of  implanting 
the  Scotic  race  in  that  country;  for,  at  this  time,  they  were  ac- 
quiring supremacy  over  the  Cruthnigh,  who  are  called  Picts. 
He  was  the  fii-st  person  that  gave  the  name  of  Scotia  to  Alba,  at 
the  request  of  theDal-Eiadá,  and  other  tribes  of  the  Kine  Scuit(  i.e. 
the  Kindred  of  Scot).  He  did  so,  however,  upon  condition  that 
their  country  should  be  called  Scotia  Minor,  or  the  Lesser  Scot- 
land, whilst  Ireland  should  be  called  Scotia  Major,  or  the  Greater 
Scotland.  It  was  through  a  pious  esteem  for  Scota,  daughter  of 
Pharaoh  Nectonibus,  and  wife  of  Galarnh,  who  is  called  Milcdh 
of  Spain,  from  whom  their  nation  had  sprung,  that  the  Dal-Riada 
preferred  to  give  the  name  of  Scotia  to  Alba,  rather  than  that  of 
Hibernia. 

Camden  has  asserted,  in  his  Britannia,  that  Scotia  Minor  was 
the  name  of  Alba,  and  Scotia  Major  that  of  Eri.  He  also  informs 
us  that  it  cannot  be  discovered  by  any  ancient  documents,  that 
the  Albanaigh,  or  inhabitants  of  Alba,  had  ever  been  called 
Scots,  previous  to  the  reign  of  the  Roman  Emperor,  Constantine 
the  Great,  (A.  D.  299-330.)  ]\roreover,  this  learned  author 
speaks  of  the  Erennaigh,  or  natives  of  Eri,  as  Scotorum  Atavi, 
that  is,  the  Forefathers  of  the  Scots ;  tlius  making  known  to  us, 
that  the  Scotic  nation,  dwelling  in  Alba,  had  sprung  from  an 
Irish  stock.  He  makes  use  of  the  following  words  in  treating 
of  this  subject:  "The  Scoti,"  says  he,  "came  into  Ireland,  from 
Spain,  in  the  Fourth  Age.'"' 

Nennius,  a  British  author,  cited  by  Camden,  relates  that  it 

Breagh  (not  the  tribe  O'Kell)'  of  Ui  terity  formerly  inhabited  Carbury  Gau- 

Maui),  and  O'Conolly.     The  four  other  ra,  in  county  of  .Sligo  ;  the  O'Ronains 

sons    went    into    Ulster,   where    they  of  that  district  are  his  descendants ; 

gained  wide  territories  ;  they  were  :  1.  4.  Enna  Finn,  his  youngest  son,  some  of 

Eogan,  from  whom  the  tribes  of  Ty-  whose  posterity  dwelt  formerly  in  Tir- 

rone,  namely,  the  O'Neills  and   their  Enna,  in  TirConaiil,  and   others,   as 

numerous  correlatives;  2.  Conall  Gul-  O'Braenan  of  Kinel  Enna,  near  the  Hill 

ban,  from  whom  descend  the  Kinel  Con-  of  Uisnech,  in  JNIeath. 
aill,  that  is,  the  clan  of  O'Donnell  and        ■"  Scoti  ex  liispania  in  Hiberniam 

its  kindred  septs  ;  3.  Carbri,  whose  pos-  quarta  a;tate  venerunt. 


374  THE    HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 

was  in  the  Fourth  Age,  that  the  Scots  (that  is,  the  Kine  Scuit), 
took  possession  of  Ireland. 

The  Annals  of  Ireland,  also,  make  it  perfectly  clear  that 
Alba  was  the  name  of  the  country  now  called  Scotland,  down  to 
the  time  of  Niall  of  the  Nine  Hostages,  when  the  Dal-liiada  suc- 
ceeded in  getting  it  called  Scotia,  a  name  bj  which  both  them- 
selves and  their  posterity  have  continued  to  call  it  ever  since. 

It  is  said  to  have  received  the  name  of  Alba,  or  Albania,  from 
Albanactus,  the  third  son  of  Brutus,  for  it  was  the  portion,  which 
his  father  gave  to  him  as  an  inheritance.  According  to  Geoffrey 
of  Monmouth,  Brutus  had  three  sons,  namely,  Loegrius,  Camber, 
and  Albanactus.  Between  these  he  divided  the  island  of  Great 
Britain.  Loegrius  called  his  division  Loegria,  from  his  own 
name ;  it  is  this  region  that  is  now  called  Anglia,  or  England. 
From  Camber,  that  region  which  is  now  called  Bretain  (Wales), 
received  the  name  of  Cambria.  From  Albanactus,  the  third 
division  was  called  Albania  (Scotland). 

Mall  Invades   Loegria — Exjxdilion   to  Armorica — St.  Patrick 
led  thence  into  captivity^  A.  D.  388.'** 

From  Alba,  Niall  marched  with  a  numerous  army  into  Loe- 
gria, where  he  made  a  stationary  encampment ;  and  thence  he 
sent  a  fleet  to  Armorica,  which  is  called  Brctagne,^  or  French 
Britain,  for  the  purpose  of  plundering  that  country.  From  this 
expedition  two  hundred  nobly-born  children  were  brought  cap- 
tive into  Ireland ;  and  amongst  those  captives  was  St.  Patrick, 
then  sixteen  years  old,  and  his  two  sisters,**  Darerca  and  Lupida, 
with  many  others. 

*'  According  to  the  dates  given  in  yet  I  received  uo  damage  ;  nor  was  I 
Keating,  the  year  of  the  saint's  captiv-  affected  with  slotlifuhiess,  I'or  tlicn  tlie 
ity  should  be  386.  Tiie  above. is  the  spirit  of  God  was  warm  witliin  me." 
more  generally  received  epoch.  When  Whilst  here  he  perfected  himself  in  the 
brought  into  Ireland,  St.  Patrick  fell  knowledge  of  the  (Jaelic  tongue,  and 
to  the  share  of  Milcho,  a  petty  chieftain  made  himself  familiar  with  the  habits 
of  the  Dal-Araide,  wlio  sent  him  to  and  usages  of  the  people  of  whom  he 
feed  his  hogs  upon  Sliabh-Mis,  now  was  destined  to  become  tiie  apostle, 
called  Slemraish,  in  the  county  of  An-  thus  greatly  diminishing  the  difficulties 
trim.  Here  he  remained  in  servitude  of  his  future  mission.  We  are  told  that 
for  six  years,  during  which  time,  as  he  he  escaped  from  servitude  in  the  seventh 
tells  us  himself  in  these  words,  "  My  year  of  his  bondage  ;  though  some  say 
constant  business  was  to  feed  the  hogs,  that  he  was  then  released  thercfnMn  in 
I  was  frequent  in  prayer  ;  the  love  and  accordance  with  a  law,  said  to  have  ex- 
fear  of  God  more  and  more  inflamed  isted  in  Jreland,  which,  like  a  similar 
my  heart ;  my  faith  was  enlarged  and  Mosaic  one,  ordained  that  slavas  should 
my  spirit  augmented  ;  so  that  I  said  a  be  set  at  liberty  in  tlie  seventh  year, 
hundred  prayers  by  day  and  almost  as  *''  Brctugiie,  called  Britanny  by  tho 
many  by  night ;  I  arose  before  day  in  English, 
the  snow,  in  the  frost,  in  the  rain,  and  *"  llis  two  sisters.     Darerca  and  Lu- 


THE  HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  375 


The  Scots  of  the  Bad//  Ages  of  Christianity. 

Numberless  authors  beai"  testimony  that  Scotia  was  properly 
one  of  the  names  of  Ireland,  and  that  the  people  called  Scoti  or 
Scots,  were  Irish. 

Jonas  the  Abbot  uses  the  following  words,  in  his  second  chap- 
ter, in  speaking  of  St.  Columkille:  "  Columbauus,"  says  he, 
•'  who  is  also  called  Columba,  was  born  in  Hibernia,  which  is  now 
inhabited  by  the  nation  of  the  Scoti."^' 

Bede,  also,  in  the  first  chapter  of  the  first  book  of  his  History 
of  the  Saxons,  tells  us  that  Ireland  was  the  native  country  of 
the  Scots ;  here  are  his  words  :  "  Hibernia  is  the  proper  father- 
land of  the  Scoti."**  The  same  author,  in  writing  about  the 
saints,  makes  use  of  another  expression  that  agrees  with  that 
just  quoted:  "St.  Kilian,"  says  he,  "and  his  two  companions 
came  from  Hibernia,  the  island  of  the  Scoti.""  From  this  it  is 
evident  that  the  Irish  were  commonly  called  the  Scotic  nation 
in  the  time  of  Bede,  who  lived  about  seven  hundred  years  after 
Christ. 

Okosius,  who  lived  less  than  four  hundred  years  after  Christ, 
corroborates  the  same  fact.  He  speaks  thus  in  the  second  chap 
ter  of  his  first  book  :  "  Hibernia  is  inhabited  by  the  nations  of 
the  Scoti."""  Hence  it  is  clear  that  this  country,  which  is  called 
Eri  and  Hibernia,  was  commonly  denominated  Scotia  by  the 
writers  of  his  day. 

Serarius,  writing  about  St.  Kilian,  speaks  in  the  following 
manner:  "The  holy  Kilian  was  of  the  race  of  the  Scoti."" 
And  again  he  speaks  of  "  Scotia,  which  is  also  called  Hibernia."""' 

Capgravius  bears  testimony  upon  the  same  subject,  in  the 
following  words,  which  he  employs  in  treating  of  St.  Columba: 
"For  Hibernia  was  anciently  called  Scotia,  and  from  it  sprung 
and  emigrated  the  nation  of  the  Scoti  which  inhabits  the  part  of 
Albania  that  lies  nearest  to  Great  Britain,  and  that  has  been 
since  called  Scotia  from  the  fact."" 

Marian  us  Scotus,  an  Alban  (i.  e.  a  Scotch)  writer,  bears 

{)Ua  are  enumerated  amongst  the  Irish  "  Hibernia  Scotorum  gentibus  coh- 

saints.     The  place  of  Lupita's  servitude  tur. 

was  the  plain  of  Murthemni,  in  the  ^'  Beatus  Kilianus  Scotorum  genere 

county  of  Louth.  '-  Scotia  quíE  et  Hibernia  dicitur. 

"  Columbanus,  qui  et  Columba  die-  "  Hibernia  enim  antiquitus  Scotia 

itur,  in  Hibernia  ortus  est ;  eam  Sco-  dicta  est,  de  qua  geus  Scotorum  Alba- 

torum  gens  iucolit.  niam  Britannite  niajori  proximam,  quae 

*^  Hibernia  propria  Scotorum  patria  ab  eventu  modo  Scotia  dicitur,  inhabi- 

est.  tat,  originem  duxit  et  progressum  hab- 

*■  Sanctus  Kilianus  et  duo  Socii  ejus  uit. 
ab  Hibernia  Scotorum  insula  venerunt. 


376  THE    HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 

similar  testimony  in  writing  on  the  subject  of  St.  Kilian.  Here 
are  his  words :  "Ahhougii  that  part  of  Britannia  which  borders 
upon  Anglia,  and  stretches  towards  the  nc^rth,  is  at  pi-esent  dis-, 
tinctively  called  Scotia,  nevertheless,  the  Venerable  Bedc  shows 
that  Ilibernia  was  formerly  known  by  that  name ;  for  he  informs 
us  that  the  nation  of  the  Ficti  arrived  in  Ilibernia  from  Scythia, 
and  that  they  found  there  the  nation  of  the  Scot!."** 

CiESAKius,  also,  Avho  lived  less  than  six  hundred  years  after 
Christ,  gives  us  to  understand  by  his  words,  that  Scotia  was  a 
name  of  Ireland  :  "Let  the  man  who  doubts  of  Purgatory,"  sa3's 
he,  "proceed  to  Scotia,  and  there  let  him  enter  the  Purgatory  of 
St.  Patrick,  and  thenceforward  he  will  never  doubt  of  the  pains 
of  Purgatory.""  From  this  writers  words  it  must  be  understood 
that  Scotia  was  a  common  name  for  Ireland  at  that  time;  for 
there  is  no  place  in  Alba  that  is  called  the  Purgatory  of  St, 
Patrick,  whilst  it  is  well  known  that  there  is  a  place  so  named 
in  Ireland  ;  and  it  is  thence  manifest  that  Ireland  is  the  country 
which  Ciesarius  calls  Scotia. 

Serapius,  in  certain  remarks  which  he  makes  in  Avriting  about 
St.  Bonifacius,  is  in  perfect  accord  with  the  above-cited  writers. 
He  says  that  "  Ilibernia,  likewise,  claimed  Scotia  as  one  of  her 
names ;  but,  hoAvever,  because  a  certain  part  of  the  Scotic  nation 
emigrated  from  this  same  Hibernia  and  settled  in  those  parts  of 
Britannia  in  which  the  Picti  were  then  dwelling,  and  was  there 
called  the  nation  of  the  Dalrcudini  (Dal-Eiada),  from  the  name 
of  its  leader,  Rheuda  (Carbri-Kiada),  as  the  Venerable  Bede 
.  relates ;  and  because  these  Dalreudini  afterwards  drove  the  Picti 
from  their  homes,  and  seized  upon  the  entire  northern  region  to 
themselves,  and  gave  to  it  the  ancient  name  of  their  own  race ; 
so  that  thus  the  nation  might  remain  undivided  ;  in  this  manner 
has  the  name  of  Scotia  become  aml)iguous ;  one,  the  elder  and 
proper  Scotia,  being  in  Hibernia,  whilst  the  other,  the  more  re- 
cent, lies  in  the  northern  part  of  Britannia."'*  From  the  words 
of  this  author  I  draw  three  conclusions :  the  first  conclusion  is, 

"  Ktiamsi  hodie  Scotia  proprie  voca-  viiidicavit,  qua  tanicn  ex  Hibernia  ista 

tur  ea  Britanniai  pars,  cjuic  ijisi  Aug-  Scotonim  ]iars  f|ua'Juni  ejjressa  est,  in 

liaecontineus  ad  Heptentrionalcni  vcrjiit,  eafjue  I'ritiinnia!  ora  quam  Pirti  Jam 

olim  tamen  CO  iioinino   Jiiberniani  vf»-  halicbant,  ('(insodcnint ;  )ii  quidcin  prin- 

catuiii  fuissc  ostcudit  vencral)ilis  IJeda,  c'\\n()  diice  suo  ]{lieii(la  Dalnudiiii  dicti 

cum  ex  Scythia  Pictorum  {(entem  in  I'uerunt,  iit   ait  vciieraliilis  J5((la;  pos- 

Hiberniam  venisse  ait,  ibique  Scotorum  tea  tamon  I'ictos  iiide  ipsos  exeixerniit, 

gentern  invenisse.  et  totnm  iiliid  latus  obtinneruiit  eique 

"  Qui  de   Purgatorio  dubitat,  Sco-  vctus    penlis  su;e   nomen   iiididerunt ; 

tiam  pergat,  Purgatorium  Sancti  Pat-  ita  ut  Scotorum  gens  una  liicrit,  sed 

ricii  intrct,  ct  de  poenis  Purgatorii  am-  Scotia  duplex   facta  sit  ;  una  vetus  et 

plius  non  dubitabit.  propria  iu  Hibernia,  recentior  altera  in 

"■  Hibernia  Scotia  sibi  nomen  ctiam  Scptentrionali  Britannia;  parte. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  377 

that  the  Erennaigh  or  Irish,  were,  in  strict  truth,  the  real  Scoti ; 
the  second  is,  that  the  Dal-Riada  was  the  first  race,  dwelling  in 
Alba  (Scotland),  to  which  the  name  of  Scot  was  applied;  the 
third  conclusion  is  that  Eri  (Ireland)  was  the  true  ancient  Scotia, 
and  tliat  Alba  (Scotland)  was  the  new  Scotia,  and  also  that  it 
was  the  Kine  Scuit,  or  Tiibe  of  Scot,  that  first  called  it  Scotia. 

Buchanan,  an  Albanach  (i.  e.  Scotch)  author,  has  a  passage 
that  agrees  with  the  above,  in  the  second  book  of  his  History 
of  Scotland.  He  says  that,  "  All  the  inhabitants  of  Ilibernia 
were  originally  called  Scoti,  as  Orosius  points  out;  and  our  own 
annals  tell  us  that  there  was  more  than  one  migration  of  the 
Scoti  from  Hibernia  into  Albania.""  Hence  it  is  to  be  under- 
stood that  the  Dal-Eiada  was  not  the  only  tribe  that  went  from 
Ireland  to  dwell  in  Alba,  but  that  numerous  colonies  besides 
went  to  make  settlements  therein  from  time  to  time. 

Irish  Invasions  of  Alba  or  Scotland — -Irish  Settlements  therein. 

We  read  in  Irish  history  that  the  following  persons  made  ex- 
peditions to  Alba  from  time  to  time,  for  the  purpose  of  making 
the  conquest  of  that  land. 

First,  Acngus  011-mucach,  son  of  Fiacaidh  Labranni,  made  an 
expedition  to  Alba  for  the  purpose  of  enforcing  the  payment  of 
the  head-rent  due  from  the  Cruthnigh  to  the  kings  of  Ireland. 
This  took  place  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  years  after  the  arri- 
val of  the  children  of  ]\Iiledh  in  Ireland. 

In  like  manner,  Eecta  Righ-derg  made  an  expedition  to  Alba, 
long  ages  afterwards,  in  order  to  force  the  payment  of  his  head- 
rent. 

Carbri  Riada''*  then  invaded  the  north  of  Alba,  with  his  host, 
for  the  purpose  of  making  conquests  therein.  It  is  the  posterity 
of  this  Carbri  Riada  that  Bede  has  called  the  Dalreudini,  that  is, 
the  Dal-Riada  of  Alba. 

"  Scoti  omnes  Hibernias  habitatores  to  Scotland,  where,  as  Bede  tells  us, 

initio  vocabantur,  ut  iudicat  Orosius  ;  "  by  force  or   friendship   he  procured 

nee  semel  Scotoruiu  ex  Hibernia  tran-  settlements  for  himself.  From  this  leader 

situm   in  Albaniam   factum,  nostri  ut  Riada,"  says  he,  "  their  posterity  are  to 

annates  refei  unt.  this  day  called  Dal  Rendirah  ;  dal,  in 

^  Carbri  Riada.     During  the  reign  their    language,   signifying    a    part." 

of  Art  (from  A.  D.  152  to  182)  it  was.  This  is  certainly  the  first  regular  Scot- 

that  the  eldest  Carbri,  son  of  Conari  tish   or  Irish   settlement   in   Albany  ; 

II,  called  Riada,  or  the  Long  Arm,*  on  uot  but  that  numbers  of  Irish  must, 

account  of  his  settlements  so   remote  from  the  close   afiinity  between   them 

from  each  other  as  Kerry  and  Antrim,  and  the  Plcts,  have  resided  there  from 

or  the  Route,  as  it  is  called,  passed  over  time  to  time  for  centuries  before.    This 

. . (settlement)  is  a  fact  upon  which  all 

*  Or  Long  Reach?  Riads  is  a  contracted  form  «ur  writers  are  unanimous.— 0'i/a//o- 

of  the  words  Righ-f  hada  {Kee-adda.)  ran. 


378 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


Mac-Con  went  to  make  the  conquest  of  Alba  and  Britain ;  and 
it  was  thence  that  he  came  to  fight  the  battle  of  ilocrumhi,  where 
Art  Aenfer,  king  of  Ireland,  fell,  so  that  Mac-Con  then  acquired 
the  sovcrei,_rnty  of  all  Ireland  himself 

Fathadh  Canann,'"  son  of  Mac-Con,  went  to  Alba  at  a  subse- 
quent period,  and  conquered  an  inheritance  for  himself  therein. 
It  is  from  him  that  the  race  of  Mac  Alind  (Allen)  and  its  correl- 
ative branches  have  sprang. 

Again,  Colla  Uais  and  his  brothers  proceeded  to  Alba,  and 
there  acquired  large  possessions ;  and  from  this  Colla  Uais  are 
sprung  the  Mac  Donalds,''"  both  of  Alba  and  of  Eri. 

Crimihann,  son  of  Fidach,  went  to  make  the  conquest  of  Alba 
whilst  he  was  monarch  of  Ireland. 

And  there,  also,  settled  Ere,  son  of  Eocaidh  Munremar,  son 
of  Aengus  Fert,"  one  of  the  descendants  of  Carbri  Eiada.  They 
are  his  descendants*'-  that  are  called  the  tribe  Gabran  or  Kinel 
Gabhrain  {Kinnaile  Goivrauin),  of  Alba,  and  the  Kinel  Lod- 
hairn  {Loam),  KinM  Comhghaill  [Cowill),  Kinul  Aengusa,  and 
Kintl  Conchriche  {Concreehl)  of  the  Isles. 


^•'  Fathadh  Canann — the  founder  of 
the  Campbells  and  their  correlatives,  as 
before  stated. 

"  3Iac  Donalds.  Accordiní^  to  0'- 
riahortv,  Somarli  or  Somhairli  {Sow- 
erlic),  the  twenty-fifth  descendant  of 
(Jolla  Uais,  had  two  sons,  Ranulph  ajid 
Dubj^ali  :  from  the  latter  came  the  Mac 
Dugalds  or  iiac  Dowells.  Kanulph 
begat  two  sons,  Rudraide  or  Roderic, 
from  whom  the  Mac  Rories  of  the  Heb- 
rides are  sprung  ;  second,  Domhnald  or 
Donald,  from  whom  tlie  Mac  Donalds 
liave  taken  their  name.  From  Sithach, 
son  of  Kocaidh  Donn,  one  of  the  sons 
of  this  Domhnald,  came  the  Mac  Shee- 
hies,  in  Antrim  and  in  Munster.  The 
Mac  Donalds,  earls  of  Antrim,  are  more 
immediately  sprung  from  Domhnald, 
son  of  Aengiis,  son  of  the  above-named 
Domhnald,  who  was  king  of  the  Heb- 
rides and  of  Cantire,  in  the  reign  of 
James  IH,  of  Scotland. — See  Ogifr^ia. 
These  races  are  of  the  royal  of  Conn 
of  the  Hinidred  Battles. 

"  yieiigus  Fcii.  He  is  elsewhere 
called  Aengus  Fer.  The  Irish  geneal- 
ogists mak'e  him  the  seventh  descendant 
from  Carbri  Riada.  O'P'laherty  con- 
jectures that  he  was  his  grandson  ;  but 
he  is  decidedly  wrong.  Ten  genera- 
tions is  not  too  much  to  allow  for  the 


time  that  intervened  between  the  reigns 
of  the  father  of  Carbri  Riada,  ConariH, 
king  of  Ireland,  who  was  slain  about 
A.  D.  152,  to  that  of  Loarn  Mor,  sou 
of  Ere,  the  first  Scotic  king  of  Alba, 
who  conquered  the  throne  in  A.  D. 
503.  The  event  alluded  to  did  not  oc- 
cur for  more  than  a  century  after  Ni- 
all's  reign.  Keating  records  it  again 
in  its  proper  place.  The  above  Ere 
was  the  founder  of  the  Dalriadic  kings 
of  the  modern  Scotland.  O'Flahcrty 
informs  us  that  this  son,  Loarn  or  Lod- 
harn,  with  his  brothers,  Aengus  and 
Fergus,  obtained  the  command  of  the 
Dal-Riada,  and  took  possessi(m  of  the 
country  of  the  AWslern  Picts,  A.  D. 
502  ;  that  their  descendants  held  the 
royal  dignity  for  tlui  space  of  seven 
hundred  and  eighty-three  years,  from 
Loarn  down  to  the  reign  of  Malcolm 
IV,  who  was  killed  in  1285.  Four 
hundred  and  forty-three  years  had  then 
elapsed  from  the  final  conquest  of  tho 
Ficts  by  Kenetli  I,  and  two  hundred 
and  cighly-onc  from  Malcolm  II,  who 
was  the  first  that  assumed  the  title  of 
King  of  Scolland. 

"^  Descendants.  Those  enumerated 
above  are  the  four  principal  tribes 
sprung  from  the  sous  of  Ere. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


379 


ifani  Lenin  a,*'  son  of  Core,  sou  of  Lugaidh  (of  the  race  of 
Olild  Olum),  emigrated  from  Ireland  to  Alba,  and  acquii-ed  him- 
self a  territory  there,  which  is  still  called  Magh  Lerana'^''  {May 
Lnvna  or  Levna).  From  it  the  "  Mor-mhaer  Lemlma"  {Jlorc- 
vai/or-Lewna),  or  Great  Steward  of  Lemhain  had  his  title.  It  is 
he  that  is  now  styled  the  Duke  of  Lenox.  It  is  also  from  the 
above-named  Mam  Lemna,  or  Mani  of  Lemhain,  that  the  noble 
house  of  Lenox^^  has  drawn  its  origin.  From  a  brother  of  Mani 
Lemna,  who  was  named  Carbri  Cruthnechan,''  or  Carbri  of  the 
Picts,  came  the  Eogan act  {Oive7wght),  oi  Mcigh.  Gerghenn  i-^^oy 
Gueryenn),  in  the  same  country.  But  it  was  after  the  time  of  Niall 
of  the  Nine  Hostages,  that  these  went  to  make  settlements  in  Alba. 

It  was,  also,  after  his  time  that  the  six  sons  of  Muredach,*  son 
of  Eogan,  sou  of  Niall  of  the  Nine  Hostages,  emigTated  thither. 
These  were  known  as  the  two  Loams,  the  tw^o  Aenguscs,  and  the 
two  Ferguses.  Thus,  it  may  be  asserted  of  all  the  Gaelic  tribes 
of  Alba,  that  their  nobles  have  sprung  from  the  Gaels  of  Ireland. 

However,  we  must  consider  as  of  Saxon,  and  not  of  Gaelic 
origin,  those  of  the  inhabitants  of  Alba  that  dwell  nearest  to 
England,  across  the  borders  of  which  they  had  been  formerly 
driven  by  ^Yilliam  the  Conqueror,  and  who  have  continued  in 
possession  of  the  "  Galldacht""  {GauUaghi),  or  lowlands  of  that 

^  Mani  Lemna,  i.  e.  Mani  of  Lem-    was    descended    Henry  Stuart,   Lord 


hain  {Leu'in  or  Lavicin).  The  river 
now  called  the  Lanne,  in  Kerry,  is  so 
denominated  in  Gaelic.  It  is  possible 
tlie  Mani  had  his  surname  from  it,  and 
that  the  name  was  then  first  transported 


Darnly,  the  father  of  James  I,  of  Eng- 
land.— See  Ogygia. 

•^  Carbri  Cruthnechan.  From  him 
was  descended  Canich,the  Mor-mhaer  of 
Marr,  ancestor  of  ancient  Earls  of  Marr, 


to  Scotland  by  him.     His  brother,  Car-  who  fell  by  the  side  of  Brian,  at  Clontarf. 
bri  the  Pict,  was  styled  also  Carbri  Lu-        *  This  is  a  mistake.     They  were  the 

acra,  from  having  been  fostered  in  the  sons  of  Eocaidh  Munremar,  son  of  the 

district  of  Luachair,  in  Kerry.     This  Ere  last  mentioned.     It  was  the  last 

renders  it  likely  that  both  brothers  had  and   most   permanent    settlement,  and 

their  surnames  from  the  same  locality,  took  place  in  A.  D.  503. 


"  Magh  Lemna.  "  Levinia,  con- 
tracted into  Lennox  (as  if  Lemhnacht), 
is  situated  near  Dumbritou  (Dumbar- 
ton), in  Scotland,  and  has  taken  its 
name  from  the  river  I^evinn  (^Lemhain) 


^  Galladcht,\.  e.  the  district  of  the  for- 
eigners. There  had  been  for  some  cen- 
turies previous  to  the  above-mentioned 
event,  a  population  of  Teutonic  (proba- 
bly Danish)  origin  already  settled  in  that 


which  washes  it.  This  river,  flowing  portion  of  Scotland  which  lies  between 
from  Loch  Lomond,  is  called  Leavuin,  the  rivers  Tweed  and  Forth.  The 
in  the  vernacular  idiom,  and  the  coun-    Gaels  called  the  people  dwelling  in  this 


try  is  called  Magh  Levna." — Ogygw. 
'^  House  of  Lennox.  Donncadh, 
called  also  Duncan,  Earl  of  Lennox, 
the  last  of  the  family,  died,  leaving  no 
male  issue,  in  the  reign  of  Robert   II, 


district,  Gaill  or  Gauls,  which  was  their 
general  name  for  all  who  were  not 
Gaels,  with  the  exception  of  the  Brit- 
ons and  Picts,  who  are  rarely  so  de- 
nominated.    At  the  time  of  the  con 


of    Scotland.     One   of   his   daughters  quest  of  England  by  "William  and  his 

married  Alan  Stuart,  a  near  relative  of  Gallo-Norman  followers,  and  when  Mal- 

king  Robert,  and  thus  transferred  the  colm  III.  was  king  of  Scotland,  this 

title  to  his  posterity.    From  this  xVlan  Teutonic  settlement  received  a  large 


380 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


country  ever  since.  Besides  these,  there  are  some  others  that 
we  shall  point  out  a  little  further  on.  Stow  gives  us  informa- 
tion upon  this  subject  in  the  hundred  and  fifty-third  page  of  his 


accession  to  its  numbers  from  the  im- 
migration of  Saxon  and  Danisli  refu- 
gees from  England,  who  were  kindly 
received  by  the  Scotch  monarch.  Au- 
gustin  Thierry  speaks  thus  upon  the 
subject,  in  his  History  of  the  Norman 
Conquest  :  "  The  multitude  of  men  of 
all  ranks  and  conditions  who,  after  a 
futile  struggle  against  the  invaders, 
expatriated  themselves  to  Scotland, 
augmented  the  previous  mass  of  Ger- 
manic population  established  between 
the  Tweed  and  Forth.  The  kings  who 
succeeded  Malcolm  were  not  less  gene- 
rous than  he  to  these  refugees  ;  they 
g-avc  them  land  and  oiBces,  and  admit- 
ted them  into  their  state  councils,  where 
gradually  the  true  Scotic  language,  the 
Gaelic  or  Erse,  was  supplanted  by  the 
Anglo-Danish,  spoken  in  the  Lowlands 
of  Scotland.  By  the  same  revolution, 
the  Scotch  kings  discarded  the  patro- 
nymic surname,  which  recalled  to  mind 
their  Celtic  origin." 

Having  referred  to  the  final  subjuga- 
tion of  the  Picts  by  Kenneth  Mac 
Alpin,  he  says :  "  The  nation  of  the 
I'icta  lost  its  name  in  its  incorporation 
with  the  Scots ;  but  it  does  not  appear 
that  the  fusion  was  eíTected  on  um-qual 
terms,  as  would,  doubtless,  have  been 
the  case  had  the  conquered  and  the  con- 
querors been  of  different  race.  The 
latter  had  not  to  undergo  any  slavery — 
any  political  degradation  ;  serfage,  the 
ordinary  result  of  conquest  in  the  mid- 
dle ages,  was  not  established  in  Scot- 
land. f>e  long,  there  existed  north 
of  the  Forth  but  one  peoj)Ie,  and  it 
early  became  a  fruitless  attempt  to 
seek  the  traces  of  the  idiom  which  the 
Picts  had  spoken  in  the  tim(!  of  their 
independence.  At  the  pcricjd  of  the 
Norman  invasion  of  England,  there  ex- 
isted not  the  slightest  vestige  of  the 
division  of  Scottish  Gael*  into  two  dis- 

♦  It  is  to  be  remarke'l.  that  In  tlic  nbove  quo- 
tation tbe  word  GaelKi  useri  In  the  sense  of  <'elt. 
Tliierry,  being  ignorant  of  tlie  iJaclic  tonene, 
tliouelit  It  synonymous  with  (iiillun,  tlic  natiio 
by  whidi  tlie  ( 'citu'.  of  Gallia  witc  l<nown.  Ilav 
ing  very  learnedly  shown  that  tbe   Cruthnlgh 


tinct  populations ;  the  only  national 
division  observable  in  the  kingdom  of 
Scotland,  was  that  between  the  men 
who  spoke  the  Gaelic  language,  called 
also  the  Erse,  i.  e.  Irish,  and  the  de- 
scendants of  the  Teutonic  colonists, 
whose  idiom  was  alike  intelligible  to 
the  English,  the  Danes  and  the  Ger- 
mans. This  population,  the  nearest  to 
England,  though  called  Scottish  by  the 
English,  had  mucli  closer  affinity  with 
the  latter  people  (from  resemblance  of 
language  and  community  of  origin) 
than  MÍth  the  Scots  of  Gaelic  race. 
The  latter,  who  combined  with  a  some- 
what savage  pride,  habits  of  indepen- 
dence, derived  from  their  organization 
in  separate  clans  or  tribes,  had  frequent 
disputes  with  the  Teutonic  population 
of  the  southern  plains,  and  even  with 
the  kings  of  Scotland.  Tile  latter  al- 
most invariably  found  the  southern 
Scots  disposed  to  aid  them  in  their  pro- 
jects against  the  liberty  of  the  clans, 
and  thus  the  instinctive  enmity  of  these 
two  races,  the  fruit  of  diversity  of  ori- 
gin and  language,  turned  to  the  profit 
of  royal  despotism.  'J'his  experience, 
more  than  once  highly  profitable  to  the 
successors  of  Kenneth  MacAlpin,  gave 
them  a  great  aflection  for  the  lowland- 
ers  of  Scotland,  and  generally  for  men 
of  English  origin  :  they  preferred  these 
strangers  to  the  men  who  descended 
from  the  same  ancestry  with  them- 
selves ;  they  favored,  to  the  utmost  of 
their  ability,  the  Scots  by  name,  at  the 
expense  of  the  Scots  by  race,  and  re- 
ceived with  the  utmost  cordiality  every 
emigrant  from  England."  Further  on 
he  tells  us,  that  they  gave  to  these  for- 
eigners offices  and  lands  taken  from  the 
Gaels.  As  a  just  punishment  for  their 
tyrannical  encroachments  upon  tin;  an- 
cient usages  of  their  Gaelic  kinsmen, 
t'.ie  race  of  the  Dal-Iliada  soon  ceased 
to  occupy  the  throne  of  anci(nit  Alba ; 

were  8  Celtic  people,  be  erroneously  applies  to 
tbem  tbe  name  of  an  Iberic  people,  who,  though 
tlie  lanKnttL'ir  tliey  then  undoubtedly  spoke  wasa 
dialect  of  llic  Celtic  toncue,  Iiave  not  yi^t  been 
proved  to  liavo  been  of  Cellie  origin. — £<J. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  381 

Annals.  He  there  tells  us  that  William,  king  of  Alba,  was 
captured  by  Ileury  II,  king  of  England,  and  then  sent  bj 
the  latter  to  the  city  of  Rouen,  in  Normandy,  as  his  prisoner. 
There  he  was  kept  in  bondage  by  his  captor  until  he  was  forced 
to  pay  a  ransom  of  four  hundred  marks  for  his  liberty. 
Then,  when  returning  to  his  own  country,  at  peace  with  the 
king  of  England,  he  took  with  him  to  Alba  a  number  of  young 
English  nobles,  from  whom  he  had  received  kindness  and  friend- 
ship during  his  captivity.  Upon  these  and  their  heirs  after 
them,  he  bestowed  lands  and  territories,  which  are  possessed  by 
many  of  their  posterity  to  the  present  day.  The  following 
are  the  names  of  some  of  the  families  descended  from  those 
that  followed  him  from  England  upon  that  occasion,  namely : 
Balioll,  Bruce,  Rawley,  Mowbray,  Sinclair,  Hangiford,  Ramsey, 
Bissey,  Boyce,  Montgomery,  Walley,  Colley,  Milley,  Frazer, 
Graliam  and  Gurley.'^*  This  immigration  took  place  in  the  year 
of  our  Lord  1174. 

Buchanan  fully  bears  out  all  I  heretofore  asserted  as  to  the  origi- 
nal application  of  the  names,  Scot  and  Scotia.  In  the  thirty- 
fourth  page  of  the  second  book  of  his  History  of  Scotland,  he 
says :  "  Because  the  two  nations,  that  is  to  say,  the  natives  of 
Hibernia  and  the  colonists  that  went  forth  from  them  to  dwell 
in  Albania,  were  both  originally  called  by  the  common  name  of 
Scoti,  in  order  to  distinguish  the  one  from  the  other,  people 
began  to  name  the  former  Hibernian  Seoti,  and  the  latter  Alba- 
nian Scoti."^'  From  these  words  of  Buchanan  two  things  must 
be  understood :  the  first  of  these  is,  that  Ireland  was  the  country 
whence  the  Scots  emigrated  in  order  to  colonize  Alba ;  the  next 
is,  that  Scoti,  or  Scots,  was  a  common  appellation  of  the  Irish 
people  from  the  beginning. 

Inroads  of  the  Scots  and  Picts  into  Britain. 

Previous  to  returning  to  Niall  of  the  Nine  Hostages,  I  here 
set  down,  in  support  of  all  I  have  hitherto  advanced  on  the 
subject,  last  treated  of,  certain  facts  which  have  been  extracted 
from  the  Chronicle  of  Stow ;  for  I  deem  that  what  I  shall  here- 
after relate  of  that  monarch,  on  the  authority  of  Irish  history, 

supplanted  by  their   Norman  guests,  have  been  misspelled  or  mistaken  by 

the   Baliuls,  Bruces  and  Stuarts,  the  Keating's  transcribers, 

royal  line  of  Kenneth  Mac  Alpin  be-  "^  Principio,   cum    utrique,   id    est, 

came  extinguished  or  reduced  to  ob-  Hibernioe   incolae  et  coloni  eorum  in 

scurity.  Albium   missi  Scoti  appellarentur,  ut 

™  The   Editor   is   not  sure  that  all  discrimine  aliquo  alteri  ab  altcris  dia- 

the  above  names  belong  to  the  lowland  tinguercntur,  initio  coepere  alteri  Scoti 

Scotch.     He  thinks  that  some  of  them  Ilibernii,  alteri  Scoti  Albani  vocari. 


382 


TUE   HISTORY    OF    IRELAND. 


will  appear  the  more  credible  by  reason  of  niy  transcribing 
these  matters  from  the  work  of  a  foreign  chronicler.  Here  is 
what  Stow  relates : 

"A.  D.  73.  Mauritius  Arviragus,  being  king  of  the  Britons, 
Eughri,  or  Eogerus,  king  of  the  Picts,  a  people  of  Scythian 
origin,  and  accompanied  by  the  Scots,  invaded  Britain  for  pur- 
pose of  conquest,  devastating  that  country  with  sword  and  lire. 
Whereupon,  the  above-named  Mauritius  gave  them  battle,  and 
slew  Kughri  and  numbers  of  his  host  therein.  To  those  that 
survived  this  battle  he  gave  a  territory  to  inhabit,  in  the  north 
of  Alba.  They,  then,  demanded  wives"  of  the  Britons,  but  were 
'"   IJ'ives.     "  The  friendship,  founded    highlanders  had,  at  the  period  we  arc 


upon  this  early  connection,  was  kept 
alive  by  continued  intercourse  between 
the  two  nations  ;  and  though  the  foot- 
ing the  Irish  obtained  in  the  third 
century,  upon  the  western  coast  of 
North  Britain,  produced  a  jealousy 
which  sometimes  disturbed  this  small 
colony,  the  advantage  derived  by  both 


now  treating  of,  assumed  a  still  more 
audacious  and  formidable  character, 
and,  about  the  middle  of  the  fourth 
century,  so  destructive  had  become 
tlieir  inroads,  that  it  re(|uired  the  pres- 
ence of  the  son  of  Constantine  to  make 
head  against,  and  repel  tliera.  "What- 
ever ditiereuces  their  relative  position. 


nations   from   such   an   alliance,   kept    as  rival  neighbors,  had  given  rise  to, 


their  fierce  and  feverish  union  unbro- 
ken. In  addition  to  this,  tlie  pride 
that  Ireland  naturally  felt  in  the  task 
of  watching  over  and  nui-sing  that 
germ  of  future  dominion  which  she 
planted  in  North  Britain,  her  kings 
and  princes,  eternally  at  war  with  each 
other,  as  naturally  looked  beyond  their 
own  shores  for  allies  ;  accordingly,  as 
in  the  case  of  the  monarch  Tuathal, 
who  owed  his  throne  to  the  aid  of 
Pictish  arms,  we  find  the  alliance  of 
that  people  frequently  resorted  to  as  a 
means  of  turning  the  scale  of  internal 
strife.  On  the  other  hand,  the  hardy 
highlanders  of  Caledonia,  in  the  con- 
stant warfare  they  waged  against  their 
southern  neighbors,  were  no  less  ready 
to  resort  to  the  assistance  of  a  peo- 


were  entirely  merged  in  their  common 
object  of  harassing  the  Britons  ;  whom 
a  native  historian  describes  as  trembl- 
ing with  fear  of  a  new  visitation,  while 
still  fainting  from  the  dire  effects  of  the 
tempest  which  had  just  swept  over 
them.  To  deliver  the  province  from 
this  scourge,  one  of  the  bravest  of  the 
Roman  generals,  Theodosius,  M'a.s  now 
appointed  to  the  military  command  of 
Britain  ;  and,  after  two  active  cam- 
paigns, during  which  he  had  to  contend 
not  only  with  the  I'icts  and  Scots  by 
land,  but  also  with  their  new  allies,  the 
Saxon  ))irates,  by  sea,  he  at  length  suc- 
ceeded in  delivering  Britain  from  her 
inveterate  invaders.  To  such  daring 
lengths  had  some  of  the  incursions  into 
her   territory   extended,   that,   on   the 


pic  fully  as  restless  and  pugnacious  as    arrival  of  the  Roman  general,  he  found 


themselves,  and  whoso  manners  and 
habits,  from  a  long  course  of  connec- 
tion, were,  it  is  probable,  little  different 
from  their  own.  As  some  defence  against 
these  two  hostile  nations,  the  RomaTis 
had,  at  diif-rent  intervals  during  th(; 
second  and  third  centuries,  erected  those; 
three  great  wails  or  ramparts  on  the 
northern  frontier  of  tli(;ir  province, 
whose  remains  still  continue  to  occupy 
the  res3arch  and  speculation  of  the  an- 
tiquary.   But  the   hostility  of   these 


the  ricts  and  their  allies  advanced  as 
far  as  London  and  Kent.  In  all  this 
warfare,  the  Scots  of  Ireland  were  no 
less  active  than  their  brethren  of  Al- 
bany ;  and  it  is,  therefore,  remarkable 
that  the  Roman  commander,  though 
fitting  out  a  fleet  to  chastise  the  Saxons 
in  the  Orcades,  should  yet  have  left 
Ireland,  whose  currachs  waft(!d  over 
such  hostile  swarms  to  his  shores,  still 
excm[)t  from  invasion.  That  his  fleet 
chased,  however,  some  of  her  vessels 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  383 

refased ;  they  next  demanded  them  of  the  Irish,  who  granted 
their  request."  But  what  Stow  recounts  as  tlien  happening  to 
Rughri,  king  of  the  Picts,  is  but  what  really  happened  long 
before  his  time,  to  that  chieftain  of  the  Picts,  who  took  wives 
with  him  out  of  Ireland,  in  the  days  of  Erimhon,  as  we  have 
heretofore  mentioned;  an  event  that  occurred  more  than  one 
thousand  three  hundred  years  before  Mauritius  held  the  sover- 
eignty of  Britain. 

The  same  author  says  that  it  was  in  the  above-mentioned 
year  (A.  D.  73),  that  Vespasianus  was  saluted  emperor  of  Rome, 
and  that  the  Monastery  of  Glastonbury  was  built.  He  also 
relates  that  the  Emperor,  who  was  named  Aurelianus,  lived 
about  two  hundred  and  seventy  years  after  the  birth  of  Christ ; 
and  that  Pelagius,  a  Briton,  first  began  to  disseminate  his  heresy 
in  the  year  of  our  Lord,  three  hundred  and  ninety-five. 

About  this  time,  the  tribes  of  the  Scots  and  the  Picts  were 
incessantly  plundering  and  devastating  Great  Britain ;  where- 
upon, the  Britons  sent  an  embassy  to  the  Emperor  Honorius, 
to  demand  aid  from  him ;  but  he  did  nothing  more  than  send 
them  a  letter,  in  which  he  encouraged  them  to  do  the  best  they 
could  towards  aiding  themselves  by  their  own  exertions.  The 
result  of  this  reply  was,  that  the  Britons  lay  for  a  long  time 
subject  to  the  oppression  of  the  Scots  and  the  Picts.  Again 
they  sent  an  embassy  to  Rome,  to  make  their  complaint  of  the 
hardships  to  which  those  invaders  had  reduced  them.  But  upon 
this  occasion  the  Romans  sent  to  their  relief  an  armed  force, 
which  consisted  of  a  legion  of  effective  men.  Aided  by  this 
reinforcement,  they  met  the  Picts  and  Scots  in  many  engage- 
ments. But  the  Romans  at  length  got  tired  of  the  warfare,  and 
told  the  Britons  to  build  a  wall  or  a  dike  between  them  and 
those  bad  neighbors  of  theirs,  for  that  they  themselves  could 
not  avoid  returning  to  Rome. 

Upon  this  the  Britons,  when  forsaken  by  the  Romans,  con- 
structed a  dike  or  rampart  of  earth,  extending  from  sea  to  sea, 
between  themselves  and  the  Scots  and  Picts. 

But,  when  the  latter  nations  had  heard  that  the  Romans  had 
forsaken  their  British  subjects,  they  broke  through  the  dike  and 
flung  themselves  upon  the  Britons,  plundering  and  devastating 
their  country.     This  forced  the  Britons  to  send  an  embassy  to 

into  their  own  northern  harbors,  may  poem,  describe  briefly  and  picturesque- 

be  conchided  from  a  passage  of  a  poem  ly  the  signal  triumph  over  the  three 

of  Claudian,  which  commemorates  this  hostile     nations     which     Thcodosiua 

war ;  achieved  : 

"  Nee  falso  nomino  Pictos  "  Maducrurunt  Saxone  fuso 

Edomnit,  Scotumque  vago  muurone  secutns  Orcades,  inculuit  Pictoruin  sanRnine  Thnle, 

Fregit  Uyperboreaa  velis  audacibus  undas."  Scotorum  cumulos  flevit  glaciails  lerne." 

The  following  lines,  from  the  same    — Moore's  History  of  Ireland. 


384  THE    HISTORY    OF   IRELAND. 

Kome  for  the  third  time,  begging  not  to  have  their  enemies 
allowed  to  destroy  them  in  such  a  terrible  manner.  Upon  this, 
the  Romans  sent  another  legion  to  their  relief,  and  by  it  several 
battles  were  fought  against  the  Scots  and  Picts,  after  its  an-ival 
in  Britain.  lu  these  engagements,  great  numbers  of  the  despoil- 
ers  were  slain  by  the  Romans,  and  the  remainder  were  driven 
beyond  the  bounds  of  the  Avail  or  dike  of  which  I  have  already 
spoken.  The  Romans  then,  having  thus  relieved  their  allies, 
told  the  latter  that  it  was  of  no  advantage  to  themselves  to  come 
to  their  assistance  on  any  other  expedition,  and  that  they  should 
therefore  take  counsel,  and  consider  by  what  measures  thev 
might  protect  themselves  from  their  enemies  for  the  future.  It 
Avas  when  the  Romans  had  thus  given  them  up,  that  the  Britons 
commenced  to  build  that  wall  of  mason-work,  which  extends 
from  sea  to  sea,  between  Britain  and  Alba.  According  to  Bede, 
in  the  sixth  chapter  of  the  first  book  of  his  History  of  the 
Saxons,  it  was  eight  feet  in  thickness  and  twelve  feet  in  height. 

As  soon  as  the  Scots  and  Picts  had  heard  that  the  Romans 
had  now  given  up  all  intention  of  ever  again  coming  to  the  aid 
of  their  British  subjects,  they  mustered  together  a  numerous 
army  and  marched  towards  the  said  wall,  and  forcing  their  way 
over  it,  they  overran  the  whole  of  the  land  witli  fire  and  sword. 
They  thus  compelled  the  natives  of  that  country  to  quit  their  cities 
and  dwellings,  and  flee  for  safety  into  forests  and  wildernesses, 
where  they  had  no  food  but  the  flesh  of  wild  beasts  which  they 
took  by  hunting.  It  was  then  that  the  remnant  of  them  that 
survived  wrote  piteously  to  the  Roman  Consul,  named  Aetius, 
supplicating  his  assistance,  and  telling  him  that  they  were  liem- 
med  in  between  their  enemies ;  for  those  of  them  that  took  to 
the  sea,  fleeing  fi-om  the  enemy,  were  drowned,  and  those  that 
turned  away  from  the  sea  were  slain  by  the  enemy.  So  Bede 
informs  us,  in  the  thirteenth  chapter  of  the  first  book  of  his 
History  of  tlie  Saxons,  where  he  repeats  the  words  of  the 
Britons,  making  their  complaint  to  the  Romans  of  the  oppres- 
sions of  the  Scots  and  the  Picts.  The  following  are  the  words 
he  there  uses:  "  The  Barbariaiis  drive  us  upon  the  sea,  the  sea 
throws  us  back  upon  the  Barbarians ;  so  that,  between  them 
both,  two  species  of  deaths  arise  before  us,  for  we  are  either 
slaughtered  or  we  are  drowned. "^^  Hence  it  is  to  be  understood, 
that  the  tyranny  exercised  by  the  Scots  of  Ireland  over  the 
Britons  w;is  very  great  indeed. 

Nennius,  an  old  British  historian,  quoted  by  Speed  in  his 
Chronicle,  relates  that  this  oppression  of  the   Britons  by  the 

"  ricpcllunt  Barbari  ad  mare,  re-  ponora  fiincrum  orinntur,  aut  jn^la 
pellit  marc  ad  Earbaros,  iuter  biec  duo    mur  aut  mergimur. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND,  885 

Scots  and  Picts  lasted  for  forty  years.  Camden,  who  agrees 
with  him,  tells  us,  that  "  in  the  four  hundredth  year  after  the  inva- 
sion of  Cicsar,  Britannia  was  delivered  up  to  the  barbarities  of 
the  Scoti  and  the  Picti."^  The  same  thing  may  be  learned  from 
the  words  of  Bede,  in  the  fourteenth  chapter  of  his  above-cited 
fourth  book,  where,  in  speaking  of  the  Irish,  he  uses  the  follow 
ing  terms  :  "  Those  audacious  Hibernian  robbers  return  to  their 
homes,  determined  to  come  back  hither  again  at  no  distant 
time.""  This  expression  of  Bede  gives  us  plainly  to  understand, 
that  the  Irish  were  in  the  frequent  habit  of  making  plundering 
expeditions  into  Britain. 

As  to  the  Britons,  they  continued  for  a  long  time  to  be  thus 
slaughtered  and  plundered  by  the  Scots  and  the  Picts,  after  the 
Eomans  had  forsaken  them.  But  this  was  not  the  only  misfor- 
tune they  had  to  sufier  at  that  period  ;  for  the  Pelagian'^*  heresy 
was  then  leading  the  British  people  astray.  To  meet  this  evil, 
the  Britons  determined  to  address  themselves  to  the  Gallic  clergy 
and  ask  of  them  to  send  prelates  and  preachers  to  their  country 
from  Gaul,  in  order  to  put  down  the  Pelagian  errors.  The  clergy 
of  Gaul  sat  in  council  thereupon,  and  came  to  the  resolution  of 
sending  two  holy  bishops  to  Britain  for  the  purpose  of  dissemi- 
nating the  pure  faith ;  these  were  Germanus,  bishop  of  Auxerre, 
and  Lupus, ^^  bishop  of  Troyes,  who  overcame  the  heretics  soon 
after  their  arrival. 

''"'  Anno  50  a  Caisaris  ingressu  Bri-  in  Wales.     There  appears  little  doubt, 

tannia  Pictorum   immanitate  relinqui-  however,  that  this  statement  is  errone- 

tur.  ous,  and  that  the  monastery  to  which 

'^  Eevertuntur  impudentes  grassatores  he  belong'ed  was  that   of  Bangor,  or 

Hiberni  domum  post  non  longura  temp-  rather    Banchor,   near    Carrickfergus. 

tiá  reversuri.  Two  of  the  most  learned,  indeed,  of  all 

'^  Pelagian  heresi/.  In  speaking  as  the  writers  respecting  the  heresy  whicli 
to  the  extent  to  which  Christianity  had  bears  his  name,  admit  Pelagius,  no  less 
been  established  in  Ireland  before  St.  than  his  disciple,  to  have  been  a  native 
Patrick's  arrival,  Moore  makes  the  of  Ireland.  A  country  that  could  pro- 
following  judicious  remarks  respecting  duce,  before  the  middle  of  the  fourth 
the  native  country  of  Pelagius,  the  century,  two  such  distinguished  men  as 
founder  of  this  heresy,  and  upon  his  Pelagius  and  Celestius,  could  hardly 
disciple,  Celestius  :  "  Though  unfur-  have  been  a  novice,  at  that  time,  in 
uishcd  with  any  direct  evidence  as  to  the  civilization,  however  far  from  the  rest 
religious  state  of  the  Irish  in  their  own  of  Europe  she  had  hitherto  remained." 
country,  we  have  a  proof  of  how  ear-  — History  of  Ireland. 
ly  they  began  to  distinguish  themselves  "  Germanus  and  Lupus.  Shortly 
on  the  continent,  as  Christian  writers  after  his  release  from  his  captivity  in 
and  as  scholars,  in  the  persons  of  Pela-  Ireland,  St.  Patrick  placed  himself  uu- 
gius,  the  eminent  heresiarch,  and  his  der  the  spiritual  direction  of  the  first 
able  disciple,  Celestius.  That  the  latter  of  these  prelates  (called  St.  Germain 
was  a  Scot,  or  native  of  Ireland,  is  al-  by  the  French),  "  a  raan,"_says  Moore, 
most  universally  admitted  ;  but  of  Pe-  "  of  distinguished  reputation  in  those 
lagius,  it  is  in  general  asserted  that  he  times,  both  as  a  civilian  and  an  ecclesi- 
was  a  Briton,  and  a  monk  of  Bangor,  astic.    In  429  (shortly  previous  to  hia 


386  THE  HISTORY   OF  IRELAND. 

A.  D.  474.  Although  we  have  shown  that  a  continual  war 
was  Avaged  by  the  Scots  and  Picts  against  the  Britons  down  to 
the  year  of  our  Lord  four  hundred  and  forty-seven,  when  Vor- 
tigern'^  was  king  of  the  latter  nation,  still  it  was  not  until  Ids 
reign  that  God,  in  vengeance  for  their  evil  passions,  their  pride 
and  their  sins,  gave  to  those  Scots  and  Picts  a  thorough  master- 
dom  over  them.  Thus  were  they  compelled  to  invite  Hengist 
and  Ilorsa  to  bring  over  an  army  of  Germans  to  aid  them  against 
their  victorious  enemies.  Of  these  Germans,  God  made  scourges 
to  punisli  their  crimes,  for  by  them  have  the  ]3ritons  been  de- 
prived of  the  full  sovereignty  of  tlic  greater  part  of  their  coun- 
try ever  since. 

The  chronicles  of  Britain  relate,  as  Stow  sets  down  in  the  53d 
page  of  his  Annals,  printed  in  Loudon  in  A.  D.  1614,  that  four 
hundred  and  eighty  of  the  nobles  of  Britain  were  treacherously 
murdered  by  these  German  Saxons,  and  that  Aurelius  Anibro- 
sius,  then  king  of  Britain,  caused  certain  stones,  which  Merlin 
brought  over  from  Sliabh-g-Clari,  in  Munster,  to  be  reared  as 
memorials  upon  the  place  Avhere  these  nobles  had  been  slaugh- 
tered ;  and  that  it  was  in  that  same  place  that  he  was  himself 
interred.  Its  name,  at  that  time,  was  Chorea  Gigantum;  its 
present  name  is  Stonehenge,"  and  it  is  situated  upon  Salisbury 
Plain.  The  same  author  tells  us  that  these  stones  had  been  orig- 
inally brought  from  Africa  by  the  Gaels  ;  and  Geoffrey  of  Mon- 
mouth, asserts  that  no  two  stones  of  those,  there  erected,  had 
been  brought  from  the  same  country.  From  this  tradition,  like- 
mission  to  Ireland)  wc  find  him  accom-  assistance  of  these  allies,  Britain  was  at 
panyinji  St.  Germain  and  Lupus  in  their  length  relieved  from  the  presence  of  her 
expedition  to  Britain,  for  the  purpose  Scotish  and  Pictish  ravafiers.  IIow- 
of  eradicating  from  that  country  the  ever,  the  Saxons  soon  took  poísession 
errors  of  Pelagianism."  of  the  whole  island  to  themselves,  and 

"  Vortigern.  The  incursions  of  the  either  drove  the  effeminate  Britons  from 
Scots  and  Picts  compelled  numbers  of  the  more  fertile  portion  of  the  country, 
the  Romanized  Britons  to  flee  for  ref-  into  Cambria,  Cornwall,  or,  as  is  like- 
uge  to  their  kinsmen,  the  natives  of  ly,  reduced  many  of  them  to  serfdom. 
Armorica,  since  called  Gallic  Britain  The  Saxons  next  made  a  private  leag'ue 
or  Bretagne,  from  them.  Tlie  remain-  with  the  Scots  and  Picts,  and  kept 
der  elected  over  thom  a  supreme  king,  possession  of  their  British  ccmqucst  un- 
whom  historians  call  Vortigern,  though  til  they,  too,  were  conquered  in  their 
this  was  seemingly  but  his  title,  being  turn  by  the  French  Normans, 
a  British  synonym  of  "  Mor-tigerna"  "  Stotwhenge.  The  statement  that 
(77?ore-iee(/cr/ia),  g'^cfli /on/,  which  makes  this  most  remarkable  druidic  temple 
Mhor-tigherua  ( Vore-teerna)  in  one  of  was  erected  at  so  late  a  period  is,  of 
its  inflections.  Some  place  his  election  course,  erroneous.  It  must  have  been 
in  445,  others  in  4.36.  But  his  abilities  erected  when  druidisra  was  in  its  most 
were  not  equal  to  the;  difficulties  of  his  flourishing  condition,  and  at  least  pre- 
position, and  he  had  recourse  to  the  su-  vious  to  the  connection  of  Britain  with 
icidal  measure  of  calling  over  the  Sax-  the  Romans, 
oas  to  his  aid,  from  Germany.    By  the 


THE    HISTORY   OF    IRELAJSTD.  387 

wise,  we  may  infer  that  the  Gaels  were  in  tlie  habit  of  going  on 
plundering  expeditions  to  Africa,  and  consequently  that  they 
had  extended  their  SAvay  over  other  countries  besides  Ireland. 
If,  then,  any  person  be  surprised  at  these  matters,  or  disbelieve 
them  altogether,  let  the  blame  thereof  rest  with  himself  for  not 
having  either  seen  or  investigated  ancient  documents ;  for  men 
are  often  ignorant  of  truths,  because  thc}^  have  made  no  acquaint- 
ance with  the  writings  of  the  ancients,  as  Macrobius  remarks 
in  the  sixth  book  of  his  Saturnalia;  he  there  says  that  we 
are  ignorant  "of  many  things  which  would  not  be  concealed 
from  us,  if  we  would  only  give  ourselves  the  habit  of  reading 
the  works  of  ancient  authors,"^* 

Then,  when  we  state  that  the  Scots  and  Picts  had  imposed  a 
tribute  upon  the  Britons,  the  reader,  if  he  believe  not  our  words, 
may  go  and  read  the  Chronicle  of  Camden,  and  he  will  there 
find  the  following  assertion :  "  The  Britons  were  made  tributary 
to  the  Scots  and  Picts  in  the  year  of  our  Lord,  four  hundred  and 
seventy-six."^^  And  when  we  tell  that  the  Picts,  in  their  turn, 
were  overpowered  by  the  Scots  at  the  time  that  Kinneidi,  son  of 
Alpin,  was  King  of  Alba,  about  eight  hundred  and  thirty-nine 
years  after  the  birth  of  Christ,  let  him  again  read  the  Chronicle  of 
Camden,  and  he  will  find  the  same  fact  recorded  therein.  Again, 
when  we  state  that  no  foreign  nation  ever  made  the  conquest  of  Ire- 
land, with  the  exception  of  those  races  that  succeeded  one  another 
as  dwellers  upon  its  soil  from  age  to  age,  namely,  Partholan,  the 
Children  of  Nemedh,  the  Fer-Bolgs,  the  Tuatha-De-Dananns,  and 
the  sons  of  Miledh,  it  might  possibly  happen  that  some  person 
would  be  found  to  disbelieve  us,  were  we  not  able  to  refer  him 
to  a  fact  stated  by  Gulielmus  Neubrigensis,  where  he  speaks  of 
Ireland,  in  the  twenty-sixth  chapter  of  his  second  book,  he  in- 
forms us  that  "Hibernia  was  never  subjected  to  any  foreign 
domination."**  In  like  manner,  if,  in  writing  about  Niall  of  the 
Nine  Hostages,  we  shall  state  any  fact  of  which  the  reader  has 
never  heard  before,  let  him  learn  that  we  have  both  traditional 
and  documentary  evidence  in  support  of  every  assertion  that 
shall  be  made  by  us  in  relation  to  him. 

The  Place  of  St.  Patricias  Nativiii/. 

We  read  in  a  life  of  St.  Patrick,  which  we  found  written  upon 
vellum,  in  an  ancient  manuscript  book,  which  also  contains  lives 
of  St.  Mochuda,  St.  Alban,  and  other  saints,  that  he  was  by  birth 

™  Multa  ignoramus  quai  non  later-        "  Britanni  facti  sunt  tril)utarii  Sco- 
ent,  si  veterum  lectio  nobis  esset  fa-    lis  et  Pictis,  anno  47C. 
miliaris.  ^  Hibernia  nunquam  externa)  sub 

jacuit  ditioni. 


388  THE   HISTORY    OF   IRELAND. 

a  Briton.     The  following  are  the  words  of  this  old  book :   "  Pat- 
ricius,  a  Breton,"  was  born  in  the  town  of  Emptor,  in  the  Plain 
of  the  Tabernacles,  and  was  sprung  from  devout  and  religious 
parents.""  Again,  in  the  same  place,  our  authority  has  the  follow- 
ing statement :   "ÁVhen  the  Scot!  of  Ilibernia,  under  their  king, 
Niall  of  the  Nine  Hostages,  had,  in  spite  of  the  Eoman  Empire, 
widely  devastated  many  provinces  of  Britannia,  whilst  Gratianus 
was  emperor,  they  at  first  merely  subdued  the  northern  region 
of  that  country,  but  afterwards,  having  expelled  the  old  inhab- 
itants, the  Hibernienses  (i.  e.  Irish),  took  possession  of  the  land 
and  dwelt  therein  themselves.'"*^   We  are  there  told,  likewise,  that 
from  this  event  it  came  to  pass  that  there  were  three  kingdoms 
established  in  Great  Britain,  namely,  Scotia,  Anglia,  and  Britan- 
nia.    The  author  of  this  life  tells  us,  also,  that  it  was  whilst 
Niall  was  engaged  upon  this  expedition,  establishing  the  Dal- 
Riada  in  Alba,  that  an  Irish  fleet  arrived  at  the  place  where  St. 
Patrick  was  dwelling.     The  following  are  the  author's  words: 
''At  this  time  a  fleet  from  Hibernia  plundered  the  country  where 
the  holy  Patricius  was  abiding,  and  many  captives  were  brought 
off  thence,  according  to  the  wonted  practice  of  the  Hibernians ; 
amongst  these  was  the  holy  Patricius,  and  with  him  his  two  sis- 
ters, Lupida  and  Darerca.     The  holy  Patricius  was  then  led  cap- 
tive into  Hibernia,  in  the  sixteenth  year  of  his  age,  and  in  the 
ninth  year  of  the  reign  of  Niall,  king  of  Ilibernia,  who  ruled 
triumphantly  for  twenty-seven  years,  and  laid  waste  Britain  and 
Anglia  as  far  as  the  sea  which  lies  between  Anglia  and  Gallia.""" 

"  Breton.  The  Latin  Briio  ami  tlio  Macim  so  m.bliadi.!i!n  décc  ^ 

Gaelic  Brethnach  are  thus   translated, 
in   accordance   ■with   the  general  and,    In  ICnulish  : 
seemingly,  better-founded  opinion,  that        Tn  holy  Tourn  was  Patrick  lom ; 

tho  nno=;tlo  of  Trelind   was  -i  n-itive  of  For  thus 'tis  toKlin  stnry ; 

lue  apostlt  01   iruanu   was  a  nau\e  Ol  g^^^.^.^^  sixteen  years  liis  youth  had  linown, 

A.rmorica,  now   Brittany  or  lirotague,  when  he  was  led  to  slavery. 

in  France.     Probus  says,  in  his  life  of  ry^^^  ^^,„„^1^^.  oriirinated  in  mistaking 

this  saint :   "  bt.  Patrick  was  a  Briton  ^^^^  j^j^j^  ^^.^^.^^^  ^,."  ^,,^.  .^^^^^.^  ^,^^^^  ^^^^ 

(I.e.  a  Breton),  of  the  village  of  Banave,  italicized,  viz.  /  nem  Thur,  for  m  Em- 

in  the  district  of  1  iburnia,  adjacent  to  ^^^.  ^^.  j?j^„f^. 

the  Western  ocean,  which  village  we  J,  Patritius,'  Britn,  natus  in  oppido 
find  to  have  been  in  the  province  of  y  ^^^^  ;„  ^  tabornaculorum  ex 
^eutna  {Neustua)  which  the  gianfs  ..^f,,,,,,  ^^,.,,^13  et,  religiosis  ortus. 
arc  said  to  liave  formerly  inhabited  k,  (,,„,^  ^^,^^■^  ,,,,  Hibernia  sub  regc 
The  town  of  Emptor,  mentioned  in  the  ^,,^  ^^-j.^,,  x,,oi-ghialhu-h,  divcrsas  pro- 
quotation  in  the  text,  has  perhaps  origi-  ^.i,j,.j.^^  Britannia-  contra  Ilonianorum 
nated  m  the  ignorance  of  souk;  trans-  jmperium  niultum  dovastabant,  contun- 
cribcr  or  decipherer  of  the  very  an-  ^^^^^  i„cipiontes  Aciuilonalem  Britan- 
cient  hymn,  composed  in  Irish  by  his  ^^  ^,]a<^.j,m,  tandem,  ejectis  veteribu» 
disciple,  bt-  i'lech,  upon  the  lile  ol  ht.  p^j^^i^^  ^  ^  TTil.crnienses  cam  occupa- 
Patrick.  The  first  verse  of  this  hymn  ^^^^,,,^  ^^  habitavcrunt. 
^^  •  ^  .  „  .  ,  .  m  "'Hoc  antem  tempore  rinaHlam  clas» 
v'.mn      Asscadh  ad  fót  hi  sgelalbh ;         imm  813   Uibcrnica  dcprx'davit  patriam  m 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


389 


From  these  woras  we  must  believe  that  Niall  invaded  Great  Brit- 
ain, and  that  he  gained  great  power  therein. 

I  am  also  of  opinion,  that  tlie  above-mentioned  fleet  liad  been 
despatched  by  Niall  to  plunder  the  coasts  of  Gaul,  whilst  he 
was  himself  extending  his  sway  over  Great  Britain ;  and  that 
a  descent  had  been  made  upon  that  region  of  the  Gallic  coast, 
then  called  Armorica,  but  which  is  now  known  as  Little 
Britain,'*  or  Brittany.  The  fact  that  the  mother  of  St.  Patrick 
was  the  sister  of  St.  Martin,  who  was  bishop  of  Tours,  in  France, 

now  called  Boulogne,  St.  Patrick,  i^^ 
appears,  was  born.  That  it  was  on  the 
Arniorican  coast  he  had  been  made  cap- 
tive, in  his  boyhood,  all  the  writers  of 
his  life  agree  ;  and  as  it  is  allowed,  also, 
by  the  same  authorities,  that  his  lamily 
was  resident  there  at  the  time,  there 


qu;\  morabatur  Divus  Patricius,  et,  con- 
sueto  Hibernorum  more,  multi  inde 
captivi  ducti  sunt,  inter  quos  crat  Divus 
Patricius,  a;tatis  sua;  anno  decimo  sex- 
to, et  duo  ejus  sorores  Lupida  et  Darer- 
ca :  et  ductus  est  Divus  Patricius  in 
Hiberniam  captivTis  anno  nono  Neill, 
regis  Hibernia;,  qui  potentur  27  annos 
regnavit,  ac  Britanniam  et  Angliam 
usque  ad  mare,  quod  est  inter  Angliam 
et  Galliam  devastabit. 

"'  Moore,  who  seems  to  have  studied 
and  examined,learnedly  and  impartially, 
the  various  conflicting  testimonies  with 
regard  to  St.  Patrick's  birthplace, 
agrees  with  the  opinion  expressed  by 
Dr.  Keating,  and  comes  to  the  conclu- 
sion that  he  was  a  native  of  Armoric 
Gaul. — "  Respecting  his  birthplace," 
says  he,  "  there  has  been  much  difference 
of  opinion — the  prevailing  notion  being 
that  he  was  born  at  Alcluit,  now  Dun- 
barton,  in  North  Britain.  It  is  only, 
however,  by  a  very  forced  and  false 
construction  of  some  evidence  on  the 
subject,  that  any  part  of  Great  Britain 
can  be  assigned  as  the  birthplace  of 
the  saint ;  and  his  own  Confession,  a 
work  of  acknowledged  genuineness, 
proves  him  to  have  been  a  native  of  the 
old  Gdllican,  or  Armoric  Britain.*  The 
country  anciently  known  by  this  name, 
comprised  the  whole  of  the  north-west 
coasts  of  Gaul ;  and   in   the   territory 

*  Patrem  habui  Calpornium  diaconum,  flliura 
quondam  Potiti  presbyteri  qui  fuit  in  vico  Bo- 
navem  Taberni;e.  Viilulam  Enon  prope  iiabuit, 
ubi  capturam  dedi. — Confess. 

[That  is,  I  had  for  my  father  one,  Caiporniits, 
a  deacon,  iclu)  was  formerly  the  son  of  Potitus, 
a  presbyter,  w'lo  rlicelt  in  the  village  of  B»na- 
vem  TahernÚB.  He  owned  a  small  villa  in  the 
neighborhood,  and  it  teas  there  that  I  was 
made  captive.]  Dr.  Lanigan  has  clearly  shown 
that  Bonavem  Tabernia»  was  in  Armoric  Gaul, 
being  the  same  town  as  Boulogne-sur-mer,  in 
Picardy. 


arose  a  difficulty  as  to  the  cause  of  their 
migration  thither  from  the  banks  of  the 
Clyde,  which  the  fact,  apparent  from 
his  own  statement,  that  Armorica  was 
actually  the  place  of  his  birth,  disposes 
of  satisfactorily.  His  family  was,  as  he 
informs  us,  respectable,  his  father  hav- 
ing held  the  office  of  Decurio  or  Muni- 
cipal Senator ;  though,  as  it  appears, 
he  afterwards  entered  holy  orders,  and 
was  a  deacon.  From  a  passage  in  the 
letter  of  the  saint  to  Coroticus,  it  is 
supposed,  and  not  improbably,  that  his 
family  may  have  been  of  Roman  ori- 
gin ;  and  the  opinion  that  his  mother, 
Conchessa,  was  a  native  of  some  part 
of  Gaul,  is  concuired  in  by  all  the  old 
Irish  writers." 

The  following  pedigree  of  St.  Pat- 
rick, set  into  Irish  verse  by  Flann,  Ab- 
bot of  Monasterboiee,  in  the  9th  cen- 
tury, is  given  in  the  Annals  of  the 
Four  Masters,  and  various  other  au- 
thorities : 

"  Patrick,  Abbot  of  all  Efi, 
Was  son  of  Calprann,  son  of  Fotaide, 
Son  of  Deissé,  the  praiseworthy 
Son  of  great  Cormac,  son  of  Leibruitn, 
Son  of  Ota,  son  of  Orric  the  good, 
Son  of  Moiric,  son  of  Leo  the  lucky. 
Son  of  Maximus,  "tis  meet  to  name  him, 
Son  of  the  tall  and  fair  Encretta, 
Son  of  Pilist,  best  of  men, 
Son  of  Fereni,  the  serene. 
Son  of  Britan,*  that  sea-otter 
From  whom  the  stalwart  Britons  sprung. 
Cochnias  was  his  modest  mother; 
Nemthor  was  his  native  town; 
Of  Mumha  no  small  share  had  he. 
From  sorrow  Patrick  saved  her  sons." 

*  Thntls,  Briton  Mnel. 


390  -_  THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 

or  Gaul,  both  pi'ove  the  truth  of  this  supposition  of  mine,  and 
coufirrn  what  is  read  in  the  old  Irish  manuscripts,  which  contain 
lives  of  St.  Patrick  written  in  the  Gaelic  tongue,  for  these  ex- 
pressly inform  us  that  Armorica  was  the  country  whence  St. 
Patrick  and  his  two  sisters  were  taken  off  into  captivity.  It  is 
also  very  likely,  as  Niall  was  then  engaged  in  making  the  con- 
quest of  Great  Britain,  that  the  latter  was  the  country  whence 
he  despatched  his  fleet  to  ravage  the  coast  of  Gaul,  whence  St. 
Patrick  and  those  led  off  in  his  company  into  captivity  were  then 
dwelling.  Besides  the  above,  we  learn  from  our  ancient  records, 
that  Gaul  did  actually  send  its  hostages  to  Niall.  St.  Patrick,  I 
deem  to  have  been  one  of  these. 


NiaWs  Last  Expedition — His  Assassination  hy  Eocaidh^  King  of 
Leinster^  on  tlie  hanks  of  the  River  Loire. 


As  to  the  adventures  of  Niall,  when  he  had  exacted  a  mul- 
titude of  hostages  from  the  people  of  Great  Britain,  he  returned 
to  Ireland,  accompanied  by  a  numerous  army,  composed  as 
well  of  British  as  of  Irish  warriors.  lie  next  set  about  muster- 
ing an  additional  force,  and  therefore  sent  word  to  Alba,  to  the 
chieftain  of  the  Dal-Riada,  commanding  that  prince  to  prepare 
to  follow  him  forthwith,  with  a  large  body  of  men,  into  Gaul. 
He  then  sailed  for  that  country  himself,  at  the  head  of  a  power- 
ful army.  There,  he  was  overtaken  by  the  prince  of  the  Dal- 
Eiada,  as  he  was  plundering  that  portion  of  the  Gallic  land  that 
lies  along  the  river  Loire.  Now,  some  time  previous  to  this, 
Niall  had  driven  the  king  of  Leinster,  namely,  Eocaidh,  son  of 
Enna  Kcnn-selach,  as  an  exile  into  Alba,  Avhere  he  abode  under 
the  protection  of  Gabran,  son  of  Domhangort.  On  the  present 
occasion,  when  the  chieftain  of  the  Dal-Iliada,  who  was  this  same 
Gabran,  followed  Niall  into  Gaul,  Eocaidh,  the  banished  king  of 
Leinster,  followed  in  his  host,  but  yet  he  never  ventured  to  go  into 
the  presence  of  the  Irish  monarch.  There,  whilst  Niall  was  on 
the  bank  of  the  above-named  river,'"  Eocaidh  entered  a  grove 
that  grew  on  the  side  opposite  him,  and  then  adjusted  an  arrow 
on  his  bow,  wherewith  he  made  a  shot  at  his  royal  foe,  and  pierced 
him  through  the  liody  with  his  shaft.  Niall  immediately  died 
upon  the  spot,  from  the  effects  of  that  wound. 


"*  River.    Moore  and  others  are  of     Keating  calls  Leor,  could  not  be  the 
opinion  that  Niall  Wcos  slain  near  Bou-    Loire, 
logne-sur-mcr.    If  so,  this  river,  which 


THE    HISTORY   OF    IRELAND.  391 


Causes  of  the  King  of  Leinsler''s  Vengeance  upon  Niall — Invasion 
"^  Ireland  hy  Acdgan,  King  of' Alba. 

The  enmity  between  Niall  and  Eocaidli  arose  from  the  fact, 
that  the  Leinster  prince  had  made  an  attempt  to  usurp  the  throne"' 
of  Temhair  of  the  Kings,  and  supplant  Niall  in  the  monarchy. 
But,  when  he  had  seized  upon  the  royal  residence,  and  had  held 
it  for  nine  days  in  defiance  of  Niall,  a  certain  learned  druid  came 
before  him  and  declared,  that  it  was  not  lawful  for  him  to  vio- 
late the  gesa^  or  sacred  restrictions  of  Temhair.     "  For,"  said  he, 
"it  is  one  of  its  gesa,  that  no  king  should  take  his  seat  therein, 
for  the  purpose  of  assuming  the  monarchy  of  Ireland,  until  he 
had  first  received   '  Nasg  Niadh'  {nask-neeali)  upon  his  neck." 
This  was  the  same  as  to  have  said,  that,  previous  to  seizing  upon 
the   Irish  throne,   he   should    have   first  received  the  degree 
of  Knight  of   Chivalry.      For,   as  the  Knight  of  Chivalry  is 
styled  Miles  Torquatus,  that  is,  warrior  of  the  torque  or  collar,  so 
also  was  the  knight  or  champion  styled  "Niadh  Naisg,"  which 
means  the  same  thing,  by  the  Gaels,  when  he  had  duly  received 
the  "  nasg,"  that  is  the  collar  or  chain  of  chivalry  to  wear  upon 
his  neck.     "Niadh,"  indeed,   means  the  same  thing  as  cham- 
pion, or  warrior,  and  "Nasg"  is  the  same  as  "slabhra,"  (slowra^) 
which   means   a   chain.      After   hearing   the   druid's   warning, 
Eocaidh  retired  from  Temhair,  and  relinquished  the  royal  dig- 
nity.    Niall  then  came  and  took  his  seat  at  Temhair,  and,  hav- 
ing assumed  the  government  of  Ireland  into  his  own  hands,  he 
banished  Eocaidh  to  Alba ;  but,  as  we  have  stated  already,  this 
did  not  occur  until  many  battles  had  been  decided  between  them. 
There  was  also  another  cause  of  enmity  between  them.     For, 
when   Eocaidh  was    returning  to  Leinster    from  Temhair,  he 
visited  the  house  of  Laeidkenn,  son  of  Barkidh,  the  druid  of 
Niall ;  and,  whilst  he  was  staying  there,  the  son  of  the  druid  ut- 
tered some  defamatory  reflections  upon  him.    Thereupon  Eocaidh 
slew  him  on  the  spot.     The  druid,  then,  went  to  complain  of 
the  outrage  to  Niall,  and  entreated  of  him  to  come  and  wreak 
vengeance   upon   the   Leinstermen   for   his  son's  death.     Thus 
spurred  on  by  the  druid,  Niall  marched  into  Leinster  with  a  nu- 
merous and  imposing  force,  with  the  intention  of  devastating  that 
province.     When  they  had  arrived  in  Leinster,  the  druid  would 
not  consent  to  Niall's  receiving  from  the  Leinstermen  any  gift  or 
compensation,  in  cattle  or  otherwise,  until  they  had  first  delivered 

"  Usurp  the  kingdom.    This  attempt  the  royal  candidates,  that  previously 

was  made  during  one  of  Niall's  absen-  contended  with  Niall  for  the  throne 

ces  on  his  foreign  expeditions.     Enna,  He  had  alsoseized  upon  Temhair. 
the  father  of  Eochaid,  had  been  one  of 


892  THE   HISTORY   OF    IRELAND. 

up  tlie  Dody  of  their  prince  into  the  monarch's  hands.  When 
this  had  been  done,  the  druid  caused  Eocaidh  to  be  tied  to  a  pil- 
lar stone,  which  is  still  to  be  seen  to  the  west  of  the  Slangi,"  be- 
tween Ki\\-Bv\g\iái  {Kíll-Breedie)3.ná  Tulach-0-Feidlin  {TuUagh- 
O-Feilin),  and  that  stone  stands  thus :  it  is  both  high  and  broad, 
and  it  is  perforated  near  its  summit.  Eocaidh  was  then  forced  to 
stand  up  with  his  back  placed  against  this  stone,  and  they  bound 
him  thereto  wúth  an  iron  chain,  with  which  tlieyhad  girded  him 
round  the  waist.  The  ends  of  this  chain,  they  made  fast  by 
means  of  two  loops.  When  the  druid  had  got  him  into  tliis  po- 
sition, he  procured  nine  warriors,  whom  he  sent  to  put  him  to 
death.  But,  when  Eocaidh  perceived  his  executioners  approach- 
ing with  intent  to  slay  him,  he  made  a  sudden  and  vigorous  effort, 
whereby  he  strained  the  chain,  and  broke  the  bolt  wherewith  its 
ends  were  fastened.  He  then  rushed  upon  his  assassins,  some  of 
whom  he  slew,  and  thus  made  his  escape,  so  that  no  more  was  heard 
of  him  until  he  had  arrived  in  Alba,  ^vherc  he  placed  himself  under 
the  safeguard  of  Gab  ran,  son  of  Domhangort,  as  we  have  above 
recorded.  And  such  was  the  second  cause  of  the  hatred  which 
Eocaidh  bore  to  Niall. 

After  this,  whilst  Eocaidh  was  living  in  banishment  in  Alba, 
it  happened  that  the  wife  of  Gabran,  son  of  Domhangort,  whose 
name  was  Inghenach  (Lineenagh),  and  his  own  wife  Fcidlin 
{Feileen),  daughter  of  Eocaidh,  son  of  Dathi,  both  became  preg- 
nant at  the  same  time,  and  they  were  both  brought  to  bed  on  the 
same  night.  The  two  women  were  then  shut  up  together  in  the 
same  house,  in  wliich  no  person  was  allowed  to  remain  but 
themselves.  Outside  a  guard  was  set  upon  them  by  Gabran.  As 
to  the  women :  the  wife  of  Gabran  brought  forth  a  daughter,  and 
the  wife  of  Eocaidh  twin  sons.  Then,  for  she  had  never  borne 
any  children  but  daughters,  Gabran's  wife  entreated  of  the  wife 
of  Eocaidh  to  give  her  one  of  the  twin  sons,  and  the  latter  con- 
sented thereto.  And  when  the  household  folk,  who  were  on 
guard,  had  perceived  that  the  children  had  been  born,  they  de- 
manded of  their  queen  what  description  of  child  she  had  brought 
forth;  and  she  made  known  to  them  that  slie  had  given  birth  to 
a  son  and  a  daughter,  and  that  the  wife  of  Eocaidh  had  given 
birth  to  a  son.  At  this  news  they  were  all  rejoiced ;  and  a  name 
was  given  to  that  son  which  the  queen  had  received  from  the 
wife  of  the  Leinster  prince,  and  he  was  called  Aedgan.  And  a 
name  was  also  given  to  the  other  son  of  Eocaidh,  and  he  waa 
called  Brann-dubh,  son  of  Eocaidh.  Eocaidh  afterwards  returned 
to  Ireland,  where  he  regained  his  kingdom  of  Leinster,  and 
thither  he  also  brought  his  son  Brann  dubh. 

**  Slangi.    The  river  Slany,  ia  Wexford. 


THE   HISTORY    OF    IRELAND.  393 

After  some  considerable  time,  Gabran,  chieftain  of  tlie  Dal- 
Riada,  who  was  also  king  of  Alba,  died,  and  Aedgan  succeeded 
him  as  sovereign  of  that  country.  This  Aedgan  soon  came  to 
Ireland  for  the  purpose  of  spoil  and  pillage,  as  well  as  of  con- 
quering the  country,  in  right  of  his  being  one  of  the  posterity  of 
Carbri  Riada.  With  him  came  a  large  force,  composed  of 
Albans,  Saxons,  and  Britons.  Upon  landing,  he  first  led  his 
forces  into  Leinster,  and  began  to  pillage  that  principality. 
But  Brann-dubh,  son  of  Eocaidh,  was  now  the  king  of  Leinster, 
and  to  him  Aedgan  sent  an  embassy  demanding  hostages  as 
securities  for  the  payment  of  tribute  to  himself,  and  threat- 
ening, in  gase  of  refusal,  to  lay  waste  the  whole  of  Lein- 
ster. Brann-dubh  Avas  in  great  trouble  by  reason  of  this  mes- 
sage ;  but  his  mother  told  him  to  be  of  good  cheer,  for  that 
she  would  herself  turn  Aedgan  ofí'  his  purpose.  With  this  in- 
tent, she  set  out  for  the  camp  of  the  King  of  Alba,  and,  when  ar- 
rived there,  she  demanded  of  him  why  it  was  that  he  had  come 
to  ruin  Leinster.  "Hag,"'  said  he,  "  I  am  not  bound  to  give  any 
excuse  for  my  actions  to  thee."  "  If  I  am  a  hag,"  replied  she, 
"  thy  own  mother  is  a  hag  likewise.  But  I  have  a  secret  to  com- 
municate to  thee."  Upon  this,  Aedgan  retired  with  her  into  a 
private  place,  and  there  she  addressed  him  in  these  words:  "O 
Aedgan,"  said  she,  "  I  have  told  thee  that  thy  mother  is  a  hag, 
if  I  am  one.  I  now  tell  thee,  that  I  am  myself  thy  mother,  and 
that  Brann-dubh  is  thy  brother.  For  this  reason,  send  to  Alba 
for  the  woman,  who  is  supposed  to  be  thy  mother,  and  she  will 
acknowledge,  in  my  presence,  that  it  was  I  that  gave  thee  birth. 
Then,  give  up  this  devastation  of  Leinster,  until  she  and  I  be 
brought  face  to  face."  Aedgan  then  did  as  she  requested  ;  and, 
when  the  two  women  Avere  brought  together,  the  Queen  of  Alba 
acknowledged,  that  it  was  the  mother  of  Brann-dubh  that  had 
given  birth  to  Aedgan.  When  that  king  had  heard  this,  he 
bound  the  Avomen  to  keep  the  matter  inviolably  secret,  for  fear 
that  he  might  himself  be  compelled  by  the  Dal-Riada  to  give  up 
the  sovereignty  of  Alba,  should  they  come  to  know  his  true  origin. 
Brann-dubh  was  then  sent  for,  and  a  friendly  alliance  was  struck 
between  the  brothers.  After  this,  Aedgan  left  the  country  with- 
out committing  any  more  depredations  therein. 

The  Posterity*^  of  Niall  or  the   Ui  Neill — Origin  of  the  surname 
Nae  i-gh  ia  llach. 

As  to  the  monarch  Niall,  of  Avhose  reicrn  Ave  have  last  treated: 
numerous,  indeed,  are  the  races  descended  from  him  at  this  day 

•*  Posterity  of  Niall.  The  famous  history,  were  all  descended  from  the 
Ui  Neill,  so  often  mentioned  in  Irish    eight  sons  of  this  Niall,  who  is  often 


394  THE    HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 

in  Ireland,  all  sprung  from  those  ciglit  sons  of  his,  whom  we 
have  named  heretofore.  But  I  shall  not  enumerate  them  here, 
because  I  wish  to  treat  of  them  at  some  length,  in  tracing  the 
genealogy  of  the  Children  of  Miledh. 

The  reason  why  this  king  was  styled  Niall  Xaei-ghiallach,  was 
because  he  had  received  "naei  gcill"  {run  gaik),  that  is,  nine 
hostages,  from  as  many  subject  kingdoms.  Of  these,  five  Avere 
from  the  Fifths,  or  five  provinces  into  wdiich  Ireland  was  divided, 
and  four  were  from  Alba.  It  was  upon  this  subject  that  the 
bard  com230sed  the  following  lay  : 

"  Son  of  the  high  and  haughty  Eocaidh 
Was  mighty  Niall,  the  all-glorious,  ' 

Who  gained  the  powerful  sovereignty 
Of  Eri  and  Albania. 

"  One  hostage  from  each  Irish  Fifth 
He  conquered  by  his  victories. 
Pledges  of  homage  to  his  power. 
From  Alba  came  four  hostages. 

"  The  very  hunters  of  the  game 
Heard  his  command  in  forests  wild — 
Through  all  those  realms  the  sway  was  owned 
Of  knightly  Niall  Xaei-ghiallach." 

DATHI,  ARD-EIGII 

A.  D.  404.'"  Dathi,  son  of  Fiacaidh,  or  Fiachra,  son  of  Eocaidh 
Muigh-medon,  son  of  Muredach  Tirech,  of  the  line  of  Erimhon, 
held  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland  for  twenty-three   years.      Fia 

styled  the  Great.     It  is  to  be  remarked,  and  inspired  the  muse  of  Claudian  in  his 

that  the  name  of  O'Neill,  which  one  sept  praise.  'By  him, 'says  the  poet,s])eaking  in 

of   his   posterity  afterwards    adopted,  the  person  of  I'ritannia. 'I  was  protected 

was  not  derived  immediately  from  him,  when  the  Scot  moved  all  Ireland  against 

but  from  one  of  the  descendants  of  his  me,  and  the  ocean  foamed  with  his  hos- 

son   Eogan.     "  Ilis  posterity,"  says  0'-  tile  oars.'*     From  another  of  this  po- 

Flaherty,  "  established  and  perpetuated  et's  eulogies,  it  appears  that  the  fame 

the  monarchy  of  Ireland  on  so  perma-  of  the  lioman    legion  which  guarded 

nent  a  basis,  that  almost  all  the  follow-  the  frontier  against  the  invading  Scots, 

ing  kings   of  Ireland  were   descended  procured  for  it  the  distinction  of  being 

from  him,  besides  many  noble  families  one  of  those  summoned  to  the  banner 

and  illustrious  personages.     Also,  near-  of  Stilicho,  when  the  Goths  threatened 

ly  three  hundred   of    his   descendants,  Rome." 
eminent  for  their  learning  and  the  sane-         ""  A.  D.  40."). — Four  Masters. 

tity  of  their  lives,  have   been  enrolled  — — 

in  the  catalogue  of  the  saints."     Of  his        Movit  ct  Infcs7rSaTrSc^-™s.'' 

foreign  expeditions,  Moore  informs  us        ^j,,,^  ^^.^.j,  t,,,„,i„ted  in  the  English 

that  "  it  was  against  the  incursions  of  Ciimden  : 

this  adventurous  monarch,  that  some  of      u  .^vhen  Scots  came  thundering  from  the  Irish 

those  successes  were  achieved  by  the  piiores, 

Romans,which  threw  such  lustre  around        ^'^'^  "ar^"'"'"  *"'"^''"''  ^''■"'''  ''"*'  '"'*"'* 

the  military  administration  of  Stilicho,  —nutory  of  Ireland. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


395 


{Faille)^  claughter  of  Eocaidh,  was  his  first  wife,  and  from  iier  Crua- 
chain-Feli  lias  had  its  name.  His  second  wife  was  Ethni,  daugh- 
ter of  Orach,  and  she  was  the  mother  of  Olild  j\iolt.  His  third 
wife  was  called  Ruadh  {Rua),  daughter  of  Artigh  Uct-lethan, 
son  of  Fer-conga ;  this  was  the  mother  of  Fiacaidh  Elgach,  in 
giving  birth  to  whom  she  expired.  Of  the  line  of  Datlii  are 
the  races  of  O'Sechnasaigh  {O' Shaughncssy^)  O'Dubhda  {G'Dovj- 
da),  and  O'h-Edhin  {O^Hei/ne).  Feredach  was  his  first  and  real 
name.  The  reason  why  he  was  called  Dathi,  was  because  of 
the  celerity  with  which  he  was  wont  to  put  on  his  armor ;  for 
dathi  means  the  same  thing  as  iapa  or  quick ;  therefore  did  that 
surname  adhere  to  him. 

And  the  manner  in  which  Dathi  was  slam,"  was  this  ;  to  wit,  a 


"*  Slain.  The  manner  of  Dathi's 
death  is  told  in  the  following  manner 
in  the  genealogical  memoir  of  his  de- 
scendants, the  Ui  Fiachrach,  compiled 
in  Irish  by  the  celebrated  antiquary, 
Duald  Mac  Firbis,  and  published  by 
the  Irish  Archaeological  Society, :  "Da- 
thi went  afterwards  with  the  men  of 
Eri,  across  the  Muir-n-Icht  (i.  e.  the 
Iccian  Sea,  between  Gaul  and  Britain), 
towards  Leatha,  until  he  reached  the 
Alps,  to  revenge  the  death  of  Niall  of 
the  Nine  Hostages.  This  was  the  time 
that  Formenius,  or  Parmenius,  king  of 
Thrace,  took  up  his  residence  in  the 
Alps,  having  fled  from  his  kingdom  and 
retired  thither,  for  the  love  of  God,  as 
a  pilgrim.  He  erected  there  a  circular 
tower  of  sods  and  stones,  sixty  feet  in 
height,  and  he  lived  in  the  middle  of 
the  tower,  eleven  feet  from  the  light, 
and  he  saw  not  a  ray  of  the  sun  or 
other  light. 

"  Dathi  came  to  the  tower.  He  was 
called  Dathi,  from  his  expertness  at  in- 
vading and  shooting  ;  for  if  there  were 
one  hundred  persons  shooting  arrows  or 
javelins  at  him,  he  would  be  protected 
against  them  by  the  activity  of  his 
hands  in  guarding ;  wherefore  the  name 
of  Dathi  clung  to  him.  Feradach  was 
his  name  when  he  went  to  the  East,  and 
it  was  on  his  expedition  in  the  East, 
that  he  was  called  Dathi.  When  the 
king's  people  saw  the  tower,  they  went 
to  demolish  it,  and  they  tore  it  down 
and  plundered  it.  Formenius  felt  the 
wind  coming  to  him,  and  God  raised 
him  up,  in  a  blaze  of  fire,  one  thousand 


paces  from  the  tower  of  sods  which  he 
had  built,  and  he  prayed  for  king  Da- 
thi that  his  reign  might  continue  no 
longer  ;  and  he  also  prayed  that  his 
monument  or  tomb  might  not  be  re- 
markable. The  life  of  Dathi  endured 
no  longer  than  until  he  had  the  tower 
destroyed,  when  there  came  a  flash  of 
lightning  from  Heaven,  which  struck 
him  dead  upon  the  spot.  Formenius 
then  went  one  thousand  paces  down  the 
mountain,  and  dwelt  in  another  habita- 
tion. .  .  .  Amhalgaidh,  the  son  of 
Dathi,  then  assumed  the  command  of 
the  men  of  Eri,  and  he  carried  the  dead 
body  of  his  father  with  him.  Dungal, 
Flangus,  Tuathal,  and  Tumaltach,  were 
the  four  servants  of  trust  who  carried 
with  them  the  corpse  of  the  king." 

"  The  monument  of  Dathi,  which  is 
a  small  circular  mound,  with  a  pillar- 
stone  of  red  sand-stone,  is  situated  out- 
side the  enclosure  {of  Ratkcroghan)  at 
a  short  distance  to  the  east,  and  may 
be  at  once  identified,  from  the  following 
notice  of  it,  given  by  the  celebrated 
antiquary,  Duald  Mac  Firbis  {in  the 
tract  just  quoted),  in  1666  : 

"  '  The  body  of  Dathi  was  brought 
to  Cruachan,  and  it  was  interred  at 
Releg-na-Righ,  where  the  most  of  the 
kings  of  the  race  of  Erimhon  were 
buried,  and  where  to  this  day  the  Red 
Pillar-stone  remains  as  a  stone  monu- 
ment over  his  grave,  near  Rath  Cru- 
achan, to  this  time,  1666.'" — Petrie's 
Round  Toicers. 

Dathi  is  said  to  have  been  the  last 
of  the  Pagan  kings  of  Ireland.    In  his 


896  THE  HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 

flaming  thunder  bolt,  shot  from  heaven,  smote  him  upon  the 
head  whilst  he  was  making  conquests  in  Gaul.  It  was  near  the 
mountains  called  the  Alps  that  he  fell  by  the  vengeance  of  God : 
for  he  had  plundered  the  sanctuary  of  a  holy  hermit  named 
Parmenius,  who  cursed  him  therefor.  And  when  he  had  been 
slain  after  that  manner,  his  people  brought  back  his  body  to 
Ireland,  and  there  buried  it  at  Cruachain,  in  Eoilig-na-righ. 

reign,  the  king  of  Munster,  or  Leth  was  king  of  North  Munster  ;  and  Brau- 
Mogha,  was  Xadfraech,  son  of  Core  ;  dubh,  son  of  Eocaidh,  sou  of  Enna, 
Cas,  son  of  Couall  of  the  Fleet  Steeds,    was  King  of  Leiuster. 

END    OF    THE    FIRST    BOOE. 


FORAS  FEASA  AR  EIRINN;' 


OR, 


HISTORY    OF    IRELAND. 


BOOK     II. 

PART    I. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Sanderson^  has  assertea  in  the  first  book  of  his  work  upon  the 
Atiglican  schism,  that  the  Irish,  upon  their  conversion  to  the 
faith,  immediately  submitted  both  themselves  and  their  posses- 
sions to  the  government  and  control  of  the  Roman  Pontiff ;  and 
that  they  had  not  ever  acknowledged  any  supreme  prince,  except 
the  Bishop  of  Rome,  until  the  sovereignty  of  their  country  had 
fallen  into  the  hands  'of  the  English.  The  following  are  this 
author's  words:  "From  the  beginning,  immediately  after  their 
reception  of  the  (Christian)  religion,  the  Hibernians  submitted 
both  themselves  and  all  their  possessions  to  the  sway  of  the  Ro- 
man Pontiff,  and  they  did  never,  up  to  that  time  (the  English 
invasion),  acknowledge  any  supreme  sovereign  of  Hibernia,  with 
the  single  exception  of  the  Roman  Pontiff. "^  But  the  falsehood  of 
such  an  assertion  is  very  evident,  for  the  Psalter  of  Cash  el  not  only 
tells  us  that  Irial,  the  JProphet,  did  himself  rule  Ireland,  as  its 
king,  but  it  also  enumerates  all  the  kings  of  his  blood,  who  suc- 
ceeded him  on  the  throne,  both  previous  to  the  planting  of  the 
Faith  by  St.  Patrick,  and  subsequent  to  the  time  of  that  apostle. 
The  following  are  its  exact  words:  "Irial,  the  prophet,  had  a 

'  Sanderson.  This  was  Dr.  Robert  ^  Hibernia  initio,  statim  post  relig- 

Sanderson,  Professor  of  Theology  in  ionem  acceptam.  se   snaque  omnia  in 

the  University  of  Oxford,  and   author  Pontificis  Romani  ditionem  dederunt, 

of  a  learned  and  highly  esteemed  work  nee  quemquam  alium  supremum  princi- 

upon  the  Protestant  Reformation   in  pem  Hibernii ;  ad  illud  usque  tempus 

England,  styled,   De  Schismate  Angli-  Praiter  unum    Pontificem    Romanum 

cana.    He  was  a  contemporary  of  Dr.  agnoverunt. 
Keating. 


898  THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 

reign  of"  ten  years,  and  fifty-seven  kings  of  his  royal  blood  reigned 
over  Hibernia,  previous  to  the  propagation  of  the  law  of  Christ 
in  that  country  by  Patricius ;  and,  after  the  time  of  Patricius. 
there  were  fifty  kings  of  the  race  of  the  same  Irial."^  This 
account  is  confirmed  by  the  ancient  annals  of  Ireland,  by  the 
Reim  Riogra,  or  Royal  Roll,  and  by  all  our  records.  The  Poli- 
chronicon  speaks  thus  upon  the  same  subject :  "  From  the  coming 
of  the  holy  Patricius  to  the  time  of  Fcidlimidius,  king  of  Munstei'. 
a  space  of  four  hundred  years,  their  reigned  thirty-three  kings  of 
Hibernia;  but  in  the  time  of  Fcidlimidius,  the  Norvecienses 
(Norwegians),  commanded  by  Turgesius,  seized  upon  this  land.'" 
From  this  it  must  be  understood  that  there  were  Idngs  over 
Ireland  subsequently  to  the  time  of  St.  Patrick.  Again,  the  same 
authority  informs  us  "  That  from  the  time  of  Turgesius  to  that  of 
Rodericus  (Rudraide),  king  of  Conacia  (Connaught),  the  last  oí' 
its  monarchs,  there  reigned  seventeen  kings  in  Hibernia."'  The 
above  testimonies  clearly  prove  the  untruth  of  the  assertion,  that 
Ireland  had  no  kings  of  her  own  previous  to  the  English  inva- 
sion. In  further  confirmation  of  its  falsehood,  I  will  cite  the 
thirty-sixth  letter  of  St.  Anselm,  Archbishop  of  Canterbury, 
which  was  written  by  that  prelate  to  -Murkertach  (Murtough) 
O'Briain,  king  of  Ireland.  This  letter  is  to  be  found  in  Dr. 
Usher's  collection  of  the  letters  of  the  holy  clergy  of  Ireland  and 
England.  He  addresses  it,  "  To  the  illustrious  Moriardachus. 
by  the  grace  of  God,  King  of  Hibernia.""  In  the  same  collection 
we  find  a  letter  from  Lanfranc,  also,  another  Archbishop  of 
Canterbury,  to  Tordelbach  (Turlough)  O'Briain,  who  was 
King  of  Ireland  in  A.D.  1074.  He  inscribes  it  thus  :  "  Lan- 
franc, a  sinner,  and  an  unworthy  Archbishop  of  the  Holy 
Church  of  Canterbury,  sends  his  benediction,  with  his  service 
and  prayers,  to  the  magnificent  Terdeluacus,  King  of  Hi- 
bernia.'" Dr.  Usher  has  also  given  us  a  letter  from  Henry 
the  First,  King  of  England,  to  Rodolphus,  Archbishop  of  Canter- 

'  Irial   Propheta  per  decern   annos  diicc    Tiirgesio,  tcrrani   lianc   occny)a- 

in   Hiherniit    regnavit,  et,   antequam  runt. 

regula  Christi  per  Patricium  seminata  '    A    tempore    Turgesii   usque    ad 

cssctinHibernijl  de  scmineejusdem  re-  ultiinum  monarchum,  Rodericiim,  Con- 

gis  regiiaverunt  super  Iliberniam  quin-  aci:c  regom,  decern  et  septem  reges  in 

quagiuta  septem  reges,  et,  post  Patri-  Ililicrnia  regiiaverunt. 

cium    dc    prole    ipsius    quiuquaginta  "    Moriadacho   glorioso  gratia  Dei. 

reges.  regi  Hiljernia;. 

*  Ab  advcntu  Sancti  Palricii  usque  '  Lanfraucus,  pcccator,  et  indignns 

ad  Feidlimidii,  regis  Monionia;  tcmpora,  Bancta;  Dorovernensis  ccclesiae  episco- 

triginta  tres  reges-  per  quadringentos  pus,  magnifico  regi  lliberniic,  Tordcl- 

annos  in  Hibernia  rcgnavcrunt ;  tern-  vaclio   benedictioucm  cum  servitio  et 

pore  autem  FeidJimidii  Norvecicncea,  orationibus. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND, 


399 


bury,  whicli  affords  still  further  evidence  upon  tliis  question.  It 
was  written  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  one  hundred 
and  twenty-three,  at  the  desire  of  the  King  of  Ireland,  and  re- 
quests the  archbishop  to  confer  degrees  upon  a  certain  priest, 
named  Gregory,  and  to  consecrate  him  Archbishop  of  Dublin. 
The  following  are  Henry's  words  :  "  The  King  of  Hibernia  has 
made  known  to  me,  that,  by  his  writ,  and  by  the  citizens  of 
Dublin,  this  Gregory  has  been  selected  for  bishop,  and  they  that 
send  him  to  you  to  be  consecrated  ;  wherefore  I  request  of  you 
to  comply  with  their  petition,  and  to  complete  his  consecration 
without  delay.'"  The  above-cited  authorities  must  be  decisive 
upon  the  question,  and  it  must  be  acknowledged,  in  spite  of  Dr. 
Saunderson,  that  Ireland  was  ruled  by  her  native  kings'  previous 
to  the  English  conquest. 


'  Mandavit  milii  rex  Hibernia  per 
breve  suum,  et  Burgenses  Dublinise 
quod  elegerunt  bunc  Gregorimn  in 
episcopum  et  eum  tibi  raittuiit  con- 
secrandura  ;  unde  tibi  maudo  ut,  peti- 
tionem  eorum  satisfacieus,  consecratio- 
nem  ejus  sine  dilatione  impleas. 

*  Kings,  c^'c.    There  are  two  fallacies 
contained  in  that  assertion  of  Dr.Sander- 
son  which  Dr.  Keating  combats.    Tlie 
first  is,  that  Ireland  had  no  kings  of  her 
own,  previous  to  her  reception  of  that 
blessing  from  the  English ;  the  second  is, 
that  the  Pope  had  previously  been  the 
acknowledged  lord  paramount  of  the 
Irish    chieftains.      The   latter   was   a 
state  lie  of  the  English,  invented  for 
the  purpose  of  justifying  the  robberies 
and  murders  perpetrated  by  Henry  II, 
and  his  followers,  who  would  fain  have 
themselves  considered  as  the  represent- 
atives of  the  Pope's  temporal  authority 
over  this  island.     For  the  former,  how- 
ever,  the    English   divine    had    some 
foundation,  if  we  but  understand  him 
to  apply  the  word  king,  or  supreme 
prince,  in  the  sense  in   which  it   was 
generally  understood  in  his  days,  and 
as  it  is  understood  at  present.     The 
Irish  Ard-righ  differed  much,  both  in 
his  relation  to  his  subjects,  and  his 
right  to  the  throne,  from  any  public 
ruler,  now  called  king.     He  might  have 
said  very  truly,  that  the  Irish  had  no 
kings  like  Henry  YIII,  or  like  his  own 
immediate   masters    the    Stuarts,   but 
they  had  patriarchal  rulers,  called  Ard- 


righa,  who  claimed  homage  from  the 
chieftains  of  all  the  tribes  of  the  Gael, 
as  the  elected  or  accepted  representative 
of  the  common  ancestor  of  all  the  Free 
Clans.      These    Ard-righa  could    not 
transmit  their  authority  to  their  chil- 
dren, and  it  is  but  rarely  we  find  in  the 
Irish   annals  any   Irish  Ard-liigh,  or 
even  chieftain  of  a  clan,  who  was  suc- 
ceeded by  the  person  who  would  have 
been  considered  his  heir,  according  to 
the  rule  usually  adopted  in  monarchical 
and  aristocratical  nations.     The  most 
powerful  and  bravest  tribe  had  always 
the  best  chance  of  having  its  chieftain 
made  monarch  of  the  nation  ;  and  in 
each  particular  tribe,  and  even  sub- 
tribe,  the  best  and  bravest  man  of  the 
kin  was  always  the  most  likely  to  be 
chosen  as  the  leader  of  his  relatives. 
His  (the  king's)  reign  was  at  an  end  as 
soon  as  he  lost  the  support  of  the  ma- 
jority of  the  free  tribes,  of  which  his 
nation  was  composed.     The  chieftain 
was  set  aside,  as  soon  as  his  conduct 
was  no  longer  acceptable  to  the  ma- 
jority  of  the   warriors    of    his   tribe. 
Thus,   both   the   regal,  and    chieftain 
power,  depended  upon  the  popularity 
of  their   possessors ;     and   the    latter 
were,  in    reality,   nothing   more  than 
the  tenants  at' will  of   their   people. 
Such  a  state  of  things  was  far  differ- 
ent from  anything  which  Dr.  Sander- 
son  could  have   considered    as    mon- 
archical. 

"  There  was,  indeed,  in  Erin,  a  chiet 


400 


THE   HISTOKY    OF   IRELAND. 


It  Í3  also  untrue  to  assert  that  the  Pope  had  any  special  title 
of  sovereignty  over  Ireland,  more  than  what  he  possessed  over 
France,  Spain,  or  an}'  other  Christian  country,  until  the  time  of 
the  Irish  king  Donncadh^"  (Donough),  the  son  of  Brian  of  the 
Tributes.  This  prince  made  a  pilgrimage  to  Rome  about 
seventy-seven  years  before  the  coming  of  the  English,  and 
there,  with  the  consent  of  the  Irish  nobles,  he  submitted  his 
kingdom  to  the  sovereignty  of  the  Pope.  The  reason  assigned 
for  this  act  of  submission  was  the  continual  dissensions  and 
fratricidal  wars"  of  the  Irish  chieftains.  The  act  of  Donncadh 
must  not,  however,  be  considered  as  any  proof  of  the  veracity  of 
those  writers,  who  say  that  the  Emperor  Constantino  made  a 
grant  of  the  most  western  island  of  Europe  to  the  Pope  immedi- 
ately after  its  inhabitants  had  received  baptism.  If  such  a  grant 
were  ever  made,  it  could  give  no  legitimate  rights  of  temporal 
supremacy  to  the  Sovereign  Pontiff,  inasmuch  as  neither  Constan- 
tino himself,  nor  any  of  his  predecessors  in  the  Roman  Empire, 
had  ever  acquired  any  title  to  Ireland.  How,  then,  could  Con- 
stantine,  with  any  appearance  of  equity,  gTant  to  tbe  Pope 
the  sovereignty  of  a  country  to  which  he  had  no  title  himself  ? 
Neither  did  any  of  his  successors  at  any  time  possess  the  right  of 
making  such  a  grant. 


superior  to  all  the  rest,  Tyho  was  called 
the  Great  King  (Ard-righ),  or  King  of 
the  Country,  and  who  was  chosen  by  a 
general  assembly  of  the  chiefs  of  the 
dififerent  provinces  ;  but  this  elective 
president  of  the  national  confederation, 
swore  to  the  whole  nation,  the  same 
oath  which  the  chiefs  of  the  tribes 
swore  to  their  respective  triljes — that 
of  inviolably  observing  the  ancient 
laws  and  hereditary  customs.  More- 
over, tlie  share  of  the  Great  King,  was 
rather  the  execution  than  the  decision 
of  general  affairs,  all  of  which  were 
regulated  in  councils  held  in  the  air, 
upon  a  hill,  surrounded  by  a  deep  ditch. 
Here  the  laws  of  the  land,  and  here  the 
disputes  between  province  and  province, 
town  and  town,  and  occasionally  be- 
tween man  and  man,  were  adjusted, 
though  sometimes  in  a  very  tumultuous 
manner." — Tliiem/s  Normnn  Cnnquest. 
'"  Donnciulh,  ífc.  If  Donncadh  did 
ever  so  acknowledge  himself  the  tem- 
poral vassal  of  the  Pope,  his  act  could 
be  by  no  means  binding  on  the  Irish 
nation ;  in  the  first  place,  because  he 
had  never  been  acknowledged  as  king  by 


the  whole  of  Ireland;  and,  secondly, 
because,  even  if  he  were  really  the 
national  Ard-righ,  such  an  act  would 
have  been  a  violation  both  of  the  duties 
of  the  office,  of  which  he  was  but  the 
temporary  tenant,  and  of  the  oath  he 
should  have  sworn,  to  maintain  inviolate 
the  ancient  laws  and  customs  of  the 
Gael. 

"  Fratricidal  Wars,  Ifc.  The  eternal 
excuse  of  the  apologist  for  English 
greed,  and  of  the  assertors  of  the  unfit- 
n&ss  of  those  races  called  Celtic,  for 
self-government.  These  fratricidal  wars 
could,  at  that  time,  have  aíTordcd  no 
reasonable  excuse  for  the  perjured 
treason  attributed  to  Donncadh.  Wars 
equally  bloody  and  fratricidal,  then  en- 
sanguined almost  every  plain  and  val- 
ley in  Europe,  from  the  Atlantic  Ocean 
to  the  Ural  Mountains.  That  chief's 
treason  must  have  been  the  result  of 
disa|ipointe<l  ambition  alone.  No  au- 
thority to  commit  such  an  act  could 
have  been  given  him  by  the  chiefs  of 
the  Eree  Clans  of  the  Gael,  for  scarcely 
one  half  of  these  could  be  said  to  have 
ever  acknowledged  him  as  Ard-righ. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  401 

I  shall  have  done  with  Dr.  Saimderson's  assertion  by  stating, 
that,  even  had  we  no  authentic  proofs  on  the  subject,  it  is  im- 
probable to  suppose  that  so  large  a  country  as  Ireland  could  have 
remained  without  any  king  or  ruler  over  it  but  the  Pope,  from 
the  time  of  St.  Patrick  down  to  the  invasion  of  Henry  the 
Second. 

LAEGARI,    AED-RIGH. 

A.  D.  427."  Laegari,''  son  of  Niall  Naei-ghiallach,  son  of 
Eocaidh  Muigh-Medon,  of  the  line  of  Erimhon,  succeeded  to  the 
throne.  He  reigned  thirty  years ;  and  his  mother's  name  was 
Eoighnech. 

THE   MISSION   OF   ST.    PATRICK. 

It  was  in  the  fourth  year  of  the  reign  of  this  king,  that  St.  Patrick 
was  sent  by  the  Pope  Celestine  to  propagate  the  faith  in  Ireland. 
When  St.  Patrick  had  been  led  into  slavery,  in  the  ninth  year  of  the 
reign  of  Niall,  he  was  sixteen  years  old.  He  had  then  before 
him  the  eighteen  years  that  Niall  continued  to  reign,  so  that  he 
must  have  been  thirty -four  years  old  when  that  monarch  died. 
Add  to  these  the  twenty-three  years  during  which  Dathi,  son  of 
Fiachra,  was  king,  and  we  find  St.  Patrick  aged  fifty-seven  at  the 
accession  of  Laegari.  Laegari,  again,  had  reigned  four  years 
before  Patrick  arrived  in  Ireland  ou  his  mission.  Hence  it 
appears  that  he  must  have  been  sixty-one  years  old  Avhen  he  began 
his  apostolic  labors.  This  should  the  more  readily  be  believed 
from  the  fact  that  the  book  called  Martyrologium  Eomanum,  or 
the  Roman  Martyrology,  bears  out  our  computation,  for  it  states 
that  St.  Patrick  was  one  hundred  and  twenty -two  years  old  when 
he  died,  which  is  the  same  as  to  say  that  he  was  sixty-one  when 
he  received  his  mission  to  Ireland  as  bishop,  because  it  is  well 
proved  that  he  lived  sixty-one  years  more  in  Ireland,  preaching 
the  fiiith,  after  which,  he  died,  as  I  have  just  stated,  in  his  one 
hundred  and  twenty-second  year. 

According  to  Bede,  in  his  Saxon  Annals,  the  Pope,  St.  Cel- 
lestinus,  had  deputed  a  bishop,  named  Palladius,  to  preach  to 
the  Irish,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  four  hundred  and  thirty.  He 
there  says  that,  "In  the  year  of  our  Lord  four  hundred  and 
thirty,  Palladius  was  sent  as  their  first  bishop  to  the  Scots 
believing  in  Christ.'"*  This  event  occurred  in  the  first  year  of 
the  reign  of  Laegari,  four  years  before  the  arrival  of  St.  Patrick. 

°  A.  D.  429 — Four  Masters.    This  "  Laegaei  II.     This  king's  name  is 

date    appears    to  be    nearer  to    the  found  spelled  Laeghaire,  Laoghaire  and 

time,  even  by  Keating's  own  showing,  Lorghaire.     Its  vulgar  pronunciation 

where  he  relates,  a  little  below,  that  sounds  somewhat  like  Lai/erei. 

Palladius  came  to  Ireland  in  430,  the  '*  Anno  quadringentesimo,  tricessimo 
first  year  of  Laegari. 


402 


THE   HISTORY    OF   lEELAND. 


Palladius"  had  set  out  attended  by  twelve  clcrg)-meD,  aiid  landed 
with  them  in  the  lower  part  of  Leinster,  at  Inber-Degadh"  {Inver-, 
Dea),  and  there  he  consecrated  three  churches/'  namely :  Kill-Fini, 
where  he  left  his  books  and  some  relics  of  Saints  Paul  and  Peter. 
The  second  church  was  Tcch-na-Eomanach ;  the  third  was  the 
church  of  Domnach-ard.  After  he  had  consecrated  these 
churches,  Nathi,  son  of  Garchu,  the  lord  of  the  country,  came 
and  expelled  him,  upon  Avhich  he  set  sail  for  Alba,  where  he 
soon  after  died. 

Four  years  after  Palladius,  St.  Patrick  landed,-  accompanied 
by  twenty -four  holy  clerks,  or  by  thirty,  according  to  Henricus 
Antisiodorcnsis,  in  his  life  of  St.  Germanus.  In  the  one 
hundredth  and  sixty-eighth  chapter  of  his  work,  we  read  that 
St.  Patrick  brought  thirty  bishops  with  him  to  Ireland.  The 
following  is  the  passage  :  "  The  holy  Patricius,"  says  he,  "hav- 
ing accomplished  a  long  voyage  from  a  distant  land,  both  glad- 


Palladius  ad  Scotos  in  Christum  creden- 
tes  a  Celestiuo  Papa  primus  mittitur 
episcopus. 

^  Palladiu.s  was  a  deacon  of   the 
Roman  Church,  and  we  are  informed 
that  it  was  at  his  suggestion  that  St. 
Germain  had  been  sent  to  reclaim  tiic 
Britons,  who  had  fallen  into  the  errors 
of  Pelagius.     Though  there  had  been 
some  isolated  communities  of  Christi- 
ans in  Ireland  previous  to  his  time,  it 
is  evident  that  no  hierarchy  had  been 
yet  established  amongst  them,  and  that 
thence  Irish  Christians  must  look  upon 
Palladius  as   their  first   bishop.     The 
Four  Masters  record  his  arrival  thus  : 
■'  A.  D.  430.     The  second  year  of  Lae- 
gari.     In  this  year  Pope  Celestinus  I 
sent  Palladius  to  Ireland  to  propagate 
the    Faith  among  the  Irish,  and  he 
landed  in  the  country  of  Leinster  with  a 
company  of  twelve  men.     Xathi,  son  of 
Garchu  refused  to   admit  him  ;    but, 
however,  he  baptized  a  few  persons  in 
Ireland,   and   three    wooden    churchas 
were  erected  by  him,namely :  Ccll-f  hine, 
Teach-na-Piomhan      and      Donihnach- 
Árta.     At  Cell-f  hine  he  loft  liis  books, 
and  a  shrine,  with  the  relics  of  Paul 
and  Peter,  and  many  martyrs  besides. 
He  loft  four  (persons)' in  these  churches, 
namely :   Augnstinus,  Benedictus,  Syl- 
vester and  Solinus.     Palladius,  on  his 
returning  back  to  Rome  (as  he  did  not 
receive  respect  in  Ireland),  contracted 
a  disease  in  the-  country  of  the  Cruth- 


nigh,  and  died  thereof." — Four  Masters. 
He  died  at  Magh  Geirghin,  in  Scotr 
land. 

'"  Inber-Degadh.  The  mouth  of  the 
Vartry  River,  in  the  county  of  Wick- 
low. 

"  Churches,  ^c.  The  situation  of 
Kill-Fini  is  not  ascertained ;  Tech- 
iia-Romhanach  (Tagh-na-Ro vaunagh) , 
i.  e.  the  House  of  the  Romans,  is  sup- 
posed to  be  the  place  called  Tigroni ; 
and  Domnach-Ard  is  thought  to  be 
the  present  Dunard,  near  Redcross. 

"  Landed,  &c.  '■  Magcoghcgan,  in 
his  annals  of  Clonmacnois,  states  that 
he  landed  at  Wiclclow,  where  he  was 
opposed  by  the  Lcinstermen,  one  of 
whom  struck  one  of  his  companions  on 
the  mouth  with  a  stone,  and  knocked 
out  four  of  his  teeth,  for  which  reason 
he  was  afterwards  called  Muntanus,  or 
the  toothless,  and  tlie  church  of  (,'ill- 
Mantain,  now  Wicklow,  is  said  to  have 
taken  its  name  from  him.  Mr.  Moore 
thinks  that  Inl)er  Dea.  where  the  saint 
landed,  was  the  harbour  of  Dublin,  but 
this  opinion  is  founded  on  a  mistake  of 
Evolcufjrum,  for  Cuolenorum,  liy  Usher, 
in  Phobus'  Life  of  St.  Patrick,  which 
the  Book  of  Armagh  enables  us  to  cor- 
rect. From  the  situation  of  Cualann 
and  Ui  Garchon.  in  which  Inber  Dea 
was,  it  is  more  than  probalile  that  it 
was  at  Bray  St.  Patrick  landed."— 
O^Donovan. 


THE   HISTORY  OF   IRELAND.  403 

dens  liis  friends  by  his  presence,  and  destines  for  tlie  harvest  of 
the  Lord,  Avhich  is  ample,  while  the  laborers  are  few,  tliirty 
bishops,  whom  he  had  collected  from  foreign  parts,  and  whom  he 
had  himself  consecrated."'* 

From  this  it  may  be  seen,  that  a  number  of  prelates  arrived  in 
St.  Patrick's  company,  when  he  came  to  propagate  the  Faitli  in 
Ireland.  We  also  read  in  our  historical  records  that  St.  Patrick 
brought  v.-ith  him  on  his  mission  hither,  as  many  Christians  as 
he  could  find  of  the  Scotic  nation,'*  and  that  learning  was  dili- 
gently cultivated,  and  that  the  Faith  and  the  law  Avere  adhered 
to  in  Ireland,  down  to  the  arrival  of  th-e  Northmen,  for  the  space 
of  four  hundred  years  after  the  days  of  that  apostle.  It  is  also 
certain  that  money  was  coined  at  Ard-Macba  (Armagh)  and  at 
Caisel  (Cashel)  in  these  days. 

The  above-mentioned  Henricus  Antisiodorensis  informs  us, 
in  his  hundred  and  seventy-fourth  chapter,  that  St.  Patrick 
made  an  apportionment  of  Ireland,  and,  having  estimated  the 
extent  of  its  territory,  the  number  of  its  inhabitants,  and  their 
wealth,  that  he  exacted  the  tenth  part  of  all  these  for  the  use  of 
the  Church ;  namely,  a  tenth  of  its  inhabitants,  a  tenth  of  its 
land,  and  a  tenth  of  its  cattle.  Of  the  men  he  made  monks,  and  of 
the  women  he  made  nuns ;  and  for  these  he  built  monasteries,  and 
allotted  the  tenth  of  the  land  and  of  the  cattle  for  their  mainte- 
nance. The  following  are  that  author's  words,  in  speaking  of 
the  persons  who  were  included  in  the  tithe:  "Thereupon,  mak- 

'^  Benedictus  Patricius  itinere  longo  thaldiis,  bishop  and  patron  ofTarentum, 

de  regione  longinqua  peracto,  ot  pre-  in  Italy,   to   preach    the    doctrine   of 

sentia  sua  sues  exhilarabat,  et  triginta  Christ.     St.  Dermot  and  St.  Liberias, 

episcopos  ex  trausmarinis  partibiis  con-  Irish  preachers,  are  mentioned  as  hav- 

gregatos,  etase  consecrates,  in  Domini  ing  disseminated  the  Gospel  in  various 

messem,  eo  quod  esset  multa  et  operarii  parts  of  Europe,  previous  to  the  fourth 

pauci,  destinabat.  century.    To  these  succeeded  St.  Albi, 

"*  Scotic  Nation,  ífc-  Though  the  or  Ailbhé,  St.  Kiaran,  St.  Declan  and 
Faith  of  Christ  was  not  established  St.  Ibar,  who  were  the  immediate  pre- 
in  Ireland  before  St.  Patrick's  mis-  cursors,  or  rather  collaborators  of  St. 
sion,  it  is  evident  that  the  scattered  Patrick,  upon  the  home  mission,  it 
congregations  of  Scotic  Christians  in  was  not,  then,  difBcult  for  the  latter 
that  count  ly  had  furnished  some  dis-  saint  to  have  collected  round  him  a 
tinguishcd  preachers  of  the  Gospel,  both  certain  number  of  pious  Scots  to  aid 
for  the  liomc  and  foreign  mission,  pre-  him  in  the  conversion  of  their  own 
vious  to  his  time.  Without  citing  the  nation.  The  four  saints  first  mentioned 
eloquent  and  learned  heretics  Pclagius  were  educated  and  ordained  in  Rome, 
and  Celestius,  already  referred  to  in  whence  they  returned  to  Ireland  about 
these  notes,  we  are  told  that  St.  Man-  A.  D.  402.  In  St.  Kiaran's  Life  we 
suetus,  an  Irishman,  the  first  bishop  and  find  that,  when  he  was  on  his  way 
patron  of  Toul,  canonized  by  Leo  XI,  homewards  from  Rome,  he  met  St. 
is  said  to  have  beeu  a  disciple  of  St.  Patrick,  who  was  then  journeying 
Peter.  In  the  reign  of  Conn  of  the  thither,  and  that  the  saints  of  God  re- 
Hundred  Battles,  in  the  second  century,  joiced. 
Ireland  sent  forth  the  famous  St.  Ca- 


404  THE    HISTORY    OF   IRELAND. 

ing  monks  of  all  the  males  and  holy  nuns  of  the  females,  he  built 
numerous  monasteries,  and  assigned  the  tenth  portion  of  the 
lands  and  of  the  cattle  for  tlicir  support.'"-"  From  these  regula- 
tions, established  by  St.  Patrick,  it  came  to  pass  that  in  a  short 
time,  there  could  be  scarcely  found  any  corner,  desert  or  remote 
spot  that  was  not  full  of  saints  and  holy  persons.  Hence  it 
came  to  pass  that  amidst  the  nations  of  Christendom,  Ireland  got 
the  distinctive  title  of  the  Island  of  Saints. 

Nennius,  a  British  author,  speaking  of  St.  Patrick,  in  his 
History  of  Britain,  says,  that  "  he  founded  three  Imndred  and 
fifty-five  churches,  and  consecrated  an  equal  number  of  bishops ; 
and  that  of  priests  he  ordained  three  thousand. "^^ 

In  the  following  verse,  the  bard-hlstorian  exactly  agrees  with 
Nennius  as  to  the  number  of  bishops  ordained  by  our  Saint ; 

"  Five  and  fifty  learned  bishops 
That  holy  man  made  consecrate, 
With  three  hundred  men  of  prayer, 
On  whom  he  sacred  grades  conferred." 

Let  whomsoever  may  be  surprised  at  this  great  number  of 
bishops  in  Ireland,  contemporary  with  St.  Patrick,  read  what  St. 
Bernard  says,  in  his  life  of  St.  Malachias,  as  to  the  practice  in 
Ireland  with  regard  to  its  bishops.  He  there  says  that,  "  The 
bishops  are  changed  and  multiplied  at  the  will  of  the  metropoli- 
tan or  archbishop,  so  that  no  single  diocess  is  trusting  to  one,  but 
almost  every  church  has  its  own  proper  bishop. '"'^^  After  this 
statement  of  St.  Bernard,  no  one  can  ])e  astonished  at  the  number 
of  prelates  mentioned  above,  for  the  Church  was  then  in  its 
bloom.  The  number  of  bishops  there  mentioned  will  appear 
less  wonderful  upon  reading  our  domestic  records.  In  them  we 
find  that  every  deanery  in  Ireland  was  formerly  presided  over 
by  a  bishop. 

St.  Patrick  founds  the  Archiepiscopal  Sees  of  Armagh  and  Cashel. 

Our  annals  certif}^,  moreover,  that  St.  Patrick  consecrated  two 
archbishops  in  Ireland,  namely,  an  Archbishop  of  Armagh,  as 
Primate  of  Ireland,  and  an  Archbishop  of  Cashel.  The  Primate 
of  Armagh  presided  over  the  whole  Irish  Church,  l)ut  his  more 
especial  charge  Avas  over  the  churcli  of  Lctli  Cuinn.     The  Arch- 

■^    Omnes,   ergo,    mares    monachos,  pi   pro    libitu   metropolitani  ;     ita   ut 

faeminas  sanctas  moniales  efEcieiis,  nu-  unusepiscopatusnonunoessetcontentus, 

merosa     monastcria    ajdificavit,    deci-  sed    sini>-uhii    pene    ecclesia!,  siuguloa 

mamquc  portionem  tíírrarum  ac  pccu-  liabercnt  cpiscopos. 
dum,  eorum  sustcntationi  assignavit.  '■"  Eogan  and   Conall.    These  were 

'-•  Ecclcsias,  355  fundavit,  cpiscopos  both  brothers  of  the  monarch  Lacgari. 

ordinavit  eodem  numero  ;  pr&sbyteros  Tiiry  were  the  founders  of  the  famous 

autcm  usijuc  ad  tria  millia  ordinavit.  northern   tribes  of  the  Kinel   Eogain 

■■"  Mntantur  ct  multiplicantur  cpisco-  and  Kinel  Conaill. 


THE    HISTORY    OF   IRELAND. 


405 


bisliop  of  Casliel  had  the  immediate  government  of  Leth  Mogha, 
but  the  Primate  liad  proccdenee  of  him.  The  reason  of  tliis  ar- 
rangement was,  bceause,  in  St.  Patrick's  time,  the  soveregnty  of 
Ireland  was  in  the  possession  ofthcraceof  Erimhon,  Laegari,  son 
of  Niall,  being  king.  Hence  both  Eogan  and  ConalP^  and  the  other 
nobles  of  that  race,  who  had  received  baptism  from  Patrick,^* 
insisted  that  he  should  establish  his  primat'ial  see  in  their  own 
half  of  Ireland,  so  that  it  might  hold  a  spiritual  supremacy  over 
the  bishops  of  the  other  parts  of  Ireland,  just  as  they  themselves 
at  that  time  held  the  temporal  sovereignty.  The  race  of  Eber 
succeeded  in  getting  the  second  principal  church  established  in 
Leth  Mogha,  namely  that  of  Cashel,  because  they  had  the  sole 
right  to  rule  Leth-Mogha,  under  the  Irish  monarchs,  from  the 
days  of  Conn  of  the  Hundred  Battles  until  that  time. 

Hence  it  has  happened,  that,  in  the  ancient  annals  and  records 
of  Ireland,  the  Archbishop  of  Cashel  is  not  only  styled  the  Pri- 
mate of  all  Munster,  but  also  the  Primate  of  Leth  Mogha.^^ 

Another  assertion  made  with  respect  to  these  times  is  that 
Imlech-Iubair"''  {Imlagh  Yooir)  was  then  the  seat  of  an  archbishop. 
But  from  tiiis  we  can  only  understand,  that  the  archbishop  and 


'^*  "  Having  preached  through  all  the 
provinces,  and  filled  the  greater  part  of 
the  island  with  Christians  and  with 
churches,  St.  Patrick  saw  that  the  fit 
period  was  arrived  for  the  consolidation 
of  the  extensive  hierarchy  he  had  thus 
constructed,  by  the  establishment  of  a 
metropolitan  see.  In  selecting  the 
district  of  Macha  for  the  seat  of  the 
primacy,  he  was  influenced,  doubtless, 
hj  the  associations  connected  with  the 
place,  as  an  ancient  royal  residence — 
the  celebrated  palace  of  Eraania  (Em- 
hain  Macha)  having  stood  formerly  in 
the  neighborhood  of  the  eminence  upon 
which  Ard-Macha,  or  Armagh,  after- 
wards rose.  The  time  of  the  foundation 
of  this  See  has  been  variously  stated  ; 
but  the  opinion  of  those  who  place  it 
late  in  his  career,  besides  being  equally 
borne  out  by  evidence,  seems  by  far 
most  consonant  with  reason  ;  as  it  is 
not  probable  that  he  would  have  set 
about  establishing  a  metropolitan  see 
for  all  Ireland  until  he  had  visited  the 
various  provinces  and  ascertained  the 
progress  of  the  Gospel  in  each,  and 
regulated  according  their  ecclesiastical 
concerns." — Moore. 

The  foundation  of  Armagh  is  record- 
ed by  the  Four  Masters  in  the  following 


terms,  under  the  year  45*7 :  "  Ard- 
Macha  was  founded  by  St.  Patrick,  it 
having  been  granted  tc  him  by  Dari, 
son  of  Finneadh,  son  of  Eogan,  son 
of  Niallan.  Twelve  men  were  ap- 
pointed by  him  for  building  the  town. 
He  ordered  them  in  the  first  place  to 
build  an  archbishop's  city  there,  and  a 
church  for  monks,  for  nuns  and  for  the 
other  orders  in  general,  for  he  perceived 
that  it  would  be  the  head  and  chief  of 
all  the  churches  in  Ireland."  The  Dari 
here  mentioned  was  chief  of  the  district 
called  Crioch-na-n-Oirther,  now  the 
Oriors.  His  uncle.  Muredach,  was  the 
ancestor  of  the  O'Hanlons.  He  was  a 
descendant  of  Colla  Da-Orioch. 

'^  Prunate  of  Leth-Mogha,  ^x.  Soon 
after  St.  Patrick's  arrival  in  Munster, 
a  synod  was  called  at  Cashel,  at  which 
King  Aengus  Mac  Nadfraeich  presided. 
At  it  was  decreed  that  St.  Albi  should 
rank  as  a  second  Patrick,  and  patron 
and  Archbishop  of  Munster,  and  that 
St.  Declan  should  be  called  the  Patrick 
of  the  Desi,  and  their  chief  bishop. — 
O'Halloran. 

"'^  Iinlech  lubair,  i.  e.  the  Holm,  or 
Strath  of  the  Yew,  now  Emly,  on  the 
borders  of  Tipperary  and  Limerick. 
Ware   quotes  the  Life  of  St.  Declan 


406 


THE    HISTORY    OF    IRELAND. 


his  clergy  were  expelled  from  Casbel,  had  taken  refuge  for  some 
time  at  Ímlech-Iubair,  during  the  violent  oppression  which  the 
Northmen  for  a  while  exercised  over  Ireland,  Avhen  ]\laelsech- 
lainn,  son  of  ^laelruadna,  was  king  of  Meath,  NiallCalli,  king  of 
Ireland,  and  Olcubar,  son  of  Kinnaedh,  of  Munster,  and  when 
the  pirate  chieftain  Turgesius  tyrannized  over  the  comitry.  For 
it  was  not  more  likely  to  have  Forainian,  the  Piimate,  expelled 
from  Armagh,  with  his  clergy,  and  driven  into  exile  in  ^lunslcr, 
bv  that  Norwegian  tyrant,  than  for  the  Archbishop  of  Cashel, 
with  his  clergy,  to  have  been  driven  from  his  episcopal  seat  by 
the  same  Turgesius,  and  forced  to  fly  for  safety  to  Imlach-Iubair, 
which  was  then  surrounded  by  forests,  morasses  and  quagmires, 
and  to  have  remained  there  while  the  oppression  of  the  foreigners 
lasted. 

We  do  not  find,  then,  in  tlie  Irish  annals  that  there  were  any 
more  than  those  two  Archbishops,  above-mentioned,  in  Ireland, 
until  the  time  of  Cardinal  Johannes  Papirou,  who  came  to  Ire- 
land in  the  year  of  our  Lord  1152,  accompanied  by  Gilla-Criost 
O'Conari  (Gilchrist  O'Connery),  Bishop  of  Lismore,  who  was  the 
Pope's  legate  in  Ireland  at  that  time.  However,  in  that  year, 
a  general  council  of  the  Irish  Church  was  held   at  Kenanuus 

and  the  Life  of  St.  Ailbhé  (or  Aibi),  to 
show  that  i^mly  was  made  the  seat 
Archbishoprick  of  Munster  in  the  life- 
time of  Ht.  Patrick,  and  that  Albi  was 
constituted  archljishop. — O'lJ. 

In  early  times  the  titles  of  Bishop  of 
Cashel,  of  Ijcth  Mogha,  of  Munster  or 
of  Emly  may  have  been  indiscriminately 
applied  to  the  metropolitan  of  the 
southern  half  of  Ireland,  and  thus  led  to 
the  seeminf,'  contradiction,  for  which 
Dr.  Keating'  endeavors  to  account.  It 
was  so,  that  the  Kinjr  of  Ixith-Mofyha 
was,  likewise,  styled  King  of  Ca.shel 
or  of  Munster,  indifferently. 

"  St.  Patrick  having  preached  the 
Faith  through  Leinstcr,  and  settled 
bishops  therein,  entered  Munster  to- 
wards the  close  of  the  year  448,  for  he 
had  hitherto  put  offhis  visitation  of  that 
jjrijYJnce,  aware  that  his  ])rccursoi-8. 
Saints  Albi,  Declan,  Kiaran  and  Ibar 
had  made  good  ])rogress  in  that  princi- 
pality ;  and  so,  indeed,  they  had,  but 
the  conversion  of  Aengus,  its  king,  was 
reserved  for  St.  Patrick.  Hearing  of 
his  arrival  in  his  territories,  this  king 
went  out  with  joy  to  meet  him.  and 
brought  him  ti>  his  royal  city,  where 
both  himself  and  all  bis  family  were 


converted  and  baptized.  Upon  this, 
those  saints,  above-named,  visited 
Aengus  and  St.  Patrick,  and  they  lield 
a  synod  together  at  Cashel,  where  they 
made  rules  for  the  government  of  the 
Church.  But  the  holy  men  had  almost 
separated  on  account  of  some  disputed 
points.  Saints  Albi,  Kiaran,  Declan 
and  Ibar  derived  their  commissions 
from  the  same  source  as  St.  Patrick 
liimself,  and  had  ])recoded  him  in  point 
of  time.  They  were,  therefore,  reluc- 
tant to  yield  obedience  to  liis  legatine 
authority.  After  some  demur,  the 
three  first  were  induced  to  submit,  but 
Jbar,  with  some  olistinacy,  adhereil  to 
his  opinion,  not  Milling  that  any  but  a 
native  of  Jreland  i-hould  be  acknowledg- 
ed as  its  patron  saint.  However,  even 
he  was  at  last  prevailed  upon  to  submit, 
out  of  regard  to  the  great  labors  of  St. 
Patrick,  and  his  extraordinary  success. 
Thediocess  of  Emly  was,  in  this  synod, 
conferred  upon  St.  Albi ;  St.  Declan 
was  made  bishop  of  Ardmore  (in  Water- 
ford);  St.  Kiaran  ofSaighir  (now  Seirk- 
ieran,  in  Kly-()-(,'arroll,i\ing"s  County); 
and  St.  Ibar  of  Beg-Kri  (now  Begery, 
an  island,  close  to  the  land,  in  Wexford 
Haven)." — Life  of  St.  Patrick. 


THE    HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  407 

(Kclls),  in  Meatli,  and  at  it  arclibishops  were  appointed  and  con- 
secrated for  Dublin,  and  Tuam,  and  then  it  was  that  each  of  these 
archbishops  received  the  pallium,  as  I  shall  state  hereafter,  upon 
the  authority  of  the  annals  compiled  at  Chrain-Aidnech. 

Conversion  of  Aengus,  son  of  Nadfraech,  King  of  Munster. 

In  the  reign  of  Laegari,  son  of  Niall,  while  Patrick  was  sowing 
the  Faith  in  Ireland,  the  principality  of  Munster  was  ruled  by 
Aengus,  son  of  Nadfraech.  Upon  Patrick's  entering  his  dominions 
to  preach  therein,  this  Prince  came  to  Magh-Femiienn,  in  the 
northern  Desi,  to  welcome  the  holy  man.  Thence  he  brought 
him  to  his  royal  residence  of  Caisel  (Cashel),  situated  in  that 
part  of  the  Eoganacht  territory  which  is  now  called  Trian- 
Medonach  (Middletherd).  The  event  is  thus  related  in  an  old 
Latin  life  of  the  saint,  which  has  fallen  into  our  hands :  "  But  as 
he  was  entering  Momonia,  the  king  of  that  country,  Aengus  Mac 
Nadfraeich,  came  to  meet  him  on  the  plain  of  Femhenn,  in  the 
land  of  Desi,  and  led  him  joyfull}'  into  his  royal  city,  by  name 
Caisel,  in  the  region  of  Eoganacht;^'  and  there  King  Aengus  be- 
lieved and  was  baptized."'*  In  the  same  place  it  is  told  that  Patrick 
thrust  the  pointed  end  of  his  staff  through  the  foot  of  Aengus 
upon  that  occasion.  The  fact  is  thus  related :  "  As  Patrick 
stood  up  and  was  giving  his  benediction^"  to  the  king  in  a  stand- 
ing posture,  the  point  of  his  holy  staff  was  fixed  in  the  royal 
foot."  It  must  be  understood  from  this,  that  it  was  not  through 
the  foot  of  Eogan,  son  of  Niall,  the  King  of  Ulster,  that  Patrick 
thrust  the  spear  of  his  pastoral  stafí^,  but  through  that  of  Aengus, 
son  of  Nadfraech,  King  of  Munster.  With  this  account,  even 
one  of  the  learned  antiquaries  of  Leth  Cuin,  namely,  Torna,  son 
of  Muiris  0  Macl-Conari  (Maurice  O'Mulconry,  or  Conry),  fully 
agrees,  in  the  poem  which  begins  with  the  line  :  "  The  bishop's 
blessing^"  on  Eber's  seed."     The  following  are  his  words  : 

"  Eoganacht.  The  several  territories  that  the  following  are  the  words  nsed  by 

possessed  by  the  descendants  of  Eogan  the  figure  seen,  as  Keating  has  already 

Mor,  eldest  son  of  Olild  Olura,  were  told  us,  by  the  herdsmen  Durdari  and 

called  by  this  name.     The  word  is  pro-  Kilarn,  in   the  reign  of  Core,  son  of 

nounced  O'U'enag/ii.  Lugaidh,  when,  "  with  a  voice  sweeter 

^  Dum  vero  in  Momoniam  proficis-  than  the  angular  harp,"  it  blessed  the 

ceretur,  venit  obviam  ei  rex  Momoniae,  hill  and   place  ;    and,   predicting    the 

Aengus   Mac   Xadfraeich,    in    campo  arrival  of  St.  Patrick,  it  said  : 

Feirain,  in  terra  de  Deisse  eumque'duxit  "Good,  good,  good,  the  man  who  snail  rale 

gaudens  in  cioilalem  regalem,  nomine      w  n"?^*"'' •  v*       i    ■   *v  #*,    r.     ^ 

ri--i         „      i.  •  -ii  ,,         Waking  rghteonsly  in  the  name  or  the  Great 

Caisiol,  quíE  est  ni  regione  Eoganacht,  Fatber, 

ibique  credidit  rex  Aengus  et  bantizatus      And  of  the  Son  of  the  Yirfrin, 

■     „  X        T-.   1   •   •  -A.  comely,  fireat,  frood  bisliop, 

Oumque  sanctus  fatricius  regem     child  of  life  unto  judcment, 

Staudo  benedixisset,  CUSpis  baculi  sancti       ^^  ^liall  the  noblo  Angelic  Erl 

in  nwlp  TPo-ia  fivi  P«t  "^'*^  people  of  each  order,  of  various  grades, 

in  pecle  leglS  nxa  est  To  gg^ve  Christ  the  benign." 

=°  We  are  told  in  the  Book  of  Righta, 


408  THE   niSTORY    OF   IRELAND. 

"Through  tlic  foot  of  Aengus— dire  the  wound — 
The  point  of  Patrick's  staff  was  thrust  : 
And  the  floor  was  flooded  with  his  blood — 
The  fact  is  now  no  whispered  tale." 

This  Aengus  had  twenty  sons  and  as  many  daughters.  Of 
these  he  bestowed  twelve  of  the  sons  and  twelve  of  the  daughters 
to  God  and  to  Patrick.  Aengus,  likewise,  ordained  that  St. 
Patrick  should  receive  a  capitation  tax  from  his  people,  to  wit : 
a  sgrebal,  or  three  pence,  from  every  person  that  received  bap- 
tism in  Munster.  This  tax  was  paid  in  the  following  manner, 
namely :  five  hundred  sheep,  five  hundred  pieces  of  linen,  five 
hundred  pieces  of  cloth,  five  hundred  balls  of  ii'on,  to  be  given 
every  third  year  from  the  kings  of  Munster  to  the  comharba 
{coarba),  or  successor,  of  St.  Patrick.  This  rent  continued  to  be 
paid  down  to  the  time  of  King  Cormac,  son  of  Culinan.  It  is 
also  found  in  the  Red  Book  of  Mac  Aedagain,  that  this  Aengus, 
son  of  Nadfraech,  maintained  two  bishops,  ten  priests  and 
seventy -two  young  clerks,  as  part  of  his  household,  whose  busi- 
ness it  was  to  say  mass,  and  to  pray  to  God  continually. 

Si.   Patrick  in   Connaught. — The  sons'^  of  Brian,  son  of  Eocaidh 
Muigh-medon. — The  Saint  gives  his  blessing  to  Duach  Galach."^ 

It  was  while  St.  Patrick  was  planting  the  Faith  in  Ireland, 
and  during  the  reign  of  Laegari  Mac  Neill,  that  the  twenty-four 
sons  of  Brian,  son  of  Eocaidh  Muigh-medon,  flourished  in  Con- 
naught,  for  they  were  the  contemporaries  of  the  monarch  Lae- 
gari. As  St.  Patrick  was  proceeding  on  his  mission,  blessing 
Ireland  as  he  went  along,  he  arrived  in  their  country,  and  he 
went  to  visit  the  man  of  these  brothers  who  was  their  chief ; 
Ecchen  was  his  name.  When  this  man  saw  the  saint  ap- 
proaching, he  mounted  his  horse,  and  commenced  to  lash  him 
with  his  whip,  and  commanded  his  brothers  to  do  the  same 

"  The  figure  which  appeared  there  was  St.  Patrick.  0 'Flaherty  tells  us,  that 
Victor,  the  angel  of  I'atrick,  prophesy-  even  the  fierce  I^cchen  himself  eventually 
ing  his  coming,  and  that  the  grandeur  received  the  Faith.  Most  of  the  ruling 
and  supremacy  of  Ireland  would  be  for  Scotic  septs  of  Connauglit  were  sprung 
ever  in  that  place.  Accordingly,  the  from  the  twenty-four  sons  of  Brian, 
town  is  a  metropolis  to  i'atrick,  and  a  Notwithstanding  the  unpromising  ro- 
chief  city  to  the  king  of  l'>i  ;  and  the  ception  mentioned  above,  St.  Patrick's 
tribute  and  service  of  the  men  of  Eri  preacliing  in  Connaught  was  crowned 
are  always  due  to  the  Idng  of  that  place,  with  the  fullest  success. 
i.  e  Caisel,  through  the  l)lessing  of  ^'  Duack  Galacli.  This  youth's  de- 
Patrick,  son  of  Alplann." — Leobliar  na  scendants  did  eventually  become  the 
g-Ceort.  royal  race  of  Connaught.  From  him 
*  The  Sons,  Ifc.  Of  these  sons,  came  the  O'Connors,  O'Eeillics,  O'Rua- 
ecveral  were  afterwards  baptized   by  ires,  O'Flaherties,  &c. 


THE  HISTORY  OF   IRELAJSTD.  409 

thing,  telling  them  to  show  no  leniency  to  the  clerk.  The  lat- 
ter did  as  he  told  them,  except  the  youngest,  whose  name  was 
Duach  Galach.  This  youth  remained  afoot,  and  went  to  meet 
the  holy  man,  whom  he  welcomed,  and  to  whom  he  paid  respect 
and  honor.  After  this,  St.  Patrick  went  forward  into  the  cliief- 
tain's  presence,  and  demanded  of  him  if  he  were  not  Ecclicn  ; 
"  For  if  thou  art,"  said  he,  "  I  deprive  both  thee  and  thy 
brothers,  who  are  here  with  thee,  of  good  fortune  and  kingly 
power,  with  the  exception  of  that  youth  who  has  shown  kind- 
ness to  me,  and  given  me  honor,  for  my  Lord's  sake.  And  the 
youth  then  said :  "  If  I  were  either  chieftain  or  king,  I  would 
do  the  will  of  Patrick."  "If  so,"  said  Patrick,  "I  give  thee  a 
blessing — thou  shalt  yet  be  a  king  thyself,  and  the  kingdom  of 
Connaught  shall  be  possessed  by  thy  children  after  thee." 

I  have  before  shown,  that  Patrick  arrived  in  Ireland  in  the 
four  hundred  and  thirty -first  year  after  the  birth  of  Christ,  and 
in  the  fourth  year  of  the  reign  of  Laegari,  son  of  Niall,  and  that 
he  spent  sixty-one  years  therein,  previous  to  his  death.  "  By  add- 
ing together  these  numbers,  it  will  be  seen  that  he  died  in  the 
year  of  our  Lord  four  hundred  and  ninety-two.  It  was  in  testi- 
mony of  this  that  the  shannachie  composed  the  following  rann : 

"  Since  Christ  was  born^  (the  reckoning's  clear), 
Four  hundred  years  had  passed  and  ninety, 
And  two  years  besides,  full  told, 
When  died  our  chief  Apostle,  Patrick." 

"  Since  Christ  was  horn,  ^c.  The  under  457.  There  is  documentary 
great  age  which  the  ancient  rann  here  evidence  to  show  who  the  Sen-Pha- 
cited,  and  which  nearly  all  our  records  traicc  there  mentioned  was.  In  the 
would  assign  to  the  Irish  apostle,  poem  of  Flann  of  the  Monastery,  as 
Patrick,  or  Patricius,  sou  of  Calphur-  preserved  in  the  Book  of  Lecan, 
nius,  has  been  disputed  by  some  modern  which  records  the  names  of  the  mem- 
antiquarian  critics.  Mr.  Moore  con-  bers  of  St.  Patrick's  household,  this 
jectures  that  he  died  in  465,  in  the  Sen-Phatraicc  is  called  Cend  a  Shruithi 
78th  year  of  his  age.  However,  there  Senorach,  i.  e.  "  the  Chief  of  St.  Palm- 
are no  valid  grounds  for  disputing  the  rick's  Seniors."  Then  the  Feilire,  or 
age  attributed  to  him  by  the  ancient  Festiology,  of  Aengus  Cell  De,  a  most 
historic  documents  of  Ireland.  One  venerable  authority,  tells  us,  that  Sen- 
hundred  and  twenty-two  years,  though  Phatraicc  was  the  tutor  of  our  national 
a  very  uncommon,  is  by  no  means  saint.  It  is,  indeed,  not  unlikely  that 
either  an  improbable  or  an  unexampled  there  was  more  than  one  person  digni- 
duration  for  human  existence.  Several  fied  with  the  patrician  title  amongst 
examples  could  be  cited,  where  men  the  Roman  ecclesiastics,  of  whom  the 
had  lived  to  about  that  age,  even  in  son  of  Calphurnius  was  the  head,  and 
modei-n  times.  Those  historians  think  that,  thus,  the  hypercritics  were  afford- 
that  it  is  St.  Patrick  the  Apostle's  ed  a  handle  for  their  doubts  of  the 
death  that  is  recorded,  as  that  of  Sen-  veracity  of  the  Irish  annals  in  recording 
Fha.traicc  {Shan-Pliaudrig),\.  e.  Senex  the  time  of  the  apostle's  death.  Suc- 
Patricius,  or  Old  Patrick,  under  the  catius,  or,  as  the  Irish  call  it,  Succath, 
year  454,  by  some,   and  by  others,  was   St.    Patrick's    baptismal    name. 


410 


THE    HISTORY   OF   IREL^VND. 


"We  read  in  the  lives  of  St.  Patrick,  that  he  spent  the  sixty- 
one  years  passed  in  Ireland  in  the  constant  propagation  and 
preaching  of  the  Gospel,  performing  miracles,  doing  good  works 
nnd  showing  the  power  of  God.  Of  him,  a  certain  author  has 
said : 

"  For  three  score  years  and  one, 
(Few  are  they  that  will  not  marvel,) 
In  Eri,  with  many  works, 
Did  Patrick  live,  and  preach  the  Gospel." 

And  to  whomsoever  may  assert,  that  this  verse  is  not  found 
in  the  Life  of  St.  Patrick,  I  make  known,  that  I  have  read  in 
venerable  historic  records,  that  there  were  not  less  than  sixty- 
four  Lives  \vritten  of  our  apostle,  and  that  each  of  them  was 
written  independently  of  the  others.  For  this  reason,  it  is  not 
to  be  wondered  at,  if,  in  some  of  these  lives,  we  meet  with  mira- 
cles, and  other  facts,  which  are  not  to  be  found  in  the  rest. 

Expurgation^*  of  the  Pagan  Records. 

It  was  while  Laegari  was  king,  that  Dubthach  O'Lugair,"  Fergus 
the  Poet,   and  Rosa,    son  of  Tirchim,  submitted  the    Senchas, 


^^^lcn  he  was  consecrated  bishop  by  St. 
Germanus,  he  had  it  changed  to 
Magonius ;  but  it  was  not  until  the 
Pope,  St.  Colestinus  III.,  had  selected 
him  for  the  Irish  apostlcship,  that  he 
received  the  title  of  Patricias,  which 
meant  nobleman  of  the  Roman  empire. 
It  had  been  originally  a  title  of  heredit- 
ary nobility,  instituted  by  Piomulus, 
which  none  could  claim  but  the  mem- 
bers of  certain  privileged  families  of 
ancient  Rome.  During  the  decline  of 
the  Roman  power,  the  emperors  arro- 
gated to  themselves  the  right  of  con- 
ferring it  upon  whom  they  pleased,  and 
it  became  a  title  of  honor,  wherewith 
high  dignitaries  of  State  were  ennobled. 
The  popes  afterwards  acquired  the 
right  of  conferring  the  dignity.  As  it 
was  the  highest  and  most  distinguished 
title  of  nobility  then  known,  it  was 
eagerly  sought  after  by  the  princes  of 
those  barbarian  hordes  that  were  then 
dismemVjoring  the  Empire  of  the 
Cffisars,  and  it  must  have,  consequently, 
been  also  looked  upon  with  respect, 
and,  perhaps,  with  a  certain  degree  of 
sacred  awe,  by  the  Scotic  tribes  of 
North  Britain  and  Ireland,  for  they, 


too,  must  have  now  known  its  import- 
ance. This  will  account  for  the  wise 
policy  of  St.  Cclcstinus  in  investing 
the  Bishop  Magonius  with  so  high 
dignity,  preparatory  to  his  mission  to 
the  Irish  nation. 

^'  Expurgation,  ifc.  "  The  first  object 
of  their  care  was  to  purge  the  old  ar- 
chives of  all  that  regarded  heathen  wor- 
ship ;  it  being  considered  the  surest  way 
for  the  truth  of  Revelation  to  abolish  all 
traces  of  the  hitherto  prevailing 
superstition.  On  this  occasion,  we 
arc  told,  that  near  two  hundred  vol- 
umes of  our  ancient  literature  were 
condemned,  and  committed  to  the 
flainc.-;,  to  the  eternal,  1  will  not  say 
just,  regret  of  j)osterity.'' — Transaction 
of  the  Giiclic  Hdcictij. 

"  Diibthdch  O'Lugair.  He  was  the 
Arch-P^et  of  Ireland,  in  his  day,  and 
the  first  convert  made  by  St.  Patrick 
upon  his  arrival  at  Temhair.  The 
apostle's  first  arrival  at  the  Irish  capi- 
tal and  the  conversion  of  Dubthach  are 
thus  described  by  Mr.  Moore  :  "  On 
their  arrival  at  Slane,  the  saint  and  his 
coinjianions  pitched  their  tents  for  the 
night,  and  as   it  was  the  eve  of  the 


THE   HISTORY   OF  IRELAND. 


411 


that  is,  the  Historic  Tradition  of  the  countiy,  to  St.  Patrick,  in  order 
to  have  it  purified  and  approved  of  by  that  saint.  From  this  it 
came,  that  Laegari  was  induced  to  call  a  general  convention, "*  at 
which  the  kings,  clei'gj  and  bard-sages  of  Ireland  were  assembled 
together,  for  the  purpose  of  rectifying  the  said  national  records. 
When  this  convention  had  met,  its  members  selected  nine  of 
their  number  for  the  duty,  to  wit :  three  kings,  three  bishops 
and  three  ollainhs.  The  three  kings  were,  Laegari,  son  of  Niall, 
King  of  Ireland  ;  Dari,  King  of  Ulster ;  and  Core,"  son  of  Lu- 
gaidh,  King  of  Munster ;  the  three  bishops  were,  Patrick,  Bcnen, 
and  Cairnech;  the  three  ollamhs,  or  doctors  of  history  were, 
Dubthach,  Fergus  and  Posa,  son  of  Tirchim.  By  these  nine,  the 
traditions  were  purified  and  set  in  order.  It  is  the  work  which 
resulted  from  their  labors,  that  is  now  called  the  Senchas  Mor,'^ 


festival  of  Easter.lighted  at  niglitiall  the 
paschal  fire.  It  happened  that  ou  the 
same  evening,  the  monarch  Laegari  and 
the  assembled  princes  were,  according 
to  custom,  celebrating  the  festival  of  La 
Bealtinne,  and,  as  it  was  a  law  that  no 
fires  should  be  lighted  on  that  night,  till 
the  great  pile  in  the  palace  of  Tara  was 
kindled,  the  paschal  fire  of  St.  Patrick, 
on  being  seen  from  the  heights  of  Tara, 
before  that  of  the  monarch,  excited  the 
wonder  of  all  assembled.  To  the  angry 
inquiries  of  Laegari,  demanding  who 
could  have  dared  to  violate  thus  the 
law,  his  Magi  or  Druids  are  said  to  have 
made  answer  :  '  This  fire  which  has 

XOW  BEEX  KINDLED  BEFORE  OUR  EYES, 
UNLESS  EXTINGUISHED  THIS  VERY  NIGHT, 
WILL  NEVER  BE  EXTINGUISHED  THROUGH- 
OUT  ALL  TIME.      Moreover,   it   will 

TOWER  ABOVE  ALL  THE  FIRES  OF  OUR 
ANCIENT  RITES  ;  AND  HE  WHO  LIGHTS  IT, 
WILL  ERE  LONG  SCATTER  YOUR  KINGDOM.' 

Surprised  and  indignant,  the  monarch 
instantly  dispatched  messengers  to 
summon  the  offender  to  his  presence  ; 
the  princes  seated  themselves  in  a 
circle  upon  the  grass  to  receive  him, 
and  on  his  arrival,  one  alone  among 
them,  Here,  the  sou  of  Dego,  im- 
pressed with  reverence  by  the  stran- 
ger's appearance,  stood  up  to  salute 
him.  That  they  heard  with  com- 
placency, however,  his  account  of  the 
object  of  his  mission,  appears,  from 
his  preaching  at  the  palace  of  Tara,  on 
the  following  day,  in  the  presence  of 
the  Kmg,  and  the  States-General,  and 


maintaining  an  argument  against  the 
most  learned  of  the  Druids,  in  which 
the  victory  was  ou  his  side.  It  is 
recorded  that  the  only  person  who, 
upon  this  occasion,  rose  to  welcome 
him,  was  the  Archpoet,  Dubthach,  who 
became  his  convert  on  that  very  day, 
and  devoted  thenceforth  his  poetical 
talents  to  religious  subjects  alone.  The 
monarch  himself,  too,  while  listening  to 
the  words  of  the  apostle,  is  said  to  have 
exclaimed  to  his  surrounding  nobles, 
'  It  is  better  that  I  should  believe  than 
die  ;'  and,  appalled  by  the  awful  de- 
nouncements of  the  preacher,  to  have  at 
once  professed  himself  a  Christian." — 
As  will  be  hereafter  seen,  it  is  doubtful 
whether  Laegari  was  ever  really  con- 
verted from  idolatry. 

^  General  Convention,  ifc.  The 
Four  Masters  record  this  convention 
as  having  been  held  in  A.D.  438,  being 
the  10th  year  of  Laegari's  reign,  and 
the  6th  of  St.  Patrick's  mission. 

^  Core.  He  could  not  have  been 
one  of  the  number,  for  he  must  have 
been  dead  long  previous  to  this  reign. 
He  was  the  grandfather  of  Aengus,  the 
King  of  Munster,  converted  by  St. 
Patrick. 

=^  Senchas  Mor.  There  are  frag- 
ments, said  to  be  of  this  work,  still 
extant  in  the  manuscript  library  of 
Trinity  College,  Dublin.  Some  hold 
that  the  work  so  called  was  a  mixed 
compilation  of  laws  and  history  ;  but 
some  of  the  ablest  of  modern  Irish 
antiquaries   hold  that  it  was  a  body 


412  THE  HISTORY   OF  IRELAND. 

that  is,  the  Great  Tradition.  The  poem  comniencing  with  the 
words,  "Amirghin  Gluin-ghcl,"  that  is,  "Amirgin  the  AVhite- 
kneed,"  bears  testimony  to  this  event,  as  may  be  seen  by  the 
following  verses : 

"  Nine  sages  framed  the  Seuchas-Mor, 
And  with  stern  justice  set  aside 
The  falsehood  of  all  Heathen  myths, 
"When  tested  by  their  hallowed  lore. 

"  Patrick,  Benen,''  Cairnecli  just, 
Laegari,  son  of  mighty  Niall, 
The  poet,  Fergus,  of  bright  smile, 
And  Dari,  King  of  Uladh. 

"  The  King  of  Mumha,  without  stain, 
Core,  son  of  red-handed  Lugaidh  ; 
And  Ros  Mac  Tirchim,  skilled  in  language, 
Was  there,  with  wise  Dubthach  O'Lugair. 

*  These  sages  failed  not  in  their  task  ; 
The  truthful  Senchas  they  arranged  ; 
Correcting  it  with  judgment  meet, 
From  age  to  age  since  Amirghin." 

Then,  when  the  Senchas  had  been  thus  purified,  the  Irish 
nobles  decreed  that  it  should  be  given  into  the  charge  of  the 
prelates  of  the  Irish  Church.  These  prelates  gave  orders  to  have 
it  copied  out  in  their  j^rincipal  churches.  Some  of  the  old 
books  so  written,  or  rescripts  of  them,  survive  to  the  present 
day,  such  as  the  Book  of  Armagh,  the  Psalter  of  Cashel,  the 
Book  of  Glendaloch,  the  Book  of  Ua  Congbala,  the  Book  of 
Clonmacnois,  the  Book  of  Fintann  of  Cluaiii  Aidnech,  the  Yel- 
low Book  of  Moling,  and  the  Black  Book  of  Molaga.  Thence- 
forward, in  order  that  no  injustice  should  be  done  to  any  of  the 

of  laws  solely,  and  tliat  it  was  it  that  named  Sescnen,  at  whose  house  St. 
was  otherwise  called  the  Cain  Phadraig  Patrick  had  staid,  when  journeying 
or  Patrick's  Law  ;  of  which  it  was  towards  Temhair  for  the  first  time, 
said,  that  no  individual  Brchon  of  the  On  that  occasion,  Bescnén  and  his 
Gaels  has  dared  to  abrogate  anything  whole  family  were  converted  ;  and  his 
found  in  it.  It  is,  however,  (juite  as  son,  a  boy,  to  whom  St.  Patrick  gave 
reasonabk:  to  conclude  that  the  work  the  name  Benignus,  became  so  much 
likewise  contained  historic  records,  as  attached  to  the  saint,  that  he  insisted 
Dr.  Keating  relates.  upon  going  along  with  him.  He 
^  Benen.  This  was  St.  Bencn,  or  afterwards  became  a  distinguished 
Benignus,  the  original  author  of  the  missionary,  and  was  deputed  to  various 
celebrated  Book  of  Rights.  He  was  of  parts  of  Ireland,  which  St.  Patrick 
a  Munster  family,  settled  in  the  plain  could  not  visit  in  person.  He  became, 
of  Breágh,  near  Temhair,  and  desccnde<l  in  a  special  manner,  the  patron  of  Con- 
from  the  famous  champion  'J'a<lg,  son  naught.  St.  Jk'nen  eventually  suc- 
ofKian,  son  of  Olild  Olum.  We  are  ceeded  his  spiritual  father  as  Arch- 
told  that  his  father  was  a  noblemaa  bishop  of  Armagh. 


THE   niSTOKY   OF   IPwELAND.  413 

Irish  nobility,  the  substance  of  all  the  records  contained  in  any 
of  these  books,  -was  kept  in  the  Psalter  of  Temhair,  as  I  have 
heretofore  stated,  in  treating  of  King  Cormac,  son  of  Art, 
an  1  they  were  scrutinized  and  sanctioned  at  the  Feis  Temrach, 
or  general  convention  of  the  nation,  held  at  Temhair  every 
third  year. 

Heathen  Writers  of  Ancient  Ireland. 

In  Pagan  times,  our  principal  historic  authors,  from  time  to 
time,  were  Amirghin  Glun-ghel,  son  of  Miledh  of  Spain ;  Sen,  the 
son  of  Ughi,  Brighitt  {Breeyith),  an  authoress,  from  whom  is 
derived  the  common  expression  "Briathra  Brighdi,"  {Breehra 
Breedie,)  that  is,  the  Sayings  of  Brighitt ;  Connla  Caein-brethach 
that  is,  of  mild  judgment,  a  Connaught  sage  ;  Senchan,  son  of 
Cul,  and  Factna,  his  son ;  Senchan,  son  of  Olild ;  Morann,  the 
son  of  Maen ;  Fergus,  of  Fianuait,  in  Kiarraide  Luachra  (Kerry) ; 
Ferkertni,  the  Poet;  Neidi,  son  of  Adna;  Athirni  Amhnas;  Fergus, 
the  Poet,  son  of  Athirni ;  Nera,  son  of  Finncoll ;  Sedamas,  son  of 
Morann ;  Feradach  the  Just,  a  royal  author  upon  wisdom ; 
Fithil ;  Fergus  the  Poet ;  Dubthach  O'Lugair  ;  and  Rosa,  son  of 
Tirchim,  It  was  these  three  last-mentioned  that  brought  the 
Senchas  to  St.  Patrick,  and  submitted  it  to  be  examined  and 
expurgated  by  him. 

In  Pagan  times  no  person  could  hold  the  rank  of  Ollamh-re 
senchas,  or  doctor  of  history,  who  had  been  once  discovered  to 
have  falsified  a  single  fact.  In  like  manner,  no  person  could  hold 
the  rank  of  Breithemh,  that  is  of  doctor  of  law,  or  judge,  who  had 
once  given  corrupt  judgment.  In  those  times  of  Paganism, 
some  of  them  were  under  religious  prohibitions  called  Gesa. 
Whenever  Sen,  the  son  of  Ughi,  delivered  a  partial  judgment, 
blisters  burst  forth  over  his  right  cheek,  and  when  his  judgment 
was  just,  his  cheek  remained  smooth.  Connla  of  Mild  Judgments 
never  delivered  a  partial  sentence,  for  he  was  a  just  man,  accord- 
ing to  the  light  of  nature.  Senchan,  the  son  of  Cul,  never  gave 
a  false  judgment,  without  having  fasted  three  nights  before. 
Whenever  his  son,  Factna  the  Wise,  gave  a  false  judgment,  if 
it  were  in  the  harvest,  the  fruit  of  the  district  where  he  rested 
that  night  iell  to  the  earth  ;  but  if  his  judgment  were  true,  then 
the  fruit  remained  on  the  trees.  But  if  the  trees  were  in  blos- 
som when  he  gave  the  false  judgment,  the  cows  of  the  district 
slung  their  calves  !  Morann,  the  son  of  Maen,  never  gave  judg- 
ment without  his  Idh  Morainn,  that  is,  Morann's  Collar,  round  his 
neck.  I  have  already  stated  that  this  collar  used  to  squeeze 
tightly  round  his  throat,  Avhen  he  was  about  to  deliver  an  un- 
just decree.     Thus  it  was  with  many  other  Pagan  authorities. 


13:14  THE   HISTORY    OF   IRELAND. 

These  gesa  prevented  them  from  either  corrupting  the  tradi- 
tions or  the  laws. 

From  what  I  have  now  said,  it  will  be  seen  that  the  records 
of  Ireland  are  as  credible  as  those  of  any  other  nation,  thus 
supported  by  the  writings  of  ancient  Pagan  authors,  and  invest- 
igated by  the  holy  clergy  and  prelates  of  the  Irish  Church. 

The  Feis  Temrach  held  by  King  Laegari — Palaces  of  Temhair- 
Arrangement  of  the  Grand  Convention. 

Laegari,  son  of  Niall,  convened  tliis  assembly,  according  to 
the  usage  of  his  predecessors,  for  tho  purpose  of  reforming  the 
customs  and  laws  of  his  kingdom,  at  the  general  convention  of 
the  nation.  When  the  nobles  and  ollamhs  of  Ireland  met 
together  on  such  occasions,  the  Ard-Righ,  or  Sovereign  King  of 
Ireland,  dwelt  with  his  household,  apart  from  the  rest,  in  the 
Hall  of  Mi-Cuarta,  which  was  specially  reserved  as  _  his 
royal  residence.  Besides  this,  each  of  the  provincial  kings 
had  a  royal  residence  appropriated  to  himself,  at  Temhair.  Thus 
the  King  of  Munster  had  the  Long-Muimnech  {Long-Mueenagh). 
Long  is  synonymous  with  fecA,  as  the  poet  shows  in  the  following 
saying :  "  Not  more  churlish  to  a  multitude  is  a  bad  house  {tech) 
without  inmates,  than  is  a  thronged  mansion  {long)^  And,  hence, 
comes  the  word  longphoy%  a  town„  i.  e.  a  port^  anglice,  a  fort,  or 
embankment,  on  or  within  which  there  are  houses,  i.  e.  longa. 
The  King  of  Leiuster  occupied  the  Long  Laighnech  {Long- 
Lognagh),  or  Leinster  House.  The  King  of  Connaught's  resi- 
dence was  called  the  CoLsir-Connactach  (Coshir-Connaghtagh), 
Connaught  Banquet-House.  The  King  of  Ulster  dwelt  in  the 
Echrais-^Ulladh  {Aghrish-  Ulla),  or  Ulster  House.  Besides  these, 
there  were  then  three  other  chief  buildings,  at  that  time,  at 
Temhair,  namely :  the  Oarcar-na-ngiall  {Carkar-nang-eeal\  the 
Stronghold  of  tlic  Hostages,  where  the  King  of  Ireland  kept  his 
prisoners ;  the  second  building  was  called  llclta-na-b-filedh  {Railla- 
na-villah),  that  is,  the  Star  of  the  Bards.  In  it  the  brehons, 
ollamhs  and  bards  lield  their  sitting,-,  and  here  fines  and  erics 
were  imposed  upon  those  who  violated  the  laws  and  customs  of 
the  nation.  The  third  building  was  the  Grianan-na-ninghen 
{Oeeanawn-nan-inneen)^  that  is  the  Palace,  or  House,  of  the 
Ladies,  The  provincial  queens  resided  in  this,  each  in  her  own 
private  apartments,  though  within  the  enclosure  of  the  building. 

But  when  the  whole  convention  met  to  originate  or  confirm 
laws  and  rules  for  the  nation,  it  held  its  sessions  in  the  Tech-mi- 
cuarta  (Tagh-mee-coorta),  which  was  their  hall  of  public  delibera- 
tion.    In  that  hall,  the  members  of  the  convention  sat  after  the 


THE   HISTORY   OF  IRELAND. 


415 


following  order  :  the  King  of  Ireland  sat  upon  his  throne  in  the 
centre  of  the  assembl}',  with  his  face  to  the  west ;  the  King  of 
Munster  sat  to  the  south  of  him,  for  the  ends  of  the  building 
faced  east  and  west ;  the  King  of  Leinster  sat  opposite  him  ;  the 
King  of  Connaught  behind  him,  and  behind  the  King  of  Con- 
naught,  again,  sat  the  Ollamhs  of  Ireland.  The  King  of  Ulster 
sat  at  the  King's  right  hand,  to  the  north  of  him.  A  number  of 
the  real  nobility  of  his  own  proper  Fifth  sat  near  each  of  these 
princes.  The  following  rhymes  have  been  composed  by  a  bard- 
historian  upon  the  above-mentioned  arrangement ; 

"  The  Muiistcrinen  sit  towards  iLe  south — 
This  doubtless  right  no  nmu  denies  ; 
The  Leinstcrmen,  strong  iu  their  might, 
Confront  the  Ard-righ,  face  to  face. 

"  Behind  the  king,  sit  Oonnacht's  men, 
Near  whom  the  truthful  Ollamhs  stay  ; 
There,  too,  the  King  of  Araide"  sits, 
In  his  own  wonted,  proper  seat. 


*"  King  of  Amide,  i  e.  of  Dal-Araide. 
By  this  is  meant  the  King  of  the  pro- 
vince Uladh,  or  Ulidia,  as  reduced  by 
the  encroachments  of  the  Oirghiallaigh. 
It  is  remarkable  that,  instead  of  the 
four  provincial  kings,  mentioned  in  Dr. 
Keating's  prose,  there  are  five  named  iu 
these  bardic  stanzas  ;  and  that,  amongst 
the  latter  five,  no  King  of  Uladh  is  men- 
tioned. We  also  find  the  King  of 
Araide,  who  represented  the  ancient 
Ulidian  Kings,  driven  out  of  his  pro- 
per place,  and  the  King  of  Oirghiall 
seated  therein.  This,  while  it  proves 
that  the  verses  were  written  subsequent 
to  the  dismemberment  of  Ulster  by  the 
Collas,  about  A.D.  331,  seems  also  to 
argue  that  it  M-as  written  previous  to 
the  establishment  of  the  Kingdom 
Ailech,  by  the  Northern  Ui  Ncill,  and 
the  supremacy  acquired  by  the  latter 
tribe  iu  Ulster.  The  arrangement 
given  down  in  the  prose  is,  indeed,  that 
which  was  the  usage  whilst  the  Clanna 
Rudraide,  of  the  line  of  Ir,  flourished  as 
lords  paramount  of  all  Ulster.  The 
Kings  of  Connaught  would  seem  to 
have  occupied  the  least  honored  place 
in  the  States-General,  perhaps  because 
the  supremacy  of  that  Fifth  was  latest 
wrested  from  the  Fcr-Bolgs,  by  the 
race  of  Milcdh. 

The    following    benediction,    pro- 


nounced by  St.  Patrick  upon  Ireland 
and  its  inhabitants,  is  found  in  the  Book 
of  Rights,  prefixed  to  the  tract  called, 
The  Privileges  of  the  King  of  Eri,  at 
Temhair : 

TRANSLATION. 

The  Blessing  of  God  upon  yon  all, 
Men  of  Eri,  sons,  women, 
And  daughters ;  princc-blessIng, 
Wcal-blcssing,  blessing  of  long-life, 
Health  blessing,  blessing  of  excellence, 
Eternal-blessing,  heaven  blessing, 
Cloud-blessing,  sea-blessing, 
Fruit-blessing,  land-blessing, 
Crop-blessing,  dew-b!essiug, 
Blessing  of  elements,  blessir-g  of  valor. 
Blessing  of  dexterity,  blessing  of  glory, 
Blessing  of  deeds,  blessing  of  honor, 
Blessing  of  happiness  be  upon  you  all 
Laics,  clerics,  -while  I  command 
Th    blessing  of  the  men  of  Heaven  ; 
It  13  my  bequest,  as  it  is  a  pecpetuai. 

BLESSING. 

ORIGINAL. 

BENBACifT  De  foraibh  nili, 

Foraibh  Erend,  macaibh,  mnalbh, 
8ceo  inghensibh,  fiaith-bhendacht, 
Bal-bhcndacht.  buan-bhcndacht, 
Slán-bhcndacht,  sAr-bhendacht, 
Sir-bhendacht,  bendacht  Kimhu, 
Nel-bhendacht,  bendacht  mar.i, 
Mese-bhendacht,  bendacht  (hire, 
Toradh-bhendacbt,  bendacht  driichta, 
Bendacht  daithi,  bendacht  gaili, 
Bendacht  gaiscidh,  bendacht  gotha, 
Bendacht  gniraha,  bend.acht  ordiin, 
Bendacht  I'lini,  foraibh  uili, 
Laechaibb.  clcirchibh,  ccin  forcongraldh, 
Bendacht  fcr  Nimhe; 
Is  iQO  ebert,  ós  Bnim-BHESDACHr. 


•Í16 


THE   HISTORY   OF  IRELAND. 


'  The  right  hand  of  strong  Temhair's  Bang, 
By  well-kuown  and  unquestioned  rule, 
Belongs  to  Oirghiall's  íavored  men, 
'Mongst  them  no  rival  claims  a  seat." 


It  was  over  Laegari,  son  of  Niall,  that  tlie  people  of  Leinster 
and  Crimthann,  son  of  Euna  Keunselach,  gained  the  battle  of  Ath 
Dara.**  The  king  was  made  prisoner  at  this  battle,  but  his 
enemies  set  him  at  liberty,  upon  his  giving  the  Sun,  Moon  and 
Stars  of  Heaven  as  guarantees  that  he  would  never  again  de- 
maud  the  Boromha  Laighen/"  or  Cow  Tribute  of  Leinster,  from 
them.  He,  however,  did  not  keep  his  oath.  Bat  in  vengeance 
for  his  perjury,  he  was  killed*'  by  lightning  at  Grellach-Dabail, 
near  the  Liffey.     Of  his  death  ;  a  poet  says  : 

"  Laegari,  son  of  Niall,  fell 
Near  Lifi's  stream  of  greenest  banks  ; 
God's  vengeful  elements,  provoked, 
,  His  doom  of  death  dealt  to  the  king." 

The  wife  of  Laegari**  was  Agneis,  daughter  of  a  chieftain  of  the 
Ui  Liathain ;  and  she  was  the  mother  of  Lugaidh,  son  of  Laegari, 


*'  Ath-Dara,  i.  e.  the  Ford  of  the 
Oak.  This  place  was  situated  on  the 
Eiver  Berba,  or  Barrow.  The  Four 
Masters  record  the  battle  as  having 
been  fought  A.D.  4.5T — the  year  of  the 
foundation  of  Armagh,  and  of  the 
death  of  Sen-Phatraicc,  the  chief  of  St. 
Patrick's  Seniors. 

■■'  Boromha  Laighen.  According  to 
the  historical  tract  which  takes  its 
title  from  this  tribute,  Laegari  violat- 
ed his  oath  in  two  years  and  a  half 
after  he  had  taken  it,  by  making  a 
f  )ray  into  Leinster,  where  he  seized  a 
prey  of  oxen,  at  Sidh-Nectain,  where 
the  Boyae  has  its  source  ;  "  but  as  he 
advanced  to  Cais  the  elements  of  God 
wreaked  vengeance  upon  him,  that  is, 
the  air  forsook  him,  the  sua  burned 
him,  and  the  earth  swallowed  him." 

*'■'  Laegari  Died,  ^c.  'I'here  is  every 
reason  to  conclude  tliat  Laegari  died  a 
Pagan.  In  his  notes  upon  the  Four 
Masters,  Dr.  O'Donovaii  tells  us,  on 
the  autliority  of  an  ancient  historic 
tract,  pressrved  in  the  Loabhar  na  h- 
Uidhri,  that  it  had  been  prophesied  to 
him,  that  he  would  come  by  his  death 
between  En  and  Alba  (Ireland  and 
Scotland),  for  which  reason  ho  (unlike 
his  father  Niall)  never  went  on  any 


naval  expedition.  But  when  he  went 
a  second  time,  without  regard  to  his 
oath,  with  a  great  army,  to  demand 
the  Borumha  Laighen,  and  had  reached 
Grellach-Daphill,  by  the  side  of  Caissi. 
in  Magh  Liphi,  between  two  hills 
called  Eri  and  Alba,  that  he  was  there 
slain  by  the  incensed  elements.  His 
body  was  carried  thence  to  Temhair, 
and  there  interred,  with  his  weapons 
upon  him,  in  the  south-east  of  the 
external  rampart  of  Rath-Laegari,  with 
his  face  turned  towards  the  Leinster- 
men,  as  if  fighting  them.  Laegari 
could  not  believe  in  the  Christian 
religion,  because  ho  had  made  a  pro- 
mise to  his  father  Niall  that  he  would 
not  swerve  from  Pagan  customs. 
"  For,"  said  that  king,  "  My  fatlior 
Niall  would  never  suffer  that  I  should 
believi?,  but  he  commanded  me  to  be 
buried  in  the  high  places  at 'IVmhair,  as 
if  in  the  midst  of  warriors  standing  up 
in  battle." 

*'  Lncgnri's  Wife,  ifc.  The  miracle 
introduced  in  this  place,  if  it  was  ever 
really  wrought,  is  told,  accompanied 
by  such  frivolous  and  unnecessary 
details,  that  it  has  all  the  appearance 
of  being  one  of  those  extravagant  fables 
with  which  story-tellers  have  disfigured 


THE   HISTORY  OF   IRELAND.  417 

whom  we  sliall  liercafter  find  on  the  Irish  throne.  This  ladj  did 
not  follow  her  husband's  example,  but  had  received  the  faith  from 
St.  Patrick.  Patrick,  on  one  occasion  came  to  visit  her,  attended 
bv  his  escort  of  priests.  The  queen  welcomed  them,  and  got  food 
prepared  for  them  ;  whereupon,  her  son  Lugaidh  commenced  to 
eat  of  it  ravenously.  While  he  was  thus  engaged,  a  piece  of 
meat  stuck  in  his  throat,  by  which  he  was  choked,  and  he  died  im- 
mediately. The  queen  screamed,  and  threw  her  son  upon  the 
protection  of  Patrick.  The  saint  then  retired  to  a  solitary  house, 
whither  he  ordered  the  child's  dead  body  to  be  brought  to  him.  He 
there  made  fervent  prayer  to  God,  and  remained  alone  with  the 
body  for  three  days  and  three  nights,  without  meat  or  drink.  On 
the  third  day,  the  archangel  Michael  came  to  him,  in  the  shape  of 
a  dove,  and  told  him  it  was  the  will  of  God  to  have  his  prayer 
granted,  and  the  child  restored  to  life.  The  dove  then  thrust 
its  bill  into  the  open  mouth  of  the  boy,  who  lay  upon  his  back, 
and  plucked  the  piece  of  meat  from  his  throat.  Then  the  boy 
Lugaidh  recovered  immediately,  and  the  dove  vanished  unper- 
ceived. 

When  the  queen  heard  that  her  son  was  alive  again,  she  came 
joyfully  to  Patrick,  and  knelt  at  his  feet  to  thank  him.  "  Prin- 
cess," said  he,  "it  is. not  to  me  thou  owest  thanks  for  thy  son, 
but  to  the  archangel  Michael,  who  has  restored  him  to  life."  He 
then  told  her  the  meaning  of  his  words.     When  she  had  heard 

the  lives  of  many  of  the  fathers  of  the  tian  missionaries  in  other  lands,   St. 

Irish  Church — seemingly  with  no  other  Patrick  might  have  applied  the  words 

object  than  the  amusement  of  the  igno-  of  the  Roman  conqueror  of  the  neigii- 

rant-vulgar.     Though  Dr.  Keating  has  boring  isle  of  Britain,  Veni,  Vidi,  Viri, 

transcribed   but   few   of  these  in   his  to  the  moral  conquest  which  he  achiev 

history,  he  has  still  introduced  but  too  ed  in  Pagan  Ireland.     The  apostle  is 

many  of  such  childish  and  incredible  scarcely  in  his  grave,  when  the  country 

tales.     If  it  did  please  the  Almighty  which    he    has  converted  is   already 

to   suspend   the    ordinary   routine   of  famed  throughout  Christendom  for  the 

natural  law,  in  order  to  facilitate  the  number  of  her  schools  of  piety  and 

labors  of  these  holy  men,  it  is  vain  for  learning  ;     famed  for  the  number  of 

us  to  search  for  the  workings  of  the  zealous  missionaries  she  has  sent  forth 

divine  hand  in  many  of  the  needless  to  teach  the  saving  truths  of  the  Gos- 

and    objectless  miracles,  recorded  in  pel  to   the  barbarian   conquerors  of 

many  of  those  romantic  compositions  Europe,  and  fomed,  also,  for  her  classic 

composed  by  Irish  story-teljers,  with  no  and   scientific   scholars  —  pioneers   of 

higher  object  than  that  of  many  of  the  that  civilization  that  was  destined  to 

novelists  of  modern    times— pastime,  succeed  the  effete  systems  of  Greece 

We  need  not,  indeed,  to  have  recourse  and   Rome.      Even  in   St.   Patrick's 

to  fabulous  narratives  in  order  to  form  lifetime,  the  Hibernian   Scot  Siedhuil 

an  estimate  of  the  wonderful  fruits  of  (Shiel),  called  in  Latin  Serfu/nis,  among 

the  labors  and  preaching  of  St.  Patrick  other  writings  of  merit,  was  the  author 

and  his  disciples.     It  may  be  learned  of  a  Latin  poem  (the  Paschale  Opus), 

from  the  almost  instantaneous  spring-  upon  the  life  of  Christ,  from  which  the 

ing  up  of  the  Irish  Church.  Compared  Catholic  Church  has  selected  some  of 

with  the  slow  progress  made  by  Chris-  her  most  beautiful  hymns. — See  Moore. 

27 


418  THE   HISTORY   OF  IRELAND. 

the  manner  in  ^Yllicl^  tlie  miracle  liad  been  performed,  she  took 
upon  herself  an  obligation,  to  bestow  a  sheep  out  of  every  flock 
she  owned,  and  a  portion  of  each  of  her  meals  to  the  God's 
poor,  every  year  she  lived,  in  honor  of  Michael  the  Archangel. 
She  also  instituted  the  same  practice  throughout  Ireland,  as  a 
custom  amongst  all  those  whom  Patrick  had  converted  to  the 
Faith.  From  this  event  arose  the  custom  of  the  Michaelmas 
sheep  and  the  Mir-Mhichaeil  {Meer-Veehail),  or  ^Michaelmas  Por- 
tion, which  is  observed  in  Ireland  down  to  the  present  day. 

OLILD   MOLT,    ARD-RIGH. 

A.D.  457.'''  Olild  Molt,-"  son  of  Dathi,  of  the  race  of  Erimhon, 
became  king,  and  ruled  Ireland  for  twenty  years.  Ilis  wife  was 
Uctdelb  {Ughdelve),  daughter  of  Aengus,  King  of  Ahmster.  He 
was  surnamed  Molt,  because  when  his  mother,  Ethni,  daughter 
of  Orach,  was  pregnant  of  him,  she  longed  for  the  flesh  of  a  wether, 
(called  molt  in  Irish).  For  this  reason,  when  he  was  born,  one 
of  her  attendant  ladies,  named  Fial,  daughter  of  Eocaidh,  gave 
him  the  surname  Molt.  It  was  in  the  reign  of  Olild  Molt,  that 
Amalgaidh,*'  sou  of  Fiachra,  son  of  Eocaidh  Muigh-medon,  King 
of  Connaught,  died,  after  a  reign  of  twenty  years.  In  it  also 
died  Muredach  Munderg,"*  son  of  Fergus,  son  of  Olild,  who  had 
ruled  Ulster  for  twelve  years.  The  Assembly  of  Temhair  was 
held  by  King  Olild  Molt. 

Assemhlies  of  Cruachain  and  Emhain. 

There  were  three  great  general  assemblies  of  the  States,  custom- 
ary in  Ireland  in  former  days,  namely:  the  Fcisof Temhair,^^  or 
Tara,  the  Feis  of  Cruachain'"  and  the  Feis  of  Emhain. 

"  A.  D.  459.     Four  Masters.  He  was  converted  by  St.  Patrick,  iu 

*"  Olild  IV.  The  silly  reason  given  person, 
for  his  surname  Molt  is  very  far-fetched  *"  Muredach  Munderg,  i.  e.  the 
and  unlikely.  If  the  word  has  had  no  Red-necked.  TTe  was  of  the  Dal  Fia- 
other  meaning  than  its  modern  one,  tiich  tribe,  and  died  in  479.  He  must 
wether,  the  son  of  Datlii  acquired  it,  not  be  confounded  Avith  Eocaidh  Muii- 
most  probably,  from  some  personal  remar,  i.  e.  the  Short-necked,  grand- 
peculiarity.  The  term  is  even  yet  father  of  Fergus  Mor  Mac  Eire  and  his 
sometimes  applied,  as  a  nickname,  to  brf»thers. 

persons  of  a  stout  and  compact,  but  '■'  Aiisemhlii  of  Temhair.  Two  asscm- 

rather   undersized   figure.     Thus  does  blies  of  the  Statos-( general  arc  spcci- 

Homer  compare  one  of  his  heroes  to  "  a  ally  recorded  during  this  reign — one 

thick-fleeced  ram."  in  4C3,  the  otlicr  in  46.").  Olild  appears 

"  AmaUraidh.  Ilis  death  is  recorded  to   have   been   a   wise    prince.      Hid 

in  the  Four  Masters,  under  A.  I).  449,  predecessor  having  evidently  died  an 

in  the  reign  of  Lacgari.     From  lilm  unljeliever,  he  may,  jicrhups.  l)e  con- 

Tir-Amhalghaidh,  now    Tirawlcy,   in  sidered   the   first   Christian   King   of 

Mayo,  has  its  name.     Amalgaidh  was  Ireland, 

the  first  Christian  King  of  Connaught.  "'  Fets  of  Cruachain  and  the  Feis  of 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


419 


We  have  heretofore  treated  of  the  affairs  transacted  at  the 
Feis  of  Temhair.  The  chief  business  done  at  the  two  latter  was 
the  examination  of  those  persons,  who  exercised  mechanical  or 
laborious  crafts  in  Ireland,  such  as  the  smiths,  carpenters,  or 
other  handicraftmen.  The  ollamhs  and  nobles,  assembled  at 
those  meetings,  were  wont  to  elect  sixty  persons  of  each  craft  out 
of  those  that  presented  themselves  on  these  occasions  ;  after  tliis, 
thej  assigned  to  each  man  his  own  distinct  district  of  Ireland, 
wherein  to  practice  his  calling  ;  but,  even  then,  it  was  not  law- 
ful for  him  to  practice  his  craft,  in  such  district,  without  having 
first  obtained  the  consent  of  the  Saei-re-ceird  {See-re-caird), 
or  Master  ^Mechanic  of  his  own  craft,  who  presided  over  the 
district  assigned  to  him ;  and  without  having  been  approved 
by  said  Master  ^Mechanic,  as  fully  competent  to  practice  his  craft, 
because  "  Bardcraft"  is  similar  to  Ilandicraft." 

The  Lebar  Iris  calls  Olild  Molt,  the  King  of  the  Scots.  It 
was  during  his  reign  St.  Benen,  or  St.  Benignus,  the  Comhorba 
or  successor  of  St.  Patrick,"  died.  It  was,  moreover,  in  his  time 
that  the  Scots  and  Picts  waged  war  against  Ambrosius,  King  of 
Britain.     Conall  Cremthanui^^  died  during  his  reign,  as  did,  like- 


Emhain.  These  must  not  be  confound- 
ed with  the  great  national  festivals  held, 
as  before  seen,  at  Tlactga,  Talti  and 
Uisnech.  The  aentaighe  (ainthee),  or 
fairs,  held  at  Emhain  and  Cruachain 
must  have  been  respectively  the  pro- 
vincial festivals  of  Ulster  and  Con- 
naught.  They  seem  improperly  intro- 
duced here,  in  so  much  as  Emhain  had 
been  destroyed  centuries  before  the 
present  reign,  and  the  former  glory  of 
the  line  of  Ir,  son  of  Miledh,  had  long 
passed  away.  Connaught,  too,  was  no 
longer  held  by  her  ancient  Belgic  kings. 
She  had  now  become  an  apponage  of 
the  race  of  Conn  of  the  Hundred 
Battles. 

•''  Bardcraft,  ifc  In  Gaelic, "  Is  inann 
din  is  ceird " — seemingly  an  ancient 
legal  maxim,  which  would  mean  that 
the  members  of  the  bardic  and  mechani- 
cal professions  were  governed  by  simi- 
lar laws. 

"  Comharba  of  St.  Patrick.  St 
Benen  had  succeeded  St.  Patrick  as 
Archbishop  of  Armagh,  upon  the  lat- 
ter saint's  retirement  from  that  see 
in  455.  The  Gaelic  word,  Comharba, 
means  ecclesiastical  successor.  As 
before  stated,  he  was  the  original  com- 


piler of  the  Book  of  Eights,  as  the 
following  verse  of  that  ancient  work 

testifies  : 

"  Benen— a  blessing:  on  the  man — 
Is  he  who  placed  in  Caisil's  Psalter 
The  rents  and  senchas  of  each  king, 
That  noblest  walks  the  land  of  Mumha." 

'"^  Conall  Cremtlianni,  the  brother 
of  Laegari,  and  the  ancestor  of  the 
royal  family  of  O'Mael-Sechlain,  or 
O'Melaghlin,  who  bore  the  tribe  name 
of  Clann  Colmain.  Seventeen  Irish 
monarchs  descended  from  this  Conall, 
who  died  in  475.  In  the  year  4G4,  his 
brother,  Conall  Gulban,  founder  of  the 
Kinel-Conaill,  had  been  killed  by  the 
Masraide,  an  ancient  tribe  of  Belgse, 
or  Fer-Bolgs,  seated  in  Magh-Slecht, 
near  Bally-Magauran,  county  Cavan, 
and  in  the  next  year,  we  are  told,  that 
Eogan,  son  of  Niall,  founder  of  Kinel 
Eogain,  died  of  grief  for  his  brother 
Conall,  and  was  buried  at  Uisci-Caein, 
now  Eskaheen,  in  Inishowen,  county 
Donegal. 

"  Of  tears  died  Eoean,  son  of  Niall, 
(So  loving  was  his  kindly  nature,) 
For  Conall  of  the  hardy  deeds. 
He  lie»  full  low  at  Uisci-caein." 

— See  Four  Masters. 


420  THE   HISTORY    OF    IRELAND, 

wise,  St.  larlathi,'*  who  was  the  third  Archbishop  of  Armagh, 
after  St.  Patrick.     Simphcius  was  then  the  Sovereign  Pontiff. 

Ohld  Molt  fought  the  buttle  of  Dumha-Caichir"  against  the 
Leinstermen,  in  which  great  numbers  fell  on  both  sides.  At- 
tacked by  Lugaidh,  son  of  his  predecessor  Laegari,  who  was  as- 
sisted by'^Miu-kertach  Mor  Mac  Erca,  by  Fergus  Kerbcol,  son  of 
Conall  Cremthanni,  and  by  Fiacaidli  Lonn,  son  of  Caelbadh,  King 
of  Dal- Araidc,  Olild  was  vanquished  and  slain,  at  the  battle  of 
Ocha,"  of  which  the  bard  says : 

"  By  Lugaiilli  and  by  Fiachra  Lonn 
And  by  the  tall  JMiirkcrtach  ISior, 
With  whom  waá  Fergus,  Tree  from  faults, 
Was  slain  the  generous  Olild  Molt."' 

•  It  was  twenty  years  after  this  battle  of  Ocha,  that  the  six  sons  of 
Ere,  son  of  Eocaidh  Munremar,  passed  over  to  Alba.  They  were 
named  the  two  Aenguses,  the  two  Loarns  and  the  two  Ferguses. 

Three  hundred  and  seven  years  had  passed  between  the  time 
of  Concobar,  son  of  Nesa,  and  that  of  Cormac,  son  of  Art ;  two 
hundred  and  four  years  from  the  time  of  Cormac  until  the  battle 
of  Ocha  was  fought ;  and  it  was  twenty  years  after  that  event, 
when  the  sons  of  Ere  migrated  to  Alba. 

Duach  Galach,"  the  youngest  son  of  Brian,  son  of  Eocaidh 
Muiííh-medon,  Avas  Kino-  of  Connauirht  in  the  time  of  Olild.  He 
reigned  seven  years,  until  he  fell  by  the  sword  of  Eocaidh 
Tirmcarna. 

LUGAIDn,  ARD-RIGH. 

A.  J).  477."  Lugaidh,"'  son  of  Laegari,  son  of  Niall  Naei-ghial- 
<ach,  of  the  line  of  Erimhon,  now  mounted  the  throne  of  Ireland, 

'^'  St.  larlatki.  His  name  is  also  coml)at,  rondfTod  masters  of  all  Trc- 
written  larfhlaithe  (Eerlahie).  He  land." — Moore.  The  chiefs  who  united 
did  not  die  until  the  next  reign,  in  against  Olild  on  this  occasion  were 
481.  lie  must  not  be  confounded  his  successor  Lugaidh,  Murkertach 
with  St.  larlath,  ofTuam.  St.  Patrick  Mac  Erca.  Fergus  Kerbeol,  Fiachra, 
being  still  alive,  had  now  seen  two  of  king  of  Dal-Araide,  and  CriniMiann, 
his  successors  borne  to  their  graves  king  of  L.'inster.  "  It  was  of  this  bat- 
before  himself.  tic  Bi'<^  Mac  Dé  said : 

'•*  Dumha    Caitlur,    i.   e.    Caicher's  „^,          .„..   ..^,           ,     , 

HIT  1     Tt  •  4-„       „   11    1  TA  ,.v,l  "The  (rrcitfliilit  of  Oclia  was  fought, 

Mound.  It  IS  sometimes  called  Dumha  j^  ,vhioii  were  cut  otr  m.my  Icsrons, 

Aichir.     Locality  unknown.  'Oninst  oiiia  Molt,  son  of  Dathi, 

=*  Ocha.  This  place  was  situated  O'er  whom  the  trlbo  of  Araldo  triumphed." 
near  Teniliair.  "  The  memorable  mi-  — See  Four  Mcslcrs. 
gration  of  the  sons  of  Krc  is  marked  "  Dmir.h  Galndi.  This  was  the 
Vjy  Irish  annalists  as  liaving  occurred  youtli  to  whom  St.  Patrick  had  given 
twenty  years  after  the  great  battle  of  his  l)eni(lictioii.  it  was  Duach  Teng- 
Ocha.  in  which  Olild  Molt  was  slain,  umha.  not  Duach  Galach,  that  fell  by 
This  battle  itself,  too,  forms  an  epoch  Kocaidh  Tirmcarna.  several  years  later, 
in  Iri.sh  history,  as  the  race  of  the  "^  A.  I).  dTi).  Four  Maslcrs. 
Nials,  on  whom  victory  then  declared,  "  Luoaidii  VI.  lie  reigned  twenty- 
were,  by  the  fortunes  of  that  day's  five  years,  according  to  some  accounts. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


421 


which  he  held  for  twenty  years.  All  this  time  Fracch,  son  of  Finu- 
caidh,  was  King  of  Leinster.  In  the  reign  of  Lugaidh  was  fought 
the  battle  of  Kell-Osna,*"  in  Magh-Fea,  in  the  county  of  Carlow, 
four  miles  west  of  Leighlin.  In  it  fell  Aengus,  son  of  Nadfraech, 
King  of  Munster,"  afler  he  had  reigned  thirty-six  years;  and 
witii  Idni  was  slain  his  wife  Ethni  Uathach,  daughter  of  Crimth- 
ann,  son  of  Enna  Kennsclach.  They  were  slain  by  Murkertaeh 
Mor  Mac  Erca,  and  Olild,  son  of  Dunlaing.  It  was  of  this 
tight  that  the  poet  has  said : 

*'  Thon  died  that  brancli,  that  spreading  tree^*  of  gold, 
Praiseworthy  Aengus,  son  of  Nadfraech, 
By  Oiild's  hand  his  luck  went  down, 
On  fell  Kell-Osnadh's  sloping  field." 

After  this,  Fraech,  sonof  Finncaidh,.was  killed  at  the  battle  of 
Granni,"  by  Eocaidh,  son  of  Carbri.  Felix  the  Third  was  then 
Pope,  that  is,  in  the  tenth  year  of  the  reign  of  Lugaidh,  son  of 
Laegari.  About  this  time,  also,  was  fought  the  battle  of  Slem- 
hain,"  in  Mcath,  by  Carbri,  son  of  Niall  of  the  Nine  Hostages, 
St.  Mochaei,"  of  Aendrom,  died,  and  the  battle  of  Kenn-Albi^* 


•^"  Kell-osiia,  or  Kell-osnadha,  is  now 
Kelliston,  and  lies  in  the  barony  of 
Forth. 

"'  King  of  Munster.  According  to 
the  old  annals  of  Innisfallen,  he  was 
one  of  the  five  kings  of  the  line  of 
Eber,  that  the  southerns  claimed  as 
monarchs  of  Ireland,  after  the  introduc- 
tion of  Christianity.  It  is  evident,  how- 
ever, that  he  was  never  generally  ack- 
nowledged as  such,  though  >  he  may 
have  been  called  so  by  his  own  people, 
and  have  had  more  power  in  his  own 
half  of  Ireland  than  the  monarch  had 
in  his.  The  battle  in  which  he  fell 
was  fought  in  489. 

^-  Spreading  Tree,  fyc.  "  He  is  the 
common  ancestor  of  the  sept  of  Mac 
Carthy,  O'Callaghan,  O'Keeffe  and 
0"Sullivan,  now  so  widely  spread 
throughout  Ireland,  England  and 
America,  and  even  on  the  continent 
of  Europe,  where  some  of  them 
bear  coronets.  If  the  saplings  of  the 
"  spreading  tree  of  gold  "  could  now  be 
reckoned  in  the  countries  in  which 
they  have  pullulated,  it  would  appear 
that  they  are  vastly  numerous,  and 
that,  as  the  multiplication  of  a  race  is 
a  blessing,  King  Aengus  has  reaped 
the  full  benefit  of  the  '  alma  benedictio' 
imparted    by  St.  Patrick,  when    he 


baptized  him  at  Cashel,  and,  by  a 
singular  mistake,  put  his  faith  to  the 
trial  by  piercing  his  foot  with  his 
crozier."  —  O'Donovan.  Numerous, 
indeed,  they  are,  but  when  will  they 
remember  that  the  altars  of  Cashel  lie 
overthrown,  that  strangers  possess  the 
fertile  fields  of  the  Eoganachts,  and  that 
gaunt  famine,  more  murderous  by 
far  than  the  swords  of  Leth  Cuinn, 
spreads  periodical  desolation  through 
tlie  wretched  homesteads  of  Leth- 
Mogha  1—Ed. 

"^  Granni.  There  were  two  battles 
fought  at  this  place  in  the  reign  of 
Lugaidh.  In  the  first,  fought  in  485, 
amongst  the  Leinstermen  themselves, 
Finncaidh,  lord  of  the  Ui  Kinnselaigh, 
and  father  of  Fraech,  fell.  The  second, 
that  above-mentioned,  was  fought  in 
492,  against  Murkertaeh  INIac  Erca. 

^*  Slemham.  This  battle  was  fought 
in  492.  The  Carbri,  son  of  Niall,  who 
gained  it,  was  an  obstinate  Pagan,  and 
an  inveterate  enemy  of  St.  Patrick. 

^^  St.  Mochaei.  He  was  a  disciple  of 
Patrick.  He  died  in  496.  Aendrom 
is  now  called  Mahee  Island — situated 
in  Strangford  Lough. 

^  Kenn  Albi.  Probably  the  name  of 
some  hill  in  Magh  Albi,  in  the  south  of 
Kildare.    The  battle  was  fought  in  494. 


422 


THE    HISTORY    OF    IRELAND. 


was  fought  in  Leinster,  by  Carbri,  the  above-mentioned  son  of 
Niall :  then,  also,  was  fought  the  battle  of  Scghais,"  where  Duach 
Teng-umha,  King  of  Con  naught,  was  killed  by  Murkertach  Mor 
Mac  Erca,  as  the  poet  says  in  this  verse : 

"  The  battle  of  Delga,  the  battle  of  Mucrumha, 
And  the  battle  of  Tuaim  Druba, 
AuJ,  with  those,  the  battle  of  Seghaia, 
Wherein  fell  Duach  Teug-umha." 

It  was  about  this  time  that  the  battle  of  Lochmagh^*  was  gained 
by  the  Leinstcrmen  over  the  Ui  Neill,  and  in  it  great  numbers 
were  slain  on  both  sides. 

Final  Settlement  of  the  Dal-Riadic  Scois^^  in  Alba. 

A.  D.  503.  Shortly  afterwards,  Fergus  Mor,  son  of  Ere,'" 
with  the  Dal  Kiada,  emigrated  to  Alba,  and  seized  upon  its 
sovereignty."" 


•^  Segliais.  The  old  name  of  the 
Curlieu  Hills,  near  Boyle,  ou  the  con- 
fines of  Roscommon  and  Sligo.  "  The 
cause  of  the  battle  was  this,  viz  :  Mur- 
kertach was  a  guarantee  between  the 
king  and  Eocaidh  Tirmcarna,  his 
brother,  and  Eocaidh  was  taken  pris- 
oner, against  the  protection  of  Murker- 
tach. in  proof  of  which  Kcnnfaeladh 
said  : 

" '  The  battle  of  Se^halv- 
From  woman"»  wrath  it  Bprunjr; 
Tliere,  rid  ).'ore  ov«ir  lancos  wcHnd, 
For  Dulscch,  Duach's  daughter ! ' " 

— Four  blasters. 

Duisech  was  the  wife  of  Murkertach 
Mac  Erca,  whom  she  excited  to  fight 
tliis  battle  against  her  own  father, 
because  he  had  imprisoned  her  foster- 
father. 

^"  Lochma<rh.  The  battle  was  not 
fought  until  500. 

•"  SeiUemmt  of  the  Dal-Riadic  Scots. 
This  migration  is  improperly  entered 
at  A.  D.  498  in  the  Four  Aiasters.  It 
did  not  occur  until  the  year  503,  a.s  Dr. 
Connor  has  shown  {Pwleg.  ad  Ann.,  p. 
Ixxxvi.)  —  See  Dr.  O'Donovati's  note 
upon  t/ie  event,  p.  IGO  Four  Masters. 

■"■  Ere.  He  was  the  son  of  Eocajdli 
Munremhar,  and  King  of  the  Dal-Ria- 
da.  lie  had  himself  made  a  fresh  IrLsli 
settlement  in  Alba  in  440  ;   but,  it 


would  appear  that  the  Scoto- Albanian 
colonists  were,  at  the  present  time,  op- 
pressed by  their  neighbors  the  Picts. 
'I'he  reader  nmst  not  confound  this 
Ere,  the  Dalriadic  chief,  with  Ere,  or 
Erca,  the  mother  of  Murkertach,  the 
next  king  of  Ireland. 

""'  Seized  upon  its  Sovereignty.  "  The 
colony  planted  in  those  regions  by 
Carbri  Kiada,  in  tlie  middle  of  the 
third  century,  though  constantly  fed 
with  supplies  from  the  parent  stock 
fthe  Dulriadians  of  Antrim),  had  run 
irerjuent  risks  of  extirpation  from  the 
suiK'rior  power  of  their  neighbors  and 
rivals,  the  Picts.  In  the  year  503, 
however,  the  D:i.lria<liaii  ]irinccs  of 
Ireland,  aided  by  the  then  all-powerful 
influence  of  the  Hy-Nial  family,  were 
enabled  to  transplant  a  new  colony 
into  North  Britain,  which,  extending 
the  limits  of  the  former  settlement,  set 
up,  for  the  first  time,  a  regal  authority, 
and  became,  in  a  single  century,  suffi- 
ciently powerful  to  shake  off  all  de- 
]wndcnce  upon  Ireland."  —  Moore's 
Hislorij  of  Ireland. 

"  The  Scots  were  of  Irish  origin  ; 
for,  to  the  great  confusion  of  history, 
the  inhabitants  of  Trchuul,  those,  at 
least,  of  the  conquering  and  predomi- 
nating caste,  were  called  Scots.  A 
colony  of   these  Irish  Scots,  distinr 


THE  HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


428 


Death  of  St.  Patrick,  the  Apostle. 

St.  Patrick  died"  in  Ireland,  A.  D.  493,  in  the  fourteentli  year 
of  Lugaidh's  reign,  after  having  lived  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
two  years  on  this  earth,  as  I  have  heretofore  shown. 


^uished  by  the  name  of  Dalriads,  or 
Dalreudini,  natives  of  Ulster,  had 
early  attempted  a  settlement  on  the 
coast  of  Argylcshire.  They  finally 
established  themselves  there  under  Fer- 
gus, the  son  of  Eric,  about  the  year 
503,  and,  recruited  by  colonies  from 
Ulster,  continued  to  multiply  and  in- 
crease, until  they  formed  a  nation, 
which  occupied  the  western  side  of 
Scotland,"  &c.  —  Sir  Walter  Scott's 
History  of  Scotland. 

"  St.  Patrick's  Death.  "  The  age  of 
Christ,  492.  The  fifteenth  year  of  Lu- 
gaidh,  Patrick,  son  of  Calphronn,  son 
of  Potaide,  Archbishop,  First  Primate 
and  Chief  Apostle  of  Ireland,  whom 
Pope  Celestine  the  First  had  sent  to 
preach  the  Gospel,  and  disseminate 
religion  and  piety  among  the  Irish,  was 
the  person  who  separated  them  from 
the  worship  of  idols  and  spectres,  who 
conquered  and  destroyed  the  idols 
which  they  had  for  worshiping,  who 
expelled  demons  and  evil  spirits  from 
among  them,  and  brought  them  from 
the  darkness  of  sin  and  vice  to  the 
light  of  faith  and  good  works,  and 
who  guided  and  conducted  their  souls 
from  the  gates  of  hell,  to  which  they 
were  going,  to  the  gates  of  the  king- 
dom of  heaven.  It  was  he  that 
baptized  and  blessed  the  men,  women, 
sons  and  daughters  of  Ireland,  with 
their  territories  and  tribes,  both  fresh 
waters  and  sea  inlets.  It  was  by  him 
that  many  cells,  monasteries  and 
churches  were  founded  throughout  Ire- 
land, seven  hundred  churches  was 
their  number.  It  was  by  him  that 
bishops,  priests,  and  persons  of  every 
dignity  were  ordained,  seven  hun- 
dred bishops  and  three  thousand  priests 
was  their  number.  He  worked  so 
many  miracles  and  wonders,  that  the 
human  mind  is  incapable  of  remember- 
ing or  recording  the  amount  of  good 
which  he  did  upon  the  earth.  When 
the  time  of  St.  Patrick's  death  ap- 


proached, he  received  the  body  of 
Christ  from  the  hands  of  the  holy 
bishop,  Tassach,  in  the  hundred  and 
twenty-second  year  of  his  age,  and 
resigned  his  spirit  to  heaven.  There 
was  a  rising  of  battle  and  a  cause  of 
dissenaon  in  the  province,  contending 
for  the  body  of  Patrick,  after  his  death 
— the  Ui  Neill  and  the  Oirghialla,  at- 
tempting to  bring  it  to  Armagh  ;  the 
Ulta  to  keep  it  with  themselves.  And 
the  Ui  Neill  and  the  Oirghialla  came 
to  a  certain  water,  and  the  river  swel- 
led against  them,  so  that  they  were  not 
able  to  cross  it,  in  consequence  of  the 
greatness  of  the  flood.  When  the 
flood  subsided,  these  hosts,  i.  e.  the 
Ui  Neill  and  the  Ulta,  united  on  terms 
of  peace  to  bring  the  body  of  Patrick 
with  them.  It  appeared  to  each  of 
them,  that  each  had  the  body,  convey- 
ing it  to  their  respective  territories  ; 
so  that  God  separated  them  in  this 
manner,  without  a  fight  or  battle.  The 
body  of  Patrick  was  afterwards  buried 
at  Dunda-leth-glas,  with  great  honor 
and  veneration.  And  during  the  twelve 
nights  that  the  religious  seniors  were 
watching  the  body,  with  psalms  and 
hymns,  it  was  not  night  in  Magh-inis, 
or  the  neighborhoods,  as  they  thought, 
but  as  if  it  were  the  full  undarkened 
light  of  day." — Four  Masters. 

The  Tassach  mentioned  in  the  ex- 
tract, was  the  patron  saint  of  Path 
Colptha,  now  Raholp,  near  Saul,  in  the 
barony  of  Locale,  and  county  Down. 
Saul  (in  Irish,  Sabhal  Phadraig,  i.  e. 
Patrick's  Barn,)  was  the  first  place 
where  the  saint  had  celebrated  the 
Divine  Sacrifice  after  his  landing  in 
Ireland.  It  was  granted  to  him  by  the 
chieftain  Dicho,  his  earliest  convert, 
and  having  been  consecrated  by  his 
first  spiritual  triumph,  it  continued  to 
be  his  most  favored  retreat,  unto  his 
death.  "  No  sooner  had  the  news 
spread  throughout  Ireland  that  the 
great  apostle  was  no  more,  than  the 


424: 


THE  HISTORY  OF  IRELAND. 


Lugaidh  died  soon  after.     He  Avas  killed  b}^  lightning,  at 
Achadli-Farclia,'-  for  having  violated  the  law  of  St.  Patrick. 


MURKERTACn   MOR   MAC  EKCA,   AED-RIGH. 

A.D.  497."  ^Murkertacli"*  ^lac  Erca,  son  of  Muredach,  son  of 
Eogan,  son  of  Niall  of  the  Nine  Hostages,  succeeded  to  the 
throne,  and  reigned  twentj-four  years.  Erca,  daughter  of  Loarn, 
or  Lodharn,  King  of  Alba,  was  his  mother.  In  the  beginning 
of  this  monarch's  reign,  St.  Kiaran  ^Mac  an  t-Saeir  (Mac  an  lluer) 
was  born.  This  saint  was  of  the  race  of  Core,  son  of  Fergus 
Mac  Roigh,  of  the  line  of  Ir.  About  this  time,  also,  was  born 
the  holy  abbot  St.  Comgall  {Cowgal  or  Coivcd),  of  Bennchor,  who 
had  forty  thousand  monks  under  his  rule  and  government,  as  we 
read  in  the  Red  Book  of  Mac  Aedagain.  This  should  be  the 
more  readily  believed,  as  we  read  in  a  work  of  unquestioned 
authority,  namely :  in  St.  Bernard's  Life  of  Malachias,  that  one 
of  the  disciples  of  the  abbot  St,  Comgall,  who  had  been  sent  on 
the  mission  from  his  monastery,  had  himself  founded  one  hun- 
dred monasteries.  St.  Comgall  was  of  the  race  of  Irial,  son  of 
Conall  Kearnach,  son  of  Amirghin,  of  Clanna  Eudraide,  who 
were  of  the  line  of  Ir,  son  of  Milcdh.  His  descent  is  thus  record- 
ed in  a  verse  of  the  Naeimh-shenchas"  {Neev-hannaghas) : 


clergy  flocked  from  all  quarters  to 
Sabhul,  to  assist  in  solemnizing  his 
obsequies ;  and  as  every  bishop,  or 
priest,  according  as  he  arrived,  felt 
naturally  anxious  to  join  in  honoring 
the  dead,  by  the  celebration  of  the 
Holy  Mysteries,  the  rites  were  con- 
tinued without  interruption  through 
day  and  night.  To  psalmody  and 
chaunting  of  hymns  the  hours  of  the 
night  were  all  devoted,  and  so  great 
was  the  pomp  and  profusion  of  torches 
kept  constantly  burning,  that,  as  those 
who  describe  the  scene  express  it,  dark- 
ness was  dispelled,  and  the  whole  time 
appeared  to  be  one  constant  day." — 
Moore's  Hisforif  of  Ireland. 

"  Achadh  Parchn  ;  i.  e.  the  Field  of 
Lightning  ;  it  lay  in  Mcath.  Lugaidh 
had  insulted  St.  I'atriek,  and  for  it  he 
is  said  to  have  been  tluis  punished. 

"  T^pon  the  awful  Aclia'Th  Farcba 
Dip'l  Lii|ra|i!ti.  pon  «if  LiiffSfirl, 
Without  jiraiso  in  Ilcnvcn  or  here  ; 
A  flash  of  lightning  smote  him  down." 

— Four  Masters. 

"  A.  D.  504.  Id.  O'Flaherty 
introduces    an    interregnum   of    five 


years  after  the  death  of  the  last  mon- 
arch. The  probability,  however, 
is,  that  there  was  none  ;  for  Murker- 
tach,  who  was  the  Hector  of  the  Ui 
Neill,  was  then  too  powerful  in  Ire- 
land to  be  kept  from  the  throne.  The 
Munster  annalists,  however,  do  not  ad- 
mit of  his  inmicdiate  accession  to  the 
royalty,  but,  about  this  epoch,  would 
p]ac(!  the  crown  upon  the  head  of 
Eoeaidh,  son  of  Aengus,  King  of  Leth- 
Mogha,  in  his  place. 

"  MiTUKERTACii  H.  Dr.  Kcating  has 
called  liini  elsewhere  the  brother  of  Fer- 
gus Mor,  son  of  Ere,  King  of  the  Dal- 
Riada.  He  was,  however,  but  the  mater- 
nal cousin  of  that  conqueror.  It  is  this 
monarch,  that  is  said  to  liave  sent  the 
Lia  Fail  to  Scotland  ;  but  whoever 
will  judge  his  character  by  his  deeds, 
must  Hcc  llic  extreme  improl)abiii(y  of 
snpj)osing  that  so  proud  and  warlike  a 
c]ian)])i()ii  would  have  parted  with  the 
sacred  inauguration-stone  of  the  kings 
of  his  race. 

"  Nacimh-Shenchas,  i.  e.  the  Saint- 
history. 


THE  HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


425 


"  Comgall  of  Bennchor,  son  of  Sediia, 
Whose  soul  no  dread  of  death  dismayed, 
From  Ulad's  lordly  race  had  spruntr, 
Of  the  blood  of  Irial,  son  of  Conihall." 

The  Emperor  Anastasius  died  about  this  time ;  when,  also, 
died  St.  Cainncch,'"  of  Achadh-Bo  [ahavo].  This  saint  sprung 
from  the  blood  of  Fergus  Mac  Eoigh.  About  this  time,  was 
l)orn  Colam-Killi,  or  Columkille,"  son  of  Fergus  Kenn-fada,  son 
of  Connal  Gulban,  son  of  Niall  of  the  Nine  Hostages  ;  and  now, 
also,   died  St.  Brighitt,"  daughter  of  Dabhtach  Donn,   sou  of 


"  St.  Caimiech.  He  did  not  die  until 
A.  M.  508.  From  him  Kilkenny  (in 
Irish,  Ciil  Chainnigh,  i.  e.  the  Church 
or  Cellof  Cainnech.)  has  its  name.  His 
principal  church  was  at  Achadh  Bo 
\A<rhabo),  and  we  arc  told  that  he 
had  another  at  Cill  Bighmonigh  (now 
St.  Andrews),  in  Alba.— O'D. 

"  ColumkiUe.  This  saint  was  born 
about  the  year  531. 

"  St.  Brighitt,  or  Brighid  (Breeyith). 
St.  Bridget,  as  her  name  has  been  com- 
monly anglicized,  one  of  the  most 
venerated  of  the  Irish  saints,  was,  as  is 
seen  by  the  pedigree  above  given,  de- 
cended  of  the  tribe  of  the  Fotharta  of 
Leiuster.  Her  death  is  thus  recoi'ded 
by  the  Four  Masters :  "  The  age  of 
Christ  525,  St.  Brighit,  virgin.  Abbess 
of  Cull-dara,  died.  It  was  to  her  that 
Cill-dara  was  first  granted,  and  by  her 
it  was  founded.  It  was  she  who  never 
turned  her  attention  from  the  Lord  for 
one  hour,  but  was  constantly  meditat- 
ing and  thinking  of  him  in  her  heart 
and  mind,  as  is  evident  in  her  own  life 
and  in  that  of  St.  Brendan,  Bishop  of 
Cluain-Ferta.  She  spent  her  time  dili- 
gently serving  the  Lord,  performing 
wonders  and  miracles,  healing  every 
disease  and  malady,  until  she  resigned 
her  spirit  to  heaven,  on  the  first  day  of 
the  month  of  February,  and  her  body 
was  interred  at  Dun,  in  the  same  tomb 
with  St.  Patrick,  with  honor  and  vene- 
ration." 

The  institution  of  female  monas- 
teries, or  nunneries,  such  as,  in  the 
4th  century,  were  established  abroad 
by  Melania,  and  other  pious  women, 
was  introduced  into  Ireland,  towards 


the  close  of  the  5th  century,  by  St. 
Brigid  ;  and  so  general  was  the  en- 
thusiasm which  her  example  excited, 
that  the  religious  order  which  she 
instituted  spread  its  branches  through 
every  part  of  the  country.  She  took 
the  vail  herself  at  a  very  early  age, 
and  was  followed  in  this  step  by  seven 
or  eight  maidens,  who  formed  at  first 
her  small  religious  community.  The 
pure  sancity  of  the  virgin's  life,  and 
the  miraculous  gifts  attributed  to  her, 
spread  her  fame  more  widely  every 
day,  and  crowds  of  J'oung  women  and 
widows  applied  for  admission  into  her 
institution.  This  compelled  her  to 
found  some  one  great  establishment, 
over  which  she  should  herself  preside. 
The  people  of  her  native  province  of 
Leinstcr  reqviested  her  to  fix  upon  their 
province  as  her  residence.  To  this 
she  assented,  and  a  habitation  was 
immediately  provided  for  her,  which 
formed  the  commencement  both  of  her 
great  monastery,  and  of  the  city  of 
Kildare.  The  name  of  Kill-dara,  or 
Cell  of  the  Oak,  was  given  to  this 
mansion,  from  a  very  high  oak  tree 
that  grew  near  the  spot,  of  which  the 
trunk  still  remained  in  the  12th  century, 
no  one  daring  to  touch  it  with  a  knife. 
The  honor  of  possessing  her  remains 
was  contested  not  only  by  different 
parts  of  Ireland — the  Ulstcrmen  claim- 
ing that  she  was  buried  in  Down,  not  at 
Kildare, — while  the  Picts  and  British 
Scots  insisted  that  Abernethy  was  her 
resting  place.  But  in  no  place  was 
she  honored  with  more  devotion  than 
in  the  Western  Isles,  where  most  of  the 
churches  were  dedicated  to  her  patron- 


THE   HISTORY   OF  IRELAND. 

Dremni,  son  of  Bresal,  son  of  Dian,  son  of  Connla,  son  of  Art, 
son  of  Carbri  Niadh,  son  of  Cormac,  son  of  Aengus  Mor,  son  of 
Eocaidh  Finn  Fuatbairt,  son  of  Feidlimidh  Rcctmar,  son  of 
Tuathal  Tectmar,  of  the  line  of  Erimhon.  She  was  then  eighty- 
seven  years  old,  according  to  some  accounts  ;  according  to  others, 
seventy.  She  was  the  first  abbess  of  Kill-dara  (Kildare).  Her 
genealogy  is  given  down,  after  the  following  manner,  in  the 
bardic  senchas : 

"  Brighitt  -was  daughter  of  Dubthach  Donn, 
Son  of  Dremni,  son  of  Bresal  of  smooth  hair, 
Son  of  Dian,  son  of  Connla,  son  of  Ai-t, 
Son  of  Carbri  Niadh,  son  of  Cormac, 
Son  of  Aengus  Mor,  of  high  esteem, 
Son  of  Eocaidh  Finn,  whom  Art  detested, 
Son  of  wise  Feidlimidh  the  Legal, 
The  glorious  Tuathal  Tectmar's  son." 

It  Avas  about  this  time  that  the  body  of  St,  Antonius,  a  holy 
monk,  was  miraculously  discovered,  and  brought  to  Alexandi'ia, 
where  it  was  enshrined  in  the  church  of  St.  John  the  Baptist. 
Murkertach  fought  the  following  battles  in  one  year,"  accord- 
ing to  what  the  historic  bard  tells  us  in  the  following  rann  : 

"  The  fight  of  Kenn-€ich,  the  fight  of  Almhain, 
(Those  were  great  and  glorious  times) 
The  pillage  of  the  Cliachs,  the  fight  of  Aidni, 
And  the  fight  ujion  Ailbi's  blood-red  plain." 

Shortly  after  fighting  these  battles.  King  Murkertach  died,'"  in 

age,  the  most  solemn  oath  of  the  is-  command  of   St.    Cairncch.     Having 

landers  was  by  her  name,  and  the  1st  had  her  father  and  kindred,  who  were 

of  February,  every  year,  was  held  as  a  of  the  old  tribe  of  Tara,  slain  by  Mur- 

soleran  festival  in  her  honor.     The  very  kertach  in  the  V)attle  of  Cirb,  or  Ath 

name  of  these  islands — Hebrides,  as  if  Sigh,  on  the  Boyne,  she  threw  herself 

Ey  Brides — is  said  to  mean  the  Isles  in  liis  way,  and  became  his  mistress, 

ofBrigid. — See  Moore's  History  of  Ire-  for   the   express  purpose  of  wreaking 

land.  her  vengeance  u])on   him  with  greater 

"  In  one  year.     They  were  fought  fiicility.     And   the  story   states,  that 

in  526,  in  the   2.3d   year  of  his   reign,  she  iMirned   the   house  of   Cletty  over 

Kenn-eich.  i.  e.  the  ÍTill  of  the  Horse,  the  head  of  the  monarch,  who,  scorched 

is  now  called  Kiniicigh,  on  tlie  borders  by  the  flames,  plunged  into  a  pinicheon 

of  Kildare  and  Wicklow.   The  Cliachs  of  wine,  in  which  he  was  suifocated. 

were  in  Idrone,  county  Carlow.    Aidni  Hence  it  Wiis  that  he  was  both  burned 

vas  in  (ialway  ;  and   Magh   Ailbi  in  and  drowned. — O'Donovan. 
Kildare.  This    doom    had,  it  is  said,   been  • 

**  Murkertach  died.  He  fell  a  victim  prophecied  to  him  by  St.  Cairnech,  in 

to  the  vengeance  of  a  concubine  named  these  terms  : 
Sin  (.*?/iecn,  i.  e.  Storm),  for  whom  he        "  I  «m  f.-arful  ofthat  woman, 
had   abandoned  his   lawful  queen,  but  Kound  whmn  fhail  many  tcmncsts  rage, 

,  ,         „,  1  i  /  ji  J*ur  lilm  who  simll  bf  burned  by  nrc, 

whom  he  afterwards  put   away,  at  the  And  drowned  by  wine  on  Clcltecirsslde." 


THE   HISTORY  OF  IRELAND. 


427 


the  palace  of  Cleitech.  It  was  about  this  time  that  St.  Albi,  or 
Alveus,  Abbot  of  Imlech,  (now  Emlj),"  died.  St.  Baeithin," 
Bishop  of  Luimnech  (Limerick),  flourished  about  this  time." 

TUATHAL  MAEL-GARB,  ARD-RIGH. 


A.  D.  527.**  TuathaP'  Mael-garb,  son  of  Cormac  Caech,  or 
the  Sliortsighted,  son  of  Carbri,  son  of  Niall  of  the  Nine 
Hostages,  of  the  line  of  Erimhon,  succeeded  to  the  throne,  and 
held  it  for  thirteen  years.  The  reason  why  he  was  surnamed 
Mael-garb,  i.  e.bald  and  rough,  *^  was  as  follows  :  Immediately  after 
his  birth,  his  mother,  Comaein,  daughter  of  Dall  Bronnach,  to 
fulfil  some  superstitious  ceremony,  struck  his  head  against  a 
stone,  as  an  omen  of  good  luck.  The  stone  made  a  hollow 
trench  upon  his  head,  upon  Avhich  no  hair  ever  afterwards  grew. 

In  Tuathal's  reign  died  St.  Mochta,"  a  disciple  of  St.  Patrick, 
who  is  said  to  have  lived  three  hundred  years.  In  his  reign 
was  born  St.  Baeithin,**  a  disciple  of  St.  Columkille.  Bacithin 
and  Columkille  were  brothers'  sons.  In  his  reign,  also,  died 
St.  Mobi,'^  surnamed  Berchan  of  the  Prophecies.     He  was  of  the 


«'  St.  Albi  of  Imlech.  One  of  the 
fathers  of  the  Irish  Church,  and  chief 
patron  of  Munst^r.  There  is  some 
uncertainty  as  to  the  time  of  his  death. 
It  is  entered  in  the  Irish  annals  both 
at  the  year  526  and  541,  but  neither 
can  be  the  real  date,  if  it  be  true  that 
he  had  been  converted,  as  is  said,  so 
early  as  A.  D.  360.  He  died  on  the 
12th  of  December. 

*^  St.  Baethin,  Bishop  of  Luimnech. 
He  is  considered  the  founder  of  the 
bishoprick  of  Limerick. 

'*^  The  accession  of  the  successor  of 
Murkertach  is  dated  A.  D.  527,  in  one 
of  the  editor's  MS.  copies.  He  adopts 
it  because  it  agrees  with  the  common 
opinion ;  though  it  contradicts  the 
text,  by  making  him  reign  29  instead 
of  24  years.  Of  Murkertach  the  bard 
Kcnnfaeladh  sung  : 

"  The  royal  Mac  Erca  returns 
Into  the  lands  of  the  Ui  Neill ; 
Blood  reached  the  girdles  in  his  battles, 
With  profit  to  the  sons  of  Kian. 
Nine  times  he  beareth  off  nine  chariots. 
In  momory  long  liis  fame  shall  live; 
From  Ui  Neill  he  took  hostages, 
And  hostages  from  Mumha'a  plain." 


-Four  Masters. 
"  A.  D.  528. 


Id. 


^  TuATHAL  II.  He  reigned  but  11 
years,  according  to  some. 

*^*  Bald  and  Rough.  Mael-garbh 
{mael-garve)  may  also  mean  the  rough 
chief  for  mael  likewise  signifies  a  lord 
or  chief.  The  derivation  above  given 
is  very  silly. 

^  St.  Mochta,  or  Mocteus,  was  one 
of  St.  Patrick's  disciples,  and  Bishop 
of  Lugh-mhagh  (Loo-vaa),  or  Louth. 
The  legends  say  that  he  lived  for  three 
hundred  years,  but  Drs.  Lanigan  and 
Colgan,  after  careful  examination  of 
collateral  facts,  have  reduced  his  age 
to  100,  or  130  at  most. 

^  St.  Baeithin.  He  was  a  distin- 
guished scribe,  and  became  Abbot  of 
I-Colra  Kille,  or  lona.  His  principal 
church  in  Ireland  was  Tech  Baeithin 
{Tagh  Baiheen),  now  Taughboyne,  in 
the  barony  of  Raphoe,  county  Donegal. 
His  festival  was  kept  on  the  9th  of 
June,  on  which  day  he  died,  in  the 
year  598.  He  was  son  of  Brenann, 
the  uncle  of  Colum  Kille. 

«»  St.  Mohi.  He  was  called  Mobhi, 
or  Mobhai  Claraingech  [Movee  Clarin- 
gag/i),i.e.Mobi  of  the  Flat  Face.  Some 
prophecies  attributed  to  him,  under  the 
name  of  Berchan,  are  still  extant.    He 


428 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAXD. 


race  of  Fiacaidli  Bachcda,  son  of  King  Cathaeir  Mor.  Comgall, 
King  of  Alba,  died  about  tins  time.  It  was,  likewise,  in  Tuath- 
al's  reign  that  the  battle  of  Tortan,  in  Leinster,  was  fought, 
where  Ere,  son  of  Olild  Alolt,  was  slain.  From  this  Ere  came 
the  Fir  Kera.'"  About  the  same  time,  the  battle  of  Sligech" 
{S/ilig!/ar/Ji)  was  fought  bj  Fergus  and  Domnall,  sons  of  Murker- 
tach  Mae  Erca.  In  it  was  slain  Eogan  Bel,  who  had  reigned 
over  Connaught  for  thirty-live  years.  Odran,^"  the  Saint  of 
Leitrech,  died.  He  was  of  the  race  of  Conari,  son  of  Mogh 
Lamha.     St.  Kiaran  Mac-an-t-Saeir"  died  in  his  forty-first  year. 


was  Abbot  of  Glass  Xaidhen,  now 
Glasnevin,  on  tlie  bunk  of  the  Fiun- 
glaisi,  to  tlie  north  of  the  river  Liffey. 

"  In  the  8th  year  of  Tuathal,  A.  D. 
535,  the  Abbey  of  Doiri-Calgaigh 
(Dcrry)  was  fouudeil  by  the  latter 
saiut,  the  place  having  been  granted  to 
him  by  his  own  tribe,  i.  e.  the  race  of 
Oouall  Gulban,  son  of  Niall." — Four 
Masters. 

"  Fir  Kera,  i.  e.  the  inhabitants  of 
the  barony  of  Carra,  or  Cera  {Carra), 
county  of  Mayo.  They  are  not  de- 
scended from  an  Ere,  son  of  Olild 
Molt,  wliose  race  became  extinct  in 
his  grandsons,  Olild  Inbanda,  and  Aedh 
Fortamhail,  but  from  Ere  Cul-blmidhe 
[Cool-wee),  eldest  son  of  Fiachra,  son 
of  King  ilocaidh  Muigh-medon.  The 
three  chieftain  septs  of  the  Fir-Kera 
were:  0  Tighernaigh  (Tierneyt,  0 
Gormghail,  or  Gormog,  and  (J  Muircd- 
haigh  (0  Murray). — See  Tribes  and 
Customs  of  the  Ui  Fiachrach. 

°'  Slia;ech,  i.  e.  the  river  Sligo.  This 
battle  was  fought  by  the  northern  Ui 
Ncill  against  Ui  Fiachrach,  in  537. 
"  The  latter  were  routed,  and  Eogan 
Bi-1,  their  king,  was  slain  ;  of  which  it 
was  said  : 

" '  That  flclit  with  Flachra's  race,  and  B51 
Wasfoutfht  with  sharp  and  veniroful  blades; 
Sjicar-poadcd  croaiied  tlic  foeinaii'skine, 
AVlicn  that  red  flslit  o'er  Crinder  S[)road. 
To  the  widi>  waves  then  Sli.'i-i'li  watli-d 
The  blood  of  bravo  men  and  tluir  bodies; 
And  borne  from  Kba  were  irreat  trophies, 
Bound  that  grim  head  of  Eogan  Bel."  " 

— FiAir  Masters. 

But  we  are  told  in  the  life  of  his 
BCD,  St.  Kellach,  that  Eogan  lived 
three  days,  or.  according  to  others,  a 
week,  after  being  mortally  wounded  in 


this  battle,  and  that  he  ordered  his 
people  to  bury  his  body  on  the  south 
side  of  the  Sligcch,  in  a  standing  post- 
ure, with  a  red  javelin  in  liis  hand,  and 
with  his  face  turned  towards  Ulster, 
as  if  fighting  with  his  foes.  This  hav- 
ing been  done,  the  result  is  said  to  have 
been,  that  the  Connaughtmen  routed 
the  men  of  Ulster  while  the  l)ody  re- 
mained so  placed,  but  the  Ulstermen 
learning  the  talismanic  cause  of  their 
defeats,  disinterred  the  body  of  Eogan, 
and  buried  it  on  the  north  side  of  the 
Sligech,  at  Aenach-Locha-Gili,  with 
the  face  under,  and  thus  regained  their 
wonted  courage. 

"'  St.  Odran.  He  did  not  die  until 
the  2nd  of  October,  548,  in  the  next 
reign.  He  is  the  i)atron  saint  of 
Ijcitrech-Odhrain  [Lethra^h  Orniiin), 
now  Latteragli,  in  the  barony  of  Lower 
Ormond,  county  Tipperary.  The  name 
of  St.  Patrick's  charioteer  was  also 
Odran,  and  he  is  venerated  as  the  first 
martyr  of  the  Irish  Church,  and  the 
only  saint  of  ancient  times  whose  blood 
had  been  shed,  for  the  Faith's  sake,  by 
an  Irishman.  St.  Odran  having  heard 
that  a  chieftain  of  the  Ui  Failghi 
designed  to  waylay  and  assassinate  the 
Irish  apostle,  on  his  way  through  the 
King's  (bounty,  contrived,  und^r  the 
prctei'.ce  of  being  hinistiU'  fatigued,  to 
induce  his  master  to  take  the  driver's 
seat,  and  so,  being  mistaken  for  St. 
Patrick,  he  received  the  murderous 
lance  in  liis  stead.  He  is  the  patron 
saint  of  Disert  Odhrain,  in  Ui  Failghi. 

■"  St.  Klarnn  Mnc-an-t-Saeir.  This 
saint  also  died  in  the  next  reign.  His 
death  is  entered  in  the  Four  Masters 
under  the  year  548,  when  he  died,  ou 


THE    HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


429 


Beoidli  was   the  name  of  bis  father,  and  Darerca'*  tliat  of  his 
mother,  as  he  tells  us  himself  in  the  following  verse  : 

"  Darcrca"  my  mother  "was, 
No  humble  serf  was  she  ; 
Beoidh,  the  Saer,  my  sire  was  named 
Of  lauded  Latharna  sprung  he." 

At  this  time  the  head  fell  off  a  cripple'"  at  the  fair,  or  assembly, 
of  Talti,  because  he  had  sworn  falsely  bj  the  hand  of  St.  Kiaran. 
Some  say  that  he  lived,  amongst  the  monks,  for  the  space  of  five 
years  without  a  head.  Soon  after,  King  Tuathal  Mael-garb  was 
killed  by  Maelmorda,  son  of  Mathar,^'  at  the  instigation  of  Diar- 
maid,  son  of  Fergus  Kerbeol,  at  Grellach  Eithli. 


the  9th  day  of  September.  He  was  the 
founder  of  Cluain-mic-Nois,  now  called 
Cloumacnoise,  otherwise  the  Seven 
Churches,  on  the  east  side  of  the  Shan- 
non, in  the  King's  County.  He  must 
be  distinguished  from  St.  Kiaran 
Saighri,  the  patron  of  Ossory,  who  was 
one  of  St.  Patrick's  precursors.  St. 
Kiaran  is  said  to  have  dwelt  but  seven 
months  in  Cluain-mic-Xois  when  he 
died. 

"'  Darerca.  This  lady  was  of  the 
race  of  Core,  son  of  Fergus  Mac 
Roigh.  Darerca  was  also  the  name 
of  one  of  St.  Patrick's  sisters,  or  of 
one  of  those  religious  ladies  who  have 
been,  perhaps,  figuratively  called  his 
sisters  by  the  Irish  shannachies. 

^  Latharna.  Beoidh  has  been  cal- 
led a  Connaughtman  by  some  M'riters. 
But  that  can  scarcely  be,  if  the  read- 
ing, Latharna,  in  the  verse  above  given, 
be  correct.  Latharna  {Laharna)  was 
the  old  name  of  the  territory  around 
the  present  town  of  Larne,  anciently 
Inber  Latharna,  in  the  county  of  An- 
trim. Beoidh  was  probaby  of  Pictish 
blood. 

*  A  Cripple.  "Do  thuit  a  chenn 
de  bhacach,"  i.  e.  his  head  fell  off  a 
cripple,  or  halt  person,  is  the  phrase 
used  by  Dr.  Keating.  This  person  is 
called  Abacuc  by  the  Four  Masters, 
who  enter  the  singular  event  in  these 
terms,  under  A.D.  539:  '-The  de- 
capitation of  Abacuc  at  the  Fair  of 
Talti,  through  the  miracles  of  God  and 
Kiaran  ;  that  is,  a  false  oath  he  took 
upon  the  hand  of  Kiaran,  so  that  a 


gangrene  took  him  in  the  neck  ;  that 
is,  St.  Kiaran  put  his  hand  upon  his 
neck,  so  that  it  cut  off  his  head." 
This  somewhat  exjilains  the  origin  of 
the  extravagant  legend  above  narrated. 
The  disease  of  which  Abacuc  (possibly 
some  notorious  perjurer)  died,  whether 
the  consequence  of  his  impiety  or  not, 
was  a  perfectly  natural  one,  if  we  allow 
a  little  to  popular  hyperbole. 

^  Maelmorda,  Son  of  Mathar.  In 
the  Four  Masters  he  is  called  ^Maelmor 
Mac  Airgeadain,  tutor  of  Diarmaid 
Mac  Kerbeoil.  Diarmaid  having  laid 
claim  to  the  Irish  throne,  had  been 
banished  and  outlawed  by  Tuathal, 
who  offered  a  large  reward  to  whomso- 
ever might  bring  him  his  rival's  heart. 
Diarmaid,  upon  this,  took  refuge  in 
the  wilds  of  Artibra,  where  Clonmac- 
uois  is  now  situated,  and  there  he  met 
with  St.  Kiaran,  who  had  but  lately 
come  thither,  from  Inis  Aingin,  now 
Hare's  Island,  in  the  Shannon.  While 
he  was  in  this  place,  the  saint  prayed 
for  the  prince's  success,  and  gave  him 
his  benediction.  Thereupon,  Maelmor, 
son  of  Airgeadau,  seeing  the  prince's 
difficulties,  besought  him  to  lend  him 
his  black  horse,  for  the  purpose  of 
going  to  Grellach  Eilti,  where  Tuathal 
was  about  to  have  a  meeting  with 
some  of  his  nobles,  and  of  there  slaying 
the  monarch,  in  the  midst  of  his  people. 
Having  procured  the  horse  from  the 
prince,  Maelmor  rode  thereon  to  Grel- 
lach Eilti,  and  entered  the  host  of  Tuat- 
hal bearing  a  hound's  heart  on  the 
point  of  his  blood-stained  laace.    The 


THE   HISTOEY   OF  IRELAND. 


It  was  in  the  reign  of  Tuatlial  that  Guairi,  son  of  Colman, 
became  King  of  Connaught,  as  the  successor  of  Eogan  Bel.  At 
the  time  of  his  accession,  it  happened  that  the  eldest  son  of 
Eogan  Bel,  who  was  named  Kellach,  was  a  disciple  of  St.  Kiaran, 
and  on  the  point  of  becoming  a  monk.  But  the  friends  of  Eouan 
Bel  allured  this  Kellach  from  the  congTegation  of  St.  Kiaran,  in 
order  to  make  him  their  chieftain,  in  opposition  to  Guairi.  But 
upon  his  coming  out  of  the  convent,  St.  Kiaran  gave  him  his 
malediction,  and  prayed  to  God  that  a  violent  death  might  over- 
take him.  Then,  when  the  youth  had  been  a  sometime  outside 
the  convent,  he  understood  that  he  had  done  ill  in  breaking- 
through  St.  Kiaran's  rule.  He  thereupon  returned  to  his  spirit- 
ual superior  and  made  his  submission,  promising  to  remain 
at  his  disposal  during  his  lifetime.  St.  Kiaran,  upon  this,  gave 
him  his  blessing,  but  he  said  to  him  that  he  sliould,  nevertheless, 
meet  with  a  violent  end.  Kellach,  then,  remained  in  the  con- 
gregation of  St.  Kiaran,  until,  in  course  of  time,  he  was  made 
bishop.*'     Having  reached  this  dignity  in  the  country,  he  took 


multitude,  imairinin.!^  that  it  was  the 
heart  of  Diarraaid  that  lie  carried, 
made  way  for  him  to  the  royal  pre- 
sence. Arrived  there,  lie  made  an 
offer  as  if  to  ])r('sent  the  heart  to  the 
kiu<r  ;  but  instead  thereof,  he  trans- 
fixed the  latter  with  his  lance.  Tuat- 
hal's  guards  immediately  fell  upon  the 
assassin,  and  cut  him  down  upon  the 
spot ;  whereon  the  bard  said  ; 

"The  fate  ofMaclnior  was  not  slow, 
The  ilci'il  he  wroutrht  was  wrung; 
The  miL'lity  Tiiathal  ho  has  slaiu, 
Himseir  falls  in  that  act." 

— Four  Masters. 

Grellach  Eilli,  i.  e.  the  Miry  Tlace 
of  the  Does,  where  this  deed  was  per- 
petrated, was  at  the  foot  of  Sliabh 
Camh,  now  Slieve  Gamh,  in  the  county 
of  Sligo.  Eithli,  the  word  in  the  text, 
is  incorrect. 

*  A  fíi.úop,  Ifc.  Kellach,  or  rather 
St.  Kellach,  became  bishop  of  Kilmore 
Moy,  in  Tirawiey,  but  he  was  com[)ell- 
ed  to  resien  his  bishnprick,  and  to 
retire  as  a  hermit  to  Oilen  Kdjrair,  in 
Loch  Conn,  from  fear  of  (Juairi  Aidtii, 
who  held  him  in  mortal  hatred.  AVliile 
he  was  livin^^  there  in  his  hermitage, 
Guairi  bribed  four  of  his  pupils,  Mac 
Deoraidh,  Maelcroin,  Maeldalua  and 
Maelscnaigh,  to  murder  him,  and  these 


committed  the  foul  deed  in  a  wood  that 
lay  between  Loch  C'onn  and  Loch  Cul- 
linn,  in  the  south  of  Tirawiey.  As  a 
reward  for  their  services,  these  wretches 
were  granted  the  whole  territory  of 
Tirawiey  by  Guairi ;  and  there  they 
erected  themselves  the  fort  of  Dun 
Fine.  The  second  son  of  Eogan  Bel, 
named  Muredach,  but  who  was  also 
called  Cu-Congelt,  having  come  soon 
after  to  visit  his  brother,  and  not  hav- 
ing found  him,  suspected  that  he  had 
met  with  foul  play,  and  after  some 
search,  discovered  his  body,  mangled 
by  ravens  and  wolves,  in  the  hollow  of 
an  oak  tree.  He  then  carried  the 
disfigured  remains  successively  to  the 
churches  of  Tnrlorh  and  TjÍs  Callain, 
but  was  refused  admittance  into  cither, 
through  fear  of  Guairi.  He  at  length 
buried  it  with  due  honors  at  the 
Church  of  Eiscrecha.  Having  there 
chaunted  a  short  dirge  over  his  bro- 
ther's grave,  in  which  he  vowed  ven- 
geance against  his  murderers,  he  as- 
sembled a  band  of  .300  of  his  kinsmen 
and  nliiitiors,  with  whom  he  set  out  for 
Ui  Mani,  where  he  dwelt  for  a  year. 
Tlicnci!  he  proceeded  to  Meath,  where 
after  some  time,  he  married  Aeifi, 
daughU-r  of  Blatlimac,  King  of  Ire- 
land.    After  some  time  he  returned  to 


THE  HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  431 

part  with  bis  younger  brother,  for  -whom  he  strove  to  gain  parti- 
zans  and  friends,  in  his  factious  attempts  to  make  himself  King 
of  Connaught.  When  Guairi  had  heard  of  his  proceedings,  he 
suborned  three  of  Kcllach's  own  trusted  people  to  assassinate 
him.  Thus  was  St.  Kiaran's  prophecy  fulfilled,  for  he  had  fore- 
told that  Kellach  should  die  by  violence. 

DIARMAID,  ARD-EIGH. 

A.  D.  534.''  Diarmaid,  son  of  Fergus  Kerbcol,  son  of  Conall 
Cremthanni,  son  of  Niall  of  the  Nine  Hostages,  of  the  race  of 
Erimhon,  acquired  the  kingdom  of  Ireland,  and  held  it  for 
twenty-two  years.""  His  mother's  name  was  Carbach,  daughter 
of  Mani,  a  woman  of  the  Leinster  people.  In  the  reign  of  this 
prince,  St.  Tighernach,^  Bishop  of  Cluain-Eois,  died.  He  was 
of  the  race  of  Dari  Barach,  son  of  Cathaeir  Mor.  Then,  also, 
died  Olild,  son  of  Muredach,  who  had  been  for  nine  years  King 
of  Leinster.  Cormac,  son  of  Olild,  son  of  Eocaidh,  the  son  of 
Dari  Kerb,  son  of  Olild  Flann  Beg,  was  King  of  Munster.  In  this 
time  was  fought  the  battle  of  Cuil  Conari,^  in  Kera,  by  Fergus 
and  Domnald,  the  two  sons  of  Murkertach  Mac  Erca,  where 
Olild  Anbflmn^  (Anvann)  King  of  Connaught,  fell,  with  his 
brother  Aedh  Fortamhail.^  In  the  reign  of  Diarmaid,  thei-e  came 
a  plague  upon  Ireland.  It  was  called  the  Crom  Connaill,^  and 
many  of  the  saints  of  Ireland  died  thereof,  among  whom  was  St. 

Tirawley,  which  was  his  paternal  in-  after  remained. — See  Tribes  and    Ciis- 

heritance,  and   procuring  admittance,  toms  of  the  Ui  Fiaclirach. 

by  the   aid   of  a   swineherd,  into   the  ^  A.  D.  539.     Four  Masters. 

fort  of  Dun  Fine,  disguised  himself  as  ^  Twenty-two  years.     Twenty  years. 

a  swineherd  also,  while  the  murderers  '   St.  Tighernach.     He  died  in  548, 

of  his  brother  were  engaged  in  banquet-  on  the  4th   of  April.      Cluain  Eois 

ing.     He  waited  thereuntil  his  enemies  [doom    Oash)   is  now  called   Clones, 

were  stupified  with  strong  drink  ;  then  situated  in  the  county  of  Monaghan. 

he  sent  word,  by  his  friend  the  swine-  "   Cuil   Conari.      This    battle   was 

herd,  to  his  armed  band,   which   lay  fought  in  Carra,  or  Cera,   co.  Mayo, 

concealed   in  the  neighborhood,   and  in  A.  D.  544. 

they,  rushing  into  the  fort,  slew  all  the  ^  Olild  Anbfann,  i.e.  Olild  the  Weak. 

guards,  and  seized  upon  the  four  mur-  This  chief  is  surnamed  Inbanda  by  the 

dercrs.     The  guests,  learning   who  it  Four  Masters,  and  others.     The  epithet 

was   that  had   thus  disturbed    them,  Anbfann    could    have    scarcely   been 

were  more  pleased  than  grieved  thereat,  applicable  to  any  man  able  to  elevate 

and  finished   their  revelry  in  honor  of  himself  to  kingship  in  those  days,  when 

the  rightful  heir.     The  assassins  were  the  strong  hand  was  the  only  passport 

hanged  next  day,  and  soon  after   Cu-  to  power. 

Congelt  olitaiued  the  hostages  of  Tir-  '  Aedh  Foiiamhail,  1.  e.  Aedh  the 

Fiachrach    and   Tir-Amalgaidh,    and  Valiant. 

compelled  Guairi  to  live  thenceforth  in  ^  Croii  Conaill.    This  word  is  trans- 

Tir  Fiachrach  Aidni,  in  the  south  of  lated  Fava  Ictericia  (the  Yellow  Jaun- 

that  province,  where  his  progeny  ever  dice),  by  Colgan. — 0'X>. 


-^32 


THE    HISTORY    OF    IRELAND. 


Mac  Tail,*  of  Kill  Culiim.  About  the  same  time  was  fought  the 
battle  of  Cuil,  or  Cuilui,  where  a  great  number  of  the  Corcuighe^* 
were  slain,  through  the  pi-ayers  of  St.  Mida,'  a  pious  and  noble 
lady  of  the  race  of  Fiacaidh  Suighe,  son  of  Feidlimidh  R^ct- 
raar,  whom  these  people  had  insulted. 

Eocaidh,  son  of  Connla,  son  of  Caelbadh,  sonof  Crun  Badraei, 
son  of  Eocaidh  Coba,  King  of  Uladh,^  died  about  this  time,  hav- 
ing ruled  over  that  principality  for  nine  years.  He  was  the  first 
king  of  the  Dal  Aruide.  Then,  likewise,  died  the  prophet  St. 
Beg  Mac  De.^  St,  Molua,^"  the  son  of  Sinell,  son  of  Amirghin, 
son  of  Ernin,  son  of  Duacli  Galach,  son  of  Brian,  son  of  Eocaidh 
Muigh-medon,  was  born  about  this  time;  and  the  Bishop  of^' 
Achadh  Cuniri,  and  St.  Nesan^  the  Leper,  died.  During  the 
reign  of  Diarmaid,  the  church  of  Cluain  Cluain-ferta^^  was  found- 
ed by  St.  Brendan,  a  descendant  of  Kiar,  son  of  Fergus  Mac 
Eoiffh. 


"  St.  Mac  Tail,  called  otherwise 
Eogan,  son  of  Corcran,  died  on  tlie 
11th  of  June,  548.  He  is  the  patron 
saint  of  Cill  Cuillinn,  now  Old  Kilcul- 
leu,  county  Kildare.  In  the  same  year 
died  St.  Sinchcll  the  Elder,  a  descend- 
ant of  Catluu'ir  Mor,  whose  feast  was 
celebrated  at  Killeigh,  in  the  King's 
County,  on  the  2Gth  of  March.  And 
then,  also,  died  St.  Finden,  or  Fiunen, 
or  Finnian,  of  Cluain  Eraird,  called  the 
Tutor  of  the  Saints  of  Ireland,  who 
founded  the  College  of  Clouard,  or 
Cluain  Erard,  in  Meath.  St.  Colum, 
of  Inis  Kcltrach,  an  islet  in  Lough 
Derg,  near  the  village  of  Scariff,  co. 
Clare,  is,  also,  recorded  as  having  died 
of  the  CroQ  Conaill,  during  the  year 
.-)48. 

"■  Corcuighe.  The  name  is  also  read 
Corcoichc,  and  Corca  Oiche.  They 
were  a  sept  of  the  Ui  Fidghenti,  seated 
in  the  barony  of  Lower  Connello,  co. 
Limerick.  0  Macassy  was  their  chief. 
Cuil,  or  Cuilni,  has  not  been  identi- 
fied. 

'  St.  Mida.  St.  Ida,  or  Ita.  Her 
monastery  was  at  Cluain  Crcdhail, 
now  Killeedy  (Kill  Ida),  an  old  jjarish 
church,  about  five  miles  south  of  New 
Ca-stlc,  county  Limerick.  She  became 
the  patron  saint  of  the  Corcoiche.  She 
died  in  .5G9.  All  the  churches  in 
Munstcr  called  Kilmeedy  arc  named 
after  this  virgin,  ller  name  is  also 
Bpclled  Idé,  Ite,  Midé  and  Mite. 


^  King  of  Uladh.  From  this  king 
were  named  the  Ui  I]athach  Uladh 
(Ec-yl/íag/i-í7,V«),  dwelling  in  the  pres- 
ent baronies  of  Upper  and  Lower 
Iveagh,  county  Down.  They  were 
Magennisses  and  their  correlatives. 

"  St.  Beg  Mac  De.  He  died  in  557. 
He  is  otherwise  called  Becc,  son  of 
Degaidh. 

'»  St.  Molua.  The  first  abbot  of 
Cluain-fcrta  Molua,now  Clonfertmulloc, 
otherwise  Kyle,  at  the  foot  of  Slicve 
Bloom,  in  Upper  Ossory,  Queen's  co. 
He  was  otherwise  called  Lugaidh  Mac 
h-Ui  Oiche.  His  death  is  recorded  at 
A.  D.  G05. 

"  The  Bishop  of,  i^c.  There  is  possi- 
bly a  mistake  or  omission  made  by 
Keating's  transcribers.  AVe  find  that 
St.  Cathub,  son  of  Fergus,  Abbot  of 
Abhadh  Chinn  (?)  died  on  the  Gth  of 
April,  554. 

"  St.  Nesan,  patron  of  Mungret, 
near  Limerick,  died  on  the  25th  of 
July,  551. 

"  Cluain  Fcrta,  i.  c.  the  Lawn,  or 
Park  of  the  Grave.  It  is  now  called 
Clonfcrt,  and  lies  in  the  county  of 
Galway.  The  Church  of  Clonfcrt 
was  erected  in  553,  according  to  some, 
in  5G2,  according  to  others.  This  St. 
Brendan  must  not  be  confounded  with 
his  namesake  and  friend  St.  Brendan, 
of  I'irra.  The  feast  of  the  former  was 
held  on  the  ICth  of  May  ;  that  of  the 
latter,  who  was  the  son  of  Neman,  of 


THE  HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


433 


Gabriin,  King  of  Alba,  died  about  tliis  time,  and  Gruaigi,  son 
of  Maelcu,  King  of  the  Cruthnigh,^*  fought  successfully  against 
the  Albanaigh,  and  routed  them  with  fearful  slaughter.  It  was 
about  the  same  time  that  Fergus  and  Domnald,  sons  of  Murker- 
tach  Mac  Erca,  fought  a  battle  at  Cuil  Dremni,^^  against  Diai'maid, 
son  of  Fergus  Kerbeol,  where  the  latter  was  defeated,  and  most 
of  his  forces  slain,  through  the  prayers  of  St.  Columkille ;  for 
the  king  had  put  to  death  Curnan,  son  of  Aedh,  son  of  Eocaidh 
Tirmcarna,  while  under  the  protection  of  St.  Columkille.  God 
punished  him  therefor,  by  causing  him  to  suffer  this  defeat. 
In  further  vengeance  for  his  having  ofíended  the  saint,  Diarmaid 
was  again  defeated  by  Acdh,  son  of  Brenann,  King  of  Tebtha, 
at  Cuil  Uinscnn,^^  in  Tebtha,  where  great  numbers  of  his  people 
were  likewise  slain. 

Soon  after  this,  Columkille  went  to  Alba  to  dwell  at  Aei- 
Coluim-Killi,^^  being  then  forty-three  years  old. 


the  race  of  Corb  Olum,  was  held  on 
the  29th  of  November. 

It  is  said  in  the  Life  of  St.  Brendan, 
that  he  sailed  for  seven  years  in  the 
Western  Ocean,  and  had  arrived  at 
some  land,  that,  if  there  be  any  truth 
in  the  story,  must  have  been  Ame- 
rica. 

"  Cruthnijrh,  ^c.  The  contradiction 
implied  here  is  explained  by  the  fact 
that  the  Gaelic  tribe  of  the  Dal-Araide 
were  about  this  time  called  Cruthnigh, 
for  they  were  maternally  descended 
from  the  Picts. 

'^  Cuil  Drcmni.  This  place  is  in  the 
barony  of  Carbury,  to  the  north  of  the 
town  of  Sli^'o.  The  cause  of  the  battle 
was  this  :  Curnan.  son  of  Aedh,  whose 
father  was  King  of  Conuaught,  had 
slain  a  nobleman  during  the  Feis  of 
Temhair,  held  by  Diarmaid  in  the  year 
554.  Knowing  that,  by  ancient  usage, 
his  death  alone  could  atone  for  the 
act,  Curnan  fled  for  sanctuary  to  St. 
Columkille ;  but  Diarmaid  would 
not  allow  such  a  national  outrage  to 
go  unpunished,  and,  therefore,  forced 
Curnan  from  the  arms  of  Columkille, 
and  had  him  put  to  death.  In  revenge 
for  this  insult  put  upon  their  kinsman, 
the  chiefs  of  the  northern  Ui  Neill, 
backed  by  Aedh  Tirmcarna,  King  of 
Connaught,  the  father  of  Curnan,  at- 
tacked Diarmaid,  and  routed  his  forces, 
at  Cuil  Dremni. 

28 


^  Cuil  Uinsenn,  i.  e.  the  corner,  or 
angle,  of  the  ash  trees.  Its  situation 
has  not  been  identified.  Aedh,  son  of 
Brenann,  was  a  friend  and  relative  of 
St.  Columkille.  This  battle  was 
fought  in  55G. 

"   Aei-Coluim-Killi,    otherwise    I- 
Coluim-Kille,   or  lona.      St.    Colum- 
kille, who,  it  would  appear,  had  ex- 
cited  his   powerful   relatives  to  fight 
these  battles  against  the  king,  is  said  to 
have  incurred  the  censure  of  the  Irish 
Church   for   having   caused  so   much 
bloodshed.     This  led  to  his  mission,  or 
banishment,    to    the    Western    Isles, 
where  the  glory  he  acquired   by   his 
energy  and  perseverance  in  converting 
the   Ficts,  and   by  the  purity   of  his 
life,   soon  dispelled   any   clouds    that 
miglit  have  dimmed  the  lustre  of  his 
sanctity    in    the   earlier   part  of  his 
career.     Besides   this,   we  are  not  to 
imagine   that   the  saint's  hostility  to 
Diarmaid  had  its  origin  altogether  in 
personal,  or  family,  or  even  in  oflicial 
pride.     It  is  likely  that  Diarmaid,  not- 
withstanding his  friendship  towards  St. 
Kiaran  of  Clonmacnoise,  had  still  some 
leaning   towards   the    usages    of   the 
Druidic   worship.      The    fault,    then, 
which  caused  the  exile   of  the  saint, 
may  have  had  its  source  as  much  in 
overwrought  religious  enthusiasm  as  in 
the  personal   insult  offered  to  him  in 
either  his  capacity  of  churchman  or, 


THE  HISTORY    OF  IRELAííD. 


And  it  -was  not  long  after  when  the  battle  of  Moin  Mor^®  was 
gained  in  Alba,  bj  the  northern  Clanna  Neill,  in  which  seven 
petty  kings  of  the  Cruthnigh  fell  by  their  hands.About  this  time 
died.  Colraan  Mor,  son  of  Cai'bri,  son  of  Dunlaing,  who  had 
reigned  as  King  of  Leinster  for  thirty  years. 

Guairi  Aidni,  King  of  Connaught. 

In  the  seventeenth  year  of  this  reign,  a  recluse  named.  Sinnach 
Cro,  came  to  complain  to  King  Diarmaid  that  Guairi,  the  son  of 
Colman,  had  taken  from  her  the  only  cow  she  possessed.  Diar- 
maid, upon  this,  collected  a  numerous  host,  for  the  purpose  of 
avenging  this  taking  away  of  the  holy  woman's  cow,  perpetrated 
by  the  King  of  Connaught.  He  then  immediately  marched  to 
the  Shannon,  upon  the  further  bank  of  which,  Guairi  had  as- 
sembled an  army  to  oppose  him.  Guairi  now  deputed  St.  Cumin 
Fada,^^  son  of  Fiacaidh,  to  request  of  Diarmaid  not  to  pass  the 
river  for  the  space  of  twenty -four  hours.  "  That  is  no  such  very 
great  boon  for  thee  to  request  of  me,"  replied  Diarmaid  to  the 
saint.    "  Thou  mi""htcst  obtain  a  much  greater  one  if  thou  hadst 


of  prince  of  the  royal  house  of  Niall. 
Such,  at  least,  may  bo  gathered  from 
the  following  translated  extract  from  a 
rhapsody  said  to  have  been  composed 
by  the  saint,  on  the  occasion  of  these 
disputes : 

"  Wilt  thou  not,  O  God,  dispel 
This  fog  that  hovereth  o'er  our  people ; 
This  host  which  bath  oflifc  bereft  us; 
This  host  tliat  around  the  c.iirn.s  that  reigncth. 
Who  plotteth  against  us,  is  born  of  the  tem- 
pest; 
Bat  the  Son  of  God  is  my  Druid;  refuse  me 

ho  will  not. 
He  will  aid  me,"  &c. 

By  the  "  host  around  the  earns,"  he 
clearly  alludes  to  the  Pagan  Gods,  to 
whom  the  earns  were  sacred,  and  by 
the  "  fog,"  to  the  Jiiagic  spells  practis- 
ed in  the  army  of  Diarmaid.  The 
king  had,  however,  made  his  peace 
with  the  saint,  previous  to  the  hitter's 
mission  to  the  Hebrides,  which  com- 
menced in  A.  D.  5.Ó7. 

"  Moin  Mor.  Keating  places  this 
locality  in  Alba,  perhaps  by  a  mis- 
tran.slation  of  Adamnan,  who  says  that 
it  was  in  Scotia  ;  but  by  Scotia  that 
ancient  writer  always  meant  Ireland. 
The  Four  Masters  call  it  Moin-Doire- 
Lothair    {Mone-Dorrie-Lohir).      Both 


names  are  supposed  to  be  preserved  in 
those  of  the  town  of  Monoyraore,  co. 
Londonderry,  and  of  Dcrryloran,  the 
parish  where  it  is  situated.  The  Cruth- 
nigh, above-mentioned,  were  not  the 
Picts  of  Alba  ;  they  were  the  Gaelic 
Dal-Araide.  By  seme  annalists  it  is 
stated  that  the  battle  was  fought 
by  one  faction  of  these  Gaelic 
Cruthnigh,  aided  by  the  Ui  Ncill, 
against  another.  "We  have  seen  that 
the  right  of  maternal  succession  was  in 
us;;  among  the  Picts ;  thus,  many 
chieftains  called  Picts  in  our  annals 
may  be  really  of  Gaelic  origin  pater- 
nally. 

'•'  St.  Cumin  Fada  was  a  man  of 
great  sanctity  and  of  noble  race.  He 
was  of  the  tribe  of  the  Eoganacht  of 
Loch  Lein.  in  Kerry,  and  son  of  a  king 
of  Desmond.  JIc  had  been  educated 
from  his  infancy  by  St.  Ida.  and  was 
afterwards  invited  to  Connaught  by 
his  maternal  brother  King  Guairi,  and 
there  he  was  made  Bishop  of  Clonfert. 
lie  died  in  the  year  GGl,  on  the  12th 
of  _  November.  His  name  is  found 
written  Cuimin,  Oaimin,  and  also  Cuni- 
mian. 


THE   UISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  435 

demanded  it."  The  kings  then  remained  as  they  were,  on  either 
bank  of  the  river — Diarmaid  on  the  eastern,  and  Guairi  on  the 
western — until  the  following  morning.  "  I  marvel,  O  Guairi," 
said  St.  Cumin,  "  at  the  smallness  of  this  host  of  thine,  here 
assembled,  and  at  the  greatness  of  that  led  against  thee  by 
thine  enemy."  "Know,  then,"  said  Guairi,  "that  it  is  not  the 
number  of  warriors  that  gain  battles,  but  that  victory  must  ildl 
as  God  willeth  it ;  and  as  thou  scornest  our  host,  know  that  it  is 
not  comely  forms  but  hardy  hearts  that  win  victories."  Next  day 
the  battle  was  fought;  the  king  with  his  forces  on  the  one  side, 
and  Guairi,  backed  by  the  strength  of  Coimaught  and  Munster, 
on  the  other.  However,  Guairi  and  his  party  lost  the  day,  and 
many  of  the  nobles  of  Connaught  and  Munster  fell,  and  there 
was  a  great  slaughter  of  their  followers.  It  was  through  the 
prayers  of  St.  Caiminj^"  who  is  honored  at  luis  Keltrach,  that 
Guairi  was  defeated  in  this  engagement,  for  that  holy  man  had 
fasted  for  three  quarters  of  a  year  in  order  that  Guairi  might  be 
routed  in  battle.  This  St,  Caimin  was  of  the  race  of  Fiacaidh 
Bacheda,  son  of  Cathaeir  Mor.  Guairi  had  indeed  come  to  the  saint, 
and  paid  him  respect  and  homage,  and  had  bowed  himself  down 
before  him.  But  Caimin  told  him,  nevertheless,  that  he  could 
not  escape  from  being  worsted  in  battle. 

After  his  defeat,  Guairi  came  to  a  little  monastery,  where  he 
found  but  one  solitary  female  recluse,  or  nun.  The  woman, 
thereupon,  asked  him  who  he  was.  "I  am  one  of  the  household 
guards  of  Guairi,  son  of  Colman,"  replied  he.  "I  am  grieved," 
said  the  recluse,  "that  defeat  should  have  overtaken  that  king, 
for  hiá  charity,  benevolence  and  hospitality  are  greater  than 
those  of  an}^  man  in  Ireland — and  that  red  slaughter  should  have 
fallen  upon  his  people."  The  nun  then  went  out  to  a  stream  that 
ran  near  her  dwelling,  and  seeing  a  salmon  therein,  she  returned 
joyfully  to  tell  Guairi  thereof.  The  king  went  out  forthwith  to 
the  stream,  and  killed  the  salmon,  and  then  returned  thanks  to 
God,  for  his  being  left  trusting  to  a  single  salmon  that  night, 
notwithstanding  his  having  often  had  ten  beeves  dressed  in  his 
house  at  a  single  feast. 

On  the  morrow,  Guairi  went  to  meet  his  people,  and  asked 
their  advice  as  to  whether  he  should  again  give  battle  to  the  King 
of  Ireland,  or  do  him  homage  at  the  spear's  point.     The  resolve 

^  St.  Caimin.     He  -is  possibly  that  the  years   622   and    662.     No   Irish 

saint  whose  death   is  recorded   under  annals  that  the  editor  has  met  with 

the  year  664,  as  that  of  St.    Cummin,  mention  any  cngai^ement   or  meeting 

Abbot   of   Clonmicnoise.     Guairi  and  between  these  kings.     The   narration 

Diarmaid   could  not    have    lived    in  must,  then,  be  either  a  pure  invention, 

the  same  age.     Guairi  Aidui  flourish-  or  the  names  and  dates  must  have  been 

ed,  according  to  our  annals,  between  falsified. 


THE    HISTORY    OF    IRELAND. 

they  (Guairi  and  his  people)  then  took  was  to  go  to  Diarmaid, 
and  to  offer  him  liomnge.  The  mode  of  his  submission  was  this : 
the  point  of  the  king's  sword  or  javehn  was  placed  in  his  mouth, 
betwixt  liis  teeth,  while  he  had  himself  to  remain  on  his  knees. 
But  while  Guaiii  was  thus  placed,  the  king  (Diarmaid)  said 
privately  to  some  of  his  people,  "  We  shall  now  find  out  if  it  be 
through  vain  ostentation  that  Gruairi  performs  such  acts  of  ex- 
treme generosity  ;"  and  he  told  a  certain  Druid,  who  was  one  of 
his  own  people,  to  ask  something  from  Guairi,  in  right  of  his 
science.  But  Guairi  paid  no  heed  to  his  request.  A  leper  was 
next  sent,  to  ask  him  for  alms  for  God's  sake,  and  Guairi  gave 
the  beggar  the  broach  that  fastened  his  mantle,  for  he  had  then 
no  other  treasure  about  him.  The  leper  left  him  thereupon,  but 
one  of  the  king's  j^ieople  met  him,  and  deprived  him  of  the  gold 
broach,  which  lie  brought  to  his  master.  The  beggar  returned 
to  Guairi  to  complain  of  this  outrage,  and  Guairi  gave  him  the 
golden  girdle  that  he  wore  round  his  waist ;  but  the  king's 
j)eople  took  the  girdle  also  from  the  poor  man,  who  came  again 
to  complain  of  the  outrage  to  Guaiii,  who  was  still  holding  the 
jjoint  of  the  king's  sword  between  his  teeth.  But  when  that 
chieftain  saw  tlie  poor  man  thus  sad  and  harassed,  a  stream  of 
tears  at  length  burst  from  his  eyes.  "0  Guairi,"  said  the  king, 
"  is  it  through  sorrow  at  being  in  my  power  that  thou  wcepcst 
thus?"  "I  give  my  word  that  it  is  not,"  answered  Guairi ;  "  but 
I  am  grieved  that  one  of  God's  poor  should  have  nothing  more 
to  get."  Diarmaid  then  told  him  to  arise,  and  said  to  him,  that 
he  should  no  longer  remain  subject  to  his  discretion.  That  there 
was  a  God  of  all  the  elements  above  him,  to  whom  he  might  do 
homage,  and  that  such  was  all  that  he  should  ask  of  him.  They 
then  made  peace,  and  Diarmaid  invited  Guairi  to  the  fair  of 
Talti,^^  where  he  promised  to  proclaim  him  his  successor  to  the 
Irisli  throne,  in  ])resence  of  the  men  of  Ireland.  After  this, 
Guairi  went  to  the  fair  of  Talti,  and  provided  a  bag,  or  sack, 
of  silver,  for  the  purpose  of  making  presents  to  the  men  of  Ire- 
land. But  Diarmaid  gave  orders  to  those  men  of  Ireland,  that 
not  one  of  them  should  ask  a  single  present  from  Guairi  on  the 
fair.     Two  days  had  tluis  passed  by,  when  Guairi  asked  Diar- 

"'  The  Fair  of  Talti.     Notwitlistand-  we  liavo  seen  an  instcancc  in  tlic  ininish- 

ing  his  Christianity,   King   Diarmaid  ment  of  Curnan,  I'rincc  of  Connanpht. 

seems  to  liavo  been  a  stern  niainlainer  JIc   held   the   Feis  of  Tcnihair  twice 

of  the  ancient  institutions  of  the  Gaels,  durinji    liis   reif^^n  ;     but   the    Church 

now  commencing  to  fail  into  disrepute,  finally  triumphed  over  him,  and  Tcm- 

and  which,  it  would  appear,  were  tot-  hair  saw  the  noljlcs  and  kings  of  the 

tering  under  tlie  new  order  of  tilings,  Gaels  for  the  hust  time  assembled  on 

being  discountenanced  by  the  Catholic  her  height  iu  A.D.  554. 
clergy.     Of  his  firmness  in  this  respect, 


THE    HISTORY    OF   IRELAND. 


437 


maid  to  send  him  a  bishop,  in  order  that  lie  might  make  his 
confession,  and  receive  the  Last  Unction.  "  Why  .so  ?  "  said  Diar 
maid.  "  My  death  is  at  hand,"  said  Gaairi.  "How  canst  thoa 
feel  that  it  is  so  ?  "  said  Diarmaid,  "I  understand  it,"  said  he, 
"from  the  fact  of  mv  seeing  the  men  of  Ireland  assembled  together 
on  one  spot,  without  a  single  man  of  them  coming  to  ask  any 
bounty  from  me."  Upon  this,  Diarmaid  gave  full  scope  to  the 
bounties  of  Guairi,  who,  thereupon,  immediately  commenced  mak- 
ing his  gifts  to  every  one  that  then  asked  them.  And,  if  the  tale 
be  true,  it  is  said  that  the  hand  wherewith  he  gave  to  the  poor  was 
longer  than  the  one  wherewith  he  gave  to  the  learned.  At  tliat 
meeting,  Diarmaid  ratiiied  his  peace  with  his  guest,  in  presence 
of  the  assembled  men  of  Ireland,^  and  the  two  kings  lived  in 
friendship  thenceforward. 

It  happened  Guairi  had  a  holy  person  as  brother,  whose 
name  was  Mochua  ;^  and  once,  when  this  brother  had  gone  to 
make  the  Lent,  at  a  spring  of  pure  water,  near  Borenn,  five 
miles  to  the  southwest  of  Durlas  Guairi,  and  without  any  person 


^"  The  Desektiox  of  Temiiair,  A.D. 
554.  This  important  revolution  is 
left  unrecorrled  by  Dr.  Keating.  Mr. 
Moore,  on  the  authority  of  our  annals, 
records  it  in  these  terras  : 

"  In  the  reign  of  this  monarch,  the 
ancient  IlalL  or  Court,  of  Tara,  in 
which,  for  so  many  centuries,  the 
Triennial  Councils  of  the  nation  had 
been  held,  saw  for  the  last  time  her 
kings  and  nobles  assembled  within  its 
precincts  ;  and  the  cause  of  the  deser- 
tion of  this  long-honored  seat  of  legis- 
lation shows  to  what  an  enormous 
height  the  power  of  the  ecclesiastical 
order  had  then  risen.  Some  I'ugitive 
criminal,  who  had  fled  for  sanctuary  to 
the  Monastery  of  St.  Ruan  (St.  Ruadan 
of  Lothair),  having  been  dragged 
forcibly  from  thence  to  Tara,  and  there 
put  to  death,  the  holy  abbot  and  his 
monks  cried  aloud  against  the  sacri- 
legious violation  ;  and,  proceeding  in 
solemn  procession  to  the  palace,  pro- 
nounced a  solemn  curse  upon  its  walls. 
'  From  that  day,'  say  the  annalists,  '  no 
king  ever  sat  again  at  Tara  ;'  and  a 
poet,  who  wrote  about  that  period, 
while  mourning  evidently  over  the  fall 
of  this  seat  of  grandeur,  ventures  but 
to  say,  '  It  is  not  with  my  will  that 
Tcamor  is  deserted.'  A  striking  me- 
morial of  the  Church's  triumph  on  the 


occasion  was  preserved,  in  the  name  of 
distinction  given  to  the  monastery, 
which  was  ever  after,  in  memory  of 
this  malediction,  called  '  The  Monas- 
tery OF  THE  Curses  of  Ireland.'  " — 
This  desertion  of  Temhair  must  have 
gradually  led  to  the  disintegration  of 
the  Gaelic  nation.  Its  tribes  can  no 
longer  be  said  to  have  had  any  com- 
mon bond  of  union  between  them,  any 
Pan-Gaedalon,  where  they  could  meet 
in  harmony,  and  be  reminded  of  their 
common  origin.  Patriotism,  if  it  ever 
had  existence  amongst  them,  dwindled 
down  to  mere  personal  or  family  am- 
bition, and  henceforth  they  were  the 
predestined  prey  of  any  warlike  rovers 
that  might  choose  to  mix  themselves 
up  in  their  intestine  quarrels.  Thence- 
forth the  Ui  Neill,  or  Ui  Briain  had 
as  little  sympathy  v/itli  the  Eogan- 
achts,  or  the  Dal-c-Gais,  as  they  had 
with  the  Saxon  or  the  Dane. 

After  this  desertion,  each  monarch 
chose  the  residence  most  convenient  or 
agreeable  to  himself.  The  kings  of 
the  northern  Ui  Neill  generally  resid- 
ed at  Ailech,  near  Londonderry,  and 
those  of  the  southern  first  at  Dun  Tor- 
geis,near  Castlepollard,  and  at  Dun-na- 
Sgiath,  on  the  northwest  margin  of 
Lough  Ennell,  near  Mullingar. 

^  Mockiui.     St.  Mochna  was  Abbot 


4S8        '  THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND, 

in  liis  compan}'  but  a  single  young  clerk,  for  the  purpose  of 
answering  the  Mass  for  him.  And  both  he  and  his  clerk  eat  but 
one  meal  in  the  day,  until  night,  and  even  then  they  eat  but  a 
small  portion  of  barley  bread  and  water-cresses,  and  some  spring 
water  with  them.  When  they  had  passed  the  Lent  in  this  man- 
ner until  Easter  Sunday,  and  when  Mochua  liad  fniLshed  the 
celebration  of  the  Mass  on  that  day,  a  longing  for  flesh-meat 
seized  uj^on  the  young  clerk,  and  he  told  the  holy  priest  Mochua 
that  he  would  go  to  Durlas,  to  Guairi,  and  get  his  fill  thereof 
''  Do  not,"  said  ^Mochua.  "  Stay  with  me,  while  I  pray  to  God  to 
Scjnd  thee  meats."  With  this,  the  holy  priest  fell  upon  his  knees, 
and  he  fervently  prayed  to  God,  begging  of  him  to  send  meat  to 
the  young  clerk.  Now,  at  that  very  moment  they  Avere  setting 
food  upon  the  table  at  the  house  of  Guairi ;  and  it  came  to  pass, 
through  the  prayers  of  ^Sloclma,  that  the  dishes  of  meat  were 
snatched  out  of  the  hands  of  the  attendants,  and  taken  off  the 
board  of  the  table,  and  brought- straight  away  to  the  wilderness, 
where  St.  Mochua  was.  Then  did  Guairi  and  his  household 
take  horse  and  pursue  the  dishes.  When  the  viands  arrived 
b3f)re  Mochua,  he  commenced  prayingand  magnifying  the  name 
of  God,  and  told  the  young  clerk  to  eat  his  fill  of  the  meat.  He 
then  looked  around,  and  saw  the  plain  full  of  horsemen,  and  he 
said,  that  it  was  no  advantage  to  him  to  have  got  the  meat,  with 
such  a  hunt  after  it.  "There  is  no  danger  to  you  therefrom," 
said  Mochua,  "it  is  my  brother  Guairi  and  his  household  that 
are  there ;  and  I  pray  God  not  to  let  one  of  them  pass  that  spot 
until  you  are  satisfied."  With  that  the  feet  of  the  horses  were 
fastened  to  the  ground,  so  that  they  could  not  leave  where  they 
were,  until  the  young  clerk  was  fully  satisfied.  Then  ]\[ochua 
prayed  to  God  to  set  his  brother,  with  his  household  folk,  at 
liberty ;  and  they,  being  loosed,  came  into  Mochua's  presence, 
and  Guairi  fell  upon  his  knees  before  him,  and  asked  forgive- 
ness of  him.  "Fear  not,  brother,"  said  Mochua,  "but  eat  thy 
meal  here."  Guairi  and  his  houseliold  then  cat  their  meal,  after 
which  they  bid  farewell  to  Mochua. 

The  fact  that  the  five  miles  of  road  between  the  well  where 
Guairi  then  was  is  still  called  Botliar-na-Mia  {Bohar-na-Mecss\ 
tliat  is  the  Road  of  Dishes,  seems  to  support  the  truth  of  this 
tale. 

It  was  in  the  time  of  Diarmaid,  son  of  Fergus,  King  of  Ire- 
land, that  St.  Becan  lived.  Some  historians  say,  that  Eo^an 
Mor  left  another  son  besides  Fiacaidh  Maeil-lethan,  named  Diar- 

of  Balla,  a  village  in  the  barony  of  the  patron  saint  of  the  Ui  Fiachrach 
(Jianmorris,  county  Mayo.  lie  was  Aidiii,  and  founder  of  the  episcopal 
called,  also,  Mac  Í)uadi,  and  became     sec  of  Kilmacduajih. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  439 

maid,  and  from  this  Diarmaid  tlie  St.  Becan  who  was  honored 
at  Kill  Becain  in  JMuscraide  Cnire,  was  descended.  These  his- 
torians saj  also  that  Fiacaidh  Maeil-lethan  had  three  sons, 
namely :  Olild  Flann  Mor,  Olild.  Flann  Beg  and  Decluath.  The 
following  quotation  testifies  to  the  fact : 

"  From  Diarmaid  great  Saint  Becan  sprung 
(Let  us  the  sons  of  Fiacaidh  trace), 
A  tribe  whose  rule  wide  cantons  own — 
Of  them  was  Decluath,  and  the  Olilds  twain." 

About  this  time  Bresal,  son  of  Diarmaid,  son  of  Fergus,  that 
is,  the  King  of  Ireland's  son,  proposed  to  prepare  a  feast  for  his 
father  at  Kennanus,  in  Meath  ;  but  he  set  no  value  on  anything 
that  he  had  got  ready  for  that  purpose,  as  he  had  not  an  exceed- 
ingly fat  piece  of  beef  to  set  before  his  father.  No  such  piece  of 
meat  was  to  be  found  in  his  neighborhood,  except  on  a  single  ox, 
owned  by  a  Avoman  in  orders,  who  lived  at  Kill  Elcraide.  Bresal 
at  first  civilly  and  humbly  asked  this  ox  from  her,  and  offered 
to  give  her  seven  cows  and  a  bull  for  that  one  animal.  The  wo- 
man refused,  and  then  Bresal  took  off  the  ox  without  her  leave, 
and  killed  it  for  his  father's  feast.  But  when  the  King  of  Ire- 
land and  his  people  were  in  the  midst  of  their  enjoyments  of  the 
festivity,  the  nun  came  and  made  her  complaint  to  the  monarch 
of  his  son  Bresal.  When  the  father  had  heard  her  complaint,  he 
Avas  seized  with  violent  anger,  and  he  declared  that  he  would  put 
Bresal  to  death,  for  outraging  the  black  nun  of  Kill  Elcraide. 
He  then  took  Bresal  with  him  to  the  brink  of  the  river  of  Loch, 
and  drowned  him  there.  Immediately  after  the  deed,  he  was 
seized  with  remorse  and  grief,  and  he  went  to  St.  Columkille 
to  bewail  his  sad  fate. 

Columkille  invited  him  to  come  with  himself  to  Munster, 
to  the  venerable  Saint  Becan.  Columkille  and  he  then  set  out 
together  for  Kill-Becain,^  north  of  Sliabh-Grot.  Immediately 
upon  arriving  there,  they  found  the  holy  man  building  a  fence 
round  his  burial-ground,  having  his  robe  quite  wet  about  him. 
As  soon  as  Becan  saw  the  king,  he  cried,  "  To  the  earth  with 
thee,  parricide."  Upon  this,  the  king  fell  down  upon  his  knees 
upon  the  ground.  Then  Columkille  spoke,  and  said,  "  He  has 
come  to  thee  to  beg  for  help  to  remedy  the  evil  deed  he  has 
done,  and  also  to  beg  of  thee  to  pray  to  God  to  restore  his  son  to 
life."  Hereupon,  Becan  prayed  fervently  to  God  three  times,  at 
Columkille's  request ;  and  thus  the  king's  son,  Bresal,  was  re- 
stored to  life,  through  the  prayers  of  the  holy  Becan,   and  the 

"  Kill  Becain.    It  is  now  called  Kill-    of  Clanwilliam,  county  Tipperary. 
peacoQ,  and  is  situated  in  the  barony 


440  THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 

name  of  God  was  magnified,  aud  the  fame  of  St.  Becan's  lioliness 
was  spread  by  means  of  that  miracle. 

Guairi,  son  of  Colinim,"  the  above-mentioned  King  of  Con- 
naught,  and  contemporary  of  Dinrmaid,  happened  to  be  on  a 
certain  occasion  in  company  with  St.  Cumin  Fada  ]\Iac  Eiácadh, 
and  St.  Caimin,  of  Inis-Keltraeh,  in  the  church  of  that  isknd,  when 
the  following  conversation  took  place  between  them.  St.  Caimin 
asked  the  first  question,  "  What  is  it,  0  Guairi,  that  thou  wouldst 
most  wish  to  possess?  "  Guairi  replied,  "I  would  have  gold  and 
treasure,  for  the  purpose  of  bestowing  them ;  and  thou,  0 
Cumin,  what  wouldest  thou  most  wish  to  have?"  "  A  load  of 
diseases  on  my  body,"  said  St.  Cumin.  "And  thou,  likewise,  0 
Caimin,  what  would  be  thy  desire  ?  "  "A  store  of  books,"  said 
St.  Caimin,  "  for  interpreting  the  truth  to  the  people."  Aud  the 
three  got  their  wishes,  except  that,  at  the  end  of  his  life,  St. 
Caimin  was  cursed  by  St.  Mochuda,  and  all  his  gifts  were  taken 
from  him,  if  history  has  told  truth. 

Guairi,  son  of  Colman,  came  to  ravage  Munster,  with  three 
battalions  of  the  Connaught  forces.  Dima,"^  son  of  Eonan,  son 
of  Aengus,  was  then  King  of  Cashel.  Their  forces  met  in 
Ui-Fidghenti,  which  is  now  called  the  plain  of  the  county  of 
Limerick.  They  fought  a  battle  at  Carn-Feradaig,  where  Guairi 
and  his  Connaughtmen  were  defeated,  and  an  immense  number 
of  the  latter,  with  six  of  their  chiefs,  were  slain.  ThQ  cause  of 
Guairi's  invasion  was  to  assert  his  claim  to  all  the  land  that  lies 
between  Sliabh  Ectuide  {Slieve  Augldy)  and  Luimnech,  which 
had  anciently  formed  part  of  the  lands  of  Connaught,  until 
Lugaidh  Menu,  son  of  Aengus  Tirech,  son  of  Fer-Corb,  son  of 
Mogh-Corb,  son  of  Cormac  Cas,  son  of  OlildOlum,  having  gained 
seven  battles  against  the  Connaughtmen,  in  which  he  slew  seven 
of  their  kings,  by  the  mere  help  of  hired  soldiers  and  boys, 
had  made  sword-land  of  all  the  country,  that  lies  between  Bearna- 

"^  Son  of  Colman.  According  to  tlie  of  Cam  Fcradaigh  (now  called  Knock- 
work  of  l)uald  Mac  Firbis,  upon  tiio  any)  was  not  fought  by  Guairi  until 
Tribes  and  Customs  of  tlic  Ui  Fiach-  llie  year  022,  when  Falbi  Flann  was 
rach,  Guairi  the  Generous,  son  of  Col-  King  of  Cashel,  or  Ixith  ]\rogha,  and 
man,  eou  of  Coljthach,  <fcc.,  was  the  Dima,  chief  of  the  Dal-g-Cais  tribe, 
ancestor  of  the  O'Cieries,  O'lleynes  was  King  of  Thoinond.  It  is  thus 
and  Mac  Kilkellies,  but  not  of  their  recorded  in  the  Four  Masters :  "A.D. 
kinsmen  the  O'.Shaughnensics,  who  are  C22.  'J'lic  12th  year  of  Kuibni,  King  of 
there  stated  to  be  descended  from  Ireland.  'J'lie  battle  of  Carn  Fcradaigh 
Aedh,  son  of  Cobthach,  the  brother  of  was  gained  by  Falbi  Flann  over  the 
the  aforesaid  Colman,  and  to  have  de-  Connaughtmen  ;  wherein  were  slain 
rived  their  tribe  name  of  Kinel  Aeda  Cf)na!i,  chief  of  the  Ui  Mani,  Mael- 
from  him.  diil)]i,    Maclruain,  Maelduin,  Maclcal- 

*  Dima.     Here,   again,  we  see  tlie  gaicli  and  Madbresail,  and  Guairi  was 

mistake   of  making   Guairi   the   con-  routed  from  the  battle-field." 
temporary  of  Diarmaid.     The   battle 


THE   HISTORY   OF    IRELAND. 


441 


na-d-tri-g-carbacl,"atCarn  Feradaigli,  to  Belacli-Lucadi,  and  from 
Ath  BoroniLa  to  Leim  Concullainn.  In  remembrance  of  this, 
Cormac,  son  of  Culinan,  composed  the  following  verse: 

"  It  was  that  Luo^airlh,  that  Red  Ilaud, 
That  forced  from  Conuaught,  as  a  fine, 
What  land  from  Feradach's  old  earn 
Extends  to  Luchaid's  deed-famed  ford." 


St.  Columkille  and  St.  Mochua^  were  contemporaries,  and 
when  St.  Mochua,  or  Mac  Duach,  as  he  is  otherwise  called,  was 
a  hermit  in  the  desert,  his  whole  worldly  Avcalth  consisted  of  a 


""  Bearna  na  d-tri  g-Carbad,  i.  e. 
the  Pass  of  the  Three  Chariots.  Belach 
Luchadi,  now  Lowhid,  near  the  village 
of  Tubbercendoney,  barony  of  Inch- 
iquin,  county  Clare.  Ath  Boromha, 
i.  e.  the  Ford  of  the  Tribute,  is  at 
Killaloe,  and  Leim  Couculainn,  or 
Cuchulainn's  Jump,  is  the  promontory 
now  called  Loophead. 

"^  St.  Columkille  and  Mochua.  It 
is  more  than  doubtful  whether  those 
saints  were  ever  contemporaries. 

It  is,  indeed,  to  be  regretted  that  Dr. 
Keating  should  have  occupied  his 
space  with  this  and  others  of  the  fore- 
going silly  tales,  which  he  must  have 
extracted  from  fabulous  romances,  as 
he  has  had  no  authority  for  them  in 
Irish  annals.  As  the  Irish  reader  must 
feel  anxious  to  hear  something  of  the 
mission  of  St.  Columba,  or  Colum- 
kille, who  was,  perhaps,  the  greatest 
man  that  Ireland  produced  in  this  age, 
but  of  whom  Keating  has  given  such 
dim  glimpses,  the  following  notices  of 
that  saint's  proceedings  in  Alba  and 
the  Albanian  isles  are  here  extracted 
in  an  abridged  form  from  Mr.  Moore's 
History  of  Ireland  :  "  Having  obtained 
from  his  cousin  Conall,  then  King  of 
the  Albanian  Scots,  the  small  island  of 
Hy,  or  lona,  which  was  an  appendage 
to  the  new  Scottish  kingdom,  Columba, 
together  with  twelve  of  his  disciples, 
set  sail  for  that  sequestered  spot.  After 
his  landing,  one  of  his  first  tasks  was 
to  expel  some  Druids,  who  had  there 
established  their  abode  ;  this  secluded 
island  having  been  one  of  the  haunts  of 
this  priesthood,  as  the  remains  of  their 
temples  and  monuments,  still  existing 


among  its  ruins,  testify.  Having 
erected  there  a  monastery  and  a 
church,  he  next  directed  his  attention 
to  the  main  object  of  his  great  Christian 
enterprise — that  of  exploring  the  wild 
region  beyond  the  Grampian  Hills, 
where  no  missionary  before  him  had 
ever  yet  ventured,  and  of  suliduing  to 
the  mild  yoke  of  the  Gospel  the  hardy 
race  there  entrenched.  The  territory 
of  the  northern  Picts  then  included  all 
of  modern  Scotland  that  lies  north  of 
the  Grampians,  and  there  the  residence 
of  their  king,  Brude,  was  then  situated, 
somewhere  on  the  borders  of  Loch 
Ness.  Hither  the  courageous  saint 
directed  his  steps,  but  found  the  gates 
of  the  royal  residence  closed  against 
him.  However,  by  one  of  those 
miracles  to  which,  in  that  all-believing 
age,  every  triumph  of  the  Church  is 
attributed,  Columba  is  said  to  have 
made  the  sign  of  tlie  cross  on  the  gates, 
upon  which  they  immediately  flew  open 
before  him.  The  king,  thereupon,  came 
to  meet  and  welcome  him.  His  con- 
version was  soon  effected,  in  spite  of 
the  Magi ;  and  in  the  course  of  this 
and  other  visits  of  the  saint,  the  whole 
of  Pictland  became  Christian.  His 
apostolical  labors  were  next  directed  to 
the  Hebrides,  throughout  the  whole  of 
which  the  enlightening  effects  of  his 
presence  was  felt.  Wherever  he  went 
churches  were  erected,  religious  teach- 
ers supplied,  and  holy  communities 
formed."  Thus,  under  the  tutelage 
of  this  great  and  holy  man,  did  these 
remote  isles  become  the  seat  of  learning 
and  piety. 


THE   UISTOEY   OF   IRELAND. 

cock,  a  mouse  and  a  fly.  The  use  of  the  cock  was  to  get  him  to 
rise  betimes  at  midnight,  to  his  matins.  The  use  of  the  mouse 
was  to  prevent  him  from  sleeping  more  than  five  hours,  from 
daylight  until  night ;  and  when  he  should  desire  to  take  more 
sleep,  wearied  out  by  his  muck  praying,  with  his  hands  crossed, 
and  by  his  many  prostrations,  the  mouse  was  wont  to  come  and 
scratch  his  ears,  so  as  thus  to  awaken  him.  The  fly's  use  was 
to  walk  upon  every  line  he  read  in  his  psalter,  and  when  he 
might  cease  chaunting  the  psalms,  to  remain  upon  the  line  where 
^  he  stopped  until  he  returned  to  it  again.  But  it  happened  that 
his  three  treasures  soon  died,  upon  which  the  saint  wrote  a  let- 
ter to  St.  Columkille,  after  the  latter  had  gone  to  Aei  (lona),  in 
Alba,  in  which  he  complained  of  the  death  of  these  animals. 
St.  Columkille  replied  to  this  letter,  and  said,  "Brother,  thounmst 
not  wonder  at  the  deaths  of  the  animals  which  have  left  thee, 
for  trouble  exists  onl}-  where  there  is  wealth."  I  judge  from 
this  banter  of  these  true  saints,  that  they  had  no  regard  for 
worldly  wealth — not  like  the  folk  of  the  present  times. 

After  this,  Diarmaid,  son  of  Fergus  Kerbeol,  was  killed  at 
Rath  Beg,-'  in  Magh  Lini,  by  Aedh  Dubh,  son  of  Suibni,  and  he 
was  buried  at  Cunniri. 

FERGUS  AND  DOMNALL,  AKD-RIGHA. 

A.  D.  556.'°  Fergus  and  Domnall,^^  both  sons  of  Murkertach 
Mor  Mac  P>ca,  son  of  Murcdach,  son  of  liogan,  son  of  Niall  of 
the  Kine  Hostages,  of  the  line  of  Erimhon,  ascended  the  throne, 
and  reigned  one  year.  Duisech,  daughter  of  Duach  Tengumha, 
King  of  Connaught,  was  mother  of  these  princes.  Fergus  and 
Domnall  gained  the  battle  of  Gabra  Lifi,"  over  the  men  of  Lein- 
ster,  and  four  hundred  of  the  latter  were  slain  therein.  Deman, 
son  of  Carell,  Avhohad  been  ten  years  King  of  Ulidia,  or  Uladh,^ 

""  Ruth   Beg.      A   towiiland  in  the        ^  The  Bailie  of  Gabra  iJfi.     Tliis 

parish    of   Donegoro,    adjoining    the  waa   fought   somewhere   on   tlie  river 

parish  of  A  ntrim.  county  Antrim.  His  Lilfey,  and  is  entered  at  A.D.  .559  in  the 

slayer,   Aedh  Duff,  was   king  of  Dal-  Four  Masters.     The  battle  of  Dumha 

Araide.     '•  ITis  head  was  lirought  to  Achair  is  also  recorded  as  gained  by 

CIuain-inic-Nois  and  l)uri((l  there,  and  these   ])rinccs,   in  this  year,  over  the 

his  body  was  interred  at  Cnniri  (Con-  Leinstermen. 

nor)."— Fijvr    Maslcr.t.      ]ie   hud    re-        '^Ulidia.     Henceforth  Uladh,  when 

quested  before  he  expired  that  his  head  it  means  the  now  narrowed  territory  of 

should  be  buried  at  (Monmacnoise,  the  tlie  Clanna  Iludraide,  .shall  be  trans- 

mona,stery  of  his  friend  St.  Kiaran.  lated  by  Ulidia. — There  arc  two  town- 

"A.li.  S-OB.     F(,ur  Maslers.  lands  named   Borenn  (the  place  where 

"   Fergus  IH.,  Domnall  I.     They  he  fell),  in  the  county  Down  :  one  in  the 

reigned  three  years,  according  to  some  parish  of  Dromara,  the  other  in   Clon- 

accounts.  alion.    He  was  killed  in  5C5. 


THE    HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  443 

was  killed  by  the  boors  of  Borenn.     Soon  after,  Fergus  and  Dom- 
nall  both  died. 

EOCAIDH  AND  BAEDAN,  ARD-RIGHA. 

A.  D.  557.'*  Eoeaidh/^  son  of  Domnall,  son  of  Murkertach 
Mor  Mac  Erca,  son  of  Muredach,  son  of  Niall  of  the  Nine 
Hostages,  of  the  line  of  Eriinhon,  ruled  Ireland  for  three  years, 
in  partnership  with  his  uncle  Baedan,  son  of  Murkertach.  It 
was  about  this  time  that  Carbri  Crom,  the  son  of  Crimthann 
Sreimh,  son  of  Eocaidh,  son  of  Aengus,  son  of  Nadfraech, 
who  had  been  King  of  Munster  for  thirty  years,  died.  It  was 
this  Carbri  that  fought  the  battle  of  Femhenn,'"  against  Colman 
Beg,  son  of  Diarmaid,  in  which  Colman  was  defeated,  and  num- 
bers of  his  followers  slain.  Carbri  received  the  surname  Crom 
(crooked),  from  having  been  educated  at  a  place  called  Crom- 
glasi,  as  the  bard  tells  us  in  the  following  rann : 

"  Erect  was  he  from  sole  to  crown, 
And  straight  of  limb  was  Carbri  Crom  ; 
The  surname  '  Crom'  to  him  was  given, 
For  he  was  reared  at  Crom-glasi." 

Some  historians  say  that  it  was  about  this  time  that  St.  Brendan 
of  Birra"  died  ;  though  he  is  said  by  a  popular  tradition  to  have 
lived  nine  score  years,  as  a  bard  informs  us  in  the  following 
rann  : 

"  Woe  is  he  who  striveth  not  for  bliss  ! 
"Woe  is  he  whose  life-course  runs  not  bright ! 
Full  four  score  and  one  hundred  years 
This  blessed  saint  on  earth  did  dwell." 

After  this,  the  battle  of  Tola  and  Fortola'^  was  gained  by  Fiac- 
aidh,  son  of  Baedan,  over  the  men  of  Eli  and  Osraide,  and  in  it 
great  numbers  of  the  Elians  and  Ossorians  were  slain.     About 

°'  A.  D.  562.  Birr,    though  an  attempt    has  been 

^^  Eocaidh  XIV.,  Baedan  I.    They  made  to  change  its  ancient  name  to 

reigned    for    two  years   according  to  Parsonstown.     St.  Brendan  of  Birra 

others.  In  their  reign  died  St.  Molasi,  died  on  the  29th  of  November,  571. 

or  Laisr en,  founder  of  the  monastery  of  In   the   Four   Masters,  the   following 

Daimh-inis,  i.  e.  Ox  Island,  now  Deven-  strange  entry  is  found  with  regard  to 

ish,  in  Lough  Erne.     He  was  son  of  him,  under  A.  D.  563  :  "  Brenainn  of 

Nadfraech,  and  must  not  be  confound-  Birra  was  seen  ascending  in  a  chariot 

ed   with  St.    Molasi,   or   Laisren,   of  into  the  sky  this  year." 
Leighlin,  whose  father  was  named  Car-        ^^  Tola  and  Fortola.    Tola  is  now 

ell.  called  Tulla,  and  it  lies  in  the  parish  of 

*  Battle  of  Femhenn,  i.  e.  the  plain  Kinnitty,   barony   of   Ballybritt  and 

of  Ferahenn,  in  SouthTipperary.  This  Kings  County.    This  battle  was  not 

battle  was  fought  in  571.  fought  until  the  year  571. 

^  Birra.     This  place  is  still  called 


444  THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 

tliis  time  died  Conall,"  son  of  Comgall,  King  of  the  Dal-Eiada, 
having  then  reigned  over  Alba  for  sixteen  years.  It  was  this 
Conall  that  granted  the  Isle  of  Aei"  (lona),  in  Alba,  to  St. 
Columkille.  Shortly  after,  Eocaidh  and  Baedan  fell  by  the 
hand  of  Cronnan,  son  of  Tighernach,  King  of  the  Kiannachta  of 
Glenn-Gemhin.*' 

ANMIRI,  ARD-RIGH. 

A.  D.  560.''  Anmiri,  son  of  Sedna,  son  of  Fergus  Kenn-fada, 
son  of  Conall  Gulban,  son  of  Niall"  of  the  Nine  Hostages,  of  the 
line  of  Erimhon,  held  the  kingdom  of  Ireland  for  three  years. 
Brighitt,  daughter  of  Cobthach,  sou  of  Olild,  one  of  the  Lagenians 
of  Aid  Ladrann,  was  his  wife,  and  the  mother  of  Aedh,  son  of 
Anmiri.  He  fell  by  the  hand  of  Fergus,  son  of  Niall,  at  the 
instigation  of  Baedan,  son  of  Ninnidh,  at  Carraig-lemi-an-eich. 

BAEDAN,^  ARD-RIGH. 

A.  D.  56S.^  Baedan,  son  of  Ninnidh,  son  of  Fergus  Kenn- 
fada,  son  of  Conall  Gulban,  son  of  Niall  of  the  Nine  Ilostagcs, 
of  the  line  of  Erimhon,  reigned  over  Ireland  for  tliroe  years.  It 
was  in  the  reign  of  Baedan  that  St.Brcndan  of  Cluain-ferta*^  died. 
Aedh,  son  of  Eocaidh  Tirmcarna,  King  of  Connaught,  was 
slain  during  that  time,  in  the  battle  of  Bagha.*^    Carbri  Crora, 

"   Conall,    son    of    Comgall.      He  fell,  seems  to  be  either  a  mistake  of 

died  in  the  year  572 ;  or,  according  the  transcribers  or  an   oversight  of 

to  others,  in  573.  Dr.  Koating's.— It  would  appear,  from 

"  Aei.     Tliis  name  is  also  found  the  following  verse  quoted  by  the  Four 

written  I  and  Hi.     In  Gaelic,  it  ought  Masters,  that  Anmiri  had  made  a  de- 

to  be  pronounced  Ee  or  Hee.    It  is  the  structivo  inroad  into  Munster,  during 

island  now  called  lona  or  I-colm-killc,  his  short  reign : 
one  of  the  Hebrides. 

<'      k'innnnrfn     nf     íílfiun      fípmhin  "Femhenn,  while  he  was  kinp 

Kiannaaa    oj     Lrienn     uemiiin.  Was  not  without  hor  dco.is.-f  strife; 

These   were    the  descendants   Ol   !•  mn-  Dai  k-nd  to-day  her  face  njipears 

Caidh    T'allach,  son   of    Conilla,  son   of  From  Anmiri,  the  son  of  Sodna." 

the  redouljted  champion  Tadg,  son  of 

Kian,  son  of  Olild  Olum.     They  were  ^'  Baedan  II.      This  king  reigned 

the    ancestors   of    the    O'Connors   of  but  one  year,  according   to   the  last 

Ulster.     Their  territory  is  now  called  cited  annals, 

the  barony  of  Keenaught,  county  Lon-  "  A.  I).  507.     Four  Meters. 

donderry.      The   O'Connors   are  still  *"  Clmin-fcrta.      This  St.  Brendan 

nurnerijus  in  Glengivcn   (Glenn  Gem-  died   on   the    IGth   of    May,  576,   at 

liin)  ;  which  was  the  ancient  name  of  Aenach-Duin,  now  Annadown,  on  the 

the  Vale  of   the   Kivcr   Roa,   which  east  bank  of  Ixiugh  Corrib  ;  but  he 

flows  througli  the  centre  of  the  nor-  was  liuried  at  Clonfcrt. 

thern  Kiannacta.  "  Bii<rlin.      Perhaps  Rliabh  Bagh- 

*■  A.  1).  5()'l.     Four  Masters.  na,  or   Badbgna,  now    Sliove  Bawne, 

"  Son  of  Nmll.     Tic  is  called   son  county    Iloscoinnion.     This  Aedh  was 

of  Nellin,  by  other  authorities.     The  not  siain  until  574.     He  fell   by  the 

name  given  to  the  place  where  Anmiri  Ui  Briuin. 


THE    HISTORY    OF    IRELAND.  445 

King  of  JNIunster,  died  aLout  the  same  period ;  and  tlien,  also, 
died  Baedan,  son  of  Carell,  King  of  Ulster ;  and,  also,  St.  Rua- 
dan,*^  of  Lotliair,  a  saint  descended  of  the  line  of  Olild  Flann 
Beg,  son  of  Fiacaidh  Maeil-lethan.  Baedan,  King  of  Ireland, 
was  slain  by  the  two  Cumins,  namely :  by  Cumin,  son  of  Col- 
man,  and  Cumin,  son  of  Libren,  at  Carraig  lemi-an-eich,'*^ 

According  to  Bede,  in  the  fourth  chapter  of  the  third  book  of 
his  Saxon  History,  it  was  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  five  hundred 
and  sixty-five  that  St.  Columkille  proceeded  to  Alba^"  upon  his 
apostolic  mission. 

AEDH    MAC    ANMIRECH,    AED-RIGH. 

A.  D.  566."  Aedh,"  son  of  Anmiri,  son  of  Sedna,  son  of  Fergus 
Kenn-fada,  son  of  Conall  Gulban,  son  of  Niall  of  the  Nine  Host- 
ages, assumed  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland,  and  held  it  for  tWenty- 
seven  j^ears. 

I  have  before  stated  that  Brighitt  {Brecyith),  daughter  of  Cob- 
thach,  son  of  Olild,  of  the  royal  line  of  Leinster,  was  the  mother 
of  this  prince.  It  was  this  Aedh  that  fought  the  battle  of  Bolach 
Dathi,'^  where  Colman  Beg,  son  of  Diarmaid,  fell,  with  five 
thousand  of  his  warriors,  through  prophecies  of  St.  Columkille. 
It  was,  also,  in  this  king's  reign  St.  Senach,"  the  holy  bishop  of 
Cluain  Eraird,  died.  About  this  time,  also,  died  Feidlimidh,"^^ 
son  of  Tighernach,  King  of  Munster. 

«  St.  Ruadan.     This  was  the  saint  ''  A.  D.  568.     Four  Masters. 

who  had  laid  the  famous  malediction  "  Aedh    II.      In  the  first  year  of 

upon    Tcmhair.      His    monastery,  as  his  reign  he  slew  Fergus,  son  of  Nellin, 

above  stated,  was  situated  at  Lorha,  in  revenge  for  his  father, 

now  a  village  in  Lower  Ormond,  county  "^'  Belach-Datlii.     The  place  of  this 

Tipperary,  six  miles  north  of  Burri-  fight  is  called  by  others  Docté,  Bélach 

sokean.  Feda  and  Belach-an-f  hedha.    It  is  now 

*^    Carraig-lemi-an-eich,    i.    e.     the  known  as  Ballaghanea, in  the  parish  of 

Rock  of  the  Horse's  Jump.    There  are  Lurgan,    county    Cavan .      It    would 

many  places  of  this  name  in  Ireland,  appear,  that  St.  Columkillo's  hostility 

That   here  mentioned,  may  be  Leim-  to  the  Southern  Ui  Neill  did  not  end 

an-eich-ruaidh,  i.  e.  the   Red   Hoi'se's  with  the  life  of  the  monarch  Diarmaid. 

Jump,  now  called   Lemnaroy,  county  "  St.  Senach.     He  died  in  the  year 

Londonderry. — O'D.      The    name    of  587,  bishop  of  Cluain-Eraird  or  Iraerd, 

the    persons   by   whom    Baedan   was  now  Clonard,  in  Meath. 

slain,   is   written    Comaeini    in   other  ^^    Feidlimulh,   son  of    Tighernach. 

records.  His  death  is  entered,  under  the  year 

"■  Proceeded  to  Alha.      In   the  An-  586,  in  the  Annals  of  the  Four  Mas- 

nals  of  the  Four  Masters,  this  event  is  ters,   in   these    terms  :     "  Feidlimidh, 

recorded  as  having  taken  place  in  557,  son  of  Tighernach,  King  of  Munster, 

a  little  before  which,  as  some  will  have  died."     Dr.  Bricn  would  make  him  out 

it,  he  had  been  condemned  by  a  Synod  to  have  been  but  king  of  Desmond,  or 

of  the  Irish  clergy,  for  having  excited  South  Munster;  "  but  this,"  says  Dr. 

his  relatives  to  fight  the  battle  of  Cuil  O'Donovan,  "  is  one  of  his  intentional 

Dremni,  against  King  Diarmaid.  falsifications,  in  order  to  detract  from 


446  THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


Oreat  convention  of  Drom  Kelh  — Threatened  hayiishmeni  of  the 
Bards — Attempt  to  lay  a  tribute  upon  the  Dal-Riada  of  Alba 
— Captivity  of  Sgankin  Mor — St.  ColumJcille. 

It  was  by  Aedh,  son  of  Aiimiri,  that  the  Great  Convention  of 
Drom  Ketii  was  called  together. 

At  it  were  assembled  the  most  distinguished  persons  amongst 
the  nobility  and  clergy  of  Ireland.  For  summoning  this  great 
convention,  Aedh  had  three  principal  causes. 

The  First  Cause  was  his  resolve  to  banish  the  Filedha"  {Fil- 
leea),  or  Poets,  out  of  Ireland,  on  account  of  the  greatness  of  their 
numbers,  and  of  the  difficulty  there  was  both  in  governing  them- 
selves, and  in  satisfjdng  their  demands  ;  for  the  train  attendant 
upon  an  Ollamh  numbered  thirty  persons ;  and  that  attendant 
upon  the  Annruith,  that  is,  the  person  who  was  next  in  rank  to 
the  Ollamh  in  the  Filcdhacht  {Filleeaghf),  or  Poetic  Order,  was 
fifteen.  So  that,  about  that  epoch,  nearly  one  third  of  the  men 
of  Ireland,"  belonged  to  the  Poetic  Order,  all  of  whom  Avere  wont 
to  quarter  themselves  upon  the  other  inhabitants,  from  the  season 
of  áamhain  to  that  of  Beltaini.  On  this  account,  Aedh  consider- 
ed them  to  be  too  heavy  a  load  upon  the  land  of  Ireland,  and, 
therefore,  did  he  propose  to  expel  them  from  the  country.  He 
had,  also,  another  motive  for  cfesiring  their  expulsion.  It  was 
for  their  having  had  the  audacity  to  demand  the  gold  broach" 
that  fastened  the  royal  mantle  of  Aedh.  This  was  a  broach  that 
each  king  was  wont  to  leave  as  an  heirloom  and  precious  relic 

the  ancient  importance  of  the  Eogan-  far  from  Newtown  Limavaddy,  county 

aclitg."    Aedh  Uarg'arb,  son  of  Orimth-  Londonderry. 

ann.  the   f^randfathor  of   tliis    Foidli-         Our  Annals  arc  not  in  accord  as  to 

inidh,  w;is  tlic   iminciliatc   founder  of  the    exact    date    of    the    convention, 

that    Eoj^anacht    sept,   wliich    after-  The  Annals  of  Clonmacnoisc  record  it. 

wards  took  the  name  whicli   has  been  under  the  year  587.     The  true  year 

anglicized   O'Mahony.      Laegari,  son  was  590. 

of    Crimthaim,   brother   of   the    said        ^"    Filcdhn.      The     plural    of    File 

Aedh  UarT-arb,  was  the  founder  of  the  (Fillch),  i.e.  a  ^Icmber  of  the  Literary 

sept  now  called   O'Dinoghoo.     Feid-  or  Poetic  Order, 
limidh   is   ahf)   recorded   as   King  of        '"    Men    of    Ireland.      By    men   of 

.Munster    in   the    Annals    of    Ulster,  L'l'laml,  in  the  original.  Fir  Eirrnn,  we 

which  record  his  death  under   A.  D.  must  understand  the  men  of  the  Free 

.089,    as    follows  :    Mor.<i     Feidlimthe  Clans,  or  the  Saer  Clanna  of  Ireland, 
mic  Tighernaigh  rcg/s-  Mumhan.     The        ""  Gold  Broach.     For  a  description 

death   of  Pcidliniidh,  son  of  Tigher-  of  the   gold   broach  or  delg  oir  with 

nach,  King  of  .Munster.  which  the  ancient  nobility  of  Ireland 

""  Brun-Kdh.      Tha    place   where  fastened   their   fallins;  or  mantle,  the 

this  convention  was  held,  is  now  called  reader  is  ri'ferred   to  Walker  on  the 

Daiay  Uill,  near  the  River  Roe,  not  Dress  of  the  Ancient  Irish. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  447 

to  his  successor.  It  was,  indeed,  their  impudent  demand  of  the 
broach  that  more  immediately  excited  Aedli  to  expel  them  ;  so 
that  he  had  banished  them  all  to  the  Dal  Eiada,  in  Ulster. 

Thej,  that  is  the  Filedha,  or  members  of  the  Poetic  Order, 
had  been  previously  banished,  for  their  overbearing  conduct  and 
unjust  judgments,  in  the  days  of  Concobar*"  Mac  Nesa,  King  of 
Ulster.  A  t  that  time,  all  the  Filedha  of  Ireland  were  assembled 
together  in  one  place,  and  at  their  meeting  there  were  found  to 
be  one  thousand  Filedha,  who  were  each  followed  by  a  band  of 
attendants.  They  were  then  making  up  their  minds  to  go  settle 
in  Alba.  But  when  Concobar  heard  it,  he  deputed  Cuchulainn 
10  detain  them,  and  gave  them  maintenance  for  seven  years  with 
himself,  as  the  bard  thus  relates : 

"  To  Uladh  wends  that  thronging  host, 
To  Concobar  of  crimson  glaive  ; 
And  Uladh's  king,  for  seven  full  years, 
Maintained  those  exiled  sons  of  song." 

After  that,  the  Filedha  spread  themselves  anew  throughout 
Ireland,  and  they  were  not  again  molested  until  the  time  of 
Fiacaidh,"  son  of  Baedan,  King  of  Ulster,  nor  from  the  time  of 
Fiacaidh  to  that  of  Maelcaba,*"  son  of  Deman,  son  of  Carell,  King 
of  Ulster  ;  nor  from  the  time  of  Maclcaba  to  that  of  Aedh,  son 
of  Anmiri.  Three  times  did  the  men  of  Ireland  refuse  to  main- 
tain the  Filedha,  and  each  time  of  these  did  the  Ulta  uphold 
them. 

At  the  time  of  their  first  banishment,  when  Concobar  gave 
them  maintenance  for  seven  years,  their  number,  as  I  have  just 
said,  amounted  to  one  thousand. 

At  the  time  of  their  second  exile,  when  they  were  supported 
for  one  year  by  Fiacaidh,  son  of  Baedan,  their  number  was  seven 
hundred,  and  at  their  head  Avas  Eocaidh  Eigh-Eiges  {Bee- 
Aiguess),^^  as  the  bard  has  said  in  the  following  rann  : 

^    Concobar.     This    king    reigned  for,  what  Keating  recoi'ds  in  this  in- 
over  Ulster,  as  we  have  seen,  about  stance  as  two  distinct  events  seems  to 
the  period  of  the  birth  of  Christ.     He  have  constituted  but  one. 
continued,  during  his  whole  reign,  the  "^  Righ-eiges,  i.e.  King-Poet.    Bo- 
munificent  patron  of  the  Bardic  Order,  caidh     Righ-eiges    was    but  another 

^'  Fiacaidh.     He  flourished  in  Uli-  name  for  Dalian  Forgaill,  who  was  the 

dia,  from  A.  D.   571   to   G22,   conse-  Chief  Poet  of  Ireland  in  the  time  of 

quently,    must    have    been    the   pro-  Aedh.     He  was  a  disciple  of  St.  Co- 

tector  of  the  Poets  upon  the  present  lumkille,  and  the  autlior  of  the  famous 

occasion.     He  is  also  called  Fiachna.  amhra,  or  hymn,  called  AmhraCholuhn 

"'^  Maclcaba,    otherwise   Maelcobha,  Cille.    Two  of  Dalian's  odes  arc  given 

was  the  son  of  Fiachna,  and  was  King  with  metrical  translations,  in   Hardi- 

of  Ulidia  in  64G.     Fiacaidh  may  also  man's  Irish  Minstrelsy. 
have  had  a  brother  named  Maelcaba, 


448  THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 

"  Eocaidh,  sage  of  righteous  laws, 
To  Fiacaidli,  Baedairs  son,  repairs, 
And  tiieie  the  King-sage  welcome  found, 
And  there  his  bards  found  niaiuteuancc." 

The  third  time  they  Averc  exiled,  they  numbered  twelve  hun- 
dred around  Dalian  Forgail  and  Senchan."  It  was  at  that  time 
that  they  were  supported  by  ^Maelcaba,  King  of  Ulster,  as  the 
bard  has  thus  told  us  in  the  duan  from  which  the  extracts  last 
quoted  have  been  made : 

"  AVhen  Maelcaba  of  minstrels  reigned. 
In  yonder  Tubar-kinn-tragha,"^ 
Twelve  hundred  bards  then  shelter  found, 
Beside  his  tall  north-eastern  Yew. 

"  To  them  Maelcaba  of  the  Head»* 
Gave  maintenance  for  three  bright  years  ; 
And  till  Doom's  pale  Day  may  the  generous  chiefs 
Of  Dcman's  shapely  sons  still  reign." 

The  Second  Cause  that  he  had  for  calling  the  convention  of 
Drom-Kcth  was  his  desire  to  place  a  tribute  upon  the  Dal-Riada 
of  Alba,"  for  they  had,  up  to  that  time,  been  subject  to  pay  no 
rent  to  the  King  of  Ireland,  Avith  the  exception  of  their  having 
had  to  raise  an  army  to  assist  him  in  his  Avars,  both  by  sea  and 
by  land,  and  their  being  subject  to  pay  erics  to  the  Irish  Ard- 
righ,  as  Sfc.  Colman,"  son  of  Comghellach,  has  laid  down,  and  as 
he  tells  us  himself,  in  the  following  rann  : 

*'  Senchan.      He  became    the  suc^  stood  that  the  territory,  sought  to  be 

ceasor  of  Dalian  as  Chief  Poet.     He  placed  under  tribute  on  this  occasion, 

is  otherwise  known  as  Senchan  Tor-  was  that  of  the  Dal-lliada  of  Antrim, 

pest.     His  dirge  over  the  body  of  his  whom  Aedgan  or  Aidan,  as  chieftain 

Master,  Dalian,  has  been  published  in  of  the  race  of  Iliada  both  in  Ireland 

the  work  last  mentioned.  and    Alba,  would   ?et   free    from   the 

"    Iuhar-kiitn-1ra<rha,  i.e.  the  Tew  jurisdiction    of    the    Irish     monarch. 

Tree  at  the  Head  of  the  Strand.    This  Ilowever,  it  is  not  likely  that  such  a 

is  the  Gaelic  name  of  the  town  now  demand  would  have  been  then  made  in 

called    Newry,   county    Down.      The  the  very  height  of  the  Ui  N(m11  suprc- 

word   Ncwry  is  a  corruption  of  "  An  macy.     It  is  much  more  likely  that 

lubhar"  (^«  i/eu"r),  i.  e.  the  Yew  Tree,  the  disputed   point   Avas   really   what 

With    aspirations,    the    whole    name  Keating  represents  it,  and  that  Aedli 

reads  lubhar-chinn-tragha,  and  is  now  sought  to  revive  the  sway  exercised  by 

pronounced  somewhat  like  Yoor-Kccn-  hisanecstor,  Niall,  over  Nortii  15ritain. 

Tlrcnc.  "^   ''^t.  Colmnn.      We   are  told  tliat 

"■  Of   the    Head,  i.e.   the  Head  of  this  question  had  been  left  to  St.  Co- 

thc  Strand.    The  original  is  Mnclcahhn  lumkillc's  decision,  but  that  he  declined 

an  Chinfr ;  but  the  editor  thinks  that  the  task  of  arl)itration  on  account  of 

Clung  has  been  written  by  mistake  for  his  known  friendship  towards  Aedgan, 

Chinn.  the   Dal-iliadic   King.      It  was   then 

"  Mr.  Moore  seems  to  have  under-  committed  to  St.  Cobnan,  a  man  deep- 


THE  HISTORY   OF  IRELAND.  449 


"  A  land  force  they  are  bound  to  raise, 
A  fleet  on  sea  they're  bound  to  launch  ; 
And,  by  my  wise  and  just  decree, 
They  fines  shall  pay  for  kindly  blood." 

The  Third  Cause  of  the  convention  of  Drom-Ketli,  was  in 
order  to  depose  Sganlan  Mor,"  the  son  of  Kennfaeladh,  from  the 
principality  of  Osraide,  or  Ossory,  for  having  refused  to  ])ay  to 
the  monarch  Aedh,  head-rent,  and  to  instal  Illann,  son  of  the  said 
Sganlan,  as  prince  of  the  O.-^sorians,  in  his  stead,  for  he  had  con- 
sented to  pay  the  said  head-rent.  And  such  were  the  three  causes 
for  assembling  the  great  convention  of  Drom  Keth,  as  the  bard- 
sage  tells  in  this  verse,  down  here : 

"  That  Congress  had  three  aims  in  view — 
II  is  crown  from  Sganlan  Mor  to  wrest ; 
On  Riada's  tribes  a  rent  to  place  ; 
From  Eri's  land  her  bards  to  drive." 

The  following  are  the  names  of  the  Kings  of  the  Fifths,  and 
the  Lords  of  Cantons  that  came  to  that  convention  :  Crimthann 
Kerr,  king  of  Leinster;  Illann,  son  of  Sganlan,  son  of  Kenn- 
faeladh, king  of  Osraide;  Maelduin,  son  of  Aedh  Bennan,  king 
of  West  Munster;  Guairi,  son  of  Colman,  king  of  Clan 
Fiachra,  North  and  South ;  Finghin,  son  of  Aedh  Dubh, 
son  of  Crimthann,  king  of  all  Munster ;  Eaghallach/"  son  of 
Uada,  who  was  king  over  the  Tuatha  Taeidin,  and  over  Brefni 
Ui  Euairc,  as  far  as  Cliaban  IModuirn  ;  Kellach,  son  of  Kearnach, 
son  of  Dubh-Dothra,  king  of  Brefni  Ui  Kaghallaigh ;  Conall 
Kenn-bagair,  or   Kenn-maghair,  king  of  Tir  Comaill ;  Fcrgal, 

ly  versed  in  legal  and  ecclesiastical  another  chieftain  named  Kaghallach, 

science,  who,  on  the  grounds  that  the  who  was  sou  of  Cathalan,  son  of  Mael- 

territory  of  the  Dal-Riada  was  an  Irish  morda,  the  11th  descendant  from  Fer- 

province,  gave    his  decision    against  gus,    the    common    ancestor    of    the 

Aedgan. — See  Moore.  O'Connors,  O'Reillies,  and  O'Ruaircs. 

•^"  Sganlan  Mor.      This  is  not  the  His  territory,  as  here  stated,  comprised 

Sganlan  Mor,  son  of  Kennfaeladh,  son  the  present   counties  of  Roscommon 

of  Feradach,  who  died  king  of  Osraide  and    Leitrim. — Cliaban  Moduirn  was 

in  642,  and  is  the  ancestor  of  all  the  probably   on   the    borders   of  Crioch 

septs  of  the  Fitz  Patricks.     It  was  a  JModurna,  now  Cremorne,  in  Monaghan. 

cousin-gcrman  of  his,  whose   father's  Kellach  was  chieftain  of  the  Ui  Briuin 

name  was  also  Kennfaeladh,  but  whose  Brefni.      In   Guairi,  Raghallach,  and 

grandfather  was  named  Rumann,  and  Kellach,  we  see  the  representatives  of 

was  the  brother  of  Feradach.  the  three  great  tribes  of  the  descend- 

'"    Raghallach.      He  was  an  ances-  ants   of    Eocaidh  Muigh-medon,  who 

tor  of  the  O'Connors  of  Connaught,  had   partitioned    Connaught  between 

but    not    of    the    O'Raghallaigh    or  them,  having  supplanted  the  old  Bel- 

O'Reillies  of  Brefni  Ui   Raghallaigh  gian  tribes  of  the  Gamhanraide,  the 

(Cavan.)     They  are  descended  from  Fir  Craeibi  and  the  Tuatha  Taeiden. 
29 


450  THE  UISTORY   OF  IRELAND. 

son  of  Maelduin,  king  of  Ailech;''  Guairi,  son  of  Congal,  king 
of  Ulidia;  the  two  kings  of  Oirgliiall,  namely,  Daimhin,'' son 
of  Aengus,  who  ruled  the  country  from  Clochar  Desa"  to  Finn- 
cairn,  upon  Sliabh-Fuaid,  and  Aedh,  son  of  Duach  Galach,  who 
ruled  from  Finn-cairn  on  Sliabh-Fuaid  to  the  Boyne. 

When  St.  Columkille,  who  was  then  in  Alba,  heard  of  the  call- 
ing together  of  that  General  Assembly,  and  had  learned  the  three 
motives  for  which  it  was  about  to  be  held,  he  set  out  from  Aei 
to  Ireland,  attended  by  his  congregation  of  clerics.  The  number 
of  these  that  accompanied  him  was  forty  priests,  twenty  bishops, 
fifty  deacons,  and  thirt}^  clerical  students,  as  the  Amhra-Choluim- 
cilli,  or  Hymn  of  Columkille,  relates  in  the  following  verse : 

"  Forty  priests  his  host  then  numbered, 
And  twenty  bishops  of  lii|?h  power, 
With  tliirty  youths,  and  fifty  deacons, 
For  chauuting  psalms  of  endless  praise." 

It  is  possible  that  some  readers  may  disbelieve  what  I  am 
here  about  to  state,  namely,  that  the  bishops  of  Alba  acknowl- 
edged the  supremacy  of  the  abbots  of  Aei,  in  ancient  times ; 
but  let  them  read  the  the  fourth  chapter  of  the  fifth  book  of 
Bede's  History  of  the  Saxon  Church,  where  he  has  spoken  of  the 
primatial  authority  of  the  Island  of  Aei  over  Alba,  in  the  fol- 
lowing terms :  "  ít  was  always  the  custom  of  this  island  to  have 
a  consecrated  abbot  for  its  primate,  to  whose  rule  all  the  prov- 
ince, and,  by  an  unusual  arrangement,  the  very  bishops  them- 
selves are  bound  to  be  subject,  after  the  example  of  its  first 
teacher,  who  was  not  a  bishop,  but  a  priest  and  a  monk.'"'  And 
it  is  evident  that  ColumkilJe  was  the  first  teacher  that  acquir- 
ed the  primatial  autliority  in  Aei,  from  wliat  Bede  recounts 
in  the  tenth  chapter  of  the  eighth  book  of  the  same  history : 

"  Ailech.     This   was  at  this  time  a        ■'  Clorhar    Desa.       Now    Clogher. 

new  principality,  founded  by  the  Nor-  county  'J'yrone.     Sliabli  Fuaid  lies  in 

them  Ui  Neill,  and  so  called  from  the  Armagh,  as  heretofore  located.    Ulster 

ancient    .stronghold    of   Ailech,   near  was,  at  this  time,  divided   into   lour 

Uerry,  which   they   had    made    their  principalities,  or  rather  into  five,  if  we 

royal"  residence.  w'ould  count  amongst   them  the  Dal- 

•^  Dnimhin.     Daimhin  Damhairgitt,  Riada  of  Antrim,  represented  by  Acd- 

whose  real  name  was  Carbri,  is  the  gao,  King  of  the  Alban  Scots, 
ancestor  of  the  Mac  Mahons  of  Monjv-        "'  Habere  autom  solet  (inquit)  rcc- 

ghan.     lie  could  not  have  been  at  this  torem   ÍSeniper   abbatcm  et  jn-esbyte- 

convention,  for   he  had  died  in  ófiO.  rum,  ejusque  juri  et  omni-;  ])rovincia  el 

Indeed,   some    others    of    i\w.    cliii'fs,  ipsi  etiam  e])is('()])i   (online  inusitato) 

named  in  the  li.st  above  given,  could  deljcant  esse  subjccti,  juxta  cxemplum 

not  have  been   at  Droni-Keth — they  prinii  doctoris  illius,  cjui  non  episcopus 

naving  either  died  before  it  took  place,  sed  preabiter  e.xtitit  ct  monachus. 
or  having  lived  too  long  after  it. 


THE    HISTORY    OF    IRELAND.  451 

"  Columba,""  says  he,  "  was  the  first  teacher  of  the  Catholic  Faith 
to  the  Picti,  north  of  the  mountains,  and  the  first  that  built  a 
monastery  in  the  Island  of  Hia,  which  Avas  long  held  venerable 
by  the  numerous  nations  of  the  Scoti  and  Picti."  From  the.se 
words  of  Bede  it  must  be  understood  that  St.  Columkille,  or 
Columba,  was  the  first  teacher  that  went  to  propagate  the  Faith 
among  the  Picti  of  the  north  of  Scotland,  and  that,  for  that 
reason,  not  only  the  priests  and  the  monks  did  homage  to  the 
abbots  of  Aei,  but  the  bishops,  also,  acknowledged  his  supremacy, 
because  it  was  St.  Columkille  that  had  given  them  the  light  of 
the  Faith  for  the  first  time.  Hence  it  happened  tliat  some  bish- 
ops accompanied  St.  Columkille,  as  his  attendants,  to  the  con- 
vention of  Drom  Keth. 

St.  Columkille  came  to  Ireland  with  a  waxed  cloth  upon  his 
eyes,  in  order  he  might  not  see  the  Irish  soil ;  for  when  St. 
Molasi  had  banished  him  to  Alba,  for  a  penance,  he  bound  him 
never  to  set  his  eyes  upon  the  Irish  soil,  to  the  day  of  his  death  ; 
and  from  this  it  came,  that  he  kept  a  waxed  cloth  constantly  upon 
his  eyes  while  he  remained  in  Ireland,  and  never  removed  it 
until  his  return  to  Alba.  It  was  in  remembrance  of  his  having 
thus  fulfilled  the  penitential  sentence  which  St.  Molasi  had  laid 
upon  him,  that  the  latter  saint  has  himself  left  the  following  verse : 

"  Though  Colnm  from  the  east  had  come, 
Ship-wafted  hither  o'er  the  sea, 
Still  nought  on  Eri's  earth  he  saw, 
While  at  her  council  he  remained." 

According  to  the  ancient  book  called  the  Uighir  Chiarain,  the 
reason  why  St.  Molasi  had  laid  upon  St.  Columkille  this 
penitential  sentence,  which  had  thus  compelled  him  to  emigrate 
to  Alba,  was  to  make  the  latter  do  penance  for  his  having  l3een 
the  cause  why  three  battles  had  been  fought  in  Ireland ;  for  he 
was  the  instigator  of  the  battles  of  Cuil-Dremni,  Cuil-Feda  and 
Cuil-Eathain. 

The  battle  of  Cuil-Dremni  arose  out  of  the  following  event : 
At  a  Feis  of  Temhair,  held  by  Diarmaid,  son  of  Fergus  Kerbeol, 
King  of  Ireland,  a  certain  nobleman  had  been  slain  by  Curnan, 
son  of  Aedh,  son  of  Eocaidh  Tirmcarna.  This  Curnan,  Diar- 
maid put  to  death,  for  having  killed  a  nobleman  at  the  said  Feis, 
in  violation  of  the  law  and  sanctuary  thereof  But  before  he 
fell  into  the  king''s  hands,  Curnan  had  fled  to  the  protection  of 
the  two  sons  of  Murkertach    Mac  Erca,  namely,  Fergus  and 

'^  Columba  erat  primus  doctor  Fidel  quod  in  Hiae  insula,  multis  diu  Scoto- 
(Jatholicai  transmcntanis  ad  aquiio-  rum  Pictorumque  populis  venerabilia 
uem,  prirausque  fiindator    Monasterii    mansit. 


462  THE    HISTORY    OF   IRELAND. 

Domnaill.  These  princes  placed  him  under  the  protection  of 
St.  Columkille.  However,  in  spite  of  this  protection,  Diarmaid 
put  him  to  death,  for  having  violated  the  sacred  rights  of  Tem- 
hair.  Thence  it  happened  that  St.  Columkille  mustered  the 
northern  Clanna  Neill,  in  order  to  avenge  the  violation  of  his 
protection.  Thus  was  Diarmaid  with  the  Connaughtmen"  routed 
at  the  battle  of  Cuil-Dremni,  and  tliere  that  king  was  vanquished, 
through  the  prayers  of  St.  ColumJ<illc.  The  Black  Book  of 
Molaga  gives  another  reason  for  the  battle  of  Cuil-Dremni; 
namely,  the  partial  judgment  which  had  been  given  by  Diar- 
maid against  St.  Columkille,  when  a  copy  of  the  Gospel  having 
been  privately  copied  from  a  book  belonging  to  St.  Fintan,"'  the 
latter  had  claimed  as  his  own  property  the  copy  which  had  been 
transcribed  from  his  own  book.  St.  Columkille  also  laid  claim 
to  the  copy,  upon  the  grounds  that  he  had  himself  transcribed  it. 
Both  parties  then  selected  the  king  as  adjudicator  between  them; 
and  Diarmaid  thereupon  adjudged  that,  as  every  calf  belonged 
to  its  own  proper  cow,  so  did  every  copy  belong  to  its  parent 
book.  Such  is  the  second  cause  assigned  for  the  battle  of  Cuil- 
Dremni. 

The  reason  why  St.  Columkille  had  instigated  the  battle 
of  Cuil-Eathain"  against  the  Dal  Araide  and  the  Ulta,  or  Ulid- 
ians,  Avas  because,  wlien  some  contention  had  arisen  between 
that  saint  and  St.  Comgall,  those  tribes  had  shown  partiality 
towards  St.  Comgall,  and  severity  towards  St.  Columkille. 

St.  Columkille  had  instigated  the  battle  of  Cuil-Feda  against  Col- 
man,  son  of  Diarmaid,  because  he  had  felt  insulted  by  Cumin, 
son  of  Colman's  having  killed  Bacdan,  son  of  Ninnidh,  King  of 
Ireland,  at  Leim-an-eich,  in  violation  of  his  own  protection. 

Now,  when  St.  Columkille  arrived  in  Ireland,  from  Alba,  ac- 
companied by  his  holy  priests,  and  when  he  was  approaching 
the  place  where  the  convention  was  held,  the  queen,  that  is  the 
wife  of  Aedh,  son  of  Anmiri,  told  her  eldest  son,  Conall,  son  of 
Aedh,  "  not  to  show  the  slightest  respect  either  to  the  coirr- 
clileirech'^  himself  or  to  his  gang."     And  when  St.  Columkille 

""-  Commu^himen.  This  would  seem  Manuscript,  wliicli  is  a  copy  of  the 
a  mistake.  The  Kin;^  of  (yonnaught  IValtcr,  was  ever  after  known  by  the 
was  against  Diarmaid  at  Cuil-Dremni ;  name  of  Cathach.  It  was  ])reservcd 
still  a  portion  of  the  C'onnaught  people  for  ages  in  the  family  of  O'Donnell ; 
might  have  sided  with  him.  Diar-  and  lias  been  deposited  in  the  Museum 
maid's  own  clan,  the  Southern  UiNcill,  of  the  Koyal  Irisli  Academy,  by  Sir 
were  natives  of  Meath,  not  Coiinaught.     liicliard  O'Donnell,  its  present  owner." 

•'  St.  Fintan.      His    name   is   also    — 0' Donovan. 
written  Finnen  and  Finian.     "  After        '"  Cuil-Iiat/iain.     Now  called  Col©- 
this   battle,  the   Monarch   and   Saint    raine  in  Ulster. 

Columb  made  peace  ;  and  the  copy  of  "  Coir-cldcircch.  This  compound 
the  book,  made  from  St.  Finnen's  epithet  is  a  twm  of  contempt  applied 
Manuscript,  was  left  to  him.      This    to  clergymen,  who  have  been  silenced 


THE   HISTORY    OF   IRELAND, 


453 


had  been  told  of  this  opprobrious  hmguage,  he  said,  "  With  my 
full  consent  that  queen,  with  her  waiting  maid,  in  the  shape  of 
two  herons,  may  continually  hover  around  3'-on  ford,  beneath 
me,  until  the  Day  of  Doom."  This  quotation  from  the  Arahra 
repeats  the  words  of  Colurnkille ; 

'"Oh,  sho  may  soon  a  heron  be,' 

('Twas  so  the  outraged  cleric  spake,) 
'  In  heron  shape,  her  handmaid,  too, 
'Tis  meet  may  share  her  lady's  fate.'  " 

The  reason  for  transforming  the  waiting  maid  into  a  heron  as 
well  as  her  mistress  was,  because  it  was  she,  that  had  been  sent 
by  the  queen  with  the  above-mentioned  message  to  Conall, 
wherein  he  was  told  "  to  show  no  respect  to  the  coirr-clileirech  or 
to  his  gang."  Many  people  will  still  tell  us,  that  this  is  the 
reason  why  there  are  two  herons  ever  since  constantly  seen  on 
the  ford,  near  Drom-Keth. 


or  degraded  from  their  rank .  The  first 
part  of  the  word,  which  in  its  primary 
form  is  Cor,  means  a  turn,  change,  or 
twist,  <tc.  But  Corr  (now  Coirr-iasg), 
which  differs  scarcely  at  all  from  Cor 
in  pronunciation,  means  a  heron,  or 
(as  the  Irish  peasants  improperly  call 
that  bird),  a  crane.  The  legend  re- 
counted by  Keating,  makes  the  saint 
play  upon  the  double  meaning  of  the 
term  used  by  the  queen,  as  if  she  had 
called  him,  the  heron-clerk  or  crane- 
clerk.  It  would  appear,  tliat  ])revious 
to  his  going  to  Alba  Columkille  had 
been  severely  censured  (some  say  ex- 
communicated) by  the  Irish  clergy, 
with  St  Molasi  at  their  head,  in  con- 
sequence of  the  bloodshed  caused  by 
him  in  the  above-mentioned  battles. 
It  is  to  that  censure  the  Irish  queen  is 
made  to  allude  upon  this  occasion. 
Mr.  Moore  thinks  that  though  an  at- 
tempt might  have  been  made  to  ex- 
communicate him  previous  to  his 
leaving  Ireland,  still,  that  it  was  made 
upon  some  trivial  grounds,  and  for 
some  light  and  unimportant  proceed- 
ings. Irish  history,  however,  shows 
that  there  were  serious  grounds  for 
the  "  breth  aithrighe"  [hrtk  ahree),  or 
penetential  sentence  pronounced  upon 
the  future  apostle  of  the  Picts,  by  St. 
Molasi  ;  and  that  in  the  pride  of  his 
manhood,  he  had  sometimes  confounded 


the  antagonistic  characters  of  Chris- 
tian priest  and  Irish  chieftain.  Pre- 
vious to  the  battle  of  Cuil  Dremni, 
Columkille  is  recorded  to  have  said  to 
King  Diarmaid,  "  I  will  go  unto  my 
brethren,  the  races  of  Conall  and 
Eogan,  and  I  will  give  thee  battle  in 
revenge  for  this  unjust  sentence  thou 
hast  given  against  me,  respecting  the 
book,  and  in  revenge  for  the  killing  of 
the  son  of  the  King  of  Connaught, 
while  under  my  protection."  It  is 
not,  in  truth,  surprising  that  the 
haughty  spirit,  from  which  such  threats 
emanated,  should  have  called  down  the 
censure  of  the  flxthers  of  the  churcli  ; 
and  the  meekness  with  which  the  Irish 
prince,  when  convinced  of  his  error, 
submitted  to  the  sentence  of  his  spirit- 
ual superiors,  proves  the  truth  and 
sincerity  of  the  man  ;  and  it  should 
add  to  rather  than  derogate  from  the 
lustre  of  the  sanctity  of  his  subsequent 
career.  The  idol  of  the  most  power- 
ful tribe  in  Ireland,  he  might  have 
caused  a  schism  in  the  infant  Irish 
church,  resisted  his  sentence  for  a  time, 
were  he  any  mere  political  ecclesiastic. 
But  instead  of  doing  so,  he  leaves  hia 
high  position  in  his  native  land,  and 
devotes  himself  to  a  life  of  missionary 
labor,  amongst  remote  and  hostile 
tribes. 


454  THE   HISTORY   OF    IRELAND. 

As  to  St.  Columkille,  upon  his  arrival  at  the  place  of  assembly, 
he  found  that  the  household  of  Conall,  son  of  Aedh,  son  of  Anmiri, 
was  that  which  was  nearest  to  himself.  And  when  Conall  saw 
the  clerics  approaching,  he  sent  thence  nine  persons  of  the  rabble 
of  his  household  against  them  ;  and  these  flung  lumps  of  clay  at 
the  strangers,  so  that  the  holy  men  were  bruised  and  bespattered 
with  mud.  St.  Columkille  asked  who  they  were  that  beat  him 
and  his  people  so.  He  was  told,  in  reply,  that  it  was  Conall, 
son  of  Aedh,  that  had  urged  the  rabble  to  that  act.  He  then 
caused  thrice  nine  bells  to  be  rung  upon  the  spot,  against  Conall, 
who  forthwith  received  the  saint's  malediction,  and  was  deprived 
thereby  of  prosperity,  royalty  and  lordship,  prudence,  memory 
and  intellect.  And  from  those  bells  tolled  against  him  on 
that  occasion,  he  has  ever  since  been  called  Conall  Clogach,  or 
Conall  of  the  Bells. 

St.  Columldlle  then  went  towards  the  high  place  occupied  by 
Domnall,  son  of  Aedh,  and  that  jDrince  rose  up  to  meet  him,  and 
made  him  welcome  ;  and,  having  kissed  him  on  both  cheeks,  he 
placed  him  in  his  own  seat.  For  this  kindness,  St.  Columkille 
blessed  Domnall,  and  prayed  to  God  that  the  kingdom  of  Ire- 
land might  fall  to  his  lot ;  and  so  it  afterwards  came  to  pass,  for 
Domnair  held  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland  for  thirteen  years 
previous  to  his  death. 

St.  Columkille,  accompanied  by  Doimiall,  next  proceeded  to 
the  household  of  the  king.  The  latter  was,  thereupon,  smitten 
with  fear,  by  reason  of  what  had  happened  to  the  queen,  and  to 
her  waiting  maid ;  and  when  St.  Columkille  came  into  his  pres- 
ence, he  was  received  with  a  welcome.  "  My  Avelcome  co"nsists 
in  compliance  with  my  demands,"  said  St,  Columkille.  ''  Thou 
wilt  get  it,"  said  the  king.  "  Then,"  said  St.  Columkille,  "  the 
compliance  I  require  of  thee  consists  in  granting  me  the  three 
petitions  which  I  am  about  to  ask  of  thee,  namely  :  to  continue  to 
maintain  the  Filedha,  whom  thou  art  about  to  expel  from  Eri, 
and  to  set  Sganlan  Mor,  the  King  of  Osraide,  free  from  the 
bondage  in  which  thou  boldest  him,  and  not  to  insist  upon  lay- 
ing a  tribute  upon  the  Dal-Eiada  of  Alba."  "  T  do  not  wish," 
said  the  king,  "  to  continue  to  maintain  the  Filedha,  so  extreme 
is  their  insolence,  and  so  great  are  their  numbers,  for  the  Ollamh 
has  an  attendant  train  of  thirty  followers,  and  the  Anruith  has  a 
train  of  fifteen  ;  so  of  the  members  of  the  other  degrees  of  that 
order  downwards,  each  person  has  his  special  number  of  attend- 
ants allotted  to  him,  according  to  his  rank,  so  that  now  almost 
one  third  of  the  men  of  Ireland  are  members  of  the  order."  St. 
Columkille  agreed  that  it  was  but  right  to  set  aside  a  great  many 
of  the  Filedha,  on  account  of  their  excessive  numbers;  but  he 
told  the  king  that  he  ought  himself  to  continue  to  maintain  a 


THE  iriSTOKY  OF  I]íi:land.  455 

File,  as  his  Ard-ollamh,  according  to  tlie  usage  of  the  kings  that 
preceded  liiin ;  and  that  eacli  pentarch  king  should  also  main- 
tain an  Ollamli,  and  each  lord  of  a  canton  and  chief  of  a  district 
likewise.  This  plan  Avas  finally  adopted,  at  St.  Columkille's 
suggestion,  and  King  Aedh  gave  it  his  royal  sanction.  It  was 
to  commemorate  the  benefit  then  conferred  by  St.  Columkille 
upon  the  Poetic  Order,  that  Maol-ruithin  composed  the  verse 
which  follows ; 

"  The  bards  from  banishment  were  saved, 
By  holy  Colum.  of  just  laws  ; 
Each  lordship  shall  maintain  a  bard, 
For  thus  it  was  that  Colum  said." 

The  resnlt  of  the  arrangement  then  made  by  Aedh,  son  of 
Anmiri,  and  St.  Columkille  was,  that  each  king  of  Ireland  was 
bound  to  maintain  his  own  special  Ollanih,  and  that  each  pen- 
tarch king  and  district  chieftain  was  bound  to  maintain  one  like- 
wise. Each  of  the  Ollamhs  was,  by  special  right,  entitled  to  get 
a  tract  of  land  from  his  own  lord,  free  of  all  rent ;  and,  moreover, 
the  members  of  the  Poetic  Order  were  entitled  to  universal  free- 
dom and  sanctuary  from  the  men  of  Ireland,  in  the  lands,  per- 
sons and  Avorldly  goods  of  each  individual  OUamh  of  them.  It 
was  also  then  ordained  that  the  said  Ollamhs  should  be  granted 
certain  distinct  public  estates  in  land,  where  they  could  give 
public  instruction,  after  the  manner  of  a  university ;  such  as 
Avas  Rath-Kenaid,*°  and  Masraide,  on  Magh.  Slecta,  in  Brefni, 
where  any  of  the  men  of  Ireland  could  get  free  instruction  in 
the  sciences,  that  is,  any  one  that  wished  to  acquire  a  knowledge 
of  history,  and  of  the  sciences  then  known  in  Ireland. 

At  that  epoch,  the  Ard-Ollamh  of  Ireland  was  Eocaidh  Eiges 
{Aghee  Aeguess),  son  of  Olild,  son  of  Ere.  It  was  he  that  was 
called  Dalian  Forgail,  and  he  then  sent  forth  certain  Ollamhs, 
whom  he  set  over  the  Fifths  (Principalities)  of  Ireland ; 
such  as  Aedh  Eiges  {Ayeh  Aigiies)  over  the  districts  of  Breagh 
and  Meath,  Urmael  Ard-Eiges  over  the  two  Munsters,  Senchan, 
son  of  Uailfertach,  over  the  principality  of  Connaught,  Ferferb, 
son  of  Muredach,  son  of  Mongan,  as  Ard-Ollamh  of  Ulster. 
There  was  also  one  OUamh  appointed  in  every  canton,  subject 
to  these  Ard-OUamhs,  and  they  held  free  lands  under  the  re- 
spective chiefs  of  these  districts,  and  they  had  the  riglit  of 
sanctuary  therein,  as  I  have  said  above.  The  rewards,  also, 
which  each  of  them  was  to  receive  for  his  poems  and  songs  were 
fixed  according  to  law. 

"   Ruth-Kennaid.    This  place  is  in  situated  in  the  celebrated  Magh  Slecta 

Meath,  and  is  now  called  Rathkenny.  or  Magh  Sleachta,  near  Ballymagan- 

Its  modern  Gaelic  orthography  is  Rath  ran,  county  Cavau. 
Cheannaigh.     Masraide  [Masree),  was 


4:66  THE   UISTORY   OF   IRELAjSTD. 

The  second  request  that  St.  Columldlle  demanded  of  Aedh 
was  to  set  Sganlan  Mor,  son  of  Kenn-facladh,  King  of  Osraide,  at 
liberty,  and  to  send  him  home  to  his  own  country.  Tliis  request, 
was  refused  by  the  monarch.  "  I  shall  importune  thee  no  furtlier," 
said  St.  Columkille;  "but,  if  it  be  the  will  of  God,  Sganlan  Mor 
shall  loose  the  thongs  of  my  shoes  to-night  at  my  midnight 
devotions." 

The  third  request  that  St.  Columkille  demanded  was  to  grant 
indulgence  to  the  Dal-Iiiada,  and  not  to  pass  over  to  Alba  on 
any  plundering  expedition  agninst  them,  for  the  purpose  of  forc- 
ing them  to  pay  tribute;  "For,"  said  he,  "  it  is  only  lawful  to 
demand  chief-rent  from  them,  and  hostings  upon  land  and  upon 
sea."  "  I  will  not  remit  it,"  said  the  king,  "  until  I  shall  have 
gone  to  visit  them  myself"  "  Then,"  replied  St.  Columkille,  "I 
here  declare  them  for  ever  free  from  thy  yoke ;"  and  this  turned 
out  to  be  the  fact. 

After  this,  St.  Columkille,  and  his  train  of  clerics,  bid  farewell 
to  the. monarch  and  to  the  members  of  the  convention. 

The  Book  of  Glcnn-da-loch  says  thatAedgan,"  son  of  Gabran, 
son  of  Domhangort,  King  of  Alba,  had  attended  this  convention, 
and  that  he  took  leave  of  the  Irish  monarch  at  the  same  time  with 
St.  Columkille.  The  same  book  says,  that  the  convention  sat 
for  the  space  of  a  year  and  one  month,  arranging  rights  and  the 
laws  of  taxes,  and  cementing  friendly  relations  amongst  the  men 
of  Ireland. 

As  to  St.  Columkille,  when  he  had  finally  taken  leave  of  the 
assembly,  he  set  out  for  Dubh-Eglais,"  in  Inis-Eogain.  And, 
afterwards,  when  the  night  had  come  upon  the  place  of  the  con- 
vention, a  bright  and  fiery  flame  descended  upon  the  guard,  that 
kept  the  cell  where  Aedh  held  Sganlan  Mor  in  bonds,  tied  down 
by  twelve  chains  of  iron.  Thereupon,  the  guards  were  exceed- 
ingly frightened,  and  they  immediately  gave  their  faces  to  the 
earth,  amazed  at  the  greatness  of  the  light  they  saw.  And  a 
bright  ray  of  light  came  to  Sganlan  in  the  cell  where  he  was 
lying,  and  a  voice  spoke  to  him  from  out  of  the  blaze,  and  said, 
"Arise,    Sganlan,    and   cast   thy   chains   away,  and   leave  thy 

"  Aedgan.  "  On  the  death  of  Conal,  writer  upon  churcli  Antiquities,  Mar- 
King  of  the  British  Scots,  in  the  tcne.  refers  to  this  inau^niration  of 
year  572-3,  Aidan,  son  of  Gawran,  Aidan,  liy  St.  Cohunba,  as  tlie  most 
succeeded  to  the  throne ;  and  it  is  ancient  instance  he  has  met  with,  in 
mentioned,  as  a  proof  of  the  general  tlie  course  of  his  reading,  of  tlic  bene- 
veneration  in  which  St.  Columba  was  diction  of  kings  in  Christian  times." 
held,  as  well  bv  the  sovereigns  as  by  — Mnorr's  History  of  Irchmd. 
the  clergy  and 'the  people,  that  he  was  "  J)uhli-Ef:lnis,  i'.  c.  the  Black  Church, 
the  person  selected  to  perform  the  cere-  St.  Columkillc's  Church,  at  Derry,  i^ 
mony  of  the  inauguration,  on  the  here  meant.  It  was  otherwise  calle<l 
accession  of  the  new  king.  It  is  Duibh-regles. 
rather    remarkable,    that    a    learned 


THE    HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  457 

dungeon,  and  come  out,  and  place  tlijLand  in  mine.'"  Sganlan 
then  came  out,  the  angel  going  before  him.  And  the  guards 
heard  them,  and  asked  who  was  there  ?  "Sganlan,"  replied  thy 
angel.  "  If  it  were  he,"  said  they,  "  he  would  not  tell."  And 
now,  when  St.  Columkille  was  at  matins,  it  was  Sganlan  that 
unloosed  his  shoes,  as  he  passed  over  the  crann-sawghil,  or  rail- 
ing of  the  sanctuary.  And  when  St.  Columkille  asked  who  it 
was  ?  he  was  answered  by  Sganlan,  who  told  that  it  was  he. 
And  when  the  saint  questioned  the  chieftain  further,  Sgnnlan 
cried  out,  "Drink,"  and  could  utter  nothing  but  "drink,  drink," 
so  great  was  his  thirst ;  for  they  were  wont  to  feed  him  with 
salted  meat  in  his  dungeon,  and  gave  him  no  drink  therewith  ; 
and  in  remembrance  of  the  frequency  of  his  repeating  the  same 
cry  for  drink,  in  answer  to  St.  Columkille,  the  latter  left  an  im- 
pedinient  in  his  speech,  which  became  hereditary  amongst  the 
Icings  of  his  race,  who  ruled  Osraide  after  him. 

Then  St.  Columkille  told  St.  Baeithin  to  give  three  drinks  to 
Sganlan,  whereupon  Sganlan  told  him  of  the  miraculous  manner 
of  his  escape,  as  related  above.  Then  St.  Columkille  commanded 
Sganlan  to  set  out  for  Osrnide.  "  I  dare  not,"  said  the  chieftain, 
"for  I  am  afraid  of  Aedh."  " Thou  needest  not  fear  him," 
said  St.  Columkille  ;  "take  my  pastoral  staff  with  thee,  for  thy 
protection,  and  leave  it  with  my  convent,  at  Dur-mhagh,"  in 
Osraide."  Upon  this,  Sganlan  set  out  for  Osraide,  and  while  he 
lived  he  enjoyed  the  chieftaincy  of  his  own  land,  for  Aedh  did 
not  dare  to  give  him  any  trouble  thenceforth,  through  fear  of 
St.  Columkille.  In  gratitude  to  that  saint  for  having  liberated 
him,  Sganlan,  after  his  return  home,  fixed  an  impost  of  one 
sgTcbal,  that  is,  of  threepence,  upon  each  hearth  in  his  princi- 
pality^  from  Bladma**  to  the  sea,  which  was  to  be  paid  every 

"    Dur-mhagh  ;     otherwise,    Dar-  (or  Dur-mhagh)  ;   and  devoting  him- 

mliach  Cholnsm  Cilli,  i.  e.  the  Oak-field  self    to   the   arrangement  of    matters 

of    Columkille.      This   place   is   now  connected  with  the  discipline  of  the 

called  Darrow,  and  lies  in  the  north  of  church  ;  "  and  further,  "  after  accom- 

the  King's  county.     It  is  improperly  plishing  all  the  objects  he  had  in  view 

said  to  be  in  Osraide  or  Ossory,  for  it  in  visiting  Ireland,  he  returned  to  his 

lay  in   the   south  of   ancient   Meath.  home  in  North  Britain — to  that  '  Isle 

Its  site  had  been  granted  St.  Colum-  of  his  heart ; '    as  in  some  prophetic 

kille,  by  Brendan,  King  of  Tebtha,  not  verses,  attributed  to  him,  lona  is  called 

long  after  that  saint  had  founded  the  —  and  there,  assiduous  to  the  last  in 

Monastery  of  Doiri-Calgaigh,  or  Derry,  attending  to  the  care  of  his  monasteries 

in   his   native    territory.     It   appears  and  numerous  churches,  he  remained 

that  St.  Tolumkille  visited  Dur-mhagh  till  death  closed  his  active  and  bene- 

iu  person,  during  his  last  stay  in  Ire-  ficent  course." 

land.     Mr.  Moore   says,   that   during        "  Bladma.      Slieve  Bloom,  in  the 

this  sojourn,  "  Columba  visited  all  the  King's  county,  to  which  the  territory 

various  religious  establishments  which  of  the  Southern  Ui  Neill,  or  ancient 

he  had  founded,  passing  some  time  at  Meath,  also  extended, 
his  favorite  Monastery  at  Dairmagh, 


458  THE    HISTORY   OF    IRELAND. 

year  to  the  community  of  St.  Columkille,  at  Dur-mhagli  (/Jwr- 
vaa),  in  Osraide,  as  we"^read  in  the  Amhra  Coluini  Cilh,  ^vhich 
repeats  the  promise  made  by  Sganlan  to  his  deliverer,  in  the 
following  verse ; 

"  My  kin  and  tribes  to  thee  shall  pay, 
Though  numberless  they  were  as  grass, 
A  sgrebal  from  each  hearth  that  lies 
From  Bladma's  summit  to  the  sea." 

St.  Columkille,  moreover,  gave  his  blessing  to  all  the  Ossorians, 
on  condition  that  they  and  their  chieftains  should  be  obedient  to 
himself  and  to  his  congregation  at  Dur-mhagh,  from  time  to 
time,  in  paying  that  impost,  which  Sganlan  Mor  then  fixed  both 
upon  them  and  upon  their  descendants,  as  we  thus  read  in  the 
Amhra ; 

"  My  blessing  rest  on  Osraide's  sons. 
And  on  her  daughters  sage  and  bright ; 
My  blessing  on  her  soil  and  sea, 
For  Osraide"s  king  obeys  my  word." 

The  baptismal  name  of  this  St.  Columkille,  of  whom  we  are 
speaking,  was  Crimlhann,  Axal  was  the  name  of  his  guardian 
angel,  and  Demal  was  the  attendant  demon  that  was  wont  more 
especially  to  trouble  and  tempt  him,  as  we  thus  read  in  the 
Amhra ; 

"  Crimthann  O  Cuinn,'''  of  purest  deeds, 
Was  Columkille  s  bajitismal  name, 
Axal  his  angel  guard  was  called. 
And  Demal  was  his  demon  tempter." 

The  name  Columkille  Avas  given  to  him  from  the  following 
circumstance  :  when  he  was  a  boy,  under  the  instruction  of  St. 
Finncn,  of  Magh-Bili,^  he  was  wont  to  be  let  out  into  the  village 
for  one  day  in  the  week,  to  play  with  the  boys  of  his  own  age. 

"  Crimthann  0' Cuinn ;  \)XOxio\ir\c(iA  Magh    bhili    [May   Villi)    means,   the 

somewhat  like  Crijfnnn  O'Kuccng,  i.e.  plain  of  the  aged  tree  ;  so  called,  por- 

Crimthann,   descendant  of  Conn.     It  liaps,  from  some  ancient  tree  venerated 

has  been  remarked,  that  it  formed  no  there  in  the  times  of  Druidism.     St. 

inconsiderable  part  oft  his  f-aint's  per-  Finnen  was   also   the   founder  of  the 

sonal  advantages,  that  he  was  descend-  famous  college  of  Clonard,  or  Cluain- 

cd  from  this  father  of  many  kings.  Irard,  where  St.  Columkille  had  studi- 

"'  .SV.    Finni'n    of   Mnf^h-hili.      St.  cd.     "  Of  the  different   schools  where 

Finnen  was  called,  of  Magli-bili,  now  he  had  studied,  the  most  celebrated  was 

Movillc,  near  the  head  of  Strangford  that  of  St.  Finnian  at  Clonard.    There 

Lough,    about   a   milo   to   the   north  had  already,  in  the  time  of  St.  Patrick, 

cast  of  Newtown   Ards.  from  a  cele-  or    immediately   after,   sprung    up  a 

bratcd  church  which  he  founded  there,  number    of    ecclesiastical    seminaries 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


459 


He  had  this  ])rivik^gc  from  liis  being  of  royal  blood.  Then,  at  his 
usual  hour  for  getting  out,  on  the  appointed  day,  the  boys  of 
the  canton  used  to  assemble  together  to  meet  him  ;  and  as  they 
used  to  stand  waiting  for  him  at  the  monastery  gate,  they  were 
in  the  habit  of  crying  out,  as  soon  as  they  saw  him  approaching, 
''  Here  the  Coluni  CilW  (that  is,  the  dove  of  the  cell,  or  church,) 


throughout  Ireland  ;  and  besides  those 
ol'  Ailbe,  of  Ibar,  of  the  poet  Fiech  at 
Sleity,  there  appears  to  have  been 
also  a  school  at  Armagh,  established 
by  the  Apostle  himself,  and  entrusted, 
during  his  life-time,  to  the  care  of  his 
dLsciple,  Benignus.  At  the  period  we 
iiave  now  reached,  such  institutions 
had  multiplied  in  every  direction.  But 
by  far  the  most  distinguished  of  them 
all,  as  well  for  the  number  as  the  supe- 
rior character  of  it,  was  the  long  re- 
nowned seminary  of  St.  Finnian  of 
Olonard.  In  this  school,  there  are 
said  to  have  been  at  one  time  three 
thousand  scholars.'' — Moore. 

"  Colum  cilli,  i.  e.  the  Dove  of  the 
Church  ;  in  Latin,  Columba  cello:. 
Colum  is  the  Irish  synonyme  for  Colum- 
ba. Cell  {kell),  otherwise  ciU  (kill), 
was  one  of  the  names  by  which  the 
Irish  designated  a  church.  Hence  the 
frequent  occurrence  of  kill,  its  angli- 
cized form,  in  the  names  of  places. 

"  The  name  of  this  eminent  man, 
though  not  so  well  known  throughout 
the  Latin  Church  as  that  of  another 
Irish  saint,  Columbanus,  with  whom 
he  is  frequently  confounded,  holds  a 
distinguished  place  among  the  Roman 
and  other  Martyrologies ;  and  in  the 
British  Isles  will  long  be  remembered 
with  traditional  veneration.  In  Ireland, 
ricli  as  have  been  her  annals  in  names 
of  saintly  renown,  for  none  has  she 
continued  to  cherish  so  fond  a  rever- 
ence as  for  her  great  Columbkille  ; 
while  that  Isle  of  the  Waves,  with 
which  his  name  is  now  inseparably 
connected,  and  which  through  his 
ministry  became  the  '•  luminary  of  the 
Caledonian  regions,"  *  has  far  less  rea- 
son to  boast  of  her  numerous  tombs  of 
kings,  than  of  those  heaps  of  votive 
pebbles,  left  by  pilgrims  on  her  shore, 

♦  Dr.  Johnson. 


marking  the  path  that  once  led  to  the 
honored  shrine  of  her  saint." —  Moore's 
History  of  Ireland. 

The  death  of  St.  Columkille  is  re- 
corded, in  the  following  terms,  by  the 
Four  Masters  of  Douegall,  the  last  of 
the  hereditary  historians  of  his  race,  the 
royal  tribe  of  Kinel  Conaill.  "  A.  D. 
592.  The  25th  year  of  Aedh.  Colum 
Cille,  son  of  Feidlimidh,  apostle  of 
Alba,  head  of  the  piety  of  the  most 
part  of  Eri  and  Alba,  died  in  his  own 
Church,  in  Hi  in  Alba,  after  the  35th 
year  of  his  pilgrimage,  on  Sunday 
night  precisely,  the  9  th  day  of  June. 
Seventy-seven  years  was  his  whole  age, 
when  he  resigned  his  spirit  to  Heaven, 
as  is  said  in  this  quatrain  : 

"  '  Saint  Colum  lived  devoid  of  sight 
For  three  years  in  Dulbh-regles ; 
Angel  like,  he  left  this  world, 
After  seventy  years  and  seven.' " 

Dalian  Forgaill  composed  this  on  the 
death  of  Colum  Cille  : 

"  Like  cure  of  leech  without  avail. 
Like  marrow  sundered  from  the  bone, 
Like  song  of  harp  without  the  ceis  (kaish,) 
Are  we  thus  severed  from  our  prince."* 

Moore  records  it  thus  : 

"  The  description  given  of  his  last 
moments,  by  one  who  received  the 
details  from  an  eye-witness,  presents  a 
picture  at  once  so  calm  and  so  vivid, 
that  I  shall  venture,  as  nearly  as  pos- 
sible, in  the  words  of  his  biographer 
(St.  Adamnan),  to  relate  some  parti- 
culars of  the  scene.  Having  been 
farewarned,  it  is  said,  in  his  dreams  of 
the  time  when  his  death  was  to  take 
place,  he  rose,  on  the  morning  of  the 
day  before,  and  ascending  a  small  emi- 
nence, lifted  up  his  hands  and  solemnly 
blessed  the  monastery.  Returning 
from  thence,  he  sat  down  in  a  hut  ad- 

*  Irish  glossographers  are  not  agreed  as  to 
the  meaning  of  this  word. — O'Z). 


460  THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 

comes  forth  to  meet  us,"  and  of  raising  up  their  hands  for  joj. 
When  the  holy  abbot,  St.  Finnen,  heard  that  the  children  had 
so  named  him  Colura  Cilli^  he  understood  that  God  willed  that  he 
should  be  always  called  by  that  name,  which  had  come  into 
the  mouths  of  those  innocent  children,  and  that  his  baptismal 
name  of  Crimthann  should  be  forgotten. 

Such  changes  often  happened  with  the  names  of  holy  men. 
St.  Moehuda  is  another  instance  of  it.  His  baptismal  name  was 
Carthach.  There  was  St.  Caemhan,  also,  the  disciple  of  Patrick, 
whose  first  name  was  Mac  Neisi ;  and  then  there  was  St.  Patrick 
himself,  whose  baptismal  name  was  SuccATH,  or  SucCATlUS, 
and  to  whom  St.  Germanus  gave  the  name  of  Magonius,  when 
he  confirmed  him,  and  upon  whom  the  Pope,  St.  Celestinus,  con- 
ferred, lastly,  the  name  of  Patricius,  preparatory  to  his  mission 
to  Ireland,  to  propagate  the  Faith  therein. 

Again,  there  was  St.  Finnbar,  the  patron  saint  of  Cork,  whose 
baptismal  name  was  Luan.  So  it  happened  to  many  others  of 
the  same  class.  Hence  we  cannot  be  surprised  or  astonished  to 
learn  that  Columkille  was  not  the  baptismal  name  of  the  saint 
of  whom  we  have  been  speaking,  though  it  was  his  usual  one, 
for  the  reason  mentioned  above. 

You  must  also  understand,  reader,  that  St.  Columkille  was  really 
a  thorough  Irishman,  both  by  birth  and  lineage,  and  that  both 
his  parents  were  Irish,  and  that  he  was  not  a  Scotchman  of  Alba, 
though  some  Scotch,  that  is  Albanach,  writers  would  claim  him 
as  their  own  countr3'man.  But  it  is  clear  that  he  was  altogether 
Irish,  both  by  his  father  and  his  mother,  for  we  read  in  the 
Naeimh-shenchas  Erenn,  or  the  History  of  the  Irish  Saints,  that 
Feidlimidh,  son  of  Fergus  Kcnn-fada,  son  of  Conall  Gulban,  son 
of  the  Irish  Ard-Righ,  Niall  of  the  Nine  Hostages,  was  his  father. 
The  bard-historian  bears  the  following  testimony  to  these  facts, 
in  the  duan  which  begins  with  the  line,  "  The  saint-history  of 
the  saints  of  Inis  Fail :" 

joininpr,  and  there  occnpied  himself  in  miihiii,'ht  jjraycr,  he  hastened  to  the 

copyinfr  part  of  the  Psalter,  till,  hav-  church,  and  was  the  first  to  enter  it. 

ing  finished  a  page  with  a  passage  of  Throwing  himself  upon  his  kncei*,  he 

the  thirty-third  I'salm,  he  stopped  and  l)Cgan  to  pray — but  his  strength  failed 

said,  '  Let  Baitlieii  write  the  remain-  him  ;  and  his  brethren,  arriving  soon 

dor.'     This  Baithen,  who  was  one  of  after,  found   their  beloved  master  re- 

the   twelve   disciples    that    originally  clining   before  the  altar,  and  on  the 

accompanied   him   to    Ily,   liad    been  pointof  death.    Assembling  ail  around 

named  Ijy  him  as  his  successor.     After  him,  these  holy  men  stood  silent  and 

attending  the  evening  service  in  the  weeping,  while  the  saint,  opening  his 

church,  the  saint  returned  to  his  cell,  eyes,  with  an  expression  full  of  clieerfiil- 

and,  reclining  on  his  bed  of  stone,  de-  ness,  made  a  slight  movement  of  his 

livered  some  instructions  to  his  favorite  hand,  as  if  to   give   them  his  parting 

attendant,  to  be  communicated  to  the  benediction,  and  in  that  effort  breathed 

brethren.     Whcu  the  bell  rang  for  his  last." — Jlmlory  of  Ireland. 


THE   HISTORY    OF    IRELAND,  461 

«  Colum  Killi,  of  the  land  of  Conn, 
Was  sou  of  Fcidlimidh,  most  noble, 
The  son  of  Fergus,  fierce  in  the  fight, 
Son  of  bright  Conall  Gulban,  great." 

It  is  also  made  clear  by  the  Amhra,  that  St.  Coliimkille  was 
equally  Irish  by  his  mother's  side,  for  it  is  stated  in  that  hymn, 
that  Ethni,  daughter  of  Dima,  son  of  Naei,  of  the  line  of  Carbri 
Niafer,  King  of  Lcinstor,  was  his  mother.  Here  follows  the 
verse  of  the  Amhra,  Avhicli  records  the  fact : 

"  The  lady  Ethni,  nobly  born 
Of  royal  Carbri's  ancient  race, 
Mother  of  Colum,  the  divine. 
Was  daughter  of  Dima,  son  of  Naei." 

St.  Columkille  had  mortified  his  body  so  much  by  fasting,  pray- 
ing and  prostration,  that  he  became  so  emaciated  by  the  severity 
of  religious  discipline,  that  his  ribs  appeared  through  his  robe 
whenever  the  wind  blew  upon  liim  through  the  wooden  walls  of 
his  cold  unplastered  hut,  as  he  laid  himself  down  to  rest  upon  the 
sand,  Avhich  formed  his  only  bed,  as  we  are  told  in  the  following 
verse  : 

"  With  spirit  pure  he  slept  on  sand, 
And  as  he  lay  on  that  rude  bed. 
Beneath  his  robe  his  ribs'  lean  shape 
Stood  out  against  the  wind's  chill  blast," 

This  saint  lived  to  the  age  of  seventy -four  years,  according  to 
Dalian  Forgail,  in  Amhra  Coluim  Cilli,  a  poem,  which  poem  was 
written  by  that  bard  shortly  after  St.  Columkille's  death ; 

"  Whilst  Colum  stood  on  this  fair  earth. 
He  quelled  his  passions  by  stern  toil. 
For  Heaven  he  left  this  carnal  world. 
When  seven  and  seventy  years  he  saw." 

Forty-three  years  of  that  time  he  spent  in  Ireland,  after  which 
he  lived  thirty-four  years  in  Alba,  as  the  same  Amhra  informs 
us  in  the  following  verse  : 

"  Three  and  forty  years  of  these, 
'Midst  toil  and  care,  he  spent  in  Eri, 
And  four  and  thirty  full  told  years. 
From  Eri  driven,  he  dwelt  in  Alba." 

The  following  are  the  names  of  the  places  where  St.  Colum- 
kille mado  his  abode,  namely :  in  Aei,  or  lona,  of  Alba ;  in 


462  THE   HISTORY    OF   IRP^LAND. 

Doiri,  or  Dcrry,  and  in  Dun-da-leth-glas,  or  Down,  in  which  last 
he  was  buried,  as  he  himself  has  told,  in  the  poem  where  he 
declares  his  love  for  these  three  places : 

"  >ry  spirit's  peace  in  la  bides, 
;My  heart's  aftection  Doiri  holds, 
My  dust  beneath  that  stone  shall  rest 
Where  Brigliitt"'  and  great  Patrick  lie." 

Whenever  St.  Columkille  was  saying  mass,  or  preaching,  or 
chaunting  the  psalms,  his  voice  could  be  heard  at  the  distance 
of  a  mile  and  a  half  away,  and  no  evil  demon  could  bear  to 
listen  to  its  sound,  without  fleeing  before  it,  as  the  Amhra  tells, 
in  the  following  verse : 

"  The  sound  of  holy  Colum's  voice 
Rose  high  above  his  sacred  choir, 
At  fifteen  hundred  paces  heard, 
His  thrilling  tones  swelled  clear  and  grand." 

There  was  a  priest  in  Tir  Conaill  in  the  days  of  St.  Columkille, 
who  had  built  a  temple,  which  he  adorned  with  precious  stones, 
and  placed  an  altar  of  crystal  therein  ;  and  he  had  set  up  images 
representing  the  Sun  and  the  Moon  in  that  temple.  Shortl}' 
afterwards  a  great  swoon  came  upon  that  priest,  and  therein  a 
demon  came  and  bore  him  off  through  the  air.  But  when  they 
were  passing  over  the  place  where  St.  Columkille  then  was,  he 
looked  up  and  saw  them  over  his  head,  and,  thereupon,  he  made 
the  sign  of  the  blessed  cross  above  him  in  the  air,  and  the  priest 
immediately  fell  down  to  the  earth,  at  the  feet  of  St.  Columkille. 

"*  IVhcre  Bri<r;hilt,  Ifc. — Neither  St.  his  conquest  of  Ulidia  in  1186,  has  all 
Columkille  nor  St.  Brighitt  were  origi-  the  appearance  of  a  impious  and  fraud- 
.nally  buried  in  Down.  The  shrine  of  ulent  attempt  at  establishing  his  new 
the  latter  was  in  "  Kildare's  Holy  dominion  by  practising  upon  the  pion-i 
Fane,"  and  that  of  the  former  in  his  credulity  of  the  van(juislied  Irish,  giv- 
own  church  in  ]ona.  It  is  .said  that,  ing  Ihcni  to  understand  that  Provi- 
<luring  the  ninth  century,  both  their  re-  dence,  by  so  honoring  his  recking  hands, 
mains  were  removed  to  Down,  in  order  had  given  special  sanction  to  his  ruthless 
to  avoid  the  pirate  Danes.  JJut,  though  and  bloody  deeds.  Hence,  considerable 
.some  portion  of  their  relics  may  have  at  latitude  of  meaning  must  be  allowed  to 
some  time  Ijcen  brought  to  Down,  and  the  old  verse  quoted  above  by  Dr.  Keat- 
placcd  in  the  tomb  of  .St.  Patrick,  it  is  ing,  as  also  to  the  following  oft-repeated 
very  improbaljlc  that  their  whole  re-  Latin  lines,  which  are  found  in  (Jam- 
mains  were  ever  translated  thither.  The  brcnsis  : 

reason  given  for  such  transfer  is  unten-  „t   v        t^       .       . 

We       •t\                                   11  In  biirj^o  Duno  tnmulo  tumiilantur  in  nno 

e;  for  Down  was  .is  much  exposed  Brlgida,  Patrltlus,atque  Colnmbapius." 
to  be  plundered  by  the  Danes  as  cither 

Kildare  or  lona.     The   taking  up   of  Which  may  be  thus  translated  : 

ihcir   bodies,   and   tluur   transfer   int(t    .. ,   .u  v,     u   ,  t^      ^.,,         .     v 
_,    •  u     c  •     T   1      TV     rt  ci.  In  the  burgh  or  Dun,  laid  in  one  tomb, 

Bhrincs,  by  Sir  John  De  Courccy,  alter      aio  Brighitt,  Patrick  and  tho  ploos  Oolum." 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  468 

In  remembrance  of  this  rescue  from  the  hands  of  the  demon,  and 
in  gratitude  to  the  saint  therefor,  the  priest  dedicated  his  temple 
to  Columkille.  He  then  entered  the  order  of  Monks,  and  lived 
a  holy  and  pious  life  thenceforth. '* 

It  was  in  the  reign  of  Aedh,  son  of  Anmiri,  that  St.  Colum- 
kille  died.     The  reader  must  understand  that  this  Colum  of 
whom  I  am  speaking  was  Colum,  son  of  Feidlimidh,  son  of  Fer- 
gus;   for  the  Eed  I3ook  of    Mac  Acdagain,  and   the  Naeimh- 
shenchas  Erenn,  or  History  of  the  Irish  Saints,  tell  us  that  there 
were  many  holj'  men  and  women  in  Irchmd  whose  names  A\ere 
alike.  For  these  authorities  relate  that  there  were  twenty -two  saints 
in  Ireland  of  the  name  of  Colum,  and  that  St.  Columkille  was  the 
first  of  them,  and  that  it  was  in  memory  of  the  sanctity  of  St. 
Columkille  that  this  name  was  given  to  each  of  them.  There  were 
fourteen  Irish  saints  named  Brendan,  or  Brcnnan,  and  of  these  were 
St.  Brendan  of  Birra  and  St.  Brendan  of  Ard-ferta ;  of  the  name  of 
Kiaran,  there  were  twenty-five  saints,  amongst  whom  St.  Kiaran 
of  Cluain-mic-Nois,  St.  Kiaran  of  Saighir,  St.  Kiaran  of  Tibraid- 
Naei,   and   St.    Kiaran   of  Kill-Finnaide,    were   the   most   dis- 
tinguished.    There  were  thirty-two  saints  called  Aedgan,  seven 
called  Barrfinn,  and  amongst  them  the  holy  St.   Barrfinn,  or 
Finnbarr  of  Corcach,    (Cork.)     This  St.  Finnbarr  was  son  of 
Amirghin,  son  of  Dubh-daimhin,  sou  of  Ninnidh,  son  of  Eocaidh, 
son  of  Carbri  Ard,  son  of  Brian,  son  of  Eocaidh  Muigh-medon, 
King  of  Ireland.     There   were   seventeen   holy   bishops,    and 
seven  hundred  persons  in  religious  orders  in  the  community  of 
Corcach,  under  St.  Finnbarr.  There  were  fifteen  saints  of  the  name 
of  Brighitt.     Of  them  was  St.  Brighitt,  daughter  of  the  Leinster- 
man  Dubthach,  whose  fame  has  extended  throughout  all  Europe. 
It  is  certain  that  she  was  descended  from  Eocaidh  Finn  Fuathairt, 
the  brother  of  the  renowned  Conn  of  the  Hundred  Battles,  as 
we  have  shown  heretofore,  when  ti'acing  the  genealogy  of  St. 
Brighitt.     Here  follow  the  names  of  the  fourteen  other  holy 
persons,  besides  St.  Brighitt  of  Kill-dara,  who  were  called  by 
this  name.    St.  Brighitt,  daughter  of  Dima ;  St.  Brighitt,  daughter 
of  Mianach ;  St.  Brighitt,  daughter  of  Boman ;  St.  Brighitt,  the 
daughter  of  Enna;  St.  Brighitt,  daughter  of  Colla;  St.  Brighitt, 
daughter  of  Ectar  Ard ;    St.  Brighitt  of  Inis-Brighdi,  or  Inis- 
bridc;  St.  Brighitt,  daughter  of  Diamara  ;  St,  Brighitt  of  Eath- 
Brighdi,  St.  Brighitt  of  Sith  Mani,  St.  Brighitt  of  Scnboth,  St. 
Brighitt  of  Fiadnait,  St.  Brighitt,  daughter  of  Aedh ;  St.  Brighitt, 
daughter  of  Long. 

^  This  legend  of  the  miraculous  res-  tell  of  vigorous  efforts  on  the  part  of  Si. 

cue  of  the  heathen  priest  from  the  fangs  Columkille,  in  the  suppression  of  idola- 

of  the  fiend,  though  iu  itself  extremely  trous   worship,  not   yet  _  entirely  extir- 

incredible,  if  taken  literally,  seems  to  pated  from  the  land  in  his  day. 


464 


THE    niSTORY    OF   IRELAND. 


It  was  in  the  reign  of  Acdh,  son  of  Anmiri,  of  whose  reign  we 
are  treating,  and  of  Aedgan,  son  of  Gabran,  who  was  then  very- 
old,  that  the  Gaels  lost  the  possession  of  Manainn/"  It  was  in  his 
reign  also  that  St.  Cainnech,"'  Bishop  of  Achadh-Bo,  died  at  the 
Sígeoí  eighty-four  years.  This  saint  was  descended  from  Fergus 
Mac  Eoigh.  It  was  then  also  that  Colman  Rimidh  fought  the 
battle  of  Slemhain'-  against  Doinnall,  the  son  of  the  monarch 
Aedh.  The  battle  of  Cuil-cael"  was  also  fought  about  that 
time  by  Fiacaidh,  son  of  Bacdan,  and  in  it  Fiacaidh,  son  of 
Deman,  was  defeated,  and  his  people  were  slaughtered.  Some- 
time after  that,  Conall,  son  of  Suibni,  gained  a  victory  over  the 
three  Aedhs  in  one  day.  They  were  Aedh  Slanni,  Aedh  Buide, 
King  of  Ui-Mani,  and  Aedh  Koin,  King  of  Ui-Failgi.  The 
battle  took  place  at  Bruighin-da-Cogadh"*  {Brecn-da-cugrja\  as  the 
bard  has  recorded  in  this  rann : 

"  Too  great  came  tliat  red  woe 
Oh  all  the  realms  of  Eri ! 
Aedli  Slaiiui  of  the  brave  host 
Aedh  Koui  and  Aedh  Uuide!" 


There  were  continual   hostilities  between  the  two  Fiacaidhs," 
of  whom  I  have  spoken  a  little  higher  up,  namely,  Fiacaidh, 


"  Manainn,  i.  e.  the  Isle  of  Mana  or 
Man.  The  editor  docs  not  find  any 
record  of  this  event  elsewhere,  in  the 
autliorities  available  to  him.  It  must 
relate  to  some  temporary  conquest  of 
Man  by  the  Britons  or  Picts,  as  it  is 
not  probalile,  if  the  Gaels  totally  lost 
the  possession  of  Man  at  so  early  a 
period,  that  the  Gaelic  lannjuage  would 
have  survived  there  down  to  the  pres- 
ent century.  O'Flahcrty  tells  us  that 
in  the  year  .084,  Kinj^  Aidan,  (Aedgan, 
Kinpr  of  the  Dal  lliada),  conquered 
Man.  By  (iacls,  then,  wo  may  uiid.T- 
stand  tlie"^  Hibernian  Gaels,  or  Irish, 
who  might  have  lost  that  isle  to  their 
Alban  kinsmen.  "  Aedgan,  son  of 
Gabran,  the  seventh  king  of  the  Dal- 
Iliada,  of  Alba,  died  in  60fj,  at  Can- 
tiro,  aged  78  years." — O'Flnhertii. 

"  St.  Cainnech,  otherwise  Canice, 
the  patron  saint  of  Cill-Ciiainnigh,  or 
Kilkenny,  did  not  die  until  the  next 
reign,  oii  the  11th  of  October,  ')08. 

'"  Slemhnm. — 'I'iiis  battle  was  not 
fought  until  the  third  year  of  the  reign 
of  the  succeeding  kings.  It  was  fought, 
Bay  the  Four  Masters,  against  Oouall 


Cu,  son  of  Aedh,  son  of  Anmiri,  and 
Conall  was  defeated.  This  was  the 
man  who  was  called  Conall  Clogach, 
and  who  had  insulted  St.  Slemhain, 
is  now  called  Slewen,  and  is  a  town- 
land  near  MuUingar,  county  West- 
meath. 

"  Cuil-cael,  i.  c.,  the  narrow  corner 
or  angle.  It  lies  at  Down  or  Antrim. 
The  above-mentioned  battle  was  not 
fought  until  597. 

"'  Jhaighin-da-Cogadh.  It  is  situ- 
ated in  the  barony  of  Kilkenny  West, 
and  county  Westmeath.  The  battle 
here  recorded,  did  not  take  place  for 
six  years  after  the  death  of  Aedh,  son 
of  Anmiri.  It  was,  in  fact,  the  en- 
gagement where  his  successors,  Aedh 
Slanni  and  Colman  Rimidh,  were 
slain. 

"^  Two  FiacaidJts,  ^c.  The  names 
of  both  of  thcáo  rival  chieftains  arc 
also  written  Fiachna.  They  were 
cousins,  being  both  descended,  one  a.s 
grandson  and  the  other  as  great  grand- 
son, from  Muredaeh  Munderg.  king  of 
Ulidia  of  the  Dal-Fiatach  tribes,  who 
died  in  A.  D.  974. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  465 

son  of  Deman,  and  Fiacaidh,  son  of  Baedan.  Tlirougli  the 
prayers  of  St.  Coingall,  it  happened  that  the  victory  oftenest  re- 
mained with  the  son  of  Baedan.  When  the  son  of  Demao  re- 
proached the  saint  with  this,  the  latter  asked  him  whether  he 
would  prefer  to  live  for  a  certain  time  and  to  vanquish  his 
enemies,  and,  then,  to  go  to  hell,  or  to  be  killed  himself  and  to 
go  to  Heaven,  To  this  the  son  of  Deman  replied,  that  he  would 
prefer  to  vanquish  his  enemies,  so  that  the  deeds  of  slaughter,  and 
the  achievements,  performed  by  him  upon  them,  might  become  a 
subject  of  common  discourse  continually  among  future  men,  in 
their  public  assemblies,  from  age  to  age.  St.  Com  gall  was  dis- 
pleased with  the  choice  he  had  made.  But  the  other  Fiacaidh 
preferred  Heaven  and  defeat,  and  those  he  got  through  the 
prayers  of  St.  Comgall. 

Patron  Saints  of  the  Gaelic  Tribes. 

It  was  usual,  indeed,  for  each  great  tribe  of  Gaelic  nobles  to 
have  a  particular  guardian  saint  of  their  own.  In  testimony  of 
this  fact,  I  give  the  following  example :  thus,  St.  Caeimghin 
(Kaiveen),  of  Glenn-da-loch,  was  the  patron  of  the  Tuathalaigh 
and  Brannaigh  ;'•*  St.  Maedog  of  Ferna,  of  the  KennseLdgh;'' 
St.  Moling,  of  the  Caemhanaigh;^*  St.  Fintan  of  Cluain-Aidnech, 
of  the  Sil  Morda;''  St.  Cainnech  of  Achadh-bo,  of  the  Osraide;"" 
St.  Sedna,  of  the  Sil  Briain  of  Etharla;^  St,  Gol)nait,  of  the 
Musgraide  Mac  Diarmada,"  St.  Colman,  of  the  Ui  Mac  Coilli,^  and 
of  the  rest  there  was  not  a  territory  or  tribe  in  Ireland  that  had 
not  its  peculiar  male  or  female  patron  saint,  to  whom  it  was 
wont  to  give  more  especial  honor  and  respect.  But  there  were 
certain  other  saints  more  universally  honored  than  those  I  have 
just  mentioned ;  such  as  St,  Finnen  of  Magh-Bili,  St,  Kiaran  of 
Cluain-mic-iSrois,  St,  Comgall  of  Beunchor,  St,  Fingin  of  Cuinchi, 
St,  Baeithin  of  Luimnech,  St.  Brighitt  of  Kill-dara,  St,  Albi  of 

^  Tuathalaigh  and  Brannnigh,  i,  e.  "   Sil  Briain  Elharla,  a  branch  of 

the  Leinster  septs  descended  from  Tu-  the  O'Brians,  seated  as  Aharlow,  co. 

athal  and  Braon,  namely,  the  O'Tooles  Tipperary,  were  thus  designated  :  pro- 

and  O'Byrnes,     Their  patron  saint  is  nounced,  Sheet  Vree'in  Aharla.. 

now  better  known  as  St.  Kevin.  "^    Mmgraide  Mac  Diarmada.    This 

^  Kennselaigh,  i.e.  the  O'Kenshel-  tribe  was  located  in  the  county  of  Cork, 

laghs,  &c,     Ferna  is  now  anglicized  O'Flynn,  O'Hea,   O'Donegan,   O'Cul- 

Ferns.  lenan,  &c.,  were  the  chief  names  adopted 

^'  Caemhaiiaigh,  i,  e.  the  O'Cavan-  by  the  septs  of 

aghs,  otherwise  Mac  Murroughs.  '    Ui  Mac   Coilli.     This  tribe  was 

^  Sil  Morda  (Sheel  Mora),  i.  e.  the  located  in  the  district  around  Youghal, 

progeny  of  Morda,  to  wit,  the  O'Moores  in  the  south-east  of  the  county  of  Cork, 

and  their  kindred  clans,  to  which  district  it  has  left  its  present 

'"°  Osraide,  i.  e.  the  Mac  GLlla-Pat-  name  of  Imokilly.     O'Keily,  O'Glassin, 

ricks  and  their  correlatives,  and  O'Bregan,  were  chiefs  of  the  tribe. 
30 


4i66  THE  HISTORY   OF  IREI.AND. 

Imlcch,  and  St.  Patrick ;  as  Aengus  Keli  De  relates  in  the  book 
which  is  called  Psaltair  na  Eann.    Here  is  what  he  says  therein : 

"  Colum  throws  his  shade  o'er  the  children  of  Niall — 

'Tis  the  shade  of  no  bramble. 
Of  all  tribes  of  the  Ulta  Finneu  is  the  safe-guard — 

The  sage  of  Magh-bile. 
Of  the  clansmen  of  Connacht,  Kiaran  is  the  warden, 

Though  not  of  their  kindred. 
Comgall  saves  the  sons  of  his  own  Dal-Aradi, 

The  noble,  the  famous. 
The  virgin  protectress  of  Laighcn,  is  Brighitt, 

The  brightest,  the  purest. 
The  chieftains  and  people  of  Mumha,  the  fertile, 

á.re  shielded  by  Albi. 
The  Arch-Saint  of  Eri,  by  clerics  surrounded, 

Is  patron  of  patrons  ; 
And  on  Doom's  awful  Day  shall  the  broad  shield  of  Patrick 

O'er  all  be  uplifted." 

It  was  while  Aedh,  son  of  Anmiri,  was  king  of  Ireland,  that 
St.  Colman  of  Ela*  died.  Brann-dubh,  son  of  Eocaidh,  son  of 
Muredach,  son  of  Aengus,  son  of  Feidlimidh,  son  of  Enna  Kenn- 
selach,  was  then  king  of  Leinster  for  one  year.  It  was  by  him, 
and  by  the  Leinstermcn,  that  Aedh,  son  of  Anmiri,  was  slain  at 
the  battle  of  the  Pass  of  Dun-bolg.'^  It  was  also  said  that  it  was 
the  Leinstermen  themselves  that  slew  Brann-dubh,  at  the  battle 
of  Cam-cluain ;  or  that  it  was  Saran  Saebh-dcic,  the  Airchinnach'' 
of  Senboth-Sini  that  killed  him,  as  the  bard  relates  in  the  fol- 
lowing verse : 

"  Saran  Saebh-dcrc,'  a  guide  indeed, 
The  Airchinnech  of  Senboth  Sine, 
(No  false  or  dark  suspicion  this,) 
Twas  he  killed  Brann-dubh,  son  of  Eocaidh." 

*   St.  Colman,  of  Ela.    He  was  the  anglicized  Erenagh,  and  often  means  the 

son  of  Bcogna,  and  was  otherwise,  Mac  superior  of  a  religious  establishmctit.  It 

Ui  Selli,  Abbot  of  Lann  Ela,  now  Lyn-  is,  howe.ver,  more  frequently  applied,  as 

ally,  in  the  King's  ( )ounty.     lie  did  not  in  this  instance,  to  the  heads  of  certain 

die  until  the  26th  of  September,  GIO,  in  se])ts,  or  families  of  laymen,  to  whom 

the  third  year  of  the  reign  of  Maelcoba.  the  wardenship  and  support  of  certain 

'    Duiv-bol<i;.     This  place  is  .situated  churches  were  entrusted  in  those  early 

south  of  Dunboyke,  near  Hollywood,  CO.  times.  Senboth  ti\n\{Skauboh-Sliee7}ic)\ii 

Wicklow.     The  monarch  had  invaded  now  called  Tcmpull  Senbotha,  in  Eng- 

Leinster  for  the  purpose  of  avenging  his  li.sti,  Temple  shanljo,  at  the  foot  of  Mount 

son  Comusgach,  whom  the  liUgenians  Ixiinslcr,  Co.  Wexford, 

had  slain.     For  a  full  and  interesting  '    Suran  Sacljh-derc,\.o.,  Saran  oiihc 

account  of  this  battle,  and  the  cause  Evil  Eye.  Brann  Dubh  was  slain  in  the 

which  led  to  it,  the  reatler  is  referred  to  year  GOl,  in  the  reign  of  Aedh   TJarid- 

thc  notes  of  Dr.  O'Douovan  upon  the  nach.  The  place  where  Brann  Dubh  fell 

Four  Masters.  is  called  Damh-Cluain,  i.  e.  0.x-park,  by 

°  Airchinneck.  The  word  is  sometimes  other  writers. 


THE   HISTORY    OF   IRELAND.  467 

AEDH   SLANNI   AND   COLMAN    RIMIUH,    ARD-RIGHA. 

A.  D.  593."  Aedh  Slanni,  son  of  Diarmaid,  son  of  Fergus 
Kerbeol,  of  the  line  of  Erimhón,  ascended  the  throne  of  Ireland, 
and  reigned  for  six  years  in  partnership  with  Colman  Riniidh, 
son  of  Murkertach  Mac  Erca,  Mogan,  daughter  of  Cu-carunn, 
son  of  Duach,  of  the  Connacians,  was  the  mother  of  Aedh  Slanni ; 
and  Ethni,  daughter  of  Brendan  Dall,  also  of  Connacht,  was  his 
wife,  and  she  bore  him  six  sons,  namely,  Diarmaid,  Donncadh, 
Maelbresail,  Maelodair,  Conall,  and  Olild.  He  was  surnamed 
Slanni,  because  he  was  born  on  the  banks  of  the  river  Slanni, 
or  Slany. 

It  was  during  the  joint  reign  of  these  sovereigns,  that  Gregory 
the  Great,  the  Pope  of  Rome,  sent  St.  xlugustine,  with  a  number 
of  holy  clergymen,  to  propagate  the  Catholic  Faith  in  Britain. 

Colman  Kimidh  fell  by  the  hand  of  Lochan  Dilmann,  and  Aedh 
Slanni  fell  b}^  that  of  Conall  Guth  binn,  son  of  Suibni, 

AEDH   UARIDNACH,    ARD-RIGH. 

A.D.  599.'  Aedh'"  Uaridnach,  son  of  Domnall,  son  of  Mure- 
dach,  son  of  Eogan,  son  of  Niall  of  the  Nine  Hostages,  of  the 
line  of  Erimhon,  succeeded  to  the  monarchy,  and  reigned  twenty- 
seven  years.  His  mother  was  Brighitt,  daughter  of  Orca,  son  of 
Ere,  son  of  Eocaidh.  The  reason  why  he  was  surnamed  Uarid- 
nach, was  from  his  having  been  subject  to  cold  pains,  which  so 
afflicted  him,  that,  when  the  fit  came  upon  him,  he  would  give 
the  world's  treasure  to  get  a  moment's  relief  therefrom.  For 
Uaridnach  (ooreenagh)  is  the  same  as  "idhna  fuara"  {eena  foora), 
that  is,  cold  pains. 

In  this  king's  reign  the  battle  of  Odba^^  was  fought  by  Aengus, 

•  A.  D.  595  .—FoKr  Masters.    Aedh         By  ConaU's  hand  Aedh  Slanni  fell, 
III.   This  prince  and  his  colleague  were         ^«"^'^  ^'^°'  ^''"'^"'^  ^""^  slaughtered  Su.bm. 
both  slain  at  the  battle  of  Loch  Sem-  It  was  then  that  Conall  also  slew  Aedh 
didhe,  now  Lough  Sewdy,  nearly  mid-  Roin,  King  of  Ui  Failghi,  and  Aedh 
way  between  Athlone  and  Muliingar.  Buide,  King  of  Ui  Mani ;  and  in  refer- 
This   is  what   Keating  has  recorded,  ence  to  these  deeds  were  the  verses  here- 
under the  preceding  reign,  as  the  battle  tofore  quoted  by  Keating,  composed. 
ofBruighiu-da-cogadh.   The  Four  Mas-       "   A.J).  GOl.— Four  Masters. 
tersquotcanancientverse,  of  which  the       '"Aedh  TV.     The  Four  Masters, 
following  is  a  translation,  in  reference  OTlaherty,  and  O'Halloran,  allow  this 
to  that  day  of  blood  :  monarch  to  have   reigned   but   seven 

"  What  is  kingship,  what  is  law?  years  ;  while  all  the  copies  of  Keating 

What  is  potent  sway  o"er  chiefta'ns  >  accessible  to  the  editor,  assign  him  a 

Behold,ColmanKimi(lh,  the  king!  rfio-n  nf  f wentv-spvpn 

Lochan  Dilmana  slew  him!  ^  ??,?     m^-    I   f.l     \  r»^l       •     A/r     *i- 

Unwiso  counsels  tlien  prevailed  "  Odba.  This  battle  at  Odba,  m  Meath, 

Amongst  the  youths  of  Tnath  Turbi  ;*  ^gg  fought  in  607. 

*  A  bardic  name  for  Breagh,  in  Meath. 


468  THE    UISTORY    OF    IRELAND. 

son  of  Colman,  and  in  it  fell  Conall  Laeidh-Breagh,  son  of  Acdh 
Slanni.  The  king  of  Ireland  himself,  fell  in  the  battle  of  Da 
Ferta." 

MAELCOBA,   ARD-RIGH. 

A.  D.  626."  Maelcoba,  son  of  Aedh,  son  of  Anmiri,  of  the 
line  of  Erimhon,  held  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland  for  four  years." 
CraeLsech,  daughter  of  Aedh  Finn,  King  of  Osraide,  was  his  wife. 
He  fell  by  the  hand  of  Suibni  Menn,  at  the  battle  of  Belgadan." 

SUIBNI   MENN,    AED-EIGH. 

A.  D.  630."  Suibni  Menn,  son  of  Fiacaidh,  son  of  Feradach, 
son  of  Murkertach,  son  of  Muredach,  son  of  Eogan,  son  of  Niall 
of  the  Nine  Hostages,  of  the  race  of  Erimhon,  held  the  sover- 
eignty of  Ireland  for  thirteen  j'ears.  It  was  in  the  reign  of  this 
monarch  that  St.  Caeimghin,'"  or  Kevin,  of  Glenn-da-loch,  died, 
aged  six  score  years ;  that  is,  Caeimghin,  son  of  Cacmlogha,  son 
of  Caeimfeda,  son  of  Corb,  son  of  Fergus  Lacib-derg,  son  of  Fo- 
thach,  son  of  Eocaidh  Lamh-derg,  son  of  Mesincorb,  of  the  line 
of  Labraidh  Loingsech.  It  was  about  this  time,  also,  that  Aedh 
Bennan,  king  of  Munster,  died.  And  about  the  same  time  was 
born  St.  Adamnan,  son  of  Eonan,  son  of  Tinni,  son  of  Aedh,  son 
of  Colum,  son  of  Sedna,  son  of  Fergus  Kenn-fada,  son  of  Conall 
Gulban,  son  of  Niall  of  the  Nine  Hostages.  He  became  abbot 
over  Aei-Colum-Killi,  in  Alba.  Suibni  INfcnn  was  killed  by 
Congal  Claen,"  son  of  Sganlan  of  the  Broad  Shield." 

DOMNALL,    ARD-RIGH. 

A.  D.  643.'°  Domnall,-'  son  of  Aedh,  son  of  Anmiri,  of  the 
line  of  Erimhon,  held  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland  for  thirteen 

"  La  Ferta.    It  is  also  called  Ath  Da  ^   Congnl  Claen.    This  chief  must  be 
Ferta,  i.e.  the  Ford  of  the  two  Graves,  distinfíuished  from   Conall   Clacu,   or 
Its  situation  is  not  known.  Caol,  the  next  monarch  but  one.     For 
"  A.  D.  C08. — Four  Masters.  the  slayin<^  of  Suibni,  he  was  restored  to 
"  Four  years.  Three  years. — Id.  his   ancestral   kinirdoni   of  Ulidia,  by 
'^  Beljuiadan.   The  place  where  he  fell  Domnall,  the  next  succeeding  monarch, 
isalso  called  SliabhToadh  (.9//cre  7o«),  '"  Broad  Shield;  in  Gaelic,  Sgiath- 
of  which  name  there  is  a  mountain  in  the  lethan  {Skcca-lrtJion) .   In  some  copies  he 
barony  of  Hanagh,  co.  Donegal.  is  called  Sgiath-sholais  {Skeea-hullish), 
"  A.  I).  611  .—Four  Masters.  i.  e.  of  the  Jkight  Shield. 
"  St.Caeimfrltin.  He  died,  according  *  A.  D.  G21. — Four  Masters. 
to  the  Irish  Annals,  in  017-018,  in  the  ^  Domnall  II.     IJe  reigned  for  six- 
seventh  year  of  Suibni ;  whii'h  shows  teen  years,  namely,  from  C24  to  G29. — 
that  the  date  in  the  text  is  considerably  Id. 
in  advance  of  the  true  time. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  469 

years,  as  Columkillc  had  prophesied  for  hira.  It  was  tliis  Dom- 
nall  that  fought  the  battle  of  i)iin  Kethrin,"  against  Congal  Claen, 
where  he  was  himself  defeated,  and  great  numbers  of  his  people 
slain.  In  the  reign  of  this  Domnall,  died  St.  Fintann,"  who  was 
surnamed  Monabas,  and  also  St.  Mochua"  and  St.  Molasi," 
Bishop  of  Leithglinn ;  it  was  then,  also,  St.  Cronan"*  died.  In  his 
reign,  also,  St.  Carthach,  who  was  otherwise  called  St.  Mochuda, 
was  exiled  from  Eathain"'  to  Lismore.  St.  Mochuda  was  of  the 
line  of  Kiar,  son  of  Fergus  Mac  Koigh. 

Expulsion  of  St.  Mochuda,  otherwise  jSI.  Carthach,  from  Eathain. — 
Foundation  of  Lismore. 

This  saint  having  gone  on  a  pilgrimage  from  Kiari'aide  to  Ea- 
thain, built  a  monastery  at  the  latter  place,  in  which  he  placed  a 
community  of  monks  to  live  with  him  therein.  They  led  so 
pious  a  life  in  this  house,  it  was  said  an  angel  was  wont  to  hold 
conversation  with  every  third  man  of  them.  Thus  the  society 
of  Eathain  became  distinguished  for  preeminent  holiness,  and  its 
glory  and  renown  increased  exceedingly.  On  this  account,  the 
holy  men  of  the  Ui  Neill  race  met  together  in  a  large  num.ber, 
and  they  sent  a  message  to  St.  Mochuda,  ordering  him  to  quit 
Eathain,  and  to  return  to  his  own  country,  namely,  to  Muuster. 
Mochuda  answered  the  messengers  that  came  with  this  intimation, 
and  said  that  he  would  never  desert  Eathain,  until  he  were  ex- 
pelled therefrom  by  the  hand  of  a  bishop  or  a  king.  AVhen 
these  words  were  told  to  the  holy  men  of  the  Clan  of  Niall,  they 
demanded  of  Blathmac  and  Diarmaid  Euadnaidh,  the  two  sons 
of  Aedh  Slanni,  who  were  themselves  of  the  clan  of  Niall,  to  go 
and  expel  Mochuda  and  his  monks  by  force,  from  their  monas- 
tery at  Eathain.     And  at  the  instigation  of  these  people,  the  two 

^  Bun  Kdhirn  is  a  stone  fort,  built  morris,  co.  Mayo.    His  festival  was  kept 

in  the  Cyclopean  style,  on  the  summit  on  the  30th  of  March, 

of  a  conspicuous  hill  in  the  parish  of  ^  St.  MoJasi  was  otherwise  called  Do- 

Dunboe,  in  the  north  of  Derry.     It  is  lasi  Mac  hUa  Imdae,  and  also  Laisren. 

now  called  the  Giant's  Sconce. — O'D.  His  festival  was  celebrated  on  the  18th 

This  battle  was  fought  in  624.  of  April,  at  Leighliu. 

^  St.  Fintann.   This  saint  was  other-  -'^  Si.  Cro?ifl;i,callcdMacUaLaeg-hde, 

wise  called  Munna  (Monabas),  and  was  Abbot  of  Cluain-Mic-Nois,  died  on  the 

the  founder  of  the  monastery  of  Tech-  18th  of  July,  637. 

Munna,  now  Taghihon,  in  Wexford.  He  "'  /íaí/wni,  i.  e.  the  Ferny  Land.    It 

died  on  the  21st  of  October,   636. —  isnowcalledRahen,atowuland  contain- 

O'D.  ing  the  remains  of  two  ancient  churches, 

"^  St.  Mochiia  was  a  disciple  of  the  and  situated  in  the  barony  of  Bally- 
celebrated  St.  Comgall,  of  Bennchor.  cowan,  King's  County.  St.  Carthach's 
He  died  in  637,  Ablsot  of  Balla,  iiow  expulsion  thence  took  place  in  the  year 
Bal,  a  village  in  the  barony  of  Clan-  631. 


470  THE    HISTORY   OF    IRELAND. 

chiefs  proceeded  to  Rathain,  attended  by  a  number  of  the 
northern  clergy.  And  when  St.  Mochuda  had  heard  of  their 
approach,  he  sent  a  young  nobleman,  a  Pict  or  Cruithnech,  of 
Alba,  whose  name  was  Constantine,  and  who  was  then  a  lay 
monk  in  his  convent,  to  ask  the  chieftain  to  give  him  a  respite 
of  one  year,  before  expelling  him  and  his  companions  from 
the  monastery  of  Rathain;  and  they  thereupon  gave  him  the 
time  he  required.  When  the  year  thus  granted  had  expired, 
the  same  chieftains  returned,  escorted  by  the  same  train  of 
clergymen ;  and  when  they  had  arrived  at  Rathain  the  second 
time,  Blathmac  sent  a  clergyman  to  St.  Mochuda,  to  beg  of  him  to 
leave  the  monastery.  Upon  this  Mochuda  again  sent  Constan- 
tine, his  former  messenger,  to  Diarmaid  and  Blathmac,  to  entreat 
a  respite  from  them  for  another  year.  To  this  they  likewise 
consented,  though  much  against  their  will.  When  the  third 
year  had  at  length  come,  the  same  nobles  and  clergymen  are  set 
on  by  the  plunderers  of  the  Ui  Neill,  to  come  and  finally  expel 
St.  Mochuda  from  Rathain.  And  when  they  had  arrived  at 
Rathain,  with  that  intent,  they,  with  one  accord,  appointed  Diar- 
maid Ruadnaidh  and  the  Airchinnech  of  Cluain-Aengusa,  with  an 
armed  force  under  their  command,  to  lead  Mochuda  prisoner 
out  of  the  country.  When  these  had  come  to  the  church,  the 
Airchinnech  entered  thereinto,  but  Diarmaid  remained  without 
at  the  threshold  of  the  door.  And  when  St.  Mochuda  heard  that 
Diarmaid  was  standing  outside  the  door,  he  went  forward  to  bid 
hin-i  welcome,  and  he  invited  him  to  enter  the  church.  "  I  will 
not,"  said  Diarmaid.  "Is  it  that  thou  art  come  to  take  me  out 
of  this  monaster}^?"  said  St.  Mochuda.  "Yes,"  said  Diarmaid, 
"  though  I  do  not  say  that  I  will  do  it ;  for  I  am  sorry  to  have  come 
upon  that  design,  by  reason  of  thy  great  holiness  and  dignity." 
"  To  God  be  glory  in  heaven  and  upon  earth,"  said  St.  Mochuda; 
"  and  to  thee  be  power  and  royalty,  and  the  sovereignty  of  Ire- 
land ;  and  may  good  foi'tune  follow  thy  race  after  thee.  And 
now  when  thou  shalt  return  to  thy  companions,  the  young  men 
who  are  there  will  call  thee  Diarmaid  the  Ruthful ;  and  they  will 
fix  that  epithet  upon  thee  as  a  mark  of  reproach.  But  that  title 
shall  yet  become  a  glory  to  thee,  and  to  thy  progeny  after  thee." 
Upon  this  Diarmaid  returned  to  the  companions  he  had  left. 
Blathmac  immediately  asked  him  why  he  had  not  laid  hands 
upon  ]\Iochuda.  "  I  would  not  attempt  it,"  replied  Diarmaid, 
"and  I  did  not  intend  it."  "That  Avas  surely  a  tender-hearted 
act,"  said  Blathmac.  And  when  the  assembled  youths  had 
heard  these  words,  they  applied  the  term  used  by  Blatlimac, 
namely,  "  ruadhnaidh"(rooa?iee),or  "ruaidhncch"  (rooina^r/i), which 
meamj  ruthful  or  tender-hearted,  as  a  nickname  to  Diarmaid,  and 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  471 

thence  his  descendants  have  been   styled   Sliocnt   Dhiarmada 
Ruadnaidh"*  {Shlog/U  Yeermoda  Roonee)  ever  since. 

As  to  Blathmac,  he,  with  a  body  of  men,  went  to  the  monas- 
ter}^, and  there  seized  upon  St.  Mochuda,  drove  him  and  his 
community  out  of  their  convent  with  hostile  force.  St.  Mochuda 
then  laid  a  malediction  upon  Blathmac,  and  set  forth  with  his 
community  of  monks,  performing  works  and  miracles  on  his  way, 
until  he  reached  the  territory  of  the  Desi.  On  his  arrival  there, 
the  king  of  the  Desi  came  forth  to  meet  him,  and  to  pay  him 
deference  and  honor;  and  he  placed  himself,  body  and  soul, 
under  the  Saint's  protection.  He  then  went  with  him  to  Dun 
Sginni,  which  is  now  called  Lis-mor,^'  and  there  St.  Mochuda 
and  his  community  fixed  their  abode.  He  built  a  church  there, 
and  the  place  became  famous  and  honored,  and  thenceforth  con- 
tinued long  to  be  glorious  as  the  seat  of  piety  and  of  learning. 
Such  was  the  expulsion  of  St.  Mochuda  from  Rathain  to  Lis-mor. 


The  Battle  ofMagh  Rath^" — The  Standards  and  Battle  Array  of  the 

Gaels. 

It  was  Domnall,  son  of  Aedh,  son  of  Anmiri,  king  of  Ireland, 
that  won  the  battle  of  Magh  Rath,  wherein  fell  Congal  Claen,^' 
who  had  been  ten  years  king  of  Ulidia.  And  it  may  be  easily 
learned,  from  the  history  that  is  called  the  Battle  of  Magh  Rath, 
that  the  military  array  in  which  the  Gaelic  armies  were  wont  to 
be  drawn  up,  for  the  purpose  of  engaging  in  the  conflict  of  bat- 
tle, Avas  exact  and  well  ordered.  For  it  is  there  read,  that  the 
whole  host  was  wont  to  be  placed  under  the  command  of  one 
captain-in-chief,  and  that,  under  him,  each  division  of  his  force 

'^  Sliocld Dhiarmada  Ruadnaigli,  I.e.,        ^^  Congal     Clam,   i.   e.,    Congal   of 

the  posterity  of  Diarmaid  the  Merciful  Wry-eyed.     He  is  also  called  Congal 

or  Charitable._  Caech,  i.  e.,  of  the  defective  sight ;  for 

™  Lis-Mor,  i.  e.,  the  Great  Fort,  now  he  had  lost  an  eye.     He  was  grandson 

called  Lismore,  iu  the  county  of  Water-  of  Fiachna,  or,  as  Keating  calls  him, 

ford.  Fiacaidh,  son  of  Baedan,  of  whose  con- 

^  Magh  Rath. — This  was  the  name  tests  with  Fiacaidh,  son  of  Deman,  we 

of  a  plain  in  Ulidia,  that  is,  the  present  have  read,  under  the  reign  of  Aedh,  son 

county  of  Down.     Its  position  is  still  of  Anmiri.     He  sought  in  this  battle, 

pointed  out  by  the  village  of  Moira.  by  means  of  foreign  aid,  to  recover  the 

This  great  and  important  battle  was  former  supremacy  of   his  family  over 

fought,  according  to  the  accurnte  an-  ancient   IJladh.   which   comprised    all 

nals  of  Tighernach,  in  the  year  637.   In  Ulster,  from  which  his  ancestors  had 

it  Congal  and  his  Ulidians  were  aided  been   driven   into   Ulidia    or    modern 

by  a  large  auxiliary  force,  composed  of  Uladh,   which   comprised    little  more 

Scots  of  Alba,  Picts,  Britons,  and  Sax-  than  the  present  county  of  Down,  by 

ons,  led  on  by  tried  chieftains  of  their  the  encroachments  of  the  U  i  Neill  and 

respective  nations.  the  Oirghaalla. 


472 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


obeyed  its  own  proper  captain  ;  and  besides,  that  every  captain 
of  these  bore  u]:ion  his  standard  his  peculiar  device  or  ensign," 
so  that  each  distinct  body  of  men  could  be  easily  distinguished 
from  all  others  by  those  shannachies,  whose  duty  it  was  to  attend 
upon  the  nobles  when  about  to  contend  in  battle,  and  that  those 
shannachies  might  thus  have  a  full  view  of  the  achievements  of 
the  combatants,  so  as  to  be  able  to  give  a  true  account  of  their 
particular  deeds  of  valor.  It  was  for  such  purpose  that  Dom- 
uall,  son  of  Aedh,  king  of  Ireland,  was  attended  by  his  own 
shannachie,  when  he  was  about  to  engage  in  this  battíc  of  Magh 
Rath.  And  when  he  was  marcliing  against  Congal,  and  when 
the  hosts  were  in  view  of  each  other,  we  find  Domnall,  whilst 
the  armies  were  yet  on  the  opposite  banks  of  a  river,  making 
inquiries  of  his  shannachie  about  each  particular  one  of  the 
standards  in  the  host  of  his  enemy,  and  the  device  thereupon  ; 
and  the  shannachie  explained  them  to  him,  as  we  read  in  the 
duan  which  begins  with  this  line,  "  How  bravely  Congal's  host 
comes  on,"  in  which  occurs  the  following  verse  upon  the  stand- 
ard of  the  king  of  Uladh  himself: 


*  Device  or  Eiisign ;  in  Gaelic,  Suai- 
thentas  {soohenta.<;).  It  is  evideut  from 
all  the  ancient  Irish  accounts  of  bat- 
tles, that  the  Gaels  carried  standards  to 
distinguish  them  in  M-ar,  from  the  very 
dawn  of  their  history  ;  but  it  is  not 
certain  when  they  first  adopted  armo- 
rial bearings,  though  it  is  probable  that 
they  not  only  used  banners,  distin- 
guished by  certain  colors  and  badges, 
at  a  very  early  epoch,  but  also  armo- 
rial bearings  or  escutcheons.  However, 
no  regular  heraldic  escutcheon  for  a 
Milesian  family  has  been  as  yet  discov- 
ered anterior  to  the  reign  of  Elizabeth. 
Tt  is  probable  that  the  Irish  families 
first  received  the  complex  coats  of  arms 
they  now  bear  from  England  ;  retain- 
ing on  the  shield,  in  many  instances, 
the  simple  devices  which  their  ancestors 
bore  on  their  standards,  such  as  the 
Red  Hand  of  O'Neill,  the  Cat  and 
Salmon  of  0  Cuthain  (O'Kanc),  with 
such  additions  as  tlie  king  at  arms 
thought  proper  to  introduce  after  the 
Anglo-Norman  system  of  heraldry. 
The  following  are  translations  of  an- 
cient Irish  verses,  descriptive  of  the 
manner  of  devices  or  bearings  by  which 
the  Gaelic  Septs  were  wont  to  be  dis- 


tinguished in  battle.  Their  originals 
may  be  found  in  the  notes  to  the  Bat- 
tle of  Magh  Kath,  from  which  also 
what  has  just  now  been  said  upon  thi.s 
subject  has  been  taken  in  an  abridged 
form. 

hearings ofO'Docliartitiglt  (O^Doherty). 

"  With  mipht  advanco  the  ranks  of  Conn 
Dofhartacli's  clan,  to  join  tlie  fight; 
His  tattle  blaile  of  poldcn  cross 
Upon  tliclr  cliieftain's  banner  gleams: 
A  lion  and  bloody  eajrle  stand 
On  plistenint:  sheet  of  satin  white 
'Tis  hard  to  elurk  liis  jihinderinf;  foray; 
The  onslaught  of  his  clann  is  dreadful." 

Bearings  of  O Suit ealhain  (O'SuUivan)  in  fht 

Buttle  of  Caisglinn. 
"  I  see,  borne  valiantly  over  the  \i\:\\n, 
The  flag  of  the  race  of  the  noble  Finghin  ; 
'Tls  his  spear  Mith    a  venomous  adder  en- 
twined, 
His  warriors  arc  all  flcry  heroes  of  might" 

Bearing»  of  O'LocJdin,  ofBurrin.  in  Clare. 

"  In  the  host  of  0'  l/ochlin. 

On  briglit  satin  seen, 
In  llie  van  of  his  battles 

To  guard  in  tlie  fray. 
AVas  an  oak  old  and  fruitfnl, 

(A  chiif  its  meet  ward), 
And.  eke,  a  blue  anehor, 

With  gold  cable  boi;nd." 

—Sec  Note  II.  p.  343,  Battle  of  Magh 

Rath. 


THE   HISTORY"  OF   IREL.4JS'D. 


473 


"  A  yellow  lion  upon  green  satin, 
The  standard  of  the  Craebh-Ruadh, 
As  borne  by  noble  Concobar, 
Is  now  by  Cougal  borne  aloi't." 

It  was,  indeed,  long  before  this  time,  that  the  Gaels  (that  is,  the 
descendants  of  Gaedal),  had  adopted  tlie  custom  of  bearing  dis- 
tinctive devices  upon  their  standards,  after  the  example  of  the 
Children  of  Israel,  who  had  already  practised  this  usage  in 
Egypt,  whilst  Gaedal  himself  was  still  living  in  that  land,  and 
when  the  children  of  Israel  were  marching  through  the  Ked  Sea, 
with  Moses  for  their  captain-in-chief. 

In  the  reign  of  Domnall  also,  the  following  saints  died, 
namely,  St.  Mochua,^  of  the  line  of  Olild,  son  of  Cathaeir  Mor, 
whose  memory  was  held  sacred  at  Tech  Mochua,  in  Laeighis ;  St. 
Mochuda,^  St.  Comdan,^^  son  of  Da-Kerda;  and  St.  Cronan,"^ 
Bishop  of  Caendrom.     And  Domnall,  son  of  Aedh,  died.^ 


CONALL   CLAEN   AND    KELLACH,    ARD-RIGHA. 

A.  D.  656.^  Conall  Claen*"  and  Kellach,  sons  of  Maelcaba,  son 


^^  Craebh  Riiadh. — Congal  was  the 
chief  representative  of  the  ancient 
Clanna  Rudraide,  of  the  line  of  OUamh 
Fodla,  and  of  Ir,  son  of  Miledh.  He 
was  more  immediately  descended  from 
Irial  Glunmar,  son  of  the  famous  Red 
Branch  Knight,  Conall  Kearuach,  and 
therefore  appropriately  bore  the  stand- 
ard of  the  Craebh  Ruadh,  or  Red 
Branch. 

"  St.  Mochua.— The  death  of  St. 
Mochua,  of  Balla,  has  been  recorded  a 
little  above.  Besides  him,  Mochua, 
?oa  of  Louan,died  in  657,  and  Mochua, 
sou  ofUst,  in  668. 

""  St.  Mochuda.  A.  D.  636.  "  Tlie 
13th  year  of  Domnall,  St.  Mochuda, 
Bishop  of  Lismor,  aud  Abbot  of 
Rathain,  died  on  the  14th  of  May." — 
Four  Masters.  It  is  evident  from  en- 
tries in  the  annals  just  quoted,  that 
there  was  a  religious  establishment  at 
Lismore  previous  to  the  time  of  St. 
Carthach,  or  Mochuda ;  but  it  was 
remodelled  and  erected  into  a  bishopric 
by  this  saint  previous  to  his  death. 
Maelochtraigh  was  the  name  of  the 
prince  of  the  Desi,  who  granted  Lismor 
and  a  considerable  tract  of  land  lying 
along  the  river  Neimh  {Nev),  now 
coU^  the  Blackwater,  in  Munster,  to 


St.  Carthach.  Lis-mor,  in  a  short 
time,  acquired  an  extraordinary  celeb- 
rity, and  was  visited  by  scholars  and 
holy  men  from  all  parts  of  Ireland,  as 
well  as  from  England  and  "Wales. 

=^  St.  Comdan.— The  death  of  a  Com- 
dan  INIac  Cutheanné  is  recorded  at  the 
year  663. 

^'  St.  Cronan.  —  St.  Cronan  Beg, 
Bishop  of  Aendrom  (not  Caendrom), 
an  island  in  Strangford  Lough,  died  on 
the  7th  of  January,  642. 

=«  Died.— He  died  at  Ard  Fothadh,a 
fort  on  a  hill,  near  Ballymagi'orty, 
barony  of  Tir-Aeda,  now  Tirhugh,  and 
county  of  Donegal,  after  a  lingering 
sickness.  He  was  the  ancestor  of  the 
septs  of  the  Kinel  Conaill,  that  after- 
wards took  the  names  of  O'Maeldoraidh 
(O'Muldory)  and  O'Canannain,  and 
who,  previous  to  the  rise  of  tlieir  kins- 
men, the  O'Donnells  (who  are  descend- 
ed from  Lugaidh,  the  grand-uncle  of 
this  monarch,  and  brother  of  Anmiri, 
king  of  Ireland),  were  the  most  power- 
ful families  of  Tir-Conaill. 

'"  A.  D.  640.   Four  Masters. 

"  Conall  II. — The  proper  surname 
of  this  prince  is  Cael,  i.  e.,  the  Slender. 
It  is  so  that  he  is  designated  in  the 
Irish  Annals. 


474  THE   HISTORY  OF  IRELAND. 

of  Aedh,  son  of  Anniiri,  of  the  line  of  Erimhon,  became  kings, 
and  reigned  conjointly  for  thirteen  years.*^ 

In  their  reign  Cucana,^  son  of  the  Icing  of  Fermuighe  (Fermoy), 
who  was  styled  Laech  Liathmani,  that  is  the  Hero  of  Liathmain,** 
died.  This  Guana  was  a  cotemporary  of  Guairi,"  son  of  Golman  •, 
and  there  was  a  rivalry  in  hospitality  and  liberality.  On  this 
rivalry,  two  fools,  named  Gonall  and  Gomdan,  composed  between 
them  the  following  rann : 

"  Guairi,  Colman's  sod,  bestows 
Wiiatcver  gift  first  meets  his  hand  ; 
What  each  likes  best  to  each  is  dealt 
By  Guana,  Liathmain's  generous  chief." 

In  Conall's  reign,  also,  that  Eaghallach,  son  of  Uada,  who  was 
twenty-five  years  king  of  Connaught,  was  killed  by  Mael- 
Brifrhdi,  son  of  Mothlachan,  and  his  slaves. 

This  Eaghallach  entertained  the  most  violent  hatred  and  envy 
towards  the  son  of  his  elder  brother,  lest  he  might  attack  him 
and  deprive  him  of  the  kingdom  of  Connaught,  but  he  found  no 
opportunity  of  killing  his  brother's  son,  so  that  a  withering  dis- 
ease came  upon  him  ;  for  he  could  not  eat  through  hatred  of  his 
neiDhew.  When  he  lay  thus  languishing,  he  sent  for  his  nephew 
to  come  to  see  him.  But  the  nephew  understood  the  treachery 
of  his  uncle,  and  therefore  took  the  precaution  to  collect  an 
armed  escort,  attended  by  which  he  went  to  visit  his  relative, 
Eaghallach;  and,  before  coming  into  the  presence  of  the  king,  he 
told  his  attendants  to  keep  their  swords  drawn  beneath  their 
mantles.     But  when  Eaghallach  perceived  this,  he  said,  "  Alas  1 

*'  Thirteen  years. — They  reigned  for  rcn   of  Mogh  Ruith.     Gunna  is  gene- 

sevcnteen  years,  according  to  other  au-  rally  called  the  son  of  Gailchin. 

thoriti'S.  "  Linthmain. — The  place  meant  here 

*■  Cuana. — "A.  D.  G40.    Guana,  son  is  now  called  Gloch  Liathmaini,  in  Kng- 

of    Ailcen    {Aiken),   chief    of     Fera-  lish  ("ioughlcefin,  a   townland   in   the 

Maighe,   died." — Four  Masters.     This  parish   of   KilguUanc   and   barony  of 

Guana  was   a   descendant  of  the  celc-  Gondons,  lying   about   two  miles  west 

brated   Druid  and   hero,  Mogh  Ruith,  of  Mitchelstown,  co.  Gork. 

who  had   received  a  grant  of  the  terri-  '"    Cotemporarij  of  Guairi. — Guairi 

tory  now  called  Fcrmoy,  in  the  county  Aidni,  whom  we  have  seen  bo  unac- 

of  Gork,  from  Fiacaidh   Macil-lethan,  countably  displaced   by   Dr.    Keating, 

king  of  .Munstor.     Of  his  race  are  the  under  the  reign  of  Diarmaid  I.,  son  of 

O'Dugaiis  and   0'Co;:grans,  who  were  Fergus    Kerbeol,  did  not  die  for  twcn- 

thc   ciiiffs  of  all   tiiis   territory,  until  ty-two   years   after  Guana,  his  rival  in 

encroached   on,  first  by  the  Eoganacht  liberality.     The  death  of  this  Raghal- 

sept  of  O'lCeeSJ,  which,  in  its  turn,  was  lacli  occurred  in  (J42.     Ho  was,  as  bc- 

encroachc'd   by  tin  Roches   and    Gon-  fore  statad,  an  ancestor  of  tlic  O'i'on- 

dons  and  Flcmmings.    These  last  were  nors  of  Gonnacht,  and  the  immediate 

dispo-ssessed  by  the  troopers  of  Crom-  predecessor  of  Guairi,  son  of  Golman. 

well,  whose  descendants  still   hold  pos-  He  reigned  over  Gonnaught  for  twcn- 

seasion  of  the  iaheritancc  of  the  child-  ty-fivc  yeara. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  475 

the  man  that  is  dearest  to  me  on  earth,  and  whom  I  wish  to  make 
my  heir,  does  not  trust  me,  though  I  am  on  the  point  of  death  I 
"When  the  nephew  heard  this  complaint,  his  heart  smote  him 
sorely,  and  he  came  alone  to  visit  his  uncle  on  the  morrow. 
Thereupon,  Eaghallach's  men  fell  upon  the  incautious  nephew, 
and  slew  him  on  the  spot.  Kaghallach  then  immediately  got  up 
from  his  sick  bed,  and  commenced  to  feast  joyfully  and  free 
from  care. 

After  Eaghallach  had  killed  his  nephew,  after  the  manner  just 
related,  his  wdfe,  Muirenn,  demanded  of  her  Druid  whether  any 
danger  hung  over  her  husband  arising  from  that  act.  The  Druid 
rej)lied,  that,  as  Eaghallach  had  killed  his  relative,  so  should 
both  his  and  her  death  soon  come  from  one  of  their  own  child- 
ren, and  he  told  her,  moreover,  that  it  was  from  the  child,  then  in 
her  womb  that  their  deaths  should  come.  She  immediately  told 
this  to  Eaghallach,  who  commanded  her  to  have  the  child  killed 
as  soon  as  it  should  be  born.  Muirenn  soon  after  gave  birth  to 
a  daughter,  Avhich  she  gave  to  one  of  her  swineherds,  with 
orders  to  kill  it.  But,  when  the  herd  saw  the  infant's  face,  his 
heart  softened  toAvards  it,  and  he  put  it  back  into  the  same  bag, 
and  brought  it  secretly  to  the  door  of  a  religious  woman,  who 
dwelt  in  his  neighborhood,  and  he  left  the  bag  hung  upon 
one  of  the  arms  of  a  cross  that  stood  near  her  door.  The  nun 
soon  after  came  to  the  bag  and  found  the  infant  therein  ;  and  she 
loved  it  exceedingly,  and  she  educated  it  piously ;  and  there  w^as 
not  in  her  time  any  child  in  all  Ireland  more  beautiful  than  her 
fosterling.  The  fame  of  the  child,  now  grown  to  maidenhood, 
soon  reached  Eaghallach,  and  he  hastily  sent  a  messenger  to  her 
foster-mother  to  demand  to  have  the  girl  given  up  to  himself. 
The  nurse,  however,  did  not  consent  to  his  demand,  but,  never- 
theless, her  fosterling  was  torn  away  from  her  by  violence.  When 
Eaghallach  saw  the  maiden,  his  lieart  lusted  violently  for  her, 
and  he  made  her  the  companion  of  his  bed.  His  own  wife, 
Muirenn,  got  jealous  thereupon,  and  she  went  to  complain  to  the 
king  of  Ireland  of  her  husband's  infidelity.  The  scandal  of  that 
evil  deed  soon  spread  throughout  all  the  land,  and  the  saints  of 
Ireland  were  sorrowful  by  reason  thereof  St.  Fechin*"  of  Fobar, 
came  in  person  to  Eaghallach  to  reprehend  him,  and  many  saints 
came  in  his  company  to  aid  him  in  inducing  the  prince  to  dis- 
continue his  criminal  amour.  But  Eaghallach  despised  their  ex- 
hortations. AVhereupon  they  fasted  against  him,  and  as  there 
were  many  other  evil-minded  persons  besides  him  in  the  land, 

^  St.  Fechin.—St  Fechm  {Féhm),    664,  of  the  mortality  called  the  Buido 
Abbot  of  Fobar,  uow  Fore,  in  West-    Conaill. 
mcath,  died  oq  the  14th  of  February, 


476  THE   HISTORY   OF    IRELAND. 

they  maae  an  especial  pi'ayer  to  God,  that  for  the  sake  of  an  ex- 
ample, he  should  not  live  out  the  month  of  ]May,  then  next  to 
come  on,  and  that  he  should  fall  by  the  hands  of  villains,  by 
vile  instruments,  and  in  a  filthy  place;  and  all  these  things  hap- 
pened to  him  aiter  the  following  manner,  within  the  course  of 
the  following  mouth  of  May. 

A  hunted  deer,  wliich  had  been  previously  wounded,  landed 
upon  an  islet  where  Raghallach  lay  in  wait.  Wken  the  deer  had 
come  near  him,  Raghallach  seized  his  javelin,  and  made  a  cast 
with  it  at  the  animal,  which  he  transfixed.  The  deer,  neverthe- 
less, got  off,  and  Raghallach  pursued  the  game  in  his  boat.  When 
arrived  at  a  short  distance  from  the  lake,  the  deer  was  met  by 
some  serfs  who  were  cutting  turf,  and  these  killed  him  and 
divided  the  carcase  between  them.  In  the  meantime  Raghallach 
came  up  and  threatened  them  for  their  division  of  the  deer,  and 
commanded  them  to  deliver  up  the  venison  to  himself.  The 
boors  determined  to  kill  him  thereupon,  and  they  immediately 
fell  on  him  with  their  spades  and  other  implements,  so  that  he 
was  slain  by  their  hands,  and  thus  was  fulfilled  the  pro|)hecy  of 
the  saints.  Muirenn,*^  his  wife,  had  died  before  him  through 
jealousy  of  her  own  daughter. 

About  this  time  was  fought  the  battle  of  Carn-Couaill*^  by 
Diarmaid,  the  son  of  Aedh  Slanni,  wherein  fell  Cuan,  son  of 
Amalgaidh,  after  having  reigned  over  Munster  for  ten  years.  In 
the  same  engagement  fell  Cuan,  son  of  Conall,  King  of  the*^  Ui 


^  Muirenn.  It  would  seem  that  Mui-  ^'  Cam    Conalll. — This    battle  was 

rcnn  survived  her  husband,  froni  certain  fmifrht  by  Duirniaid  Ruadnaidh,  against 

ancient  verses  quoted  by  the  Four  Mas-  Guairi,  King  of  Connaught,  who  was 

ters,  in  reference  to  the  death  of  Raghal-  therein  aided  by  those  Munster  princes 

lach.     The  following  is  a  translation  of  mentioned  in  the  text.     It  was,  in  all 

these  verses,  and  from  tliem  it  may  be  likelihood,  this  Diarmaid.  and  not  Diar- 

judged  that  tiiose  by  wlioin  that  chief-  maid,  son  of  Fergus  Kerbcdl,  tliat  was 

tain  was  slain  was  not  all  of  mean  con-  the  vanf|uislicr  of  Cuairi,  on  the  occa- 

dition,  tliougii  po.ssibly  tliey  were  of  the  sion  heretofore  prematurely  recorded  by 

Daé'r  Clanna  or  subject  tribes  ;  Keating,  where  he  has  transmitted  that 

strange  legend  of  the  manner  after  which 

"SS'i-rn  "oK'ininllwhi.e  steed.  the  defeated  King  of  Connaught  made 

Ills  fall  hath  Muirenn  well  howailed;  his  submission  to  tlie  victor.    Cam  (^On- 

His  fall  hath  Cathal  wpU  avenged.  j^jn  i^  f,(,pposed  to  1)0  the  place  now  call- 

Cathal  Is  tills  <lny  In  battle,  inn                ii  •     .1              •  1       e  t--ii 

Thoiii.'h  klnzs  have  bound  him  to  a  peace—  cd  BailycoiincU  in  the  parish  ot   Ivilbc- 

Thoiijih  Cathal,  this  (lay,  has  no  father,  cantv.iiear  ( lorl ,  ill  the  aiicient  territory 

His  father  hath  been  well  avenged  I  r.f  ifl  Vinf.l,r.,r'li   Ai.Iiii      'IMií»  Ivif  tlo  wis 

Estimate  hi»  dreadful  venccance,  f'  ^  '  ^  J'^eluacll  AUllll.     1  UC  OaiUC  WaS 

From  the  storv  of  his  onslaughts;  fought  ill  the  year  G4.'5. 

For  he  has  slain  six  men  and  fifty.  ah   u,  F id •rhcut i .— A.  large  tract  iivthe 

Ann  he  made  sixteen  plundering  lorays.  ^         .   ,                "^,.  ,,.  ,    ,         . 

1  had  my  share,  as  well  as  any,  COUnty  ol  Limenck.      Die  Ul  l"  idglienti 

In  wre-iklng  vongencc  for  li-iighallach ;  jVoni  whom  it  had  its  name  arc  now  rep- 

And  my  hand  now  era«ps  the  grev  beard  _  , , .  .     1  1  ..  ti,„ /k'i».^.,„,.„„^  nv <..llr.«no 

Of  Motiil.iclian-8  son,  .Mac'.-Hrlghdl."  resented  by  tlic  O  Douovans,  0  Cullancs 

or  Collins,  <tc. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


471 


Fidglicnti,  and  Talamonach,  King  of  the  Ui  Liatliain.*'  It  was 
through  the  prayers  of  the  conniiunitj  of  St.  Kiaran  of  Chiain- 
raic-Nois,  that  Diarmaid  gained  that  battle ;  and  consequently, 
upon  his  return  from  that  fight  to  Cluain-mic-Nois,  he  bestowed 
upon  the  church  of  that  place  a  tract  of  country  as  an  altar  sod. 
That  district  is  now  called  Liath  Manchain.^"  It  was  at  Cluain- 
niic-nois  that  Diarmaid  willed  to  have  himself  buried,  when  he 
should  die. 

At  this  time  died  St.  Fursa,"  of  the  line  of  Lugaidh  Laga,  broth- 
er of  Olild  Olum,  and  St.  Mochellog,"  who  was  honored  at  Kill 
Mochellog.  The  latter  saint  was  of  the  race  of  Conari,  son  of 
Edirsgeol.  After  that,  Kcllach,  half  King  of  Ireland,  fell  at 
Brugh,  on  the  Boyne,  and  Conall  was  killed  by  Diarmaid,  son 
of  Aedh  Slanni. 


DIARMAID   AND   BLATHMAC,  ARD-RIGHA. 

A.D.^'  669.  Diarmaid^*  Euadnaidh  and  Blathmac,  sons  of  Aedh 
Slanni,  of  the  line  of  Erimhon,  reigned  conjointly  over  Ireland 
for  seven  years.  It  was  in  their  reign  that  the  battle  of  Pancti 
was  fought  by  Hossa,  in  which  fell  the  King  of  Sagsa,  or  Saxon- 
land,  with  thirty  of  his  lords.     It  was  then  that  St.  Ultan^^  died. 


^  ViLiathain,  that  is,  the  territory 
of  the  clan  of  0'Li;ithain,  now  called 
Lyons.  Talamonach,  the  name  of  the 
chief  here  mentioned,  is  also  written 
Talamhnach  [TaUownuf!;h). 

"  Liath  Manchain. — The  situation  of 
this  tract  is  now  pointed  out  by  the 
ruined  church  of  Liath  Manchain,  (call- 
ed Lemanaghan  by  the  English).  It 
lies  in  the  barony  of  Garrycastle,  and 
King's  county.  Tuaim  Eire,  i.  e.  Erc's 
Mound,  was  one  of  its  ancient  names. 
Alcar  Sod,  in  Gaelic,/oá  re  altoir,  means 
glebe  or  church  land. 

'-'■  St.  Fursa. — He  preached  for  some 
time  in  Britain.  Of  him,  Laurentius, 
Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  writes  : 
•  That  holy  man,  Fersajus,  came  hither 
from  Ibernia.  He  was  renowned  for  his 
])reaching  and  for  his  knowledge,  and 
was  sprung  from  the  noblest  race  among 
the  Scoti,  but  he  was  much  more  enno- 
bled by  the  qualities  of  his  mind  than 
by  his  blood."  He  died  about  the  year 
G50.  His  festival  was  held  on  the  IGth 
of  January. 

^  St.  ^Níochellog  was  the  founder  of 
Cill-Mhochellog  {KUl-voghellogue),  now 
the  town  of  KUlmalloch,  county  Limer- 


'=  A.  D.  657.     Four  Masters. 

"  Diarmaid  II.  This  prince  and  his 
brother  reigned  for  eight  years. — Id. 

^  St.  Ultan.  He  was  styled  Mac 
hUi  Conga,  and  was  Abbot  of  Cluain- 
Iraird.  ]3e  died  664,  of  the  mortality 
called  the  Buide  Conaill,  i.  e.  the  yellow 
plague.  The  following  saints  are  re- 
corded as  having  also  died  of  this 
scourge  in  the  same  year  ;  St.  Fcchin, 
Abbot  of  Fobar,  on  the  l-lth  of  Feb- 
ruary ;  St.  Eonan,  son  of  Berach  ;  St. 
Aileran  the  Wise  ;  contemporary  with 
him  was  St.  Mauchan  of  Liath-Man- 
chain,  or  Tuaim-Eirc,  and  St.  Cronan, 
son  of  Silni.  Another  St.  Ultan,  sur- 
naraed  Mac  Ui  Concobair,  the  first 
bishop  of  Ard-Brecain,now  Ardbraccan 
in  Meath,  whose  festival  is  set  down  on 
4th  of  September,  on  which  day  he  died 
in  656.  The  annotations  of  Tirechau 
on  the  Life  of  St.  Patrick  are  stated  to 
have  been  taken  from  the  mouth  of  Ul- 
tanus,  first  bishop  of  the  Dal  Concobair 
of  Ardbraccan.  He  lived  to  an  extreme 
old  age,  and  it  is  stated  that  he  educat- 
ed and  fed  with  his  own  hands  all  the 
children  who  were  without  education  in 
Ireland.— O'D. 


478 


THE   HISTORY   OF    IRELAND. 


and  also  St.  Macdog,=*  son  of  Sedna,  son  of  Ere,  son  of  Feradach, 
son  of  Fiacaidh,  son  of  Amalgaid,  son  of  Murcdach,  son  of 
Carthann,  son  of  Ere,  of  the  line  of  Colla  Uais,  to  wit,  thci  saint 
who  was  honored  at  Ferna.  Then  also  died  the  holy  St.  Cumin 
Fada,"  son  of  Fiacaidh  ;  and  ]\iaenach,  son  of  Finghin,  King  of 
Munster.  And  Diarmaid  and  BUitlimac  both  died  of  the  plague 
which  was  called  the  Buide-Conaill,'' 


SECHNASACH,  ARD-RIGH. 

A.  D.  676."  Sechnasach  {Shaghnasagh),  son  of  Blathmac,  son 
of  Aedh  Slainni,  of  the  line  of  Erimhon,  succeeded  his  father 
and  uncle  as  King  of  Ireland,  and  reigned  six  years.*"  In  the 
reign  of  this  prince  the  battle  of  Fert"  was  fought  between  the 
Ulidians  and  the  Cruthnigh,  where  numbers  were  slain  on  both 
sides.     St.  Baethin,"  Abbot  of  Bcnnchor,  died  in  this  reign. 


^  St.  Maedog.  This  saint  had  died 
long  before  this  reign,  in  the  year  G24. 
He  is  now  usually  called  St.  Mogue  by 
the  Irish  peasantry,  who  sometimes  im- 
properly translate  his  name  by  Moses. 
llis  first  name  was  really  Aedh,of  which 
Aedhog  [Ayogue'j ,  as  well  as  Aedhan 
(Ayaun),  or  Aidan,  are  diminutive 
forms.  Maedog  or  Macdhog  {Mayogue) 
is  a  name  of  affection  ;  the  pronoun  Mo, 
my,  being  prefixed  Aedog,  as  has  hap- 
pened in  the  case  of  many  of  the  names 
of  Irish  saints,  such  as  Mochua,  Mo- 
chuda,  Molasi,  &c.  St.  Maedog  was 
the  founder  of  the  bishoprick  of  Ferna, 
now  Ferns,  on  the  river  Bann,  about 
five  miles  north  of  Enniscorthy,  county 
"Wexford.  His  feast  is  on  the  31st  of 
January. 

"  St.  Cumin  Fnda. — He  was  bi.shop 
of  Ciuain-Fcrta  Brenainn  or  Clonfcrt, 
and  died  on  the  12th  of  November, 
which  is  his  festival,  in  CGI.  He  was, 
as  before  stated,  the  half-brother  (by 
his  mother)  of  (Juairi,  King  of  (,'on- 
naught ;  paternally  ho  was  of  the  tribe 
of  the  Eoganacht  of  Loch  Ixin,  in 
Kerry. 

"*  Buidr.  Conaill. — "  This  plague  is 
mentioned  by  Bcdo  in  his  ICcclesiastical 
History,  who  wriUiS  tliat  in  the  year 
664,  a  sudden  pestilence  (called  the  yel- 


low plague)  depopulated  tlie  southern 
coast  of  Britain,  and  extending  into 
Northumberland,  ravaged  the  country 
far  and  near,  and  destroyed  a  great 
number  of  men. "  He  also  states  that 
it  did  no  less  harm  in  Ireland,  where 
many  of  the  nobility  and  of  the  lower 
ranks  of  the  English  nation  were,  at 
that  time,  cither  studying  theology  or 
leading  monastic  lives,  the  Scoti  sup- 
plying them  with  food  and  furnishing 
them  with  books  and  their  teaching 
gratis. — 0' Donovan. 

"•  A.  D.  GG5.—Four  Masters. 

°°  Six  years. — Five  years. — Id. 

"'  The  battle  of  Fert.—"  A.  D.  G65. 
The  battle  of  Fersat  was  fought  this 
year  between  the  Ulidians  and  the  Cin- 
thin,  where  Cathasach,  son  of  Laircine 
wa.s  slain." — Id. 

Fcrt,  as  in  the  text,  is  clearly  a  mifl- 
takc  for  Fersat.  The  place  meant  is 
Belfast,  whose  present  name  is  a  cor- 
ruption of  Belach  Feirsti,  i.  c.  the  Pass 
of  the  Fersad,  a  word  which  literally 
moans  a  spindle,  but  which  is  also  ap- 
plied figuratively  to  a  sand  bank  formed 
in  the  estuary  of  a  river,  where  the  tide 
checiks  the  current  of  the  fresh  water. — 
O'l).  'i'he  people  here  called  Cruthiiigh 
were  the  Dal  Araidc  race. 

°  Baeilhin. — He  died  in  665. 


THE   niSTORY   OF   IRELAND.  479 

Sechnasach  ended  his  reign  and  life  by  being  killed  by  Dubduin 
of  the  Kinel  Carbri." 

KENNFAELADH,  ARD-RIGH. 

A.  D.  682."  Kennfaeladh,  son  of  Blathraac,  son  of  Aedh 
Slanni,  of  the  line  of  Erimhou,  succeeded  to  the  throne  and 
held  it  for  four  years.  In  his  reign  the  monastery  of  Bennchor" 
was  biu'ned  by  foreign  marauders,  and  the  persons  that  compos- 
ed its  religious  community  were  slaughtered. 

This  place  had  its  name  of  Bennchor  from  the  following  cir- 
cumstance :  Bresal  Brec,  a  King  of  Leinster,  once  made  a  plunder- 
ing expedition  to  Alba,  with  a  numerous  force,  and  brought 
thence  a  large  prey  of  cattle  as  booty  with  him  to  Ireland ;  and 
when  he  had  landed  with  his  forces  he  made  an  encampment 
at  the  place  that  is  now  called  Bennchor,  and  there  his  people 
killed  many  of  the  oxen  for  their  food  so  that  the  plain  was 
strewn  over  with  the  bemia,  that  is,  with  the  horns  of  the  cattle, 
and  hence  came  the  name  of  Magh  Bennchor  or  the  Plain  of 
Horns.  Long  afterwards,  when  the  holy  Abbot  Comgall  had 
founded  a  monastery  in  the  same  place,  he  commanded  that  the 
building  should  be  called  from  the  place  where  it  was  built. 
Henco  it  became  known  as  the  Monastery  of  Bennchor.  Soon 
after  the  burning  of  this  monastery  by  these  foreign  pirates, 
Kennfaeladh,  King  of  Ireland,  was  killed  by  Finnacta  Fleadach, 
son  of  Donncadh,  at  the  battle  of  Keltair.*^ 

•"   Kinel  Carhri. — That  is,  the  race  ent  institution.  It  is  seen  both  from  the 

of   Carbri,  son  of  Niall  of  the  Nine  annals  of  Ulster  and  those  of  Clonmar 

Hostages,  seated  at  this  period  in  the  noise,  that  it  was  the  British  monastery 

barony  of  Granard,  county  Longford,  that  was  burned  in  the  reign  of  Kenn- 

but  whose  descendants  afterwards  set-  faeladh  :  "  A.  D.  G71.     The  burning  of 

tied  in  and  gave  their  names  to  the  pre-  Bennchor  of  the  Britons." — Ann.  Ult. 

sent  barony  of  Carbury,  county  Kil-  "  A.  D.  668.    Bangor  in  England  was 

dare,  and  also  to  the  barony  of  Carbury  burned." — Ann.  Colon.   The  Irish  mon- 

county  Sligo.  astery,  founded  by  the  great  St.  Com- 

"It  was  of  Sechnasach  this  testimony  gall,  who  died  on  the  10th  of  May,  in 

was  given  :  the  year  600,  was  still  unprofaned  by 

"  Full  of  bridles  and  horsewhips  la  the  forcigu  spoilers.  The  name  of  Benn- 

Sechnasacii's  dwell ins-piaco—  chor  is  rather  frequent  in  Ireland,  and 

That  spoil-teeming,  plentiful  i^,  mncs+lv  ino-lipÍ7Pfl    Tliimo-lipr       Tt  ia 

Fortress  of  Blathmac's  son."  \^  mostly  anglicizecl  Jjanaglicr.      n  IS 

derived,  as  Keating  states,  irom  benn, 

— Four  Masters.  signifying  a  horn,  peak,  crest,  or  pinna- 

"  A.  D.  670. — Id.  cle,  or  rather  it  is  more  immediately 

'^Bennchor. — The  place  then  burned  derived  from  its  adjective  6enncrc/i  by 

was  not  the  monastery  of  Bennchor,  or  the  addition  of  the  suiSx  ar. 

Bangor,  in  Ulster  ;   but  it  was  Ban-  ^  Keltair. — "  He  was   slain   in   the 

gor  in  North  Wales,which,  having  been  battle    of   Aircealtair    (Arkclter),    at 

founded  by  missionaries  from  the  Irish  Tigh  Ua  Maine  {Tee  oo  Manx).'" — F. 

Bennchor,  took  its  name  from  the  par-  M.    The  scene  of  this  fight  is  supposed 


480 


THE   HISTOllY  OF   IRELAND. 


FINNACTA,  ARD-RIGH. 

A.  D.^'  686. — Finnacta""  Flcadach,  son  of  Donncadh,  son  of 
Aedh  :<lanni,  of  the  line  of  Erimlion,  held  the  sovereignty  of  Ire- 
land for  seven  years.'''  This  King  had  the  surname  of  Fleadach, 
that  is,  the  Hospitable,  or  Festive,  or  from  the  number  of  festivals 
and  public  entertainments  that  took  place  in  Ireland  during  his 
reign.  St.  Colman,  bishop  of  Inis-bo-iinni,'"  died  in  his  reign,  as 
did  St.  Finan, "'  who  was  honored  at  Ard-Finain ;  of  the  race  of 
Fiachaidh,  ^íaeil-lethan,  was  this  St.  Finnan ;  and  about  the  same 
time  St.  Arannan  also  died.  It  was  Finnacta  that  defeated  the 
Loinstermen  at  the  battle  of  Loch  Gabar'-  where  many  of  them 
fell  by  his  forces.  It  was  in  his  reign  that  Kennfaeladh  the  Learned" 
died."^  And  it  was  then  also  that  Dungal,  son  of  Sganlan,  King  of 
the  Cruthnigh  or  Picts,  and  Kennfaeladh,  King  of  the  Kiannachta 
of  Glenn-Geimhen,  were  burned  by  Maelduin,  son  of  Alaelsitricc, 
in  Dun-Kethirnn.''*  In  this  reign  also  the  Britons  made  an  in- 
cursion into  Ireland  according  to  Bede,  in  the  twenty-sixth  chap- 
ter of  the  fourth  book  of  his  History.  He  there  informs  us  that 
a  cliieftain  of  the  forces  of  the  King  of  the  Saxons,  named  Bertus, 


to  be  pointed  out  by  a  place  now  called 
Attymany,  in  the  parish  of  Clonkeen 
Kcrrill,  barony  of  Tiaquin,  and  county 
of  (Jalway. 

•^  A.  D.  G74.     Four  Blasters. 

"*  FixxACTA  II.  His  name  and  sur- 
name arc  pronounced  Finnaghtn  Flaagh. 
Finnacta  is  sometimes  spelled  Finnsh- 
veacltta  wliich  lias  almost  the  same  pro- 
nunciation, and  is  thus  made  to  signify 
siiou'hite,  or  rather  white  snow.  But  the 
editor  surmises  that  such  spelling  was 
adopted  in  order  to  support  an  etymolo- 
gical pun  u])on  the  name,  and  that  word 
is  nothing  more  than  a  simple  derivate 
from  Finn,  i.  e.  fair. 

"  Seven  years. — His  reign  lasted  for 
twenty  years  according  to  the  annals 
above  cited. 

■"  St.  Colman  of  Inis-'ho-finni.  lie  died 
on  the  8th  of  August,  G74.  Inis-bo- 
^nni,  i.  e.  the  Island  of  the  White  Cow 
is  now  known  as  IJophin  Island,  sind  is 
situated  off  the  west  coast  of  Mayo. 
The  ruins  of  St.  Colman's  church  are 
Btill  t'>  be  seen  on  this  island.  From 
Loch  Bo-linui,  i.  e.  the  Lake  of  the 


White  Cow,  situate  thereon,  it  is  fabled 
that  an  enchanted  cow,  from  which  it 
has  its  name,  is  seen  periodically  to 
emerge. 

■'  St.  Finan  of  Ard-Finain. — lie  is 
the  patron  saint  of  Ard-Fhinain 
[Ardeenanin).  now  the  town  of  Ardfm- 
nan,  county  Tipperary.  The  festival 
of  St.  Finan,  son  of  liranan,  is  entered 
in  O'Clery's  calendar  at  the  12th  of 
February.     He  died  in  674. 

■-  Lnck  Gabar. — Now  Lough  Gower, 
or  Logore,  near  Uunshanghlin,  in 
Meath.     This  battle  took  place  in  07"). 

''■'  Kennfaeladh  the  Learned. — "  A.  D. 
G77.  Cennfaeladh,  son  of  Oilioll.  a 
paragon  of  wi.^dom,  died." — Four  il/iw- 
Icrs.  This  sage  lived  at  Dcrryloran,  in 
Tyrone,  as  it  is  stated  in  the  jiríílace  to 
the  Uraicept  na  n-Eigeas,  which  work 
he  is  said  to  have  amended. — O'D. 

"  Dan  Kc/hirnu. — Now  the  Giant's 
Sconce,  in  the  parish  of  Dunbar,  county 
Londonderry,  as  already  statinl.  This 
event  happened  in  67y,  in  the  si.\th 
year  of  Finnacta'a  reign,  according  to 
the  Four  Masters. 


THE    HISTORY    OP   IRELAND. 


481 


landed  ia  Ireland  in  the  year  of  our  Lord,  six  hundred  and 
eighty-four,  and  that  they  plundered  a  great  portion  of  the  coun- 
try, Bede  laments  that  evil  deed  in  the  following  words : 
"  Bertus  devastated  an  innocent  nation,  and  one  that  had  always 
proved  most  friendly  to  the  English  race.""  Against  them  was 
fought  the  battle  of  llath  Morin  Magh  Lini,"  where  Cuinusgach, 
King  of  the  Cruthnigh  (the  Dal  Araide),  was  slain,  and  a  great 
number  of  the  Gaels  fell  with  him.  The  Britons  then  also  made 
an  expedition  to  the  Orcades  and  plundered  those  islands.  Some 
of  them  landed  in  the  east  of  Leinster  likewise,  and  having 
plundered  the  properties  both  of  the  church  and  of  the  laity,  they 
returned  to  their  homes,  when  they  had  committed  great  depre- 
dations and  destruction.  St.  Adamnan  made  the  following  verse 
on  Finnacta,  when  that  king,  had  remitted  the  Boromha"  or  cow- 
tribute  at  the  request  of  St.  Moling  ; 

"  Finnacta,  Donncadh's  son,  remitted, 
At  Moling's  prayer,  a  mighty  tribute  ; 
Thrice  fifty  hundred  Line,  with  spancels, 
And  with  each  cow  her  calf  was  given." 

Finnacta  Avas  killed  soon  after  this  by  Aedh,  the  son  of  Dluthach 
and  by  Conall,  the  son  of  Congal,  at  Grellach  Dolaith."' 


'^  Bertus  vastavit  gentem  innocontem 
misere  et  nationi  Anglorum  amicissi- 
mam."  This  quotation  from  tlie  vener- 
able Bede  refers  to  the  invasion  of  Magh 
Breagh  by  the  Saxons,  which  took 
place  in  June,  683,  according  to  the 
Four  Masters,  but  in  684,  according  to 
Bede,  in  which  latter  authority  it 
is  said  that  Bertus  or  Berctus  was  the 
general  of  Egfrid,  King  of  Northum- 
bria. 

™  Rath-mor  in  Magh  Line. — Now 
Rathmore,  a  townland  on  which  there 
is  au  ancient  rath  or  earthen  fort,  in 
the  parish  of  Donegore  and  county  of 
Antrim.  This  battle  was  fought  in 
680,  three  or  four  years  before  the  in- 
vasion of  Magh  Breagh,  by  the  Saxons. 
The  foreigners  who  were  there  defeat- 
ed were  more  probably  Saxons  than 
Britons.  In  the  year  after  the  inva- 
sion of  Magh  Breagh,  St.  Adamnan, 
Abbot  of  lona,  was  sent  to  England 
to  request  a  restoration  of  the  captives 
taken  therein.  The  Northern  Saxons 
received  him  with  great  honor  on  the 


occasion,  and  granted  him  everything 
he  requested. 

"  The  Boromha  remitted. — "  That  in- 
iquitous tax  upon  the  people  of  Lein- 
ster, which  through  forty  successive 
reigns  had  been  one  of  the  sources  of 
national  strife,  was  at  length  remitted 
at  the  urgent  request  of  St.  Moling, 
Archbishop  of  Ferns  (Ferna),  by 
the  pious  King  Finnachta  for  him- 
self and  bis  successors  for  ever." — 
3Ioore. 

If  there  be  any  truth  in  the  opposi- 
tion of  St.  Adamnan  to  the  remission 
of  the  Boromha,  by  his  relative,  King 
Finnacta,  the  above  quoted  verses  must 
be  understood  in  an  ironical  sense. 

'«  Grellach  Dollaith.—Thh  is  sup- 
posed to  be  the  place  still  called,  in 
Irish,  Grellach,  but  Girly  in  English, 
which  lies  two  miles  south  of  Kills,  in 
Meatli.  The  battle  was  fought  in  the 
twentieth  year  of  Finnacta's  reign,  and 
not  in  the  seventh,  as  Keating  has  it. 
Bresal,  the  monarch's  son,  fell  with 
him. 


482 


THE   HISTORY   OF  IRELAND. 


LOINGSECH,  ARD-RIGH. 

A.  D.  693."'  Loingsech,  son  of  Aengus,  son  of  Domnall,  son 
of  Aedli,  sou  of  Anmiri,  of  the  line  of  ErimLón,  ascended  the 
throne  of  Ireland  and  held  it  for  eight  years.  In  this  reign  St. 
Adamnan  came  from  Alba  to  Ireland'"  to  preach.  It  was  then, 
also,  that  St.  Moling"^  of  Luachair  died ;  and  that  the  plain  of 
Murihemni  was  devastated'*^  by  the  Britons.  During  this  reign 
a  great  pestilence  raged  amongst  the  cattle**  in  Saxon-land  and 
in  Ireland.  This  was  followed  by  a  great  famine  which  lasted 
for  three  years,  during  which  time,  it  is  said,  that  people  were 
forced  to  eat  one  another.  It  was  about  this  time,  also,  that  St. 
Egbert  went  to  preach  in  Alba.  Muredach  Maeil-lethan,*''  King 
of  Connaught,  died,  whilst  Loingsech  was  monarch.  It  was 
then,  also,  that  the  Ulidians  fought  the  battle  of  Magh-Cullinn** 
against  the  Britons,  and  in  it  great  numbers  of  those  marauders 
were  slaughtered.  About  this  time,  likewise,  died  St.  Adamnan,^' 
Abbot  of  Aei,  or  lona,  in  his  seventy-seventh  year. 


'»  A.  D.  694:.— Four  Masters. 

^  St.  Adamnan  came  to  Jreland  in 
697.  It  appears  from  Bode  that  his 
principal  object  in  visiting  his  native 
land  on  this  occasion  was  to  preach  to 
the  people  about  the  proper  time  of 
keeping  the  Easter. 

"  St.  Moling  died.— He  died  in  C9C, 
on  the  13th  of  May.  lie  erected  a 
church  at  a  place  then  named  lios-bnjc, 
but  now  Tigh  Moling,  i.  c.  Moling's 
House,  in  Irish,  and  in  English,  St. 
Mullin's,  where  his  festival  was  cele- 
brated on  the  17th  of  June. 

*  The  Flam  of  Murtliemtu  devastat- 
ed.— "  A.  D.  095.  The  second  year  of 
Loingsech.  The  devastation  of  Mur- 
thennii  by  the  Britons  and  the  Ulidi- 
ans.— Four  Masters. 

'^  Pestilence  amongst  the  cattle. — This 
event  seems  misplaced.  A  similar  pes- 
tilence is  thus  recorded  by  the  Four 
Masters  to  have  visited  Ireland  during 
the  last  reign.  "A.  D.  Gti  t.  The  lltli 
year  of  Fiunaeta,  a  mortality  upon  all 
animals  in  general  throughout  the 
whole  world,  for  the  space  of  four 
years,  so  that  there  escaped  not  one 
out  of  the  thousand  of  any  kind  of 
animals.  There  was  a  great  frost  in 
this  year,  so  that  the  rivers  and  lakes 


of  Ireland  were  frozen,  and  the  sea  be 
twcen  Ireland  and  Alba  was  frozen 
so  that  there  was  a  communication  be 
tween  them  on  the  ice."'  Florence  of 
Winchester  notices  this  plague  in  his 
annals  at  the  year  G85.  "  A  great  pes- 
tilence seized  upon  Britannia,  and  laid 
?t  waste  with  wide-spread  destruction." 
— The  Annals  of  Ulster  record  a  pesti- 
lence such  as  Keating  speaks  of,  as 
having  taken  place  in  799. 

*'  Muredach  Mactl-lcthan,  i.  o.  ^lu- 
redach  of  the  Broad  Head.  He  was 
sou  of  Fergus,  sou  of  Kaghallach,  son 
of  Uada.  It  was  from  liini  that  the 
Sil  Muireadhaigh  [S'leel  Murray), 
(i.  e.  Seed  of  Muredach)  consisting 
of  the  O'Connors  (of  Connaught). 
the  Mac  Dermots,  Mac  Dononghs. 
O'Beirnes,  O'Flanagans,  Mageraghties. 
O'Finnaghties,  took  their  tribe-aanie. 
He  was  otherwise  called  Muredach  of 
,Magh  Aei,  in  Roscommon.  He  died  in 
the  year  700,  in  the  seventh  year  of 
Loingsech. 

"  The  battle  of  Magh  Cuillinn.  A 
plain  near  Sliabli  Cuillinn,  now  Slieve 
GuUion,  CO.  Armagh. 

""  Died  St.  Adamnan,  &c. — This  cele- 
brated man  was  of  same  family  as  St. 
Columkille  and  St.  Baeithin,  i.  e.  of  the 


THE   HISTORY    OF   IRELAND.  483 

It  was  now  that  the  Saracens  marched  with  a  Large  army  to 
Constantinople,  which  city  they  beseiged  for  three  years,  after 
which  period  they  withdrew  their  forces  without  having  suc- 
ceeded in  taking  it. 

The  battle  of  Corann^'  was  fought  by  Kellach,  son  of  Eaghal- 
iach,  who  had  been  seven  years  King  of  Connaught,  against 
Loingsech,  King  of  Ireland,  and  in  it  the  latter,  was  defeated  and 
slain. 

CONGAL    KENN-MAGHAIR,    ARD-RIGH. 

A.  D.  701.^  Congal^  Kenn-Maghair,  son  of  Fergus  Fanaid, 
descended  from  Conall  Gulban,  son  of  Niall  of  the  Nine  Host- 
ages, of  the  line  of  Erimhón,  became  King  of  Ireland,  and 
reigned  for  nine  years.  It  was  this  Congal  that  burned  Kill- 
dara,  destroying  both  the  ecclesiastical  buildings  and  the  houses 
of  the  laity.  But  this  evil  deed  soon  brought  a  sudden  death 
upon  himself. 

FERGAL,  ARD-RIGH. 

A.  D.  710.^  Fergal,  son  of  Maelduin,  son  of  Maelsitricc,  son 
of  Aedh  Uaridnach,  of  the  line  of  Erimhón,  held  the  sover- 
eignty of  Ireland  for  seventeen  years.®^  Cact,  the  daughter  of 
Maelcoba,  King  of  Kinel  Conaill,  was  his  mother. 

About  this  time  a  battle  was  fought  by  the  Dal  Eiada  against 
the  Britons,  at  a  place  called  Cloch  Minnirc,  where  the  Britons 
were  defeated  with  slaughter.     About  this  time,  also,  Nectan, 

Kinel  Conaill.     He  was  son  of  Ronan,  "  The  battle  of  Corann — Corann  is 

sou  of  Tinni,  son  of  Aedh,  son  of  Ool-  now  a  barony  in  Sligo.    The  three  sons 

man,  son  of  Sedna,  son  of  Fergus  Kenn-  of  the  monarch  were  slain  with  their 

fada,  son  of  Conall  Gulban,  son  of  Niall  father  in  that  fight, 

of  the  Nine  Hostages.     After  having  '^  A.  D.  702. — Four  Masters. 

been  twenty-six  years  Abbot  of  lona,  ^  Congal  H. — He  was  called  Kenn- 

he  died  on  the  23d  of  September,  in  the  maghair,  from  a  place  of  that  name, 

year  703,  or,  according  to  Tigernach,  now  anglicized  Kinnaweer,  situated  at 

in  704.     Of  Adamnan's  works  we  have  the  head  of  Mulroy  Lough,  barony  of 

still  remaining,  his  Life  of  Oolumba,  or  Kilmacrenau,  and  county  of  Donegal. 

St.  Columkille,  written  in  the  purest  He  reigned  but  seven  years,  according 

style  of  Latin  then  in  use ;  which  Pink-  to  the  above  cited  Annals,  which  say 

orton  calls  the  completest  piece  of  bio-  nothing  of  his  having  burned  Kill-dara 

graphy  that  all  Europe  can  boast  of  and  its  churches.     But  it  would  seem 

■luring  the  whole  of  the  Middle  Ages  ;  from  them  that  he  had  gone  into  Leins- 

and  his  Description  of  the  Holy  Places  ter,  in  the  year  705,  to  reenforce  the 

•  )f  Judea,  which  he  presented  King  Al-  lately  abolished  Boromha,  and  that  he 

fred.    These  have  been  published  ;  but  had  obtained  his  demand  from  that  ter- 

therc   are  other  tracts,  both  in  prose  ritory. 

and  veree,  written  by  him  in  his  native  ^  A.  D.  709. — Four  Masters. 

tongue,  which  lie  still  in  manuscript.  *'   Seventeen  years — Ten  years. — Id. 


THE   HISTOKY    OF   IRELAND. 

King  of  Alba,  expelled  a  convent  of  Monks  U^ond  llie  limits 
of  his  realm  for  having  reprehended  him  for  his  evil  deeds. 

It  was  in  this  king's  reign  that  those  three  showers^  fell,  whence 
iSTiall  Frasach  had  his  surname.  He  Avas  called  Frasacli,  because 
he  was  born  during  the /nwa  or  showers,  as  we  shall  relate  at  the 
reign  of  Niall  Frasach  himself.  Those  showers  consisted  of  a  shower 
of  honey  at  Fothain^  Beg,  a  shower  of  silver  at  Fothain  Mor,  and 
a  shower  of  blood  in  ]\ragh-Lighen.  About  this  time  was  fought 
the  battle  of  Almain^  between  Fergal,  the  monarch  of  Ireland, 
and  Murcadh  son  of  Brann,  King  of  Leinstpr.  Fergal's  forces  ^ 
amounted  to  twenty-one  thousand  men  in  this  engagement,  while 
but  nine  thousand  followed  the  King  of  Leinstcr  to  tlie  field,  in 
addition  to  the  eight  score  of  chosen  champions  tliat  formed  his 
royal  bodv-guard.  Nevertheless;  the  Monarch  of  Ireland  was 
routed,  ancl  two  hundred  and  sixty-nine  of  his  men  ran  mad, 
and  according  to  some  accounts,  three  thousand  two  hundred  of 
them  were  left  dead  on  the  field.  Other  authorities  hand  down  that 
the  number  slain  amounted  to  seven  thousand.  The  reason  why 
this  misfortune  came  upon  the  King  of  Ireland  was,  because  as 
he  was  marching  to  the  battle  field  of  Almaiu  with  the  inten- 
tion of  fighting,  some  of  his  people  went  to  plunder  a  little 
church  called  Killin,  and  thence  they  brought  away  a  solitary 
cow  which  they  found  in  possession  of  the  hermit  of  that  church. 
Whereupon  the  hermit  cursed  the  King  and  his  army  ;  and  it 
was  in  consequence  of  his  curse  that  this  extraordinary  misfor- 
tune fell  upon  them,  and  that  the  King  himself  was  slain  among 
the  rest,  as  we  have  just  told. 

FOGARTACU,  ARD-RIGH. 

A.D.  727.^^     Fogartach,  son  of  Niall,  son  of  Kearnach  Sotal, 
son  of  Diarmaid,  son  of  Aedh  Slanni,  son  of  Anmiri,  of  the 

"•'  TVtrce  s/toii'ers.— This  sinííular  anrl  of  Conn  brought  to  tliis  battle,  waa 

perhaps  partly  enigmatical  record,  is  21,000;   and  the  number  brought  by 

Ibnnd  entered  under  the  year  71 C,  in  the  Lcinster  men  was  9,000.     Of  the 

the  Four  Masters,  and  under  715  in  the  death  of  Murcadh  was  said  : 

Annals  of  Clonmacnoise.  .  Dunca  lli,'  the  nnWe  Mnrcarth's  son, 

'•*   Fothain  is  also  written  Othain.    It  And  Aeflh  Mac  Colgain,  of  red  swords, 

is  now  called  Fahan,  by  the  English,  ^^^;^;l^Xt^^S^m,: 
and   lies  near  Lough    Swilly,    county 

Doneo-al.  Seven  thousand  was  the  number 

*"  Almain,  now  Allen,  a  celebrated  that  fell  on  both  sides  between  them." 
hill  in  the  county  of  Kildare. — "  A.D.  — Four  Masterf. 
718.  After  Fergal,  son  of  Maelduin,  ■^'  "A.D.  719.  Fogartach,  son  of 
had  been  ten  years  in  the  sovereignty  Niall,  son  of  Kearnach  Sotal  (the 
of  Ireland,  he  was  slain  by  Duncadh,  Proud)  was  in  the  sovereignty  of  Ire- 
son  of  Murcadh,  and  Aedh,  son  of  Col-  land  this  year,  until  he  fell  in  the 
pun,  an  heir  presumptive  to  the  sover-  battle  of  Delgcan,  ly  Kineath,  son  of 
eiguty.     The  number  which  the  race  Irgalach." — Four  Masters. 


THE    HISTORY    OF   IRELAND.  485 

line  of  Erimlióu,  reigned  over  Ireland  for  one  year.     He  was 
killed  by  Kinaeth,  son  of  Irgallach,  in  the  battle  of  Belgi.'" 

KINAETII,  ARD-RIGH. 

A.D.  728,'"  Kinaeth,  son  of  Irgallach,  son  of  Oonain^  Cur- 
rach,  son  ofConall,  son  of  Aedh  Shmni,  of  the  line  of  Erimhon, 
rnled  Ireland  for  four  years.  It  was  in  the  reign  of  this  king 
that  the  relics  of  Sfc.  Adamnan  were  brought  from  Alba  to  Ire- 
land. After  that  event,  the  battle  of  Drum-Kiarain''  was 
fought  by  Flathbertach,  son  of  Loingsech,  against  Kinaeth,  son 
of  Irgallach,  where  Kinaeth,  King  of  Ireland,  fell,  and  many  of 
his  people  were  slain  around  him. 

FLATHBERTACH,  ARD-RIGH. 

A.D.  732.''  Flathbertach,  son  of  Loingsech,  son  of  Aengus, 
son  of  Domnall,  son  of  Aedh,  son  of  Anmiri,  of  the  line  of 
Erimhon,  held  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland  for  seven  years. 
^Muirenn,  daughter  of  Kellach,  was  the  mother  of  this  king. 
According  to  Bede,  it  was  in  this  king's  reign  that  the  battle  of 
Drum-dorg  was  fought  in  Alba  between  Drust  and  Aengus,  two 
kings  of  the  Picts.  It  was  in  his  reign,  also,  that  the  battle  of 
Fochart""  was  gained  in  Murthemni  by  Aedh  Ollan,  and  the 

^  Belgi,  or  Beilge.     The  situation  Chomaigli,  i.  e.  the  stone  of  clecapita- 
of  this  place  has  not  been  identified,  tion,  in  the  doorway  of  the  church  of 
Bolgi  seems  to  have  been  written  by  Fochart;  and  Coucadh,  son  of  Cuanach, 
mistake  for  Delgi,  or   Delgen.      The  chief  of  Cobha,  was  slain,  and  many 
name  is  also  written   Cenn  Delgthen.  others  along  with  him.     The  cause  of 
[Kenn  Delkenn).  this  battle  was  the  profanation   of  the 
"  A.D.  720.  Four  Masters.  church  of  Kill-Conna  by  Ua  Seghain, 
^®    Drum    Kiarain.       "A.D.    722.  oneofthepeopleof  Aedh  Roin.  Congas, 
After  Kinaeth,  son  of  Irgalach,  had  Comorba  of  St.  Patrick,  composed  this 
been  three  years  in  sovereignty  over  quatrain  to  incite  Aedh  Allan  to  re- 
Ireland,  he  fell  in  the  Ijattle  of  Drom  venge  the  profanation  of  the  church  ; 
Corcrain,  by  Flathbertach.  son  of  Loin-  for   he   was   the   spiritual   adviser   of 
gsech." — lb.     Drum  Kiarain,  the  name  Aedh,  so  that  he  said  : 
which  Drum  Corcrain  has  been  called         "gay  unto  the  cold  Aedh  Allan 
in  the  text,  is,  in  some    copies,  written  That  I've  been  wronsred  by  feeble  men, 
n.-iim  flornn       Its;    «itintinn    lvi<5  iint  For  Aedh  Eoiu  outrafjed  me  last  night, 
Uium  i^arran.     its  siiuaiion  nas  not           At  Kill  Cuuna  of  music  sweet." 
been  identmed. 

^  A.D.  723.     lb.  Aedh  Allan  then  collected  his  f  irces 

""  Fochart,   now  Faughard,   county  to  Fochart,   and   he   composed   these 

Louth.     The  battle   of  Fochart   was  verses  on  his  march  to  the  l^attle  : 
not   fought  until    the  third  year  of  the  u  j^in  Cunna.  church  of  my  soul's  friend, 

reign  of  Aedh  Ollan,  or  Allan,  the  next  For  thee  this  day  I  march  a  field; 

cn/^pppflino- mnnnrpTi     "  Á  T)   '7^9      '^I'hp  Aedh  Roin  shall  leave  his  head  with  me, 

succeemng  monarcn.     a.u.  idz.    ine  or  i  with  him  shaiileave  my  own." 

battle  01  r  ochart  was  fought  by  Aedh 

Allan  and  the    Glanna  Neill  of  the  — See  Four  Masters. 

north    against    the    Ulidians,    where        Kill  Cunna  is  now  called  Killoony, 

Aedh  Roiu,  King  of  Ulidia,  was  slain,  in  the  parish  of  Ballyclog,  barony  of 

and  his  head  was  cut  off  on  Cloch-an-  Dungannon,  county  Tyrone. 


486  THE   HISTORY   OF    IKPZLAND. 

clans  of  Xiall  against  tlic  men  of  Ulidia.  Aedh  Roin,  King  of 
Ulidia,  was  slain  in  this  battle,  after  a  reign  of  thirty  years,  and 
there,  also,  fell,  Concadh,  son  of  Cuanach.  Two  years  after  this 
engagement,  Flathbertach,  son  of  Loingsech,  King  of  Ireland, 
died  a  penitent  at  Ard  Macha. 

AEDII  OLLAN,  ARD-RIGH, 

A.D.  739.'  Aedh  Ollan,^  son  of  Fergal,  son  of  Mael- 
duin,  son  of  Maelsitricc,  of  the  race  of  Erimhon,  obtained 
the  sovereignty  of  Ireland,  and  held  it  for  nine  years.  The 
mother  of  this  prince  was  Brighitt,  daughter  of  Orca,  son 
of  Carthann.  In  the  reign  of  this  Aedh  was  fought  the 
battle  of  Belach  Feli,^  between  the  Munstermen  and  Leinster- 
mcn,  and  many  fell  therein  on  both  sides,  and  amongst 
them  was  Kellach,  son  of  Faelcair,  King  of  Osraide.  Cathal, 
son  of  Finguini,  King  of  Munster,  gained  the  victory  in  that 
battle.  After  this,  Aengus,  son  of  Fergus,  King  of  the  Picts, 
routed  and  slaughtered  the  Dal  Riada  of  Alba,  and  plundered 
and  devastated  them  exceedingly,  so  that  Dun-da-cregi  was 
burned  by  him,  and  that  Dungal  and  Fergus,*  the  two  sons  of 
Selbach,  King  of  Dal  Eiada,  were  led  captive,  and  put  in  fetters. 

About  this  time  there  was  a  meeting  between  Aedh  Ollan, 
King  of  Ireland,  and  Cathal,  son  of  Finguini,  King  of  Munster, 
at  Tir-da-leth-glas,^  in  Ormond,  and  there  they  established  the 
rule  and  law  and  rent  of  Patrick  over  Ireland. 

Shortly  after  this,  the  battle  of  Ath  Senaid,^  that  is,  the  battle 

'  A.  D.  730.     lb.  Ballyshannon,    county    Kildare,    four 

-  Aedii  V.  miles  southwest  of  Kilcullcn  Bridge. 

'  Belach  Feli.    This  name  should  be  The  people  of   Ijeinster    suffered    so 

Belach  Eli,  i.e.  the  Pass  of  Eli.  "A.D.  severely  in  this  fight,  and  in  that  of 

730.     The  battle  of  Belach  Eli  was  Almain,  in  718,  that  the  remission  of 

fought  between   Cathal,   son  of  Fin-  the   Boroinha  could  be  said  to  have 

guini.    King    of     Munster,    and    the  brought   them    but    little  advantage. 

Ijeinstermen,  where  many  of  the  latter  The  whole  strength,  both  of  the  races 

were  slain.     There  fell  of  the  Munster-  of  Conn  and  of  Catheir  INIor,  seems  to 

men  here  Kellach,  son  of  Fclcair,  chief  have  met  in  hostile  array  in  this  battle, 

of  Osraide,  and  the  two  sons  of  Cor-  There,  we  are  told,  "  that  Aedh  Allan 

mac,  son  of  Rossa,  chief  of  the  D&si,  met  Aedh,  son  of  Colgan,  in  single 

with  three  thousand  along  with  them,  combat,  and  Aedh.  son  of  Colgan,  was 

— Ifj,  slain  by  Aedh  Allan.     The  Leinster- 

*  Duntrnl  and  Fergus.  According  men  were  slaughtered  dreadfully  there- 
to O'Flahcrty,  tho  defeat  of  the  Dal  in,  so  that  there  escaped  of  them  but  a 
Riada  by  the  Fictish  king  Aengiis  small  remnant.  The  following  were 
happened  in  the  year  73G.  'J'hc  Dun-  the  leaders  and  chiefs  who  loll,  namely, 
gal  here  mentioned  was  the  twenty-  Aedh,  son  of  ('olgan,  King  of  Ui 
second  king  of  the  Alban  Caels.  Kinnselaigh,  ]5rann   ]k>g,  son  of  Mur- 

'   Tir-da-leth-glas,   now    Terryglass,  cadh,  the  .second  king  who  was  over 

in  Lower  Ormond.  the  f/iinsternien,  Fergus,  son  of  Mafr- 

'  Ath  Senaid.    It  is  now  known  as  nach,  and  Dubdacrioch,  two  chiefs  of 


THE   niSTOKY   OF   IRELAND. 


487 


of  Uchba,  was  fought  between  Aedli  Ollan,  King  of  Ireland, 
and  Aedh,  son  of  Colgan,  King  of  Leinster.  In  this  battle, 
Aedh  Ollan  was  dangerously  wounded,  and  Aedh,  son  of  Colgan, 
with  Bran  Beg,  son  of  Murcadh,  half-king  of  Leinster,  and 
numbers  of  the  chief  nobles  of  Leinster,  were  slain.  In  all, 
nine  thousand  Leinstermen  fell  in  that  fight.  It  was  after  this 
that  Cathal,  son  of  Finguini,'  King  of  Munster,  died,  and  like- 
Avise  Aedh  Balb,  son  of  Innrectach,  who  had  been  for  seven 
3'ears  King  of  Connaught.  In  this  reign,  also,  died  Flann,^  son 
of  Cronmael,  Bishop  of  Rechrainn.  After  this,  Aedh  Ollan  fell 
in  the  battle  of  Seridh,^  in  Meath,  that  is,  of  Kennanus,  or  Kells, 
by  Domnall,  son  of  Murcadh. 

DOMNALL,  AED-RIGH. 

A.D.  748.^°  Domnall,"  son  of  Murcadh,  son  of  Armedach 
Caech,  son  of  Conall  Guth-binn,  son  of  Suibni,  son  of  Colman, 
son  of  Diarmaid,  son  of  Fergus  Kerbeol,  son  of  Conall  Crem- 
thanni,  son  of  Niall  of  the  Nine  Hostages,  of  the  line  of  Erimhon, 
held  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland  for  twenty-four^   years.     The 

rih),  and  was  the  name  of  the  plain 
lying  round  Kells,  in  Meath.  Aedh 
Ollan  was  famous  as  a  bard  as  well  as 
warrior,  if  we  may  judge  from  the 
manner  in  some  stanzas  attributed  to 


the  Fotharta,  the  son  of  Ua  Kellaigh, 
son  of  Trian,  Fiangalach  Ua  Maelea- 
thgin,  Conall  Ua  Athechdai,  the  four 
sons  of  Flann  Ua  Congaili,  Eladach 
Ua  Maeluidir.  The  people  of  Leth 
Cuinn  were  joyous  after  this  victory, 
for  they  had  wreaked  vengeance  upon 
the  men  of  Leinster.  Nine  thousand 
was  the  number  of  them  that  ware 
slain."  This  engagement  took  place  in 
the  year  of  Aedh  Allan  (733). — See 
Four  Masters. 

'  Cathal,  son  of  Finguini.  He  died  in 
737.  He  is  the  ancestor  of  the  sept  of 
O'-Caeimh,  now  O'Keeffe,  who  were 
chieftains  of  Fermoy,  county  Cork, 
previous  to  the  English  invasion. 
Cathal  was  a  warlike  and  power- 
ful prince.  By  the  annals  of  Innis- 
fallen,  and  other  Munster  records,  he  is 
mentioned  as  full  monarch  of  Ireland. 
Aedh  Balbh,  King  of  Connaught,  died 
in  737,  also. 

'  Flann,  son  of  Cronmael.  Flann, 
son  of  Kellach,  son  of  Cronmael,  died 
in  735.  It  is  not  certain  whether  he 
was  Bishop  of  Rechrainn,  in  the  east 
of  Meath,  where  St.  Columkille  had 
established  a  monastery,  or  of  Rech 
rainn,  now  Rathlin,  or  Ragharee  Is- 
land, off  the  north  coast  of  Antrim. 

^  Seridh,  in  Meath.  It  was  other- 
wise called  Magh  Seridh  {3Ioy  Sher- 


him  are  quoted  by  the  Irish  annalists. 

">  A.  D.  739.     Four  Masters. 

■'  Domnall  III. 

'^  Twenty-Four  Years.  The  editor's 
MS.  copies  of  Keating  give  this  king 
a  reign  of  44  years.  O'Connor's  trans- 
lation gives  him  one  of  42.  From  the 
former  of  these  he  has  here  cut  off  20 
years.  He  has  done  so  on  the  following 
grounds  ;  firstly,  because  to  allow  a 
reign  of  such  a  length  to  Domnall  HI, 
would  throw  several  historic  events, 
subsequently  recorded  in  this  history, 
too  far  in  advance  of  the  real  dates,  as 
ascertained  both  from  the  Irish  Annals 
and  from  the  testimony  of  foreign 
writers ;  secondly,  because  he  is  per- 
suaded that  the  number  was  originally 
written  24  by  Keating  himself,  for  the 
sum  of  the  subsequent  dates,  prefixed 
in  his  MS.  copies,  to  the  several  kings' 
reigns,  does  not  accord  with  the  sum 
of  the  number  of  years  during  which 
each  king  is  stated  to  have  held  the 
sovereignty  ;  and  thirdly,  because  the 
retrenchment  of  20  years  from  this 
reign  will  brin^  the  dates  of  those  of 
the  succeeding     monarchs  into  suffici- 


488 


THE    HISTOllY    OF   IRELAND. 


mother  of  Domnall,  son  of  Murcadh,  King  of  Ireland,  was  Alpin, 
daughter  of  Congal,  son  of  Delbna  Mor.  In  the  reign  of  this 
King,  Colman,  bishop  of  Laesau/^  was  slain  by  the  Ui  Tuitri ;" 
and  Oorraac,  bishop  of  Ath  Truim/^  died.  It  was  in  his  reign, 
also,  that  a  form^^  like  that  of  a  serpent  was  to  move  in  the  air. 
It  was  then,  likewise,  that  Sechnasach,"  son  of  Colgan,  king  of 
Ui  Kinnselaigh,  died;  and  St.  Suairlech,!^  bishop  of  Fobar, 
and  Osbran,  bishop  of  Cluain  Creinha,"  died  then,  also. 

After  this,  the   battle  of  Belach  Cro^»  was   fought  by  Crim- 

ently  close  proximity  witt  our  several 
other  Irish  authorities.  It  is  not  un- 
likely to  suppose  that  some  early  tran- 
scriber of  Keatinji  had  mistaken  tlie 
first  cypher  of  24  for  a  4,  and  thus  If'd 
to  this  confusion.  In  the  Four  Mas- 
ters, Domnall,  son  of  Murcadh,  is  stat- 
ed to  have  reigned  but  20  years. 

"  Bishop  of  Laesan.  Laesan  or 
Lessan  is  the  name  of  a  parish  at  the 
foot  of  Slieve  Gallion,  in  the  counties 
of  Londonderry  aLd  Tyrone.  Bishop 
Colman  was  slain  in  743  according 
to  some  writers,  in  739  according  to 
others. 

"  Ui  Turtri.  They  were,  otherwise, 
called  the  Tuatha  Tort,  and  were  seated 
in  the  county  of  Antrim,  on  the  east 
side  of  the  Bann  and  Lough  Neagh. 
They  were  descended  from  Fiachra 
Tort,  son  of  Colla  Uais. 

"  Bishop  of  Ath  Truim.  This  bishop 
died  in  741.  Ath  Truim  is  the  Gaelic 
name  for  Trim  in  Meath.  A  bishop- 
rick  had  been  founded  here  in  432  by 
St.  Patrick,  who  had  received  a  grant 
of  the  place  from  Feidiim,  son  of  King 
Laegari  IF. 

'"  A  Form,  fyc.  The  appearance  of 
this  phenomenon,  then  Iieid  prodigious, 
is  recorded  in  the  Annals  of  Ulster 
under  the  year  744  in  these  terms  ; 
"  During  the  night  a  horrible  and  won- 
derful sign  was  seen  in  the  stars." 

"  Sechnnsnch,  Son  of  Colgan.  This 
chieftain  died  in  741. 

"  .S7.  Swiirlech.  Tie  died  on  the 
21st  of  March  in  745.  Fobar,  called 
also  Fobar  Fechin,  now  Fore  in  West- 
mcath. 

'"  Chmin  Cremha,  i  e.  the  Lawn  of 
the  Wild  Garlic,  now  ClooncrafT!  near 
Elphin,  county  Roscommon.  Bishop 
Osbran  died  in  747. 


■"  The  Battle  of  Belach  Cm.  This 
battle  was  fought  in  751,  by  the  Ui 
Mani  against  the  Delbna  Nuadath,  a 
tribe  of  the  Dal-g-Cais,which  had  early 
made  a  settlement  between  the  River 
Suck  and  Ijoch  Ribh  (Lough  Ree), 
where  they  had  subdued,  but  not  ex- 
pelled the  ancient  Fer  Bolg  tribe  of 
the  Gamham'aide.  Both  tribes  were, 
in  this  battle,  nearly  annihilated  by  the 
Ui  Mani.  A  fleet  of  the  Delbna  hav- 
ing been  wrecked  by  a  storm  upon 
Lough  Ree,  and  numbers  of  their  war- 
riors having  perished  therein,  the  Ui 
Mani,  then  seated  on  the  west  bank  of 
the  Suck,  seized  upon  that  opportuni- 
ty in  order  to  exterminate  their  weak- 
ened foes.  Tiie  circumstance  is  re- 
corded by  the  Four  ]VIasters  in  the 
following  terms ;  "  The  shipwreck  of 
the  Delbna  Nuadath  upon  Loch  Ribh 
with  their  lord  Dimasach,  of  which 
was  said  : 

"  '  The  Gamanradi  of  Locli  P.lbh 
Set  sail  ill  tlirice  nine  barlcs,  and  three 
Of  them  wlih  life  none  tlience  returned. 
Except  the  crew  of  one  lone  bark.' " 

The  battle  of  Belach  Cro  was  gain- 
ed by  Cii  nit  harm,  (chief  of  the  Ui 
Mani),  over  tlic  Delbna  of  Ui  Mani, 
in  which  was  slain  Fiini,  son  of  Arb, 
Ijord  of  Delbna,  at  Tibra  Finn.  The 
Ui  Mani  were  contending  with  them 
for  the  cantred  between  the^fMica  (the 
Suck),  and  the  Sinainn  (the  Shannon), 
i'or  this  was  called  the  cantred  of  the 
Dell>na.     Of  this  was  said  : 

"The  battle  of  Belach  Cro— 
lied  passof  [larli-folond  hosts! 
AVoe  vvorlh  the  Dclbna's march  and  thereto! 
Kor  there  flcne  Crimthann  ruin  jwurcJ 
On  Dollma-N'midir»  warlike  tribe. 
The  Kinc  of  Delbna,  Finn  Mac  Alrb, 
Was  wounded  with  broad-lieadcd  speurs; 
f»f  that  dread  battle  he  was  chicf^ 
Until  bo  fell  at  Tlbra  Finn." 


THE    HISTORY    OF    IRELAND.  489 

thann,  son  of  Enna,  in  wliicli  fdl  Finn,  son  of  Arb,  King  of  the 
Dolbna ;  and  his  people  were  tlicre  slaughtered  around  him. 
From  that  action  the  lake,  which  is  in  that  ])Jace,  is  called  Locban 
Belaigh  Cro  f^  and  thence  also  the  well  that  is  there,  has  been 
named  Tibraid  Finn — that  is,  the  Well  of  Finn.  It  was  about 
this  period  that  Cumasgach,"''  King  of  Ui  Failghi,  fell  by  Mael- 
duin,  son  of  Aedh  Bennan,  King  of  Munster.  Then,  also, 
Cathasach,  son  of  Olild,  King  of  the  Cruthnigh,"  was  slain  at 
Rath  Betliach  bj  the  men  of  Leinster:  and  the  battle  of  Belach 
Gabrain,"''  was  gained  by  the  son  of  Cucherca,  and  the  men  of  Os- 
raide,  over  Donngal,  son  of  Laeidgenn,  King  of  Ui  Kinnselaigh, 
and  there  Donngal  was  slain,  and  numbers  of  the  nobles  of 
Leinster  were  slain  with  him.  About  the  same  time  died  Mure- 
dach,  son  of  Murcadh,''"  King  of  Leinster.  And  after  these 
events  Domnall,  son  of  Mureadh,  the  first  King  of  Ireland  of  the 
Clann  Colmain,-^  died. 

NIALL    FRASACH,    ARD-RIGH. 

A.  D.  772."  Niall  Frasach,=*  son  of  Fergal,  the  son  of  Mael- 
duin,  son  of  Maelsitricc,  son  of  Aedh  Uaridnaeh,  son  of  Domnall, 
son  of  Murkertach  Mor  Mae  Erca,  son  of  Muredaeh,  son  of  Eogan, 
son  of  Niall  of  the  Nine  Hostages,  of  the  line  of  Erimhon,  as- 
sumed the  sovereignty  of  Ireland,  and  held  it  for  four  years. 
He  was  called  Niall  Frasach — that  is,  Niall  of  the  fmsa  or 
showers,'^  from  those  three  showers  which  fell  in  Ireland  at  the 

-'  Lochan  Belaigh  Cro,  i.  e.  the  Pool  ^  Muredaeh,  son  of  Mureadh.     This 

or  Small  Lough  of  the  Bloody  Pass.  Prince  died  in  755. 

"  It  may   be   the    lough    now   called  ""  Clan  Colmain.  This  was  the  tribe 

Loughcrone,  near  Turrock,  in  the  bar-  name    of     the    O'Maelsechlainns     or 

ony  of  Athloue." — O'D.  O'Melaghlins    of    Meath.      The  An- 

^  Cumasgach.    He  was  slain  in  752.  nals  of  the  Four  Masters  enter  the  death 

**  Kinrj  of  the  Cruthnigh,  i.e.  King  of  Domnall,  under  the  year  758  ;  those 

of  the  Ulidians,  now  sometimes  called  of  Ulster,  under   7G2  ;  those  of  Clon- 

Criithnigh.     He  was  slain  in  749,  at  macnoise,  under  759  ;  but  it  appears 

Eath  Bethach,  now  Rathbeagh,  a  town-  from  an  eclipse  of  the  sun  noticed  the 

land  on  the  Nore,  in   the  barony  of  same  year,  tliat  763  is  the  true  date. — 

Galway,  and  county  Kilkenny.  See  0' Donovan's  notes  to  the  Four  Mas- 

'■"*  Belach  Gabrain,  i.  e.  the  Road  of  ters. 

Gabran,  which  extended  from  Gowran  '"  A.  D.  759. — Four  Masters. 

towards  Ca-sihcl.     The  former  place  is  ^  Niall  II.  He  reigned  seven  years, 

now  called  Gowran,  a  barony  in  the  — O'D. 

county  of  Kilkenny,  in  which  there  is  ™  Showers.      These    showers    are 

also  a  small  town  of  the   same   name,  mentioned  by  other  records  as  having 

The  battle  above  mentioned,  was  fought  fallen  in  the  first  year  of  his  reign,  as  : 

in  756.     Another  battle  was  gained  at  "  A.  D.  759.      Three   showers  fell   in 

Gabran  itself,  by  Anmcaidh,  an  Osso-  Crich    Muredhaiirh  [Crecgh Murruye), 

rian  chieftain,  over  the  Leinstermen  in  in  Iiiis  Eoghain  {hushowen),  namely,  a 

754.  shower   of    pure  silver,  a  shower  of 


490 


THE   HISTORY    OF   IRELAND. 


time  of  his  birtli,  of  \vhich  we  have  already  taken  notice  ;  name- 
ly, a  shower  of  honey  at  Fothain  Beg,  a  shower  of  silver  at 
Fothain  Mor,  and  a  shower  of  blood  at  Magh  Laighen.  For 
/m.5,  indeed,  has  the  same  meaning  as  Cioth  (Kih)— to  wit,  a 
shower.  The  mother  of  this  Prince  was  Athicla,  daughter  of 
Kian,  chieftain  of  Kiannacht.  During  this  reign  died  DuLinn- 
recht,^  son  of  Cathal,  son  of  Muredach  I^Iaeil-lethan,  who  had 
ruled  Connaught  for  live  years.  There  was  an  earthquake  in 
Ireland  during  the  reign  of  this  monarch ;  and  then,  also,  there 
came  a  great  ianiine^^  upon  the  land.  Donngal,  son  of  Kellach,^^ 
King  of  Osraide,  died  about  that  time.  Then  also  died  Cron- 
maeí^  the  holy  bishop  of  Kill-Mor,^  Alpin,  King  of  the  Cruth- 
nigh,  and  Colgna,  bishop  of  Ard  Brecain.  The  battle  of  Ath- 
\mo^  was  fought  between  the  tribes  of  Ui  Briuin  and  Ui  ]\Iani, 
where  great  numbers  fell  on  both  sides.  It  was  soon  after  this 
that  Artgal,  sou  of  Cathal,^  went  on  a  pilgrimage  to  Aei-Col- 
uim-Killi.  Fergus,^  bishop  of  Doimliag,  died.  The  battle  of 
Corann  was  fought  about  this  time,  between  the  Kinel-Conaill 
and  the  Sil-Eogain,  where  Maelduin,^'  son  of  Aedh  Ollan,  was 
the  victor,  and  Domnall,  son  of  Aedh  Munderg,  was  routed  from 
the  field,  and  many  of  his  people  slain.  After  this,  Niall  Fra- 
sach  died^*  in  Aci-Coluim-Killi. 


wheat,  and  a  shower  of  honey,  of  which 
it  was  said  : 

"Three  showers  at  Ard  Ullinni 
Fell,  througli  God's  love,  from  TIcavcn — 
A  shower  of  silver,  a  shower  of  wheat, 
And,  eke — a  shower  of  honey." 

Some  bard  might  have  thus,  by  a 
ratiier  extravagaiit  figure,  expressed 
either  the  plenty  enjoyed  by  _Ini- 
showen,  the  native  territory  of  Niall, 
in  the  beginning  of  his  reign  ;  or  the 
showers  of  spoil,  taken  from  the  terri- 
tory of  his  enemies,  which  he  poured 
into  it. 

*>  Dubinnred,  son  of  Cnthnl.  This 
Prince  gained  a  battle  at  Sruthair, 
now  ShruU,  in  Longford,  in  761.  He 
died  in  7C7. 

'■"  A  Great  Famine.  This  famine 
is  noticed  in  the  Annals  of  Cloumac- 
noise,  under  the  year  7C9. 

"  Donngal,  son  of  Kellach.  This 
chieftain's  death  is  recorded  under  the 
scconil  year  of  Donncudh. 

=°  Bishop  of  Ktll-Mor.  Cronmacl, 
Bishop  and  Abbot  of  Kill-Mor  Emhiri 
died  in  7G.5. 

'•*  Atli-liag,   i.  e.    tlie   Ford  of  the 


Stones.  It  is  probably  Ath-liag  Maen- 
again,  now  Atldeague,  on  the  River 
Suck.  The  name  is  written  Achadh- 
liag  [Acrha-lccap:),  i.e.  the  Field  of 
Stones,  in  the  Four  Masters,  who  re- 
cord a  battle  as  having  been  Ibught 
there,  in  which  the  Ui  Maui  were 
routed  by  the  Ui  Briuin  in  770,  being 
the  fifth  year  of  Donncadh. 

'■^  Art;ral,  son  of  Cnthal.  "  A.  D. 
777.  The  12  year  of  Donncadh  (the 
next  monarch.)  Artgal,  son  of  Cathal, 
King  of  Connaught,  took  the  ])iigrim's 
staff  and  wont  to  Hi  on  his  pilgrimage." 
— Four  Masters. 

^  Fergus.  The  death  of  this  Bishop 
of  Doimlaig  (now  Duleek),  did  not 
occur  until  the  thirteenth  year  of  the 
succeeding  monarch. 

"  Maclduin.  A  victory  was  gained 
by  this  Prince  over  his  adversary, 
liomnall,  in  781  ;  and  another  in  782, 
at  Ircdir,  suppo.sed  to  be  a  place  now 
called  Urker,  in  Antrim.  Tiicse  events 
took  i)lac(i  late  in  the  ensuing  reign. 

*  Nmll  Frasach  died.—"  A.  D.  705. 
Niall  Fra.sach  was  seven  years  king 
over  Ireland  when  he  resigned ;  and  he 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


491 


DONNCADH,    ARD-RIGH. 

A.  D.  776.^  Doniicadh,'"'  son  of  Domnall,  son  of  Murcadh,  son 
of  Diarmaid,  son  of  Armedach  Caech,  son  of  Conall  Gutlibinn, 
son  of  Suibni,  son  of  Colnian  Mor,  son  of  Diarmaid,  son  of  Fer- 
gus Kerbeol,  son  of  Conall  Cremthanni,  son  of  Niall  of  the  Nine 
Hostages,  of  the  line  of  Erimhon,  held,  the  sovereignty  of  Ire- 
land for  twenty-seven  years ;  after  whicli,  he  died."  within  the 
avails  of  his  own  palace. 


ARDH  OIRNIGHE,    ARD-RIGH. 

A.  D.  803.''  Aedh  Oirnighe.-^son  of  Niall  Frasach,  son  of  Fergal, 


died  at  I-Coluim-Cille,  on  liis  pilgrim- 
age, seven  years  afterwards." — Four 
Masters.  The  exact  year  in  which  Niall 
resigned  his  kingdom  was  770.  He 
died  in  778,  a  monk,  in  the  Monastery 
of lona. 

^  A.  D.  766.— Four  Masters. 

'°  DoxxcADH  I.  Though  Dr.  Keat- 
ing has  recorded  none  of  the  events 
that  happened  during  the  comparative- 
ly long  reign  of  Douncadh,  still  those 
that  happened  within  that  period  oc- 
cupy no  small  space  in  the  Irish  An- 
nals ;  but  to  introduce  any  notice  of 
them,  and  many  other  important  per- 
sonages and  events  recorded,  as  well  in 
this  as  in  several  of  the  preceding  and 
subsequent  reigns,  when  not  alluded  to 
in  the  text,  would  swell  these  notes  be- 
yond all  reasonable  bounds.  The  earth- 
quake recorded  by  our  author,  under 
the  last  reign,  is  probably  what  is  re- 
corded by  the  Four  Masters,  in  the 
following  terms,  under  767,  being  the 
2d  year  of  Donncadh  :  "  The  fair  of 
the  Clapping  of  Hands  (so  called),  be- 
cause terrific  and  horrible  signs  ap- 
peared at  that  time,  which  were  like 
unto  the  signs  of  the  day  of  Judgment, 
namely,  great  thunder  and  lightning, 
so  that  it  was  insufferable  to  all  to 
hear  the  one  and  see  the  other. 
Fear  and  horror  seized  the  men  of 
Ireland,  so  that  their  religious  se- 
niors ordered  them  to  make  two 
fasts,  together  with  fervent  pray- 
er, and  one  meal  between  them,  pre- 
cisely at  Michaelmas.  Hence  came 
the  Lamh-Chomairt  [Lauve  Comirt), 
which  was  called  the  fire  from  Hea- 


ven." Dr.  O'Donovan  tells  us  that 
Lamh-CJiomahi  meant  a  violent  thun- 
derstorm, that  caused  people  to  clap 
their  hands,  through  terror.  However, 
from  the  manner  in  which  it  is  men- 
tioned in  the  extract  just  quoted  and 
elsewhere,  it  would  seem  to  mean  some- 
thing more. 

"  Died,  ^-c.  The  true  date  of  the 
death  of  Donncadh  is  797.  It  was  in 
his  reign  also  that  the  Lochlannaigh, 
or  Scandinavians,  generally  called 
Northmen  and  Danes,  really  made  their 
first  appearance  upon  any  part  of  the 
Irish  coast.  The  exact  date  of  their 
first  appearance  is  795,  that  being  the 
true  chronology  of  the  25th  year  of 
the  reign  of  Donncadh  I.,  son  of  Mur- 
cadh, when  the  Irish  Annalists  record 
their  earliest  descent  in  the  following 
terms : 

"  A.  D.  790.  The  25th  year  of  Donn- 
cadh. The  burning  of  Rechrainn  by 
the  foreigners ;  and  its  shrines  were 
broken  and  plundered." — Annals  of  the 
Four  Blasters. 

"  A.  D.  794.  The  burning  of  Rech- 
rainn by  the  Gentiles,  and  the  break- 
ing and  plundering  of  its  shrines." — 
Annals  of  Ulster. 

"  A.  D.  792.  Rachryn  was  burnt  by 
the  Danes. — Annals  of  Clonmacnoise. 

"  A.  D.  193.— Four  Blasters.  These 
Annalists  are  here  five  years  behind 
the  exact  time  ;  while  the  date  given 
above  in  the  text,  is  five  years  in  ad- 
vance thereof.  The  true  chronology 
is  A.  D.  795. 

"  Aedh  VI.  Oirdnide  is  the  correct 
form  of  this  king's  surname. 


492 


THE   HISTORY    OF   IRELAND. 


son  of  Maelduin,  of  the  line  of  Erimlion,  lield  the  sovereignty  of 
Ireland  for  twenty-four  years.  Donnflaith  {IJonláh),  daughter  of 
Flathbertach,  son  of  Loingsech,  King  of  Kinel  Conaill,  was  the 
Mother  of  Aedh  Oirnighe.  He  got  the  surname  of  Oirnighe 
{Ornee),  or  Dorn-dighe**  {Dornee),  from  a  habit  of  sucking  his 
hands,  which  he  had  contracted  after  he  had  been  weaned  from 
the  breast. 


First  arrival  of  the  LoCHLANNAiGH  or  ScANDiXAViANS,  who  are 
commonly  called  Northm:en  a?iá Danes,  A.  D.  795  to  A.  D.  854.<5 

It  was  during  the  reign  of  Aedh  and  Oirnighe  {Aye  Ornee), 
in  the  year  of  our  Lord  eight  hundred  and  twenty,^  that 
the  Lochlannaigh  {Longldannih)  arrived  in  Ireland  for  the  first 
time.  It  was  twelve  years  after  that  event  when  the  tyrant 
Turgesius  made  his  invasion  of  this  country ;  and,  according 
to  some  antiquarians,  Olcobar,  son  of  Kinaeth,  son  of  Congal, 
son  of  Maelduin,  was  then  King  of  Munster.  However,  the 
Polychronicon,  in  treating  of  Ireland,  tells  us  that  it  was 
whilst  Fcidlimidh,   son  of  Crimthann,   held    the    sovereignty 


"  Dorndighe.  This  etjTnological 
monstrosity  is  not  Gaelic.  Dorn,  the 
first  part  of  the  compound,  is  the  Gae- 
lic name  for  a  fist  or  clenched  hand  ; 
the  latter  part  is  the  genitive  case  of 
the  word  deoch,  the  Gaelic  name  for  a 
drink.  According  to  the  derivation, 
above  given,  Oirnighe,  if  it  is  as  we 
are  told,  another  form  of  Dorndiglic, 
should  mean  a  fist-drinker  or  a  fist- 
drink,  if  it  could  mean  anything,  com- 
ing from  such  elements.  JJut  it  must 
be  evident  to  any  one  knowing  Gaelic, 
who  understands  even  a  little  of  the 
etymological  system  upon  which  words 
are  formed  either  in  that,  or  any 
other  language,  that  no  such  word  as 
either  Oirdnidhc  {Onrdnee),  Oirnidho 
or  Oirnighe  [Uarnee),  the  several  ways 
in  which  Aedli's  surname  is  spelled, 
could  result  from  any  amalgamation 
of  such  elements  as  dora  and  dcock. 
Some  less  monstrous  derivation  must 
then  be  sought  for  Oirniglie. 

^  A.  D.  795  to  A.  I).  h:}-í.  Neither 
these  dates,  nor  this  heading  are  in  the 
original.  The  dates  arc  given  to  pre- 
vent the  reader  from  being  confused 
V)y  the  vagueness  of  Dr.  K  eating's  ac- 
count of  the  first  arrival  of  the  North- 


men in  Ireland.  A.  D.  795  is  the  real 
date  of  the  burning  of  the  monastery 
of  Rechrainn.  already  mentioned,  soon 
after  which  (798  or '800)  Artri  occu- 
pied the  throne  of  ilunster,  which  he 
held  for  either  eighteen  or  twenty  years, 
according  to  O'Duljagain's  catalogue 
of  the  kings  of  the  line  of  Eber.  854 
is  the  real  date  of  the  d^  ath  of  Olcu- 
bar,  son  of  Kinaeth,  who,  as  is  found 
by  the  Four  Masters,  succeeded  Fcidli- 
inidli  on  the  throne  of  Munster  in  845, 
and  w:is  slain  in  849 — the  real  dates 
being  S.'iO  and  854,  for,  as  before  stated, 
it  has  l)een  proved  that  these  truthful 
anti(|tiaries  had  somehow  lost  five  years 
of  tlie  exact  time  about  this  epoch. 
Olcnbar  was  the  immediate  successor 
of  Feidiiniidli,  who  assumed  the  throne 
of  Munstrr  in  818,  and  was  himself 
the  innne<liate  successor  of  Artri. 

"  Eight  Jhmdrnland  Twnti/.— The 
editor's  MSS.  arc  not  in  accord  with 
one  another  here.  One  gives  the  date 
829.  another  835.  As  «Z/  the  assertions 
in  the  text  could  be  true  with  neither 
of  these,  for  Aedh  Oirnighe  had  beeij 
undoubtedly,  then  some  years  dead,  the 
date  820  has  been  adopted  as  the  least 
objectionable. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  493 

of  Munster,  tliat  these  invaders  made  their  first  descent  upon 
Ireland.  Here  is  Avhat  it  says ;  "  From  the  arrival  of  St.  Patiick 
to  the  time  of  Feidlimidius,  King  of  Momonia,  thirty-three  kings 
had  reigned  in  Hibernia  during  a  period  of  four  hundred  years, 
but  in  the  days  of  Fedlimidius,  the  Norveciences,  under  the 
command  of  Turgesius,  seized  upon  this  land."*^  Others  relate 
that  it  was  when  Artri,  son  of  Cathal,  was  in  the  sovereignty  of 
Munster  that  the  Lochlannaigli  first  began  to  invade  Ireland  for 
the  purpose  of  plunder.  And  this  assertion  is  true,  but  never- 
theless, they  did  not  then  take  possession  of  any  part  of  the 
country,  though  they  committed  great  ravages  therein.  True, 
also,  is  what  the  Polj-chronicon  relates,  where  it  says,  that  it  was 
whilst  Feidlimidh,  son  of  Crimthann,  was  King  of  Alunster,  that 
the  tyrant  Turgesius,  who  reduced  Ireland  to  slavery  during  his 
time,  arrived  in  this  land.  It  is  true,  also,  for  those  who  say, 
that  the  Lochlannaigh  arrived  in  Ireland  during  the  time  that 
Olcobar  was  in  the  sovereignty  of  Munster;  but  the  people  that 
then  arrived  were  the  Dainfir*^  {Dannir\  that  is,  the  Danes  from 
Dania  or  Denmark ;  and  it  is  these  people  that  are  called  Dubh- 
Ghenti  {Duv-yenii\Ú\Vit  is  Black  Gentiles,  and  Dubh-Lochlannaigh 
in  the  ancient  historic  books,  in  which,  likewise,  the  Finn -Loch- 
lannaigh, or  natives  of  Norwegia,  are  called  also  Finn-Ghenti 
[Fmn-yenti),  that  is,  Fair  Gentiles. 

The  reader  must  here  be  made  aware  that  the  term  Lochlan- 
naigh is  not  the  distinctive  name  of  the  men  of  any  particular 
tribe  or  nation  upon  earth :  for  Lochlaunach  (or  Lochloimach), 
means  the  same  thins;  as  "  Strono^  Man  of  the  Sea  ;"^^  because 

"■^  Ab  adventu  sancti  Patricii  usque  ex  post  facto,  as  the  latter  would  be  if 

ad  Feidlimidii  regis  Momoniai  tempora.  it  were  offered.     He  holds  that  the  ad- 

triginta  tres  reges  per  quadringentos  jective, /oíítj,  enters  into  no  part  of  the 

annos  in  Hibernia  reguaverunt  tempore  composition  of  the  name  in  question, 

autem  ;  Feidlimidii  regis,  Norvecienses  but  that  it  is  formed  by  the  addition 

duceTurgesio,  terram  hanc  occuparunt.  of  the  termination  ach  to  Loddann,  the 

^  Dainfir  ;  that  is  the  Fir,  i.  e.  the  genitive   case  of  Lochlainn  or  Lochia, 

Men   of   Dania.      The   word  is   also  just    as    Erenn-ach,    Alban-ach,   Ma- 

written  Danair.  mann-ach   and  Brcthn-acli   (contracted 

"  Strong  Man  of  the  Sea.  This  ety-  from -Breton-at//,)  &C.,  are  formed  from 
mology  is  ])lausible.  There  can  be  no  the  respective  genitive  cases  of  Eri, 
doubt  but  that  the  Lochlannaigh  were  Alba,  Mana,  and  Brctain,  that  is,  from 
"  Strong  Men  of  the  Sea."  By  an  Erenn,  Alban,  Manann,  Brcian.  In  all 
equally  plausible  etymology,  Lochlainn,  these  cases  the  letters  n  and  nn,  are 
the  name  of  their  native  country,  not  the  final  letters  of  the  second  radi- 
might  be  said  to  be  the  same  as  Lake-  cal  component  part  of  a  composite 
land,  or,  poetically,  Sea-land,  for  the  word,they  are  merely  introduced  in  con- 
land  around  the  Baltic  might  not  in-  sequence  of  the  accidents  of  grammati- 
appropriately  be  called  the  Land  of  cal  declension  to  which  Eri,  Alba,  &c., 
either  Lakes,  or  of  sea  loughs.  But  belong.  It  would  be  absurd  to  sup- 
the  editor  holds,  that  Keating 's  deriva-  pose  the  fortuitous  collocation  of  the 
tion  of  the  name  is  as  arbitrary,  and  as  lettei"S — rennach,  baimcli,  mannach,  and 


494 


THE  HISTORY   OP  IREL^VND. 


lonn  is  the  same  as  laidir^  that  is,  strong,  and  loch  is  the  same  as 
fairge  (Jargui),  that   is,   the  sea.     And  therefore,  because   the 


tanach,  have  any  distinct  meanings  in 
these  examples,  and  it  is  just  as  absurd 
to  suppose  that  lannach  or  lonnac'i, 
whichever  it  be,  has  any  such  in  the 
word  Locklann-ach.  The  primary  root 
of  the  word  must  be  sought  in  the  form 
Lochia.  This  form  might  indeed  be 
derived  from  the  Gaelic  root  loch,  and 
have  been  figuratively  applied  to  the 
native  country  of  those  sons  of  the 
[great)  lake,  the  Northmen  of  the 
Middle  Ages.  But  we  see  by  Gaelic 
traditions,  that  this  region  had  been 
called  Lochia,  or  Lochlainn,  long 
ages  before  Scandinavia  became  fa- 
mous for  its  dea  Kings,  and,  per- 
haps, long  ages  before  cither  they, 
or  any  of  their  kindred  Gothic  or 
Teutonic  tribes,  had  reached  the 
shores  of  the  western  ocean.  Such  be- 
ing the  case,  it  is  not  unreasonable  to 
suggest  that  the  Gaelic  word  loch,  a 
lake,  may  have  had  no  relation  at  all  to 
the  name,  and  that,  perhaps,  its  real 
root  does  not  even  exist  in  the  Gaelic 
tongue.  If  so,  it  might  be  inferred 
from  etymological  analogy,  that  the 
form  Lap  or  Lnppe,  may  possibly  be  its 
true  root,  and  that  Lochia  is  but  a 
Gaelic  version  of  the  name  of  the  coun- 
try of  the  Ijups,  or  Laplanders,  who, 
the  editor  thinks,  had  been  the  first  in- 
habitants of  that  region  with  whom 
the  Gaels  come  in  contact.  It  has  been 
shown  heretofore  (see  note  59,  p.  307) 
that  the  Gaels  frequently  used  the  let- 
ter C  in  certain  words,  where  other  na- 
tions used  the  letter  F.  Thus  the  Lat- 
ins said,  1,  Poena  a  fine ;  2,  Pi-s,  a 
foot ;  3,  Pluma,  a  feather  ;  4,  Pasdia, 
the  liastor  ;  5,  Pulex,  a  fly  ;  6,  Planto, 
I  plant ;  7,  lapi^,  a  stone  ;  8,  Sep- 
tem,  seven  ;  9,  purpur,  purple,  &c., 
where  the  Gaels  said,  1,  Cain  ;  2,  Cos ; 
3,  Clumh ;  4,  Caisc ;  5,  Ciiil ;  6,  Clan- 
(lairn  ;  7,  lee  ;  8,  secht ;  9,  corcor.  The 
Cumbri  or  Welsh  say,  1,  Pen,  a  head  ; 
2,  Pcdwar,  four  ;  3,  Plant,  children  ;  4, 
map,  a  son ;  5,  Prijdain,  Britain ; 
where  the  Gaels  say,  1,  Cenn  ;  2,  Cc- 
tliair ;  3,  Cland  and  Ctann ;  4,  Mac ; 
5,  Cruithen  (as  in  Cruithen-tuath,  Pict 
land,)  &c.     The  English    say  Prey, 


Poll,  &c.,  where  the  Irish  say  Creek. 
Cul,  &c.  Thus  it  is  not  imprubaljlc  to 
suppose  the  ancient  Irish  likewise 
transmuted  the  P  in  Lap  into  C,  as 
they  did  that  letter  in  so  many  other 
words.  At  all  events,  the  root  of 
Lochlainn  is  as  likely,  from  analogy,  to 
be  Lap  as  Loch. 

Lochlannaigh,  then,  may  be  the  gen- 
eric name  of  some  people,  notwithstand- 
ing the  authority  of  Dr.  Keating,  and 
that  of  the  Bardic  etymologists  whom  he 
follows,  though  it  may  not  have  been 
the  tnie  name  of  that  Teutonic  race,  to 
whom  the  Gaels  applied  it  in  the  8th, 
9th  and  10th  centuries,  and  to  whose 
descendants  they  still  continue  to  apply 
it.  The  editor  does  not  here  pretend 
to  prove  that  Lochlainn  means  the 
country  of  the  Laps,  or  Laplanders. 
To  do  so  would  require  evidence  far 
more  conclusive  and  direct  than  any 
now  adduced.  But  he  does  think 
that  he  has  made  a  suggestion  in 
strict  accordance  with  scientific  phil- 
ology, that  any  learned  inquirer  into 
the  primeval  distribution  of  the  vari- 
ous tribes  of  men  over  Europe,  will 
deem  not  untenable,  and  one  wants  but 
the  support  of  a  few  corroborative 
facts  to  establish  its  certainty.  If 
so  established,  it  will  fully  account  for 
the  very  early  occurrence  of  the  name 
Lochlainn,  in  Irish  history.  That 
Ijochlannaigh  (in  the  singular  number, 
I/)chlannach,)  means  the  "  Strong 
Men  of  the  Sea,"  he  trusts  that  nobody 
who  has  considered  the  desinence  of 
the  .")th  declension  of  Irish  language, 
as  laid  down  (pp.  10.5,  lOG)  in  the 
Irish  grammar  of  the  learned  Dr. 
O'Donovan,  will  henceforth  maintain.— 
The  etymology  of  this  name  has  been 
dwelt  longer  upon  than  its  importance 
or  interest  to  tlie  general  reader  may 
seem  to  merit ;  but  Hk;  editor,  who  has 
d(!Voted  some  time  to  what  may  be 
called  tlie  anatomical  study  of  lan- 
guage, has  thought  it  not  useles.s  to 
clear  away  a  generally  received  falla- 
cy, which  has,  as  he  thinks,  already  led 
more  than  one  learned  and  scientific 
inquirer  far  away  from  the  truth. 


THE   HISTORY  OF  IRELAND,  495 

natives  of  those  countries,  that  lie  in  the  north  of  Europe,  were 
for  some  time,  strong  and  powerful  in  Ireland,  the  Gaels  named 
them  Lochlaunaigh  or  Strong  Men  of  the  Sea,  by  reason  of  the 
great  dominion  they  had  acquired  over  the  Gaelic  nation,  as 
shall  be  explained  hereafter  on  the  authority  of  the  book  which 
is  entitled  Cogadh  Gall  re  Gacdhalaibh  [Guggah  Gaull  ray  Gaij- 
liv),  or  the  War  of  the  Strangers  with  the  Gaels. 
Here  follows  an  abridged  summary  of  that  history. 
It  was  whilst  Aedh  Orinighe  was  monarch  over  Ireland,  and 
whilst  Artri,  son  of  Cathal,  was  king  of  Mimster,  that  the  Gauls, 
that  is,  the  Lochlannaigh,  landed  at  Caein-Inis,  in  Ui  Rathach," 
and  with  a  force  composed  of  the  crews  of  sixty  ships,  they  rav- 
aged the  neighboring  territories,  and  plundered  and  burned  Inis, 
Labranni,  and  Dar-inis.  But  the  Eoganacht  of  Loch  Lein  gave 
them  a  battle,  and  slew  four  hundred  and  sixteen  of  the  foreign- 
ers therein. 

Another  fleet,  which  was  manned  by  Finn-Lochlannaigh,  that 
is,  by  the  men  of  Norwegia,  arrived  in  Ireland,  during  the  sec- 
ond year  after  the  assumption  of  the  kingdom  of  Munster  by 
Feidlimidh,  son  of  Crimthann,  and  on  that  occasion  they  pil- 
laged and  burned  Inis  Emhin,  Cluain  Uamha,  Eos  Maeilenn, 
and  Sgelg  Michil. 

They  arrived  with  another  fleet  upon  the  northern  coast  of 
Ireland,  and  there  plundered  Bennchor  of  Uladh,  killed  its  bishop 
and  its  men  of  learning,  and  broke  the  shrine  of  St.  Comgall." 

A  third  fleet  of  the  same  folk  arrived  on  the  coast  of  Ui  Kinn- 
selaigh,  and  its  crews  plundered  Tech  Munna,  Tech  Moling,  and 
Inis  Teoc.  They  thence  marched  into  Osraide,  and  were  ravag- 
ing that  territory,  when  the  Osraidigh  engaged  them  in  a  battle, 
wherein  seven  hundred  and  seven  of  the  Lochlannaigh  were  slain. 
They  laid  waste  and  plundered  Dun  Derg-muiglie,  Inis  Eoghan- 
ain,  Desiort,  TibraidandLis-mor,  Kell-Molasi,  Glen-da-loch,  Cluain 
Iraird,  Cluain-Mor  of  St  Maedog,  Scrin-Coluim-Killi,  Daimliag 
of  St.  Kiaran,  and  Slainni  and  Kella  Sali,  and  Cluain  Uamha, 
and  Mungarid,  and,  in  fine,  the  greater  number"  of  the  churches 
of  Ireland  were  plundered  and  burned  by  them. 

^   Ui  Rathach.     Now  the  barony  of  men  of  Connamara,  with  great  slaugh- 

Ivera^h  in  Kerry.     This  invasion  took  ter. 

place  in  812.     Cobthach,  son  of  Mael-  "'  Shrine    of  St.    Com<>;all.      Benn- 

(hiin,  was  the  chieftain  who  commanded  choir  was  pUindered  in  the  year  824. 

the  Eoganacht  of  Loch  Lein  (afterwards  The  relics  of  St.  Comgall  were  shaken 

called  the  O'Moriarties)  in  this  victory  from  their  shrine  by  the  invaders,  but 

over  the  foreigners.     The  men  of  Um-  they   were  afterwards    collected   and 

hall,  now  the  Owles  in  Mayo,  defeated  brought  to  Aentrobh,  now  the  town  of 

another  body  of   the  invaders  within  Antrim. 

this  same  year.     The  Northmen,  how-  *'   The  greater  number,  ^c.     It  must 

ever,  then  defeated  the  Conmacni,  or  not    be   understood,  that    all    these 


496  THE    HISTORY    OF   IRELAND. 

Thej  entered  the  harbor  of  Luimneeh,  with  another  fleet,  and 
laid  waste  and  pillaged  Corca-Baskin  and  Tradraide,"and  Ui  Co- 
naill  Gabra;*"*  but  the  tribe  of  Ui  Conaill  Gabra  gave  them  battle 
at  Senaid,"  and  slew  great  nnmbers  of  the  Lochlannaigh  at  the 
place. 

After  these  events  Turgesius,  the  tyrant,  arrived  on  the 
northern  coast  of  Ireland,  with  a  large  fleet,  and  he  assumed 
into  his  own  hands  the  sovereignty  of  all  the  Lochlannaigh  that 
were  then  in  Ireland.  He  was  thus  enabled  to  ravage  the  whole 
of  the  north  of  Ireland,  and  spread  his  Northmen  over  the  whole 
of  Leth  Cuinn.  And  they  had  fleets'"  upon  Loch  n-Echach 
{Loughnáhágh^)  and  upon  Loch  Lughmagh,  and  upon  Loch  Eibh, 
and  Ard-Macha"  was  plundered  by  them  three  times  within  one 
month,  and  Turgesius  made  captive  the  abbot  of  Ard-Macha, 
accordmg  to  the  prophecy  of  St.  Columkille,  as  that  saint  has  told 
us  himself  in  the  following  verse : — 

A  fleet  shall  float  upon  Locb  Ribh, 
The  hcatlien  tlien  shall  be  exalted  ; 
Ard-Macha  shall  its  abbot  lose, 
A  tyrant's  might  shall  hold  him  captive. 

The  saints  of  Eri  had,  indeed,  jirophesied  betimes,  that  misfor- 
tune would  come  upon  their  country,  by  reason  of  the  pi'ide  of 
her  princes,  and  of  their  deeds  of  violence  and  injustice.  It  was 
in  fulfilment  thereof  that  the  oppression  of  the  Lochlannaigh 
came  upon  them  at  the  time  when  Artri,  son  of  CathaP'  was  king 
over  Munster,  and  Aedh  Oirnighc  was  supreme  sovereign  of  all 
Ireland. 

And  it  was  with  Turgesius  the  Tyrant,  that  the  Lochlannaigh 
came  to  Ireland  again,  at  the  time  when  Feidliinidh,  son  of 
Crimthann,  was  king  of  Munster.     It  was  this  Turgesius  that 

churches  were  burned  durinf^  the  reitrn  "  Senaid\^y  near  Glin,  in  Limerick, 
of  the  present  monarch.  Dr.  Keating  "'  Jladjkets.  The  present  names  of 
has,  without  regard  to  chronological  the  waters,  where  they  had  these,  are 
order,  jumbled  together  the  events  of  Lough  Neagh,  Lough  llee,  and  Dun- 
more  ithan  half  a  century  in  the  above  dalk  Bay  (Loch  Lughmagh.) 
catalogue.  "  Ard-Macha,  now  Armagh.  "A.  D., 

"  IVfliZra/de  lay  in  the  south  west  of  830  (true  date,  835).     The  first  plun- 

Clare.  dering   of    Ard-Macha.      Ard-Macha 

"   Ui  Conaill  Gabra,  now  the  barony  was  plundered  thrice  in  one  month  by 

of  Conillo,  in   the  west  of  Limerick,  the  foreigners,  and  it  had  never  been 

The  sept  from  whom  it  was  called  was  plundered  by  strangers  before." — Four 

a  branch  of  the  Ui  Fidghrnti,  and  af-  Maslerx. 

ter  the  establishment  of  surnames,  its  "  Artri,  son  of  Cathat.     This   king 

chief    families    took    the    names    of  routed  an  army  of  the  men  of  Loch- 

0"Coileain    (Collins),    O'Kinnfaelaiilh  hiinn  with  great  slaughter,  near  Loch 

(Kinnealv),  and   Mac  Ineirghe  (Mac  T>ein  (now  Kiilarney  Lake)  in  812. 
Euirj').— O'jD. 


THE    HISTORY    OP   IRELAND. 


497 


expelled  the  Primate,  Forannan,"  and  his  clergy,  from  Ard-Ma- 
oha,  as  we  have  heretofore  stated,  and  that  had  fixed  himself  in 
the  priinatial  seat,  up  to  the  time  when  he  was  made  captive  by 
Maeilsechlainn,  by  whom  he  was  drowned  in  Loch  Aninn,  as 
we  shall  relate  hereafter. 

It  WiS  in  the  reign  of  Aedh  Oirnighe  over  Ireland,  that  Inis 
Phatricc,*"  and  many  of  the  other  islands  that  lie  between  Ireland 
and  Alba,  were  plundered  by  the  men  of  Lochlain. 

It  was  during  the  same  period  that  the  rent  of  St.  Patrick  was 
fixed  upon  the  people  of  Connaught  by  Gormgal,  son  of  Din- 
da  thach."  About  the  same  period,  Aedh  Oirnighe  made  a 
partition  of  Meath''^  between  the  two  sons  of  Donncadh,  son  of 
Domnall,  namely,  Concobar  and  Olild.  Then,  also,  Aei-Coluim- 
Killi,'''  in  Alba,  was  burned  by  the  Lochlannaigh ;  and  Leinster 
was  ravaged  twice"  within  the  space  of  one  month  by  Aedh 

'^  Foramian.  The  Archbishop  of 
Armagh,  in  835,  when  it  was  taken  by 
the  Northman.  He  had  been  translated 
thither  from  the  Abbacy  of  Rath-mic- 
Malais.  lie  removed  thence  to  Killdara, 
where  he,  with  all  the  congregation  of 
St.  Patrick  was  next  year  made  prisoner 
by  Feidlimidh,  king  of  Munster,  who 
then  forced  the  exiled  prelate  to  do 
him  homage. 

^  lais  Phadraig.  "  A.  D.  793,  (cor- 
rectly, 798.)  The  first  year  of  Aedh 
Oirdnide.  Inis  Padraig  was  burned 
by  the  foreigners,  and  they  bore  away 
the  shrine  of  Dachonna  (St.  Dachon- 
na,)  and  they  also  committed  many  de- 

iredations  between  Eri  and  Alba.'' — 
hur  Masters.  Inis  Phadraig,  now 
Patrick's  Island,  lies  near  Skerries, 
CO.  Dublin. 

°'  Gormgal,  son  of  DindatJiach.  He 
succeeded  as  Archbishop  of  Armagh 
in  785. — {Four  Masters.)  The  Annals 
of  Ulster  record  that  he  established 
the  law  of  St.  Patrick  over  Con- 
naught  in  798.  Ho  is  not  named 
amongst  the  Archbishops  of  that  See 
in  the  catalogues  that  have  been  print- 
ed. 

«-  Meath.  A.  D.  797,  (correctly 
802.)  Aedh  Oirdnide  went  into 
Meath,  and  divided  it  between  the  two 
aons  of  Donncadh,  namely,  Concobar 
and  Olild.  Olild  was  slain  the  year 
following  by  Concobar,  in  a  battle." — 
Four  Maste  rs.  They  were  the  sons  of 
the  last  king. 

32 


"  Aei  Colu'm  KillL  The  date  of 
the  burning  of  the  monastery  of  St. 
Cohmikille,  in  lona,  is  802.  It  was 
again  plundered  in  806,  and  sixty  of 
its  clergy  were  then  slain. 

^'  Lii/ aster  ravag  d  twice.  "  A.D. 
799  (correctly  804.)  The  7th  year  of 
Aedh.  The  devastation  of  Leinster 
twice  in  one  year  by  the  Ui  Neill,  of 
which  it  was  said, 

"Again  to  Laighen  Aedh  returns, 
Tbat  vrarrior  who  no  battle  shunned, 
>  or  did  the  royal  plunderer  cease 
Until  he  left  that  land  in  dearth." 

A  full  muster  of  the  men  of  Ireland 
was  again  made  by  him.  and  he  march- 
ed to  Dun  Cuair,  on  the  confines  of 
Meath  and  Leinster,  whither  came 
Corraac,  Comarba  of  St.  Patrick  (i.  e. 
Primate  of  Ireland,)  having  the  cler- 
gy of  Leth-Ciiinn  along  with  him.  It 
was  not  pleasing  to  the  clergy  to  go  on 
any  expedition..  They  complained  of 
their  grievance  to  Aedh,  and  he  said 
that  he  would  abide  by  the  award  of 
Fothadh  na  Canoiné  (the  Canonist,)  on 
which  occasion  Fothadh  passed  the 
decision  by  which  he  exempted  the 
clergy  of  Ireland  for  ever  from  expe- 
ditions and  hostings,  when  he  said  : 

"  The  church  of  God,  who  lives. 
Let  her  rest;  waste  her  not; 
Let  her  right  aye  be  apart ; 
As  ever  it  was  best. 
Let  all  who  are  true  monks. 
As  their  pure  conscience  tells, 
With  zeal  work  for  that  Church. 
As  faithful  servants  ought. 


498 


THE   HISTORY    OF    IRELAND. 


Oirnighe,  king  of  Ireland.  In  the  year  following,  there  was 
great °hunder"  and  lightning  in  Ireland,  which  came  on  shortly 
after  the  feast  of  St.  Patrick.  On  this  occasion  one  thousand  and 
ten  people,  both  men  and  women,  were  destroyed  between  Corca- 
baskin  and  the  sea.  And  a  quantity  sufficient  to  support 
twelve  cows  of  the  land  of  that  territory  was  overwhelmed  by 
the  passing  of  the  sea  over  it ;  and  Inis  Fitha''  split  up  into  three 
divisions.  It  was  about  that  time  that  Acdh  Oirnighe  marched, 
attended  by  a  numerous  host,  to  Dun  Cuair,"  in  Leinster,  and 
there  made  a  partition  of  the  principality  of  Leinster  between 
the  two  Muredachs,  namely,  Muredach,  son  of  Brann,  and  Mur- 
edach,  son  of  Kuadrach.  After  this,  Inis  Muredaigh"'  was  burned 
by  the  Lochlannaigh.  It  was  about  this  time,  also,  that  the 
same  people  committed  great  slaughter  upon  the  men  of  Um- 
hal ;"  and  it  was  then  that  EdirsgeoVson  of  Kellach,  bishop  of 
ijlenn-da-loch,  died.  After  these  events,  Aedh  Oirnighe,  King 
■)f  Ireland,  was  slain  by  Maelcauaigh  in  the  battle  of  í)a-ferta." 


CONCOBAR,  ARD-RIGH. 


A.  D.  827."  Concobar,"  son  of  Donncadh,  son  of  Domnall,  son 
>f  Murcadh,  son  of  Diarmaid,  son  of  Armedach  Caech,  son  of 


All  soldiers  from  that  ont, 
i?oun<l  by  no  sacred  rules, 
AVltli  arms  may  aid  the  King, 
Great  Acdh,  from  Niall  sprung. 
This  is  the  rule  of  rii;ht. 
It  errs  on  neitlicr  bide  ; 
In  bis  own  callins  each 
Shall  without  murmur  work." 

After  this,  Aedh  Oiriiide  went  to 
tlie  king  of  Leinster,  and  obtained  hi.s 
full  demand  from  him. — Four  Masters. 
Thus  did  the  sage  exempt  the  clergy 
from  military  duty. 

"  Great  thunders,  &c.  This  is  re- 
corded as  having  happened  also  in  the 
year  804. 

**  Inis  Fitlia.  "  According  to  the 
tradition  in  the  country,  this  is  the  now 
called  Inis-caerach,  or  Mutton  Island, 
lying  opposite  Kilmurry-Tbrickan,  on 
the  west  coa.st  of  ('larc.  The  whole  of 
Ibrickan  belonged  formerly  to  Corca 
Ba.sk  in."—0'i). 

"  Dun-Cutrr.  "  It  is  now  called 
Rath  Cuair,  in  English,  Ratiicore,  a 
•small  village  lying  in  the  barony  of 
Moyfcnrath,  County  Mcath,  and  not 
far  from  the  confines  of  ancient  Lein- 
.slcT  with  Mcath." — Id.  The  division 
above  recorded  took  place  in  805. 


^  Inis  Muredaigh.  Now  Innish- 
murry,  off  the  coast  of  Sligo.  The 
burning  of  the  monastery  of  this  island, 
whose  ruins  still  exist,  happened  in  the 
year  807.  Ros  Cor.iain,  now  Ros- 
common, was  attacked  the  same  year. 

'^  The  men  of  Umhall.  These  people 
had  defeated  their  Norse  invaders  in 
812,  but  were  themselves  routed  with 
great  slaughter  in  813,  on  which  oc- 
casion Dunadach,  Lord  of  Umhall,  and 
Ccsgrach,  son  of  Fkmnabrat,  were 
slain.  The  chief  family  of  tlie  men  of 
Umhall  afterwards  took  the  name  of 
O'Mailli,  now  O'Mallcy.  Their  ter- 
ritory comprised  the  present  baronlea 
of  Murrisk  and  Burrishole,  in  Mayo. 

""  Edtrs<reol.     He  died  in  812. 

''  Alh-da-Ferta,\.  c,  The  Ford  of  the 
Two  Graves,  or  of  tlic  Two  Miracles. 
Its  situation  is  unknown  to  the  editor. 

In  the  same  year  of  Aedh's  death, 
the  shrine  of  St.  Patrick  was  taken 
into  (Jonnauglit  by  Archbishop  Artri, 
son  of  Concobar. 

-■'  818. 

"  Concobar  XL 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


499 


Couall  Guthbinn,  son  of  Suibni,  son  of  Colmau  Mor,  son  of 
Diarmaid,  sou  of  Fergus  Kerbeol,  of  tlie  line  of  Erimhon,  liekl 
the  sovereignty  of  Ireland  for  fourteen  years. 

It  was  in  tiic  reign  of  this  Concobar  that  Corcaeh  and  Inis- 
Daimhli'*  were  pillaged  by  the  Lochlaimaigh.  It  was  during  the 
same  reign  that  the  Kent  of  St.  Patrick  was  established  over 
Munster,  by  Feidlimidh,  son  of  Crimthann,  and  by  Artri,  son 
of  Concobar,"  and  it  was  also  this  same  Artri  that  established  the 
Rent  of  St.  Patrick  over  Connaught."^  Then  it  was  that  Beiin- 
choir"  and  Dun-da-leth-glas"  were  plundered  by  the  Lochlan- 
naio;h,  and  that   Mao;h-bili  was  burned,  with  its  oratories. 

It  was  about  this  time  that  ]\iuredach,  son  of  Eocaidh,  Avas 
king  of  Ulidia.  It  was  then,  also,  that  the  destruction  of 
Aenach  Taltenn,  in  which  great  numbers  fell,  was  given  to  the 
Galenga,"  by  Concobar,  son  of  Donncadh,  king  of  Ireland.  The 
Lochlannaigh,  also,  then  gained  a  gTeat  victory  over  the  Lein- 
stemien,  at  Drum  Connla  f^  at  which  place  fell  Conaiiig,  son  of 
Cucongelt,  king  of  the  Fotharta,  and  a  great  many  others  were 
slain  there  likewise.     Soon  after  this,  Ard-Macha*'  was  plund- 


"  Inis  Daimhli.  Inis  Daimhii,  re- 
corded by  the  Irish  annals  as  having 
been  burned  by  foreigners  at  the  same 
time  with  Corcaeh,  or  Cork,  in  the 
third  year  of  Concobar 's  reign.  Arch- 
dall  thinks  that  this  Inis  Daimhli  was 
the  ancient  name  of  Cape  Clear  Island. 
Dr.  O'Donovan,  however,  thinks  that 
it  was  a  place  now  called  Inch,  in  the 
barony  ofShelmaliere,  in  Wexford. 

''^  Artri,  Son  of  Concobar.  "  A.  D. 
822.  The  law  of  Patrick  was  pro- 
mulgated over  Munster,  by  Feidlimidh, 
son  of  Crimthann,  and  by  Artri,  son 
of  Concobar,  Archbishop  of  Ard 
Macha." — Four  Masters.  He  was  the 
brother  of  the  King  of  Oirghialla. 

'«  Connau-rht.  "  A.  D.  824.  The 
7th  year  of  Concobar.  The  law  of 
Patrick  was  promulgated  through  the 
three  divisions  of  Connaught  by  Artri, 
son  of  Concobar,  i.  e.  Bishop  of  Ard 
Macha."— OD. 

■'  Bennchoir.  It  was  plundered  in 
824,  when  its  oratory  was  broken,  and 
the  relics  of  St.  Comgall  shaken  from 
their  shrine. 

"^  Dun-dn-Ieth-ghs, now  Dov^Q.  This 
occurred  the  year  after  the  plundering 
of  Bennchoir.  The  plundering  of  Magh- 
bili  took  place  the  same  year,  that  is, 


in  825.  The  Ulidians,  however,  fought 
the  ravagers  on  Magh-inis,  (Locale  in 
Down),  and  defeated  them  with  slaugh- 
ter. 

"  Galenga.  These  were  the  inhabit- 
ants of  Galenga  Mor,  now  Morgallon, 
in  Meath.  This  event  happened  in  the 
8th  year  of  Concobar.  In  tlie  same  year 
took  place  the  destruction  of  the  Aen- 
ach Colmain,  or  Fair  of  Colman,  held 
upon  the  Curragh  of  Kildare,  where 
the  royal  fair  and  sports  of  Leinster 
were  wont  to  be  held. 

"^  Drum  Conla.  The  8th  year  of 
Concobar.  The  destruction  of  Dun 
Laighen,  at  Druin,  by  the  jiagans, 
where  Conaing,  son  of  Cucongelt,  lord 
of  the  Fortuatha,  was  slain,  with  many 
others. 

^'  Ard  Macha  plundered.  This  is  the 
first  plundering  of  Ai'magh,  already 
referred  to,  and  which  happened  in  832. 
The  same  year  is  recorded  the  plunder- 
ing of  Daimlaig  (Duliag),  and  the 
tribe  of  the  Kiannachta,  with  all  their 
churches,  by  the  foreigners.  Olild,  son 
of  Colgan,  was  taken  prisoner  by  them. 
The  plundering  of  Lughmagh  (Louth), 
and  Mucsnamh  (now  Muknoe),  and  Ui 
Meath  (in  Monaghan),and  Druim-mio- 
h   Ua  Blae  (in  the  north  of  ileath), 


500  THE   HISTORY   OF   IKELAND. 

ered  by  the  Loclilannaigli ;  and  within  one  month  after  that, 
Lug^magh,  and  the  tribes  of  the  Kiannacta,  and  Lis-nior,"  with 
all  their  churches,  were  laid  waste  by  these  ravagcrs.*' 

Up  to  this  time  there  had  been  four  chief  schools  in  Ireland, 
viz:  a  school  in  iVrd-Macha,  in  which  there  were  seven  thousand 
students — according  to  an  ancient  roll  which  has  been  discovered 
at  Oxford;  a  school  in  Caiscl,  {Casliel) ;  a  school  in  Dun-da-lcth- 
tdas  •  and  a  school  in  Lis-mor.  And  besides  these  many  other 
colleges  had  flourished  iri  Ireland  np  to  the  present  time  ;  but 
these  were  now  either  interrupted  or  destroyed. 

At  length  Concobar,  son  of  Donncadh,  King  of  Ireland,  died. 

NIALL  CALLI,    AliU-PJGH. 

A.  D.  839.'*  Niall"  Calli,  son  of  Aedh  Oirnighe,  son  of  Niall 
Frasach,  of  the  line  of  Erinihon,  lield  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland 
for  fifteen  years.  The  following  is  the  reason  why  he  was 
called  Niall  Calli.  One  day  he  happened  to  arrive  on  the  bank 
of  the  river,  which  is  called  Callainn''^  or  Calli,  attended  by  a 
Toyal  and  numerous  host  of  cavalry.  Thereupon  a  gilla  belong- 
ing to  his  household  went  before  them  to  try  if  the  river  were 
fordable,  and  he  was  drowned  therein.  The  king  commanded 
those  who  stood  near  him  to  go  to  the  relief  of  the  gilla,  but  he 
found  no  one  hardy  enough  to  attempt  it.  Upon  this  he  rushed 
himself  on  horseback  towards  the  river,  but  as  he  was  about  to 
plunge  into  the  current,  the  bank  broke  from  beneath  him,  and 
both  he  and  his  horse  fell  headlong  into  the  flood,  and  ho  was 
then  swept  away  and  drowned.  A  prophecy  was  fulfilled  by 
thi.s  event,  because  it  had  been  foretold  for  him,  that  he  should 
meet  his  death  by  being  drowned  in  the  River  Callainn.  And 
such  is  the  reason  wliy  he  has  been  called  Niall  Calli. 

and  of  other  churches  by  them  also,  that  career  of  bloodshed  and  plunder, 

Tuathal,  son  of  Fcradach,  was  carried  wliicli  lias  caused  Dr.  Kcatiniy,  on  Iho 

off  by  the  foreignei-s,  and  the  shrine  of  authority  of  Carabrensis  and  the  Poly- 

Adamnan  was   taken  from  Domnach  chronicon,  to  set  him  down  as  tyrant 

Maighen  (now  tlie  church  of  Mogue,  of  Ireland,  and  give  Jiim  a  place  among 

county  Monaghan). — FourMaMers.  its  monarclis. 

'^  Lis-mor  ■plundered.     This  scat  of  *'  A.l).  832.     Four  Masters. 

piety  and  learning  was  plundered  dur-  "  Niai,l  III.     He  reigned  but  thir- 

ing  the  next  year  (833),  as  was  the  teon  years,  according  to  other  accounts, 

episcopal  church  of  Kath  Lurigh,  in  "  O'Flaherty   ])lai;es   the   accession  of 

the  present  county  of  Derry.  this   Icing   at   833,  which  is  the  true 

"  It  was  not  until  the  present  reign  year." — O'D. 

that  the   Northmen    invaded    Ireland  '^  Calhiinn.     There  were  three  rivers 

on  an  extensive  scale.     It  was  during  of  this  name.  The  Callaiim,  now  called 

this  period,  also,  that  Turgeis  {Tur-  the   King's   Kivor,  in   the   county   of 

gn/.s/i),  or  Turgesius,  as  his  name  has  Kilkenny,  is  most  probably  the  one  in 

been  Latinized,  must  have  commenced  which  Niall  was  drowned. 


THE    HISTORY    OF    IRELAND. 


501 


It  was  in  tlie  reign  of  this  king,  that  Diarniaid,  son  of  To- 
maltach,  King  of  Connaught,  died.  It  was  during  it,  also,  that 
the  Lochlannaigh  burned  Locli  Bricrenu,"  against  CougaLach,  son 
of  Eocaidh,  whom  they  slew  upon  that  occasion. 

Niall  Calli,  King  of  Ireland,  marched  into  the  territory  of  the 
Leinstermen,  with  a  numerous  host,  for  the  purpose  of  appoint- 
ing a  king  over  them,  namely.  Bran,  son  of  Faelau.  After  that 
Ferna  Mor,  of  St.  Maedog,  was  plundered  by  the  men  of  Loch- 
lainn,  and  Mungarid  and  many  others  of  the  churches  of  Ormond 
were  then  burned  by  them  ;*"  and  they  plundered  Kill-dara,**^  in 
like  manner. 

It  was  about  this  time  that  sixty  ships  from  the  land  of 
the  Northmen  arrived  upon  the  river  Boinn,  and  iortj 
ships  upon  the  river  Liil.  These  fleets  devastated  Magh 
Liti,  {Moij-Liffe//),  now  called  the  count}'"  of  Ath-cliáth.  (Avj- 
Cleeah^)  and  Magh  Breagh  {Mby-Breaiv),  and  Fine  (Tidl,*" 
{Finni  Gall),  pillaging  both  churches,  and  duns,  and  fiirmsteads. 
After  this,  the  Lochlannaigh  gained  a  victory  at  Inber-na-m- 
barc"  over  all  the  Ui  Neill,^'  from  the  Sinainn^'  to  the  sea,  and 
there  an  untold  multitude  was  slaughtered,  but  the  principal 
chiefs  escaped.**  Inis  Keltrach,  and  Cluain-mic-Nois,  and  all  the 
churches  of  Loch  Erni,  were  next  burned  by  the  Lochlannaigh. 


"  Lor.h  Bricrinn,  now  called  Lougli- 
brickland.  a  small  town  in  the  county  of 
Down,  situated  on  a  loch  of  the  same 
name.  It  was  pltmdered  in  the  first 
year  of  Niall,  in  which,  also,  Diarmaid, 
King  of  Connaught,  died. 

^  "  The  third  year  of  Niall.  Ferna, 
Cluain-Mor-Maedog,  and  Drom-h-Ing, 
were  plundered  by  the  foreigners.  The 
burning  of  Mungarid  by  them,  and 
other  churches  in  Ormond  by  them 
also." — Ftjur  MaMers. 

'»  Kill-dam.  '•■  A.  D.  83.5.  The  4th 
year  of  Niall.  Kill-dara  was  plunder- 
ed by  the  foreigners  of  Inber  Deaa 
(now  Wicklow),  and  half  the  church 
was  burned  by  them." — Four  Mivitcrs. 
This  year  also  Cluain  Mor  Maedog,  i.  e. 
the  Great  Lawn  of  St.  Maedog,  is  re- 
corded as  having  been  burned  by  the 
foreigners  on  Christmas  night.  But 
there  were  two  religious  establishments 
of  tliis  name.  One  of  them  was  situat- 
ed at  a  place  now  called  Clonmore, 
on  the  River  Slaney,  county  Wexford. 
The  other  is  in  the  barony  of  Kath- 
velly,  county  Carlow. 

"  Fini  Gall,  i.e.  the  Nation  or  Tribe 
of  the  Foreigners.    Now  the  district 


of  Fingal,  county  Dublin.  Tlie  name 
is  prematurely  used  in  this  instance,  as 
the  foreigners  had  not  yet  settled  defi- 
nitively therein.  It  then  formed  part 
of  the  territory  called  Breilgh. 

°'  Inber  na  ni-barc,  i.  e.  the  Harbor 
or  Estuary  of  the  Barks.  '  It  is  prob- 
able, that  it  was  the  name  of  the 
mouth  of  the  River  Rath-Inbhir,  near 
Brav."— OD. 

""'"Ui  Neill,  i.e.  the  Southern  Ui 
Neill  or  tribes  of  Meath. 

^  Sinamn,  otherwise  Sina,  Sena, 
and  Senainn,  the  Gaelic  name  of  the 
River  Shannon. 

='  "A.  D.  836.  The  5th  year  of  Niall 
Calli.  A  lleet  of  sixty  ships  of  Norse- 
men on  the  Boyne.  Another  fleet  of 
sixty  ships  on  the  River  Liffey.  Tliese 
two  fleets  plnndered  and  spoiled  Magh 
Liphthi  and  Mauh  Breagh,  both  chur- 
ches and  habitations  of  men,  and  good- 
ly tribes,  and  flocks  and  herds.  A 
battle  was  gained  over  them  by  the 
men  of  Breagh,  in  Mughdorna  Breagh, 
where  six  score  of  the  foreigners  were 
slain.  A  battle  was  gained  by  the 
foreigners  at  Inber-na-m-barc,  over  all 
the  Ui  Neill  from  the  Sinainn  to  the 


502 


THE   HISTORY    OF    IRELAND. 


Feidlimidh,''  SOX  OF  Crimtiianx.  was  both  King  of  Munstcr 
and  Arclibishop  of  Cashel  during  these  times  ;  and  this  Feidli- 
midh  marched  into  Leth  Cuinn,  and  j^lundered  it  from  Birra  to 
Temhair,  in  Breágh  ;  and  lie  rested  at  Terahair  ;  and  Innrectach, 
son  of  Maelduin,  was  slain  at  Temhair  by  his  people.  And 
Feidlimidh,  son  of  Crimthann,  died  when  he  had  reigned  over 
Munster  for  seven  and  twenty  years.  The  Leabar  Iris  gives  this 
testimony  as  to  his  merits :  "'The  most  excellent  sage  and  an- 
choret of  the  Scoti  has  gone  to  rest.'"^  From  this  it  may  be 
understood  that  Feidlimidh,  son  of  Crimthann,  was  a  learned 
and  a  pious  personage  in  his  own  day. 


áea,  whore  such  slaughter  was  made  as 
never  before  was  heard  of;  however 
the  kings  and  chieftains,  the  lords  and 
toparchs  escaped  without  slaughter  or 
mutilation." — Four  ]\Iiuters.  This  vic- 
tory it  was,  that  must  have  given  Tur- 
gesius  and  his  Norsemen  tliat  sway 
over  Meath  and  the  East  of  Leinster, 
that  induced  some  to  have  set  him 
down  as  Sovereign  of  Ireland.  We  do 
not  find  that  NiuU  Calli,  the  monarch 
and  the  head  of  Northern  Ui  Neill, 
had  come  to  the  aid  of  his  relatives  on 
this  occasion. 

*'  Feidlimidh.  According  to  the 
Annals  of  Innisfallen,  lie  was  full  mon- 
arch of  Ireland,  as  Cambrensis  also 
states  ;  but  the  Northern  annalists  do 
not  number  him  among  the  monarchs  of 
Ireland.  He  was  certainly  as  powerful 
a  potentate  as  Niall,  his  Northern  con- 
temporary, and,  if  we  are  to  judge  from 
what  the  latter  annalists  relate  of  him, 
a.s  gi'cat  a  devastator  as  any  Norse- 
man of  tlicm  all  His  being  set  down  by 
the  Munstcr  annalists  as  sole  monarch 
of  Ireland,  must  have  originated  in  his 
having  exacted  the  homage  of  Foran- 
nan,  the  Primate,  who  was  taken  pris- 
oner l)y  him  in  835  or  8.3(5,  at  Kildaro, 
whither  the  latter  had  fled  from  the 
Northmen  ;  and  from  the  fact  that  he 
overran  Mcath,  and  rested  for  some 
time  at  the  Ancient  Royal  Beat  of 
Temhair.  The  latter  event  is  thus  re- 
corded under  A.  D.  339:  "  Feidlimidh, 
King  of  Munster,  plundered  Meath  and 
Brcagh,  and  he  rested  at  'JY'inhair, 
after  having  in  one  day  taken  the  host- 
ages of  Connaught.' — Four  Masters. 
It  is  to  Vjc  remarked,  that  this  jjriiice 
wae  at  the  height  of  his  power  during 


the  time  when  Turgesms  should  have 
reigned  over  Ireland,  if  at  all.  For,  as 
shall  be  shown  hereafter,  the  Norse 
tyrant  was  drowned  by  Maelsechlainn, 
whilst  both  Feidlimidh  and  Niall  Calli 
were  still  alive. 

^  Optimus  et  sapiens  anchmila 
Scotorum  quievit. 

Some  modern  writers  are  very  severe 
upon  the  character  of  Feidlimidh,  and 
no  doubt  he  did  deserve  censure  for 
his  devastations  of  Leth  Cuinn  and  Con- 
naught,  in  endeavouring  to  assert  his 
claim  to  the  Irish  Monarchy,  as  the  rep- 
resentative of  the  line  of  Kber.  That 
he  was,  nevertheless,  a  brave  and  a  wise 
prince,  within  the  limits  of  his  own 
principality,  may  be  judged  from  the 
fact  that  Munstcr  was  kept  comparative- 
ly free  from  the  ravages  of  the  North- 
men during  his  lifetime.  Perhaps,  also, 
like  IJrian,  in  a  subsequent  age,  he  felt 
himself  to  be  alone  capableof  saving  his 
country  from  the  emergency  to  which 
it  was  then  reduced.  'J'he  Four  Ma.s- 
ters  record  his  death  in  the  following 
laudatory  terms  :  "  A.  I).  845.  The  1st 
year  of  Maelsechlainn,  son  of  Mael- 
ruanaidh,  over  Ireland,  Feidlimidh,  son 
of  Crimthann,  king  of  Munster,  the  best 
of  the  Iri.sh  in  liis  time,  died  on  the 
]  8th  of  August,  of  his  internal  wound, 
infli('1(Ml  through  the  Miracles  of  Ood 
and  St.  Kiaran.  Of  the  death  of 
Feidlimidh  was  said  : 

"'AlBsI  O  God,  for  Fcldlimldli— 
The  Wivve  of  dootli  Ims  drowned  him  I 
()  cause  of  woe  to  Irisli  men  1 
The  Son  of  Claris  dilof  I»  dead. 
AVlth  evil  oition  to  the  Gacll 
))id  Ilia  last  hour  arrive ; 
O'er  Sacri'il  KrI  slanphter  spread, 
When  royal  Feidlimidh  had  died.'" 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


oOS 


After  this,  Tiglicrnach,  King  of  Loch  Gabar,  routed  the  Loch- 
lannaigh,  at  Doiri  Disirt  Dachonna ;"  and  it  was  in  that  year®' 
that  Olcobar,  Abbot  of  Imlech  lubair,  assumed  the  sovereignty 
of  Cashel,  and  that  Maelsechlainn,  King  of  Meath,  defeated  the 
Lochhmnaigh  at  Casau  Linni,^*  in  Meath,  where  seven  hundred 
of  these  nivaders  were  slain.  It  was  about  this  time,  also,  that 
SaxoIbli,"°a  chieftain  of  the  men  of  Lochlainn,  was  slain  by  the 
Kiannachta  of  Glenn  Gemhin,  on  which  occasion  a  great 
slaugliter  was  made  of  his  followers,  and  that  another  red 
slaughter  was  made  of  those  foreigners  at  Es-ruaidh.^  It  was 
after  this  that  Ath-cliath  was  captured^  by  the  Lochlannaigh,  for 
the  first  time. 

About  this  period,  also,  was  born  Cormac,  son  of  Culinnan, 
who  afterwards  reigned  for  seven  years  as  King  of  Munster ; 
being,  at  the  same  time.  Archbishop  of  Cashel. 

A  battle  was  now  gained  by  the  Lochlannaigh  over  the 
Connaughtmen,^  and  in  it  fell  Maelduin,  son  of  Muirgheas.  and 
numbers  of  his  people  together  with  him.  Brann,  son  of  Fae- 
lan.  King  of  Leinster,  died  about  this  same  time.  After  this, 
the  Lochlannaigh  came  upon  Loch  n-Echach  {AJiágh),  with  a 
large  fleet,'*  and  thence  they  plundered  the  possessions  of  the 


^  Doiri-desirt-Dadionna,  i.  e.  the 
Oak  Wood  of  St.  Dachonua's  Desert. 
This  place  has  not  been  ideutified.  The 
battle  was  gained  in  the  second  year 
of  the  reign  of  Maelsechlainn,  being 
two  years  after  the  death  of  the  present 
monarch,  and  four  after  the  drowning 
of  the  pirate  chief  Turgesius.  Keat- 
ing has  thrown  several  events  into  this 
reign  that  occurred  in  the  subsequent 
one,  for  they  could  not  well  be  inserted 
in  the  reign  of  thirteen  years  which  he 
has  inconsiderately  assigned  to  the 
tyrant. 

"'  Tlie  same  year.  Olcobar,  Abbot 
of  Emiy,  had  been  already  King  of 
Munster  for  a  few  years,  when  the  last- 
mentioned  battle  was  fought ;  for  Ol- 
cobar was  the  immediate  successor  of 
Feudiimidh,  who  had  retired  to  a 
monastery  a  short  time  previous  to  his 
death. 

"■'  Casan  Linni.  A  river  near  Dun- 
dalk,  county  Louth.  It  was  other- 
wise called  Amhain  Locha,  and  is  now 
known  as  Lagan. 

'""  Saxolbh.  He  was  slain  and  his 
followers  routed  by  the  Kiannachta  of 


Glen  Given,  county  Derry,  in  the  fifth 
year  of  Niall  (836-837). 

'  Es-ruaidli,  now  Assaroe,  or  Sal- 
mon's Leap,  on  the  river  Erne.  The 
Norsemen  were  defeated  at  this  place 
during  the  last-mentioned  year. 

"  Ath-cliath  captured.  The  Four 
Masters  record  the  first  taking  of  Ath- 
cliath,  or  Dublin,  by  the  foreigners, 
under  A.  D.  836,  the  same  year  that 
they  defeated  the  southern  Ui  Neill, 
when  they  had  entered  the  Boyne  and 
Liifey  with  those  large  fleets  which 
have  been  already  mentioned. 

^  A  battle  over  the  Connaughtmen. 
This  battle  was  fought  daring  the 
sixth  year  of  Niall's  reign.  In  the 
same  year  there  was  a  royal  conference 
between  the  monarch  and  Feidlimidh, 
King  of  Munster,  at  Cluain  Conari 
Tomain,  a  place  now  called  Cloncurry, 
in  the  north  of  Kildare.  It  was  in 
this  year,  also,  that  Brann,  King  of 
Leinster,  died. 

'  A  large  feet.  "  A.  D.  838.  The 
eighth  year  of  Niall.  A  marine  fleet 
of  the  foreigners  took  its  station  on 
Loch  Eathach  (Lough  Neagh).    The 


504 


THE   HISrORY   OF   IRELAND. 


laity  and  the  clergy  of  tlie  norlli  of  Ireland;  and  Corcach  and 
Ferna  were  then  burned  by  them  likewise. 

Niall  Calli  at  this  tiuic  marched  with  a  numerous  army  to 
plunder  and  despoil  the  Fera  Kell,'  and  the  Delbna  Ethra ;  and 
it  was  then  that  Murcadh,  son  of  Aedh,  King  of  Connaught, 
died. 

And,  moreover,  it  was  about  this  time  that  the  Lochlannaigh 
built  a  fortress  at  Linn  Daachaill,"  whence  the  territory  of  Tebtha 
was  devastated  by  them.  In  like  manner,  they  built  a  fortress 
at  Dubh-linn,'  whence  they  laid  waste  Lcinster,  and  Ui  Neill, 
and  all  the  territories  of  the  laity  and  the  clergy,  as  far  as  Sliabh 
Bladma.  After  this,  they  pillaged  Cluain  Aidnech,  and  Cluain 
Iraird,  and  Cluain-mic-Nois.  And  a  dun  (a  fortress)  was 
erected  by  Turgesius,  the  Lochlannach  chieftain,  upon  Locli 
Eibh.  Then  Cluain-mic-Nois  was  pillaged  again,  and  Cluain 
Ferta  of  St.  Brendan,  and  Tir-da-leth-glas,  and  Lothair,  and 
many  other  cities.  After  these  events,  Niall  Calli,  King  of  Ire- 
land, gave  battle  to  the  Lochlannaigh,  upon  Magh  Itha,  where 
numbers  of  them  were  slain.  And,  soon  after  that,  Niall  was 
drowned  in  Callainn,  as  we  have  heretofore  told. 


churches  and  territories  of  the  north  of 
Ireland  were  burned  by  them.  The 
burning  of  Ferna  (Fernsj  and  Corcach- 
mor  (Cork)  by  the  foreigners." — Four 
Masters. 

'  Fera  Kelt,  usually  -written  Feara 
Ceall,  DOW  Fircall,  in  the  Kings 
County.  Niall  marched  against  this 
territory  in  839-840. 

*  Linn  DuachaiU.  now  Magheralin, 
in  the  County  of  Down,  situated  on 
the  river  Lagan,  which  was  anciently 
called  Casan  Linni,  and  Amhain  Locha, 
as  already  seen.  "A.  D.  840.  A  fortress 
was  erected  by  the  foreigners  at  Linn 
DuachaiU,  out  of  which  the  territories 
and  churches  of  Tebtha  were  plundered. 
Another  fortress  was  erected  by  them 
at  Dubh-linn,  out  of  which  they  plun- 
dered Ijcinster.  and  the  Ui  Niall,  as 
far  as  Slialjii  Biadnia.  An  army  was 
led  by  Feidlimidh  to  Carman  (Wex- 
ford]. Another  army  was  led  by 
Niall  to  Magh  Ochtair  (in  Kildare),  to 
meet  him. 

"Tho  crozler  of  Felfllimidh  the  Pious 
Wa-s  left  behind  nmoii;;  the  eloc-trecs, 
For  Niall  forced  It  from  lih  (rrasn, 
In  battle,  by  the  law  of  sworda. 


It  is  clear,  by  the  latter  part  of  this 
entry,  that  the  rivalry  between  the 
kings  of  Leth  Mogha  and  Leth  Cuinn 
was  not  interrupted  by  the  influx  of 
the  Northmen  ;  in  fact,  neither  the 
hereditary  territories  of  Niall  (the 
northern  Ui  Niall),  nor  of  Feidlimidh 
had  as  jet  experienced  much  of  the 
fury  of  the  invaders,  whose  principal 
attacks  were  then  directed  against  the 
central  province  and  the  coasts. 

Though  the  Four  Masters  state  that 
Niall  gained  a  victory  over  his  rival 
on  this  occasion,  still  the  annals  of 
lunisfallen  assert  that  in  824  (which 
corresponds  to  the  year  840  of  the 
annalists  just  quoted),  Feidlimidh  re- 
ceived the  homage  of  Niall,  King  of 
Tara,  and  thenceforth  became  sole 
monarch  of  Ireland,  to  his  death. 

'  Dubh-linn,  i.  e.  the  Black  Fool. 
The  modern  name,  Dublin,  is  derived 
from  Dubh-linn  [Doo'in,  or  Duvlinn). 
Tiie  present  castle  of  Dublin  stands 
upon  the  site  of  the  ancient  Danish 
fortress,  whose  erection  is  here  re- 
corded. 


THE   HISTORY    OF   IRELAND.  505 

Tlie  tyranny  o/ T u RGESI US, /rom  y1.  D.  830,  to  .. .  D.  843. 

Turgcsius,  the  Norse  tyrant,  with  his  armies  of  the  men  of 
Finn-LochlaÍLn,  held  supreme  power  in  Ireland  for  thirteen 
years,  after  he  had  previously  been  the  scourge  of  that  country 
for  seventeen  years  ;  for  during  that  length  of  time  had  he  been 
exercising  violence  and  rapine  upon  its  inhabitants.  This  he 
was  enabled  to  effect  by  the  arrival  of  a  large  fleet,  which  had 
arrived  from  Norwegia  to  his  assistance,  and  which  had  come  into 
port  in  the  north  of  Ireland.  By  this  fleet  the  countiy  was 
devastated,  and  forced  to  deliver  up  hostages.  And  they 
stationed  it  upon  Loch  n-Echach  and  Loch  liibli,  and  furnished 
it  with  crews  and  provisions,  for  the  purpose  of  committing 
depredations,  as  we  have  heretofore  related,  and  as  St.  Colum- 
kille  had  foretold,  in  the  verse  that  has  gone  before.  Berchan 
of  the  Prophecy  also  had  foretold  that  a  tyrant  king  of  the 
nation  of  the  Lochlannaigh  should  be  over  Ireland,  and  that 
there  should  be  a  Lochlannach  abbot  over  every  church  in 
Ireland.  Here  follows  the  verse  in  which  he  made  that  pre- 
diction : 

"  Then  heathens  shall  come  over  ocean's  wide  wave, 
By  whom  shall  confusion  be  brought  on  the  Gacil, 
And  of  their  race  an  abbot  shall  rule  in  each  church, 
And  of  their  race  a  king  over  Eri  shall  reign." 

But  when  the  nobles  of  Ireland  saw  that  Turgesius  had 
brought  confusion  upon  their  country,  and  that  he  was  assuming 

*  This  heading  is  inserted  by  the  Diarmada  (now  Castledermot),  Birra, 
editor.  The  dates  therein  given  are  the  Saighir  (Seirkieran)  saw  their  monas- 
thirteen  years  during  which  he  had  teries  pillaged.  One  fleet  of  the  Norse- 
reigned  over  Ireland,  according  to  men  floated  on  the  Boyne,  another  was 
Keating,  ccmnted  back  from  the  year  of  stationed  at  Linn-Rois,  another  at  Linn 
his  death,  in  the  12th  year  of  the  reigu  Duachaill,  another  on  Linn  Sailech 
of  the  last  monarch,  Niall  Calli  ;  for  (now  Lough  S willy),  in  Ulster.  In 
withhisreign  the  tyranny  of  Turgesius,  A.  D.  842  the  monastery  of  Cluain 
however  far  it  extended,  must  have  Ferta,  of  St.  Brendan,  was  burned  by 
been  nearly  contemporaneous.  Keat-  them.  In  843,  the  foreigners  of  Dub- 
ing's  date  is  not  given  at  the  head  of  lin  marched  to  Cluain-an-Dobair,  in 
the  reign,  because  it  would  throw  the  the  King's  County,  and  burned  the 
events  of  the  ensuing  reigns  too  far  in  fold  of  Kill-Achaidh,  on  which  occa- 
advance  of  the  authentic  Irish  annals.  sion  Nuadath,  son  of  Seigen,  suffered 

In  A.  D.  840  (the  same  year),  oc-  martyrdom  at  their  hands.  Dun  Masg, 

curred  the  plundering  of  the  monastery  now   called   Dunmase,   was   also  then 

of  Cluain  Aidnech,  now  Clonenagh,  in  plundered  by  them,  where  Aedh,  son  of 

Leix,  and  the  destruction  of  the  monas-  Dubdacrioch,  Abbot  of  T  i  r-da-glas  and 

teries  of  Kill-achaidh-droma-fota,  now  Cluain  Aidnech,  was  taken   prisoner, 

Killeigh,  in  Offaly,  and  of  Cluain  Iraird.  and   they  carried   him   into  Munster, 

In   A.   D.   841,    Caemhan,   Abbot  of  where  he  suffered  martyrdom  for  the 

Linn  Duachaill,  was  burned  by   the  sake  of  God  ;  and  Kethernach,  son  of 

foreigners.       Cluain-mic-nois,     Disert  Cudinasy,  Prior    of   Kill-dara,    with 


506  THE   niSTOEY    OF    IRELAND. 

supreme  authority  over  tlicraselves,  aud  reducing  them  to  thral- 
dom and  vassah^ge,  they  became  insjnred  with  a  fortitude  of  mind, 
and  a  loftiness  of  spirit,  and  a  hardihood  and  firmness  of  pui- 
pose  that  urged  them  to  work  in  right  earnest,  and  to  toil  zeal- 
ously in  battle  against  him  and  his  plundering  hordes. 

lie  re  follow  some  of  the  defeats'  which  the  Gaels  then  gave 
to  these  plunderers,  to  wit : 

The  route  which  the  Dal-g-Cais  {Daul  Gash)  gave  them  at 
Ard  Brecain. 

The  battle  where  the  Lochlannach  earl,  Saxolbh,  and  his 
army  were  slaughtered  by  the  Ui  Colgain. 

The  battle  which  Olcobar,  son  of  Kinaedh,  King  of  Munster, 
and  Lorcan,  son  of  Kellach,  King  of  Leinster,  gained  over  them 
at  Sciath  Nectainn,  where  Earl  Tomar,  the  tanist  of  the  King 
of  Lochlainn,  was  slain,  and  where  twelve  hundred  of  the 
warriors  of  his  nation  were  slain  around  him. 

Besides  this,  the  same  Olcobar  and  the  Eoganacht  Caisil  won 
a  victory  over  them  close  by  Cashel,  and  five  hundred  of  them 
were  slain  therein. 

In  the  north,  the  invaders  were  routed  with  slaughter,  at  Es- 
ruadli. 

The  Ui  Fidghenti  slew  three  hundred  and  fifty  of  them  at 
Dun  Maeili  Tuli. 

Two  hundred  of  them  fell  by  the  tribe  of  the  Kiannachta. 

At  Drum  Dachonna,  two  hundred  and  forty  were  slain  by 
Tighernach,  King  of  Loch  Gabar. 

And,  in  like  manner,  Maeilsechlainn,  son  of   Maelruanaidh, 


many  others,  was  killed  by  tliem  tlur-  lion.     In  A.  D.  843,  or  at  farthest  in 

ing  that  plundering  expi  dition.     Then  844,  the  star  of  that  robber  chief  went 

it  was  tliat  Forannan,  Primate  of  Ire-  down,  as  is  seen  by  the  foilowin<^- entries 

laud,  was  taken  prisoner,  wi  til  his  relics  whicli,  with  a  very  slij^ht  discrepancy 

and  people,  at  Cluain  Comliarba,  and  in   the  dale,  is  confirmed   by  all   the 

carried  by  the  pirates  to  their  ships  at  Irish  annals  : 

Limerick.  "  A.  I).  843.     A  battle  was  gained 

An  expedition  was  likewise  made  by  over  the  foreigners  by  the  King,  Niall, 

Turgesiiii,  lord  of  the  foreigners,  upon  son  of  Aedh,  in  Magh   Itha,  and   a 

Lough  Ribh,  and  he  plundered  Con-  countless  number  fell.     Turgeis  was 

naught  and  Meath,  and  burned  Cluain-  taken    prisoner    by    Maelseciilainn, 

mac-nois,  with  its  oraliones,  and  'i'ir-  son  of  Maei,ruanaidii,  and  he  was 

da-glas.  Cluain-Ferta.  of  St.  Brendan,  afterwards  drowned  in  Lorn  Uair, 

and  many  others. — See  the  Anmi's  of  tiirou(;u   the  miracle  of  God,  and 

the  Fmir  Mfistcrs,  the  Anna's  of  Ulster,  Kiaran,  and  the  saints  in  general." 

and  the  Annals  of  Clon-mac-nois,  from  — Four  Masters. 

which  these  entrias  are  taken,  in  order  '  Defeats.     'J'hesc  engagements  have 

to   bring   Turgeis,   or   'I'urgcsius    the  been  cither  already  mentioned,  or  will 

Tyrant,  as  he  is  called,  to    the    culmi-  be   found   under   the   reign   of  Macl- 

nating  point  of  his  career  of  devasta-  sechlainu. 


THE   HISTORY   OF  IRELAND.  507 

King  of  Meath,  routed  thuir  host  at  the  battle  of  GLas  Linui,  in 
which  fight  one  thousand  seven  hundred  of  the  men  of  Lochlainn 
were  slain. 

But  though  numerous  were  the  battles  and  conflicts  wherein 
the  Gaels  fought  against  Turgesius  and  his  Lochlannaigb,  still, 
by  means  of  tlie  greatness  of  his  fleet,  and  of  the  numerous  hosts 
that  it  continued  to  bring  over  to  his  aid  from  Norwegia,  and 
other  countries  in  the  north  of  Europe,  it  came  to  pass  that  he 
at  length  succeeded  in  vanquishing  the  Gaelic  nation,  and  re- 
duced it  to  bondage  and  serfdom  to  himself  and  to  his  Almur- 
aigh." 

OF   THE    THRxiLDOM^^   OF    THE    GAEIDIL    UNDER     THE     LOCHLAN- 
NAIGH,  DOWN  HERE. 

Here  follows  an  abridged  account  of  the  slavery  of  the  Gaels 
beneath  the  yoke  of  the  Lochlannaigb,  together  with  the  rent 
and  tributes  placed  upon  them  by  these  foreigners,  to  wit :  a 
Lochlannach  king  over  every  canton  in  Ireland ;  and  a  chief- 
tain over  every  territory ;  and  an  abbot  over  every  church ;  and 
a  steward  -over  every  townland ;  and  a  soldier  or  huanna  over 
every  homestead.  And  the  man  of  the  house  was  not  allowed 
the  disposal  of  as  much  as  one  egg  of  his  own  property ;  and 
though  a  family  owned  but  one  stripper,  they  were  not  allowed 
on  any  night,  to  give  its  milk  to  either  infont  or  child,  but  were 
obliged  to  keep  it  up  for  the  use  of  the  soldier ;  and  though  the 
man  of  the  house  owned  but  one  in-calf  cow,  he  was  forced  to 
kill  the  same  for  the  use  of  his  unwelcome  guest,  and,  if  he  could 
not  satisfy  the  latter  therewithal,  he  was  compelled  to  place  his 
inheritance  in  pledge  for  the  maintenance  of  the  said  soldier. 
Besides  this,  the  Lochlannaigb  should  either  get  an  ounce  of  gold 
each  year  for  every  man  in  Ireland,  or  they  would  have  the  nose^" 

'•  Almuraigh,  i.  e.  pirates.  The  here  recounted,  as  part  of  a  universal- 
plural  of  almuracb  {alooragh).  ly  established  system,  must  have  been, 

"  Thraldom.  The  account  that  fol-  practised  at  distinct  epoclis  and  at  dif- 
low3  is  greatly  exaggerated  and  too  fereut  places,  by  various  persons,  and 
universal  in  its  nature.  It  is,  besides,  never  over  any  great  extent  of  the 
probably  borrowed  from  the  foreign  country  at  the  same  time.  The  op- 
writers,  who  invented  the  story  of  the  pression  of  the  Northmen  in  Ireland, 
reign  of  Turgesius  over  Ireland,  which,  consisted  in  ruthless  bloodshed  and 
as  before  stated,  Keating  must  have  plunder,  with  the  destruction  of  the 
borrowed  from  Cambrensis  ;  for  the  civilization  then  existing  in  tlie  land, 
Irish  records,  which  rarely  mention  rather  than  in  permanent  and  legalized 
Turgesius  by  name,  though  sufficiently  domination. 

diffuse  in  recounting  the  ravages  com-         '^  Nose.  This  was  called  nose-money, 

mitted  by  his  countrymen,  afford  not  or  nose-gelt,  a   species  of  taxation  to 

the  slightest  grounds  for  making  liim,  which    the  Normans    had  previously 

at  any  time,  exercise  an  established  ty-  been  accustomed  in  their  own  coun 

ranny  over  Ireland.     The  oppressions  tries. 


508  THE   niSTORY   OF   IRELAND. 

from  off  his  face.  Then  no  lord  or  lad)^  of  the  Irish  was  al- 
lowed to  wear  any  mantles  or  garments,  except  the  cast-off 
clothes  of  the  Lochlannaigh,  It  Avas  not  allowed  to  give  instruc- 
tion in  letters,  nor  to  live  in  religious  communities,  for  the  Loch- 
lannaigh dwelt  in  the  temples,  and  in  the  duns ;  no  scholars,  no 
clerics,  no  books,  no  holy  relics  were  left  in  church  or  monastery 
through  dread  of  them;  neither  bard,  nor  philosopher,  nor  mu- 
sician pursued  their  wonted  professions  in  the  land ;  no  daughter 
of  king,  or  lord,  or  chieftain  was  allowed  to  wear  either  silk 
dresses  or  precious  ornaments;  no  son  of  king,  or  of  lord,  was 
allowed  to  receive  instructions  in  feats  of  agility,  in  shooting,  or 
in  any  martial  exercise.  No  banquet  of  feast  was  allowed  to  be 
enjoyed  amongst  friends  until  the  Dainiir  had  first  satisfied  them 
selves  thereof 

The  result  of  the  heavy  oppression  of  this  thraldom  of  the 
Gaels  under  the  Lochlannaigh  was,  that  great  weariness  thereof 
came  ujion  the  men  of  Ireland,  and  the  few  of  the  clergy  that 
survived,  had  fled  for  safety  to  the  forests  and  wildernesses, 
where  they  lived  in  misery,  but  passed  their  time  piously  and  de- 
voutly. And  now  these  same  clergy  prayed  fervently  to  God  to 
deliver  them  from  that  tyranny  of  Turgesius,  and,  moreover, 
they  fasted  against  that  tyrant,  and  they  commanded  every  lay- 
man amongst  the  faithful  that  still  remained  obedient  to  their 
voice  to  fast  against  him  likewise.  And  God  then  heard  their 
supplications  in  as  far  as  the  delivering  up  of  Turgesius  into  the 
hands  of  the  Gaels. 


ifaelsechlainn's  Daughter — Death  of  Turgesius — Expulsion  of  the 

Foreigners. 

When  Turgesius  was  in  the  possession  of  this  usurped  author- 
ity, and  whilst  the  Gaels  were  yielding  him  an  involuntary  obe- 
dience, he  had  built  himself  a  fortified  residence  not  far  from  the 
dun-lis  {doon-liss)  of  Maelsechlainn,  son  of  Maelruanaidh,  King 
of  Meath,  Then,  upon  a  certain  day,  when  he  had  come  to  the 
dwelling  of  Maeilsechlainn,  he  chanced  to  sec  a  beautiful  mar- 
raigeablc  maiden,  who  was  the  daughter  of  the  Meathian  King. 
And,  as  the  usurper,  though  now  grown  old,  was  still  inveterate 
in  the  indulgence  of  his  lusts,  he  demanded  the  maid  from  her 
father  with  the  intention  of  making  her  his  mistress.  "  My  lord," 
replied  Maelsechlainn,  "I  know  full  well,  that  thou  dost  not 
mean  to  take  my  daughter  as  thy  married  wife,  but  that  what 
thou  desircst  is  to  possess  her  for  a  while  as  thy  mistress.  1 
therefore  beseech  thee  to  make  no  public  demand  of  ine  for 
my  child,  lest  she  be  prevented  from  getting  a  husband.     But,  as 


THE    IIISTOKY    OF    IliELAND.  509 

Ihy  ibr'ress  is  near  this  lis/'  where  I  live,  I  shall  send  the  maid- 
en privately  to  thy  dwelling,  and  she  shall  be  acconi})anied  by 
iiftecn  of  the  most  beautiful  and  most  lovely  women  in  all  Meatb, 
and  I  know  that  when  thou  hast  seen  those  women,  thoa  wilt 
feel  neither  love  nor  desire  for  my  own  daughter,  so  much  do 
they  exceed  her  in  beauty."  This  plan  was  pleasing  to  Turge- 
sius,  and  between  them,  they  fixed  upon  a  particular  night  when 
the  maiden  and  her  attendant  train  of  beautiful  women  were  to 
be  brought  into  the  fortress  of  the  tyrant. 

It  so  happened  that,  about  this  time,  there  was  to  be  a  general 
assemblage  and  public  convention  around  Turgesius  at  Ath-cliath, 
and  all  that  there  was  then  in  Ireland  of  Lochlannach  chieftains 
were  gathered  together  thereat,  for  the  purpose  of  taking  counsel 
as  to  how  they  might  best  guard  the  country  and  maintain  their 
own  possession  thereof. 

Whilst  they  were  staying  there,  Turgesius  communicated  the 
arrangement  made  between  himself  and  Maelsechlainn,  to  some 
of  the  assembled  captains,  and  he  promised  women  to  a  certain 
number  of  them,  whom  he  had  asked  to  accompany  him.  He 
then  set  out  with  fifteen  of  the  most  venturesome  and  lascivious 
of  those  lords,  and  they  made  neither  stop  nor  stay  until  they 
reached  his  fortress  in  Meath. 

Maelsechlainn,  during  the  same  time,  had  privately  brought 
together  fifteen  of  the  most  comely  youths,  Avithout  beards,  that 
could  be  found  in  Meath,  and  caused  them  to  put  on  female  at- 
tire, under  which  each  of  them  carried  a  sharp  sword  in  his  gir- 
dle. Thus,  did  he  prepare  to  send  these  youths  instead  of  wo- 
men to  meet  Turgesius,  in  company  Avith  his  daughter.  Then, 
when  the  night  appointed  for  sending  her  to  the  tyrant  had 
come,  the  maiden  set  out  with  her  band  of  counterfeit  women, 
and  when  she  had  come  close  to  the  fortress,  thus  escorted,  a  pri- 
vate message  was  sent  to  Turgesius,  acquainting  him  that  she 
had  arrived  with  her  female  companions,  and  was  ready  to  go 
meet  him.  Turgesius,  upon  receiving  this  message,  commanded 
the  chieftains,  who  were  in  his  company,  to  proceed  at  once  to 
their  chambers,  telling  that  he  Avould  send  the  women  thither  to 
them,  according  to  his  promise.  Upon  this  they  made  a  one 
single  pile  of  their  arms  upon  the  table,  which  stood  in  the  hall, 
and  went  each  to  his  own  private  chamber,  and  there  they  waited 
until  the  women  should  be  distributed  amongst  them.  Whilst 
this  was  taking  place,  Maelsechlainn  came  up  to  his  daughter 
with  an  armed  host,  and  there  he  commanded  some  of  those 

"  Lis ;  i.  e.,  a  circular  fort,  encircled     story  from  Cambrensis,  for  the  Irish 
by  an  earthen  dyke  and  a  ditch.  Keat-     records  do  not  recount  it. 
ÍDff  has  also  borrowed  this  romantic 


510  THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 

youths,  wlio  had  been  disguised  as  women,  to  lay  firm  hold  upon 
Turgesius  and  to  take  him  captive,  as  soon  as  ever  he  might  at- 
tempt to  lay  his  hand  upon  the  maiden  in  order  to  detain  her 
with  himself;  the  others  he  commanded  to  seize  upon  the  arms, 
and  to  fall  upon  the  chieftains  that  were  in  the  house ;  and 
he  promised,  moreover,  that  he  would  himself  dash  in  with  his 
host,  upon  hearing  the  first  cry,  in  order  to  aid  them  in  dispatch- 
ing the  Lochlannaigh. 

His  daughter,  thereupon,  entered  the  fortress  through  a  post- 
cm,  and  tarried  not  until  she  came  to  the  chamber  of  Turgesius, 
who  immediately  cast  a  scrutinizing  glance  upon  the  lady,  and 
upon  her  escort,  and  none  of  the  latter  was  pleasing  to  him  ex- 
cept herself;  and  he  thereupon  laid  his  hand  upon  her,  in 
order  to  keep  her  in  his  company.  But  as  soon  as  the  youths 
saw  this,  one  body  of  them  seized  him  with  violence,  and  made 
him  their  captive ;  while  another  body  seized  upon  the  arms,  of 
which  they  immediiitcly  made  themselves  the  masters.  Mael- 
sechlainn  soon  after  broke  in  with  his  armed  host,  and  together 
they  fell  upon  all  of  the  Lochlannaigh  they  found  in  tlie  fortress, 
and  of  them  they  spared  neither  chief  nor  serf,  with  the  single 
exception  of  Turgesius  himself  Tlien,  having  sacked  the  fort- 
ress, they  brought  off  Turgesius  to  the  dun-lis  of  Maelsech- 
lainn,  where  they  held  him  for  a  short  time  in  chains. 
'Now  when  the  rest  of  the  Lochlannaigh  throughout  Ireland  heard 
that  their  principal  chiefs  had  been  thus  slaughtered,  and  that  the 
tyrant,  Turgesius,  had  been  captured  in  Meath  by  Maelsech- 
lainn,  there  icll  a  great  terror  and  loss  of  confidence  upon  them 
all,  so  that  those  of  them  that  were  stationed  in  the  heart  of  the 
country,  far  away  from  the  great  seaport  towns,  stole  away  by 
night,  thronging  in  gangs  towards  their  ships,  with  the  intention 
of  escaping  out  of  Ireland :  and  those  that  were  stationed  in  the 
seaport  towns,  fled  to  their  ships,  to  avoid  the  onslaught  of  the 
Gaels,  who  were  in  chase  of  them.  And,  in  this  manner,  were 
all  the  Lochlannaigh  driven  out  of  Ireland  at  that  time,  Avith  the 
•  'xception  of  a  small  remnant  that  remained  therein,  after  their 
rout,  under  subjection  to  the  Gaels. 

Turgesius  Avas  then  drowned  by  Maelsechlainn,  in  Loch 
Aninn  ;'*  and  from  that  deed  it  resulted  that  the  Gaelic  nobles, 
with  one  accord,  elected  liim  as  Ard-righ  of  Ireland,  for  it  was 
he  that  had  freed  their  country  from  the  bondage  of  tlie  men  of 
Lochlainn. 

"  Loch  Aninn.     Now  Tvoch  Ennell,  Jjoch  Owel,  also  near  Mullitiiur,  was 

near  Mullinirar,  in  the  count}'  of  West-  the  lako  in  wliich  the  Prince  of  Mcath 

mcath.   Tliis  is  a  mistake,  for  the  Irish  ha<l  drowned  the  Norse  Chief, 
authorities  state  that  Loch  Uair,  now 


THE  HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  511 

Buchanan  relates  that  Gregoir,  King  of  Alba,  invaded  Ire- 
land with  a  numerous  army  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  eight  hundred 
and  seventy-eight/'  and  that  he  both  pillaged  the  country  and  slew 
Brian  and  Concobar,  the  two  guardians  of  the  Irish  king,  for 
(according  to  him)  the  King  of  Ireland  was  then  in  his  childhood. 
But  this  assertion  cannot  possibly  be  true,  for  nowhere  in  the  Irish 
records  do  we  read,  from  the  time  of  Slangi,  (the  first  king  of  the 
Fer-Bolgs,)  to  the  invasion  of  the  English,  that  any  king  had  ever 
reigned  in  Ireland,  who  had  not  arrived  at  the  regal  authority 
through  the  choice  of  the  people,  and  the  greatness  of  his  actions, 
and  the  might  of  his  arm.  And  besides  it  was  the  usurper, 
Turgesius,  that  was  tyrant  over  Ireland  at  that  time. 

MAELSECHLAINN,    ARD-RIGH. 

A.  D.  854.'*  Maelsechlainn,"  son  of  Maelruanaidb,  son  of  Dom- 
nall,  son  of  Murcadh,  son  of  Diarmaid,  son  of  Armedach  Caech, 
son  of  Conall  Guth-binn,  son  of  Suibni,  son  of  Colman  Mor, 
son  of  Diarmaid,  son  of  Fergus  Kerbeol,  of  the  line  of  Erimhon, 
held  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland  for  sixteen  years.  Arog,  daugh- 
ter of  Cathal,  son  of  Fiachra,  King  of  the  Fera  Kell,  was  the 
mother  of  this  Maelsechlainn. 

Now,  when  the  man  of  Lochlainn  had  been  expelled  by  Mael- 
sechlainn and  the  nobles  of  Ireland,  as  we  have  just  related ; 
the  Finn-Lochlannaigh  took  counsel  together  in  Norwegia,  in  or- 
der to  determine  upon  some  means  and  some  plan  by  which  they 
might  obtain  a  foothold  in  Ireland,  in  hopes  that  they  might 
thus  succeed  in  seizing  upon  the  masterdom  of  that  country  a 
second  time.  The  plan  adopted  by  them  on  this  occasion,  Avas 
to  equip  three  captains,  sprung  from  the  noblest  blood  of  Nor- 
wegia,  and  to  send  them  with  a  fleet  to  Ireland,  for  the  purpose 
of  obtaining  the  possession  of  some  stations  for  purposes  of  trade. 
And  with  them,  they  accordingly  embarked  many   tempting 

15  i^/o-Zii  Hundred  and  Seventy-eight,  not  easy  for  a  man  of  mature  age  to 

Here  Keating  is  thirty-five  years  or  hold  that  always  dangerous,  and  often 

more  in  advance   of  the  real  time,  in  little  more  than  nominal  title, 

consequence  of  his  having  assigned  a  '"  A.  D.  8-15. — Four  Masters. 

reign  of  44  years  to  Domnall  IV".,  son  "  Maelsechlainn  I.     In  Irisli  this 

of  Murcadh,  and  liaving  given  one  of  monarch's   name   is   pronounced  3Iai- 

thirteen  to  Turgesius,  who  should  not  laughlm,  the  initial  letter  of  scchlainn 

have  been  at  all  enumerated  amongst  being   mortified.    It  is  found  written 

the  monarchs.      Buchanan's  assertion  Maeilsheachlainn  in  the  more  modern 

is  nevertheless  untrue  ;  for  it  was  im-  Irish  writers.  In  writing  English,  some 

iossible,  that  there  could  have  been  an  call    him    Melaghlin,   which    is   well 

rish   king,^  who  was  a  minor.     The  enough,  but  others  barbarously  trans- 

heirship  to'  the  throne  was    divided  slate  his  name  Malachy. 
among  so  many  noble  tribes,  that  it  was 


512  THE    HISTORY    OF   IRELAND. 

wares,  and  many  valuable  jewels,  with  the  design  of  presenting 
them  to  the  men  of  Ireland,  in  the  hope  of  thus  securing  their 
friendship  and  peace,  for  they  deemed  that  they  might  thus  suc- 
ceed in  surreptitiously  fixing  a  grasp  upon  the  Irish  soil,  and  might 
then  be  enabled  to  oppress ^the  Irish  peojilc  again.  Here  follows 
what  the  Polychronicon  relates  upon  this  subject:  "After  the 
death  of  Turgesins,  throe  brothers,  named  Amelanus,  Cyriacus, 
and  Imorus,  coming  from  the  eastern  parts  of  Norwegia,  landed 
on  this  island  with  their  followers,  as  if  for  the  purpos:^  of  de- 
manding peace,  and  under  the  pretext  of  establishing  a  trade, 
and  there,  with  the  consent  of  the  Iliberni,  who  Avere  given  to 
peace,  they  took  possession  of  some  seaboard  places,  and  built 
three  cities  thereon,  to  wit,  Watcrfordia,  Dublinium,  and  Lymer- 
icum,  and  from  these  cities,  when  their  numbers  had  increased, 
they  frequently  insulted  the  natives  of  the  land."" 

It  ma}^  be  easily  understood  from  the  words,  just  quoted,  that 
it  was  through  the  treachery  of  these  three  captains  that  the  Finn- 
Lochlannaigh  from  Norwegia  found  the  means  of  repeating  their 
devastations  in  Ireland.  And  there  were  two  causes  for  the 
second  growth  of  their  strength  in  this  country;  the  first 
cause  was  that  copious  aid  in  men  and  ships  kept  constantly 
arriving  to  them  from  Norwegia ;  the  second  cause  arose  from 
the  hostilities  and  rivalries  that  prevailed  amongst  the  Gaels 
tlicmselves  about  that  time,  for  by  these  the  strength  of  the 
Irish  nation  was  very  much  wasted.  And,  besides,  it  was  the 
wont  of  the  rival  chieftains  to  give  free  quarters  to  warriors  of 
the  Lochlannach  race,  whom  they  thus  retained  in  their  service. 
Thence  it  resulted  that  they  regained  great  sway  in  Ireland,  and 
retained  it  until  the  time  of  Brian  Boromha,  as  shall  be  explain- 
ed in  the  following  pages  upon  the  authority  of  the  Iiish  An- 
nals. 

Arrival  of  the  DU^BII-LOCHLANNAIGH"  or  DANES. 

Whilst  the  Finn-Lochlannaigh  wore  harassing  the  country 

'"  Post  oljitum  Tnrgesii,  de  Nnrwe-  Tlio  Fair  Rtranf^cr.'i,  or  Finn-Lochlan- 

gií3e  partihus,  quasi  sub  pacis  intuitu  ct  nai.irli,   were    tlic   Norwofiiaiis.      The 

mercatura;  cxorccnclnc    j)r?ptexta,  trcs  aliovc-nioutioned  event  is  thus  recorded 

fratrcs,  Amelanus,  Cyriacus,  et  Imorus,  in  the  Irish  Annals, 
(ium  sua  sequela  in  lianc  insuhimappn-        "  A.  I).  847.  The  3rd  year  of  Mael- 

lemnt,  ct  dc  consensu  Ilibernorum,  otio  scclilainn.    A  fleet  of  seven  score  ships 

deditorum,  trcs  civitates,  viz.,  AVatcr-  of  the  penplcof  the  kincfof  the  foreign- 

fordiam,  Dublinium  et  Lymcricuin  con-  era  came  to  contend  with  the  foreign- 

stnixerunt,  qui  tamen  numero  succres-  crs  that  were  in  Ireland  before  them, 

ccntes  contra  indigcnas  frequenter  in-  so  that  they  disturbed  the  country  be- 

sultabant.  tweeii  them. 

"  Arrival  of  the  Duhh-Lochlanmigh,        A.  I).  H49.     The   Ditbh-Ghoill,  i.e. 

i.  c.  the  Black  Scandinavians,  or  Danes.  Dark  Strangers,  or  the  Danes,  arrived 


TOE    HISTORY   OF    IRELAND. 


513 


after  this  fashion,  there  arrived  a  large  fleet  of  Dnbh-Lochlan- 
naighat  Ath-cliath  from  Dania — that  is,  from  Denmark;  and  the 
coasts  of  the  country  were  devastated  by  them,  and  great  num- 
bers of  its  inhabitants  were  slaughtered.  Thereupon  the  Finn- 
Lochlannaigh  mustered  their  forces  to  repel  the  latest  intruders, 
and  a  battle  was  fought  between  both  these  foreign  races  at  Linu- 
Duachaill,  where  the  Finn  Lochlannaigh  were  put  to  the  rout, 
and  one  thousand  of  their  warriors  were  slain.  ,By  this  victory 
the  Dubh-Lochlannaigh  gained  great  supremacy  in  Ireland 
Soon  after  this,  Amlaeibh/-"  son  of  the  king  of  Lochlainn,  arrived 
in  Ireland,  for  the  purpose  of  assuming  the  lordship  of  the 
Dubh-Lochlannaigh  or  Danes,  and  forced  a  great  number  of  the 
men  of  Ireland  to  pay  him  tribute  ! 

It  was  about  this  that  Olcobar,  son  of  Kinaeth,  King  of  Mun- 
ster,''  died.  Then,  also,  died  Niall,  son  of  Gellan,  a  man  who 
had  lived  for  thirty  years  without  food  or  drink.  And  Flath- 
uiadh,  bishop  of  Birra,  and  Cormac,  bishop  of  Laithrech  Briuin,^'' 
died  also  about  this  time. 

It  was  about  this  period  that  at  a  Regal  Convention  of  the 
men  of   Ireland   was  called  together  at  Eath-Aeda-mic-Bric,"' 


at  Ath-cliath,  and  made  a  great  slangh- 
ler  of  the  Finn-Ghoill  (Fair  Strangers, 
or  the  Norwegians),  and  phmdered  the 
fortress  of  both  people  and  property. 
Another  depredation  by  the  Dubh 
(jhoill  upon  the  Finn-Ghoill  at  Linn 
Duachaill,  where  they  made  a  great 
slaughter  of  the  latter. 

A.  D.  850.  A  fleet  of  eight  score 
ships  of  the  Finn-Ghoill  arrived  at 
Snamh  Eignech  (now  Carlingford 
Lough),  to  give  battle  to  the  Dubh- 
Ghoill,  and  they  fought  with  each  other 
for  three  days  and  three  nights  ;  and 
the  Dubh-Ghoill  gained  the  victory, 
and  the  Finn-Ghoill  left  their  ships  to 
their  vanquishers." — See  Four  Masters. 

^  Arnlaeibh.  "  A.  D.  851.  Amlae- 
ibh  [Ou'lave  or  Ouleevc),  King  of 
Lochlainn,  came  to  Ireland,  so  that  all 
the  foreign  tribes  in  Ireland  submitted 
to  him ;  and  they  exacted  rent  from 
the  Gaeidhil  (the  Irish)." — Id. 

-'  Olcobar,  King  of  Mn-nster.  This 
death  is  entered  under  A.  D.  849.  The 
men  of  Munster  fought  successfully 
against  the  Sea-Kings  during  the  short 
reign  of  the  royal  bishop,  Olcobar. 
The  battle  which  he  fought  against 
them  at  Sciath  Ncchtain.  near  Castle- 
dermot,  in  the  county  of  Kildare,  was 


prematurely  introduced  by  Keating 
under  the  last  reign,  as  is  seen  by  the 
following  entries  : 

"A.  D.  846.  A  battle  was  gained 
by  Maelsechlainn,son  of  Maelriianaidh, 
over  the  Danes,  at  Forach  (near  the 
Hill  of  Skreen  in  Meath),  where  seven 
hundred  of  them  were  slain.  Another 
battle  was  gained  by  Olcobar,  King  of 
Munster  ;  and  by  Lorcan,  son  of  Kel- 
lach.  King  of  Leinster,  having  the 
Loinsterraen  and  Muustermen  with 
them,  at  Sciath  Nechtain,  whej^in 
Earl  Tomrar,  tanist  of  the  King  of 
Lochlainn,  and  twelve  hundred  along 
with  him,  were  slain.  A  hosting  was 
made  by  Olcobar,  to  demolish  the  first 
of  Corcach  (Cork),  against  the  for- 
eigners."—  Id.  The  plundering  of 
Iralech  lubair,  or  Emly,  by  the  for- 
eigners, took  place  in  the  previous 
year  (845). 

^  Laithrech  Briuin.  Now  Laragh- 
brien,  in  Kildare.  Cormac,  scribe, 
anchorite,  and  bishop,  died  in  854. 
Niall,  son  of  Gialan,  died  in  the  same 
year.  Flaithniadh  (F/ú/i  J2cca),sonof 
'Congal,  died  in  851. 

"^^Rath-Aeda-mic-Bric.  Now  Rath- 
hugh,  in  the  barony  of  Moycashel, 
county  Westmeath.    "A.  D.  857.    A 


514 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


around  MaelsecWainn,  King  of  Temhair  and  Etligna,  Comarba 
of  St.  Patrick ;  and  there,  Kcrball,  King  of  Ossory,  made  sub- 
mission to  the  Comarba  of  St.  Patrick.  It  Avas  there,  also,  that 
Maelguala,  sou  of  Donngal,  King  of  Munster,  and  Kerball,  King 
of  Osraide,"  made  peace  vnth  Leth  Cuinn. 

Soon  after  this,  the  Northmen  stoned  to  death  Maelgnala, 
King  of  Munster."  About  tlie  same  time  Maelsechlainn,  King 
of  Ireland,  fought  the  battle  of  Drum-da-Maighe,""  where  he  made 
a  great  slaughter  of  the  Lochlannaigh  of  Ath-Cliath.  About 
the  same  time  died  Domnall,  son  of  Alpin,  King  of  the  Picts ; 
and  Maelsechlainn,  son  of  Maeh'uanaidh,  King  of  Ireland,  died 
himself  soon  after. 


great  meeting  of  the  chieftains  of  Ire- 
land, was  collected  by  King  Maelsech- 
lainn to  Rath-Aeda-mic-Bric,  ■with 
Fethgna  (or  Ethgna),  successor  of  St. 
Patrick,  and  Suairlech,  successor  of 
St.  Fiunia,  to  establish  peace  and  con- 
cord between  the  men  of  Ireland  ;  and 
here  Kerball  (Cearball),  King  of  0.s- 
raide,  gave  the  award  of  the  succes- 
sors of  St.  Patrick  and  St.  Finuia  to 
the  King  of  Ireland,  after  Kerball  had 
been  forty  nights  at  Ereros  (in  Meath), 
and  the  son  of  the  King  of  Lochlainn, 
at  first  along  with  him,  plundering 
Meath.  And  after  they  had  awarded 
that  the  King  of  Osraide  should  be  in 
league  with  Leth  Cuinn,  Maelgualai, 
son  of  Donngal,  King  of  Munster, 
tendered  his  allegiance. 

f*  Kerball,  King  of  Osraide.  This 
toparch  had  recently  been  the  ally  of 
the  Danes,  and  had  plundered  Leinster 
and  Meath,  in  conjunction  with  Ain- 
laeibh  and  Imhar  (Ivar),  the  Danish 
chiefs  of  Dublin. 

"  Maelguala,  King  of  Mumter.  At 
the  instigation  of  the  foreigners,  he 
had  refused  to  do  homage  to  the  Ard- 
righ.  But  tlie  latter  had  invaded  his 
principality  in  85G,  when  he  tarried 
ten  nights  at  Emly,  defeated  its  chiefs 
at  Carn  Lughdach,  and  carried  off  the 
hostages  of  all  Munster.  This  was 
the  second  occasion  on  which  Maelse- 
chlainn had  to  make  Munster  acknow- 
ledge his  authority  by  the  force  of  arms. 
The  stoning  to  death  of  Maelguala 
happened  shortly  after  his  return  from 
the  Royal  Convention. 

"  Drum-da-Mai ghe,  i.  e.  the  Ridge 


of  the  two  Plains.  A  remarkable 
Hill  in  the  barony  of  Coolcstown, 
King's  county.  "A.  D.  859.  The  15th 
year  of  Maelsechlainn.  The  battle  of 
Drum-da-Maigh  was  given  by  Maelse- 
chlainn to  the  foreigners  of  Ath-cliath, 
Mhore  many  of  the  foreigners  were 
slain  by  him." — Four  Masters.  The 
other  principal  victories,  gained  by  the 
Gaels  over  the  foreigners  and  the  abet- 
tors, during  this  monarch's  reign,  are 
thus  recorded. 

A.  D.  845.  The  demolition  of  the 
Island  of  Loch  IMunremar  (now  Lough 
Ramor),  against  a  great  crowd  of  the 
sons  of  death  (i.  e.  malefactors),  of  the 
Luighni  and  Galcnga,  who  were  plund- 
ering the  country  at  the  instigation  of 
the  foreigners ,  and  they  were  de- 
stroyed by  him.  A  slaughter  was 
made  of  the  foreigners  of  Ath-cliath. 
at  Carn  Brammit,  by  Kcrball,  son  of 
Dongall,  Lord  of  Osraide,  where  twelve 
hundred  of  them  were  slain. 

A.  D.  84G.  Tighernach.  Lord  of 
Loch  Gabar,  defeated  at  Doirre-Disirt 
Dachoima.  where  twelve  score  of  them 
were  slain  h\  liim. 

A.  I).  847.  The  plundering  of  Dubh- 
linn  (now  Dublin,  and  also  called  Ath- 
cliath),  by  Maelsechlainn.  and  l)y 
Tighernach,  Lord  of  Loch  (iabar. 

A.  D.  849.  Kinacth,  son  of  Conaiiig. 
Ijord  of  Kiannachta-Breagh,  Mas 
drowned  in  the  Aingi  (now  the  river 
Nanny),  by  the  people  of  King  1sVm\- 
scchlainn  and  Tighernach,  Lord  of  Loch 
Gabor,  to  revcntre  upon  him  the  acts 
he  had  committed  against  both  laity 
and  clergy.     (These  evils  consisted  in 


THE    HISTORY    OF    IRELAND. 


615 


AEDir   FINN-LIATH,    ARD-RIGH. 

A.  D.  870."  Acdh  Finn-liath,**  son  of  Niall  Frasacb,  of  the 
line  of  Erimhon,  held  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland  for  sixteen  years. 
Gormflaith,  daughter  of  Domnall,  son  of  Donncadh,  was  the  wife 
of  this  King;  Maelmuri,  daughter  of  Kinaeth,  son  of  Alpin,'^' 
King  of  Alba,  was  his  wife,  and  it  was  she  that  was  mother  of 
Niall  Glun-dubh. 

The  following  deeds  were  done  during  the  reign  of  this  prince: 
Concobar,  son  of  Donncadh,^"  who  was  Kingoverthehalf  of  Meath, 
was  slain  by  Amlaeibh,  son  of  the  King  of  Loehlainn,  at  Cluain 
Iraird.  After  this,  the  same  Amlaeibh  proceeded  to  Foirtrenn  in 
Alba,  and  there  pillaged  the  Piets,  from  whom  he  bore  off  hostages. 

It  was  now  that  Aedli  Finn-liath,  King  of  Ireland,  won  a  great 
battle"  over  the  Lochlannaigh  ;  and  thence  he  bore  oif  the  bodi- 

the   plundering   of  the   Soatliern   Ui    Fergus,  chief  of  the  Oirghialla,  went  to 
Xeill,  from  the  Shannon  to  the  Sea,    Al'oa,  to  strengthen  the  Dal  lliada.  at 

during  the  previous  year,  by  the  aid  of    request  of  Kinaeth,  sou  of  Alpiu."' 

the  foreigners  ;  the  demolition  of  the     See  Four  Masters. 
island  fortress  of  Tighernach,  on  Loch 
Gabor;  and  the  burning  of  the  oratories 
of  Treoit  (now  Trevet),  with  220  per- 
sons therein. 


^  Concobar,  son  of  Donncadh.     He 

was    drowned    at    Clouard,    in    862. 

Meath  had  been  overrun  by  the  Danish 

chiefs   Amlaeibh,  Imhar,  and   Uailsi, 

A.  D.  850.     A  slaughter  was  made    during  the  previous  year  (A.  D.  861), 

of  the  foreigners  in  the  east  of  Breagh,     when  the   ancient   j^yramidal   mounds 

of  New  Grange,  Knowth,  Dowth.  and 


and  another  slaughter  was  made  of 
them  at  Rath  Aldain  (now  Rathallou, 
near  Duleck),  by  the  Kiannachta,  in 
one  month." — Id. 

"  A.  D.  861.— /(/.  This  date  is  two 
years  behind  the  real  time,  which  is 
A.D.  863. 

^  Aedh  VII.  He  was  of  the  Ki- 
nd Eoij'ain  branch,  of  the  northern 
Ui  Neiil. 

'^  Kinaeth,  son  of  Alpin.  —  He  is 
called  Keneth  Mac^lpin,  or  Keneth, 
by  the  Scotch  writers.  He  was  the 
34th  King  of  the  Dal-Riada  of  Alba. 
"In  A.D.  850,  being  the  12th  year  of 
his  reign,  be  engaged  the  Picts  in  a 
battle,  renewed  seven  times  in  one  day, 
and  at  last  totally  defeated  thcra. 
Marching  thence  to  Scone,  he  put  to 
death  Druskin,  son  of  Feradath,  the 
last  King  of  tha  Picts,  after  which  he 
united  their  kingdom  to  his  own." — 
O'Flaliertij.  That  this  conqueror  had 
received  aid  from  his  Irish  kinsmen  in 
his  victories  over  the  Picts,  we  have 
proof  in  the  following  entry,  which  is 
found  in  the  Irish  annals,  under  the 
fourth  year  of  the  reign  of  Xiall  Fras- 
ach :  "A.  D.  835.    Gofraidh.  son   of 


the  Cave  of  the  the  Wile  of  Gobhan, 
in  the  Great  Mound  at  Drogheda,  had 
been  broken  upon  and  plundered  by 
them. 

"  Great  Battle.  "A.D.  864.  A 
complete  muster  of  the  men  of  the 
North,  was  made  by  Aedh  Finn-liath, 
so  that  he  plundered  the  fortresses  of 
the  foreigners  wherever  they  were,  both 
in  Kinel  Eogain  and  Dal  Araide,  and 
he  carried  ofl  their  cattle  and  accoutre- 
ments, their  goods  and  chatties.  And 
the  foreigners  came  together  at  Loch- 
Febail-mic-Lodain  (i.  e.  the  Lake  of 
Febal,  son  of  Lodan,  now  Lough 
Foyle).  After  Aedh,  King  of  Ireland, 
had  heard  that  they  were  gathering  on 
the  borders  of  his  country,  he  was  not 
negligent  in  attending  to  them,  for  he 
marched  towards  them  with  all  his 
forces  ;  and  a  battle  was  fought  Gerce- 
ly  and  spiritedly  between  them.  The 
victory  was  gained  over  the  foreigners, 
and  a  slaughter  was  made  of  them. 
Their  heads  were  collected  to  one  place 
in  presence  of  the  King,  and  twelve 
score  heads  were  reckoned  before  him, 
which  was  the  number  slain  in  tbni: 


516 


THE    IlISTORY    OF    IKELAND. 


less  heads  of  twenty  of  their  chief  captains,  after  having  slaught- 
ered twelve  hundredof  their  host;  and  he  plundered  and  sacked 
their  fortresses,  taking  away  both  their  cattle  and  their  treasures. 
It  was  not  long  after  that,  when  the  fortress  of  Amlaeibh,,son  of 
the  King  of  Lochlainn,  atCluain  Dalcain,  was  burned  by  the  son 
of  Gaeitheu,"  and  by  Mael  Kiarain,  son"  of  Ronan,"  by  whom 
one  hundred  chiefs  of  the  foreigners  were  slain.  It  was  after 
this  that  Amlaeibh  sacked  Ard  Macha,  where  ten  hundred  of  the 
Gaels  were  either  killed  or  grievously  wounded;'*  and  whence  he 
carried  off  much  property  and  treasure. 

It  was  during  this  time,  also,  that  Kennfaeladh,''"  son  of 
Moch-tigherua,  died,  having  then  reigned  for  tliirteeu  years  as 
King  of  Munster :  and,  after  him,  Donncndh,  son  of  Dubdaboi- 
renn,  held  the  kingdom  of  Munster  for  fourteen  years.  Now 
also  died  Conall,  bishop  of  Kill-Sgiri.'^  And  then,  a  battle  was 
fought  between  the  Picts  and  the  Dubh-LoehlanniMgh,  in  which 
great  numbers  of  the  former  nation  were  slain.  After  that, 
Rughri,  son  of  Moirminn,"  King  of  Britain,  escaped  to  Ireland, 
fleeing  before  tlie  Lochlannaigh;  and  the  relics  of  St.  Columkille" 


battle,  besides  the  numbers  of  them 
that  •were  wounded  and  carried  off  by 
him  in  the  agonies  of  death,  and  who 
died  of  their  wounds  sometime  after- 
wards."— Four  Masters. 

^  Son  of  Gaeithen.  His  name  was 
Kinneidigh,  and  he  was  chieftain  of 
Ijieighis,  or  Leix,  the  country  ol  tlie 
O'Moores.  Amlaeibih's  fortress,  at 
Cluain  Dolcain  (now  Clondalken),  was 
destroyed  by  him  in  8G5.  He  defeat- 
ed the  Danes  again,  within  the  same 
year,  at  Dublin,  where  he  slew  their 
chief,  Odolbh  Micle. 

^  Maelhiaran,  son  of  Ronan.  This 
chief,  one  of  the   most  valiant  cham 


"  Rughri,  son  of  Morrminn.   "A.D. 

874.  Ruaidhri,  son  of  Moirmind,  King 
of  Britain  (Wales),  came  to  Ireland  to 
shun  the  Dubh-ii-henti." — Four  Masters. 

**  Relia  of  St.  CohimkiUe.    ."  A.  D. 

875.  The  shrine  of  Cohimkillc  was 
brought  to  Ireland  to  avoid  the  for- 
eigners."— Id. 

A.  D.  8G1.  The  killing  of  the  fo- 
reigners atFerta-na-g-caeraeh,  by  Ker- 
ball  (King  of  Osraidc),  so  that  40  heads 
were  left  to  him,  and  that  he  banished 
them  from  the  territory.  (This  place 
is  now  called  Fertagh,  barony  of  tíal- 
moy,  county  Kilkenny.) 

A.  D.  804.     A  victory  was  gained 


jtions  of  his  time,  was  slain  during  tbe    over  the  foreigners  of  Eochaill  (Youg- 
His  death  is  thus  re-    hal,   then  a   Danish   station),   by  the 


ensuing  year, 
corded,  under  A.  D.  CT  :  "  Maelkiaran, 
i-(jn  of  Ronan,  champion  of  the  East  of 
Ireland,  and  a  hcro-])lunderer  of  the 
foreigners,  was  slain." — Four  Masters. 

*'  Killed  01-  Wounded.  "Ten  htui- 
dred  was  the  number  there  cut  off  both 
by  wounding  and  suffocation." —  Id. 
This  happened  in  807. 

■■'  Kcnnfaeladh.  He  had  been  abbot 
of  Emly,  and  succeeded  the  unfortu- 
nate Maelguala  on  the  throne  of  (>a- 
shcl.     He  died  about  the  year  870. 

'*  Kill-Sgiri,  now  Killskeery  in 
^Inath.  The  bishop,  Couall,  died  in 
665. 


Desi,  and  the  fortress  was  destroyed. 
A  slaughter  was  of  the  foreigners,  by 
the  men  of  the  North  of  Oferaidc,  and 
by  Kinneidigh,  son  of  Gaeithen,  at 
.Alindroichet  (now  ^lonadrehid,  near 
Borris-in-Ossory.) 

A.  D.  8G5.  (Jnimbcolu,  chief  of  the 
foreigners  of  Corcach  (Cork),  was  slain 
by  the  Dcsi. 

A.  D.  8GC.  Flann,  son  of  Conaing, 
Lord  of  Breagh,  collected  the  men 
of  lireagh  and  Tx^instcr,  and  the  fo- 
reigners to  Kill  Ua  n-Daighri  {kcel-oo- 
voiric),  four  thousand  was  the  number 
of  his  forces,  against  the  King  Acdh 


THE    HISTORY    OF  IRELAND. 


517 


were  brouglit  from  Alba  into  Ireland  to    preserve  tlieni  from 
the  same  ravager.s. 

Cormac,  son  of  Culiuan,  relates  that  Lorcan,  son  of  Lactna, 
was,  at  this  time,  King  of  Thomond.  He  says,  likewise,  that 
the  north  side  of  Cashel,  as  far  as  the  gates  of  the  palace,  be- 
longed to  the  Dal-g-Cais,  whenever  the  rule  of  that  tiibe  was 
confined  to  Thomond,  or  North  Munster.  The  territory  of  this 
tribe  was  composed  of  twelve  tricha-ked,  or  cantons,  and  com- 
prised all  the  land  that  lies  from  Leim  Concidainn  to  the  Belach 
Mor  or  Great  Road  of  Osraide,  and  from  Sliabh  Echtaide  {Slieve 
Atighti/\  to  Sliabh  Yj\h\m\\\  {Slieve  Eilimn).  It  was  their  right 
to  march  in  the  van  of  the  host  of  Munster,  when  invading  a 
hostile  territory,  and  to  form  the  rear  guard  when  retreating 
before  the  foe;  as  Cormac,  son  of  Culinan,  has  said  in  the  fol- 
lowing verse : 

••  When  the  foe  is  invaded,  they  march  in  the  van ; 
And  the  rear  is  their  right  on  the  homeward  retreat ; 
'Tis  a  meed  of  their  prowess  in  battle's  rude  shock, 
Whose  perils  ne'er  daunted  the  Children  of  Cas."' 

Aedh  Finn-laith^'  died  at  Drum  Inasglainn,  in  the  territory  of 
Conalli ;  and  Tigernach,  sou  of  Muredach,  bishop  of  Drum  Inis- 
glainn,  died  about  the  same  time. 

Finn-liath.  Aedh  had  only  one  thous- 
and, together  with  Concobar,  son  of 
Tadg  Mor,  King  of  Connaught.  The 
battle  was  eagerly  and  earnestly  fought 
between  them,  and  the  victory  was  at 
length  gained  over  the  men  of  Breagh 
and  the  Leinstermenand  the  foreigners ; 
and  a  slaughter  was  made  of  them,  and 
a  great  number  of  the  foreigners  were 
massacred  therein.  Flann,  Lord  of 
Breagh,  Diarmaid,  son  of  Edersgel, 
Lord  of  Loch  Gabor,  and  Carlas,  son 
of  Amlaeibh,  i.  e.  son  of  the  Lord  of 
the  foreigners,  were  also  slain  in  that 
battle.  There  fell  on  the  other  side, 
Factna.  son  of  Maelduin,  Eighdamna 
(i.e.  King  elect),  of  the  North,  in  the 
heat  of  the  battle.  (Kill-Ua-n  Daighri 
is  probably  Killaderry,  in  the  county 
of  Dnbliii.)—J(/. 

The  principal  depredations  recorded 
as  committed  by  the  invaders,  besides 
those  already  recorded,  are,  the  slaying 
of  Kermad,  son  of  Cathernach,  Lord  of 
Corca  Basbinn,  in  862  ;  Conn,  son  of 
Kinaedh,  Lord  of  Ui  Barchi-tiri  (now 
Slievemargy,  Queen's  county),  was 
slain  in  866,  while  demolishing  a  for- 
tress of  the  invaders  ;  Eodois,  son  of 


Dongal,  suffered  martyrdom  from  the 
foreigners  at  Disert  Diarmoda  (Castle- 
dermot),  in  867  ;  Maelseclilainn,  Lord 
of  South  Breagh,  was  slain  by  them  in 
808  ;  in  869  Ailill,  or  Olild,  King  of 
Leinster,  was  slain  by  them  ;  the  men 
of  the  Three  Plains  and  the  Comainus 
(in  the  North  of  Kilkenny),  as  far  as 
Sliabh  Bladma,  were  plundered  by  the 
lords  of  the  foreigners,  during  the 
snow  at  Bridgetmas,  in  870  ;  the 
Danes  of  Ath-cliath  plundered  Mun- 
ster in  871  ;  the  church  of  Kill-mor- 
mic-Emhir  (now  Kilmore,  near  Ar- 
maiih),  was  plundered  by  them  in  859. 
Besides  these,  the  Finn-Glicnti  and  the 
Pubh-Ghenti  fought  against  one  an- 
other on  Loch  Cuan,  where  Alljand, 
the  chief  of  the  Dubh-Ghenti  or  Danes, 
was  slain.  In  fact,  the  contentions 
between  the  two  nations  of  invaders, 
seem  to  have  now  counterbalanced 
those  of  the  Gaelic  tribes,  and  saved 
the  latter  from  the  subjugation  that 
might  otherwise  have  resulted  from 
their  intestine  feuds. 

=«'  Aedh  Fhm-llafh,  died.  The  real 
year  of  his  death  is  879.  He  left  two 
sous,  namely  Niall   Gluu-dubh,  after- 


518 


THE    HISTORY   OF    IRf:LAND. 


FLANN  SINNA,    AKD-lilGU. 

A.  D.  SSC)/"  Flanu  Sinna,'^  son  of  Maelsechlainn,  sou  of  Mael- 
ruanaidii,  of  the  line  of  Erimhon,  held  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland 
fur  thirty-eight  years.  Lann,  daughter  of  Donngal,  sou  of  Ter- 
gal, King  of  Osraide,  was  the  mother  of  Flann,  sou  of  Mael- 
seclilainn. 

It  was  in  his  reign  that  the  following  deeds  were  done,  to  wit: 
the  whole  of  Munster"'  was  pillaged  and  despoiled  by  this  king, 
and  he  carried  off  the  hostages  from  that  principality ;  it  was  in 
his  reign  that  Domnall,  son  of  Murigen,"  ^v•as  killed  by  his  own 
companions,  and  that  Fiachna,  son  of  Anbith,  who  had  been 
King  of  Ulidia  for  one  year,  was  slain  by  his  own  people ;  and  it 
wastlien,  also,  that  Donncadh,*'  son  of  Dubdaboirenn,  died.  Kill- 
dara  and  Cluain  Iraird"  were  plundered  by  the  Lochlannaigh 
within  the  same  period.  The  royal  aenach,  or  fiiir  of  Talti,""  was 
cek'brated  by  Flann  Sinna,  son  of  Maelsechlainn,  King  of  Ire- 
land. Dublactna  reigned  as  King  of  Munster,  during  seven' 
years  of  this  reign,  at  the  end  of  which  he  died.  It  was  then 
that  Sitric,  son  of  Imhar,  was  slain  by  a  band  of  the  folk  of  Nor- 
wegia;  and  that  Aidith,  King  of  Ulidia,  was  slain  by  his  own 
people.     During  the  same  period,  Ard  Macha  was  plundered" 


wards  monarch  of  Ireland,  from  whom 
the  sept  of  0  Neil  1  is  descended,  and 
derives  its  name  ;  and  Domnall,  King 
of  Ailech,  from  whom  descended  the 
Ui  Eathach  Droma  Lighenn,  who, 
when  surnames  were  established,  took 
the  name  of  O'Donghailé,  called  in 
English,  O'Donnelly.  IJrum-Mesglain 
lies  near  Castle-Bellingham  in  Louth, 
iuid  is  now  known  asDrumiskin. — O'D. 
"  A.  D.  877. — Four  Masters. 
*'  Sinna,  i.  e.  of  the  Shannon  ;  pro- 
nounced Shiiwa. 

*'■  The  whole  of  Munster.  In  the  first 
year  of  his  reign,  "  Munster  was  plun- 
(lored  from  Boromha,  (now  Belboroo, 
near  Kallaloe,)  to  Corcach,  [now  Cork,) 
hy  Flann,  son  of  Maelsechlainn. — Four 
Masters. 

*■'  DomaaU,  sou  of  Murigen  ;  he  was 
King  of  I/jinster,  and  was  slain  in  the 
first  year  of  Flann  ;  Fiachna,  son  of 
Anlti'th.  was  not  slain  till  the  tenth  year 
of  this  monarch. 

"  Do)incadli,  son  of  Dubdaboircnn, 
King  of  Munster,  died  in  the  seventh 
year,  and  his  successor,  Maelgnala,  in 
the  fourteenth  of  the  same  reign. 


*^  Kill-dara  and  Cluain  Iraird  júun- 
dcred.  '-A.  D.  883.  The  seventh  year 
of  Flann.  Kill-dara  was  plundered  by 
the  foreigners,  who  carried  off  with 
them  fourteen  score  persons  into  cap- 
tivity to  their  ships,  with  the  prior, 
Suibni,  son  of  Dubdaboirenn,  besides 
other  valuable  property.  A.  I).  887. 
The  eleventh  year  of  Flann.  Kill-dura 
and  Cluain  Iraird  were  ])lundcred  by 
the  foreigners." — Four  Masters.  Kill- 
dara  was  again  plundered  in  the  nine- 
teenth year  of  Flann. 

■'"  Tlic  Fair  of  Ta.'ti.  This  royal  as- 
sembly is  recorded  as  having  been  cele- 
brated twice  during  this  reign  ;  first  by 
the  monarch  himself,  in  the  eleventh 
year  of  his  reign.  Again,  in  the  eigh- 
teenth year  of  his  reign,  we  read  of  the 
renewal  of  the  Fair  of  Coiniaught,  (i.e. 
of  Cruaehain,)  by  Tadg,  son  of  Concc- 
bar,  and  the  renewal  of  that  of  Talti 
by  Diarmaid,  son  of  Korball.  From 
these  entries  it  would  appear  that  those 
ancient  festivals  were  now  falling  into 
di.-<use  among  the  Gaels. 

"  Ard  Macha  plundered.  There  are 
two  pluuderings  of  tliis  primatial  scut 


THE    niSTOKY   OF   IRELAND.  519 

by  the  Lochlannaigh  of  Loch  Febail,  on  which  on  which,  occa- 
sion they  captured  Cumasgacli,  King  of  Ulidio-,  and  his  son,  Aedh, 
son  of  Cumasgach.  It  was  then  also  that  Domnall,*"  son  of  Con« 
stantine,  the  King  of  Alba,  died. 


Cormac*^  son  of  Culinan^  Archhishop  of  Cashd  and  King  of  Mun- 
ster — Battle  of  Belach  Mughna^  cOc. 

Cormac,  son  of  Culinau,  son  of  Selbach,  son  of  Allgenan,  son 
of  Eocaidh,  son  of  Bresal,  son  of  Aengus,  son  of  Nadfraech,  son 
of  Core,  son  of  Lugaidh,  son  of  Olild  Flann  Beg,  son  of  Fiacaidh 
Maeil-lethan,  son  of  Eogan  IMor,  son  of  Olild  Glum,  assumed 
the  sovereignty  of  Munster  about  this  time.  And  great  was  the 
prosperity^"  of  Ireland  during  his  reign;  for  the  land  became  filled 
with  tlie  divine  grace,  and  with  worldly  prosperity,  and  with 
public  peace  in  his  days,  so  that  the  cattle  needed  no  cowherd, 
and  the  flocks  no  shepherd,  as  long  as  he  was  king.  The  shrines 
of  the  saints  were  then  protected,  and  many  temples  and  mon- 
asteries were  built ;  public  schools  were  establishecl  for  the  pur- 
pose of  giving  instruction  in  letters,  law,  and  history ;  many 
were  the  tilled  fields,  numerous  were  the  bees,  and  j)lenteous  the 
beehives  under  his  rule ;  frequent  was  flistingand  prayer,  and  every 
other  work  of  piety ;  many  houses  of  public  hospitality  were  built, 
and  many  books  written,  at  his  command.  And,  moreover,  when- 
ever he  exacted  the  performance  of  any  good  work  from  others, 
he  was  wont  to  set  them  the  example  himself  by  being  the  first 
to  practise  it,  whether  it  were  a  deed  of  alms,  or  benevolence,  or 
jirayer,  or  attending  mass,  or  any  other  virtuous  deed.  It  was 
the  good  fortune  of  Ireland  during  that  epoch,  that,  whilst  he 
was  reigning  over  Munster,  the  country  was  abandoned  by  what- 

recordcd  under  the  reign  of  Flann.  We  was  Domnall,  or  Donald  V.,  the  thirty- 
read  that  in  "  the  fourteenth  year  of  ninth  King  of  the  Dal  Riada  of  Alba, 
Flann,  Ard  Macha  was  plundered  by  who  died,  according  to  Tighernach,  in 
Gluniarainn,  (i.  e.  Iron-knee,)  and  the  A.  D.  900. 

foreigners  of  Ath-cliath  ;  and  that  they  "  Coivnac,  son  of  Culinan.     He  suc- 

carried  710  persons  into  captivity  after  ceeded  Finguine,  who  was  called  Kenn- 

having  destroyed  part  of  the  church,  ghegan,  on  the  throne  of  Munster,  in 

and  broken  the  oratory."     Again,  in  the   twentieth   year   of    Flann    (896). 

the  seventeenth  year  of  his  reign,  which  Finguine  had  been  slain  by  his  own 

is  that  mentioned  above,  it  is  recorded  tribe  after  a  reign  of  six  years, 

that  Ard  Macha  was  plundered  by  the  ^  Prosperity,  "etc.     What  is  here  as- 

forcigncrs  of  Loch  Febail,  or  Lough  serted  of  the  prosperity  of  the  kingdom 

Foylc,  and  Cumasgach  made  prisoner,  during  the  reign  of  Cormac,  must  be 

and    his    sou   Ard    slain. — See  Four  understood  as  said  only  of  the  part  of 

Masters.  it  over  which  he  ruled,  namely,  Mun- 

^  Domnall,  son  of  Constant ine.    This  ster. 


520  THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 

ever  of  the  Lochlannaigli  had  previously  infested  it  for  tlie  pur- 
poses of  plunder. 

Upon  a  certain  occasion,  wlicn  Cormac  was  staying  at  Cashel, 
awaiting  the  coming  of  Easter,  he  sent  })roelan\ation  to  the  Eo- 
ganacht  tribes,"  requiring  of  them  to  send  him  hither  food  and 
treasures  for  the  celebi'ation  of  that  august  festival;  but  lliey 
gave  him  a  refusal.  Upon  hearing  this  the  Dal  g-Cais  sent  a 
large  supply  of  food  and  treasures  to  the  king,  so  that  he  felt 
grateful  to  them.  He  again  sent  word  to  the  clans  of  the  race 
of  Eogan,  demanding  of  them  to  send  him  jewels  and  valuables 
for  the  purpose  of  making  presents  to  strangers,  as  they  had  sent 
him  no  food.  But  upon  this  what  the  men  of  the  race  of  Eogan 
did,  was  to  send  him  the  worst  arms  and  goods  that  they  had 
then  in  their  possession,  and  Cormac  was  very  much  displeased 
thereat.  The  Dal-g-Cais  heard  this  also,  whereupon  thc}^  sent  to 
him  the  choicest  of  their  weapons  and  wearing  apparel,  their 
jewels  and  treasures  and  armor,  in  order  that  he  might  make 
presents  thereof  Thus  did  Cormac  feel  again  most  grateful  to 
that  tribe,  as  he  tells  us  himself  in  the  following  verse  : 

"  i\ray  our  truest  fidelity  ever  be  given 
To  the  brave  and  generous  clansmen  of  Tal  ;^ 
And  for  ever  may  royalty  rest  with  their  tribe, 
And  virtue,  and  valor,  and  music,  and  song." 

"We  read  in  the  Senchas  that  forty-four  kings  of  the  line  of 
Eogan  Mor  held  the  sovereignty  of  Munster  from  the  reign  of 
Aengus,  son  of  Nadfraech,  to  that  of  Mathgamhain,"  son  of  Ken- 
ncidi,  and  that  during  that  time  the  line  of  Cormac  Cas  had  given 
no  king  to  Munster,  with  the  exception  of  Lorcan,  son  of  Lact- 
na,  who,  according  to  O'Dubagain,  succeeded  Cormac,  son  of 
Culinan,  for  one  year  and  a  half,  as  King  of  Munster.  I3ut  dur- 
ing that  period  the  Dal  g-Cais  had  acquired  the  sovereignty  of 
all  the  land  that  lies  between  Leim  Conchulainn,  or  Loo]:)  llead, 
in  the  west  of  Corca-Baskinn,  and  Slighe  Dala"  {Ske  Daula),  which 

"  EoganacJtt  tribes.  As  these  tribes  of  Kennedy.  The  Irish  name,  when 
belonged  themselves  to  the  royal  blood  written  in  vulgar  characters,  is  spelled 
of  Munster,  they  were  were  free  from  !Matlighamhain  Mac  Cinncide,  and  pro- 
all  tribute  to  the  King  of  Cashel.  noimccd  Makdwin  Mac  Kinnaidic. 
Hence  the  subsidy  demanded  of  them  '''  Sli<r/ie  Bala.  This,  which  was  one 
by  Cormac,  must  have  been  asked  as  of  the  five  great  roads  of  ancient  Ire- 
a  voluntary  gift  a,nd  not  as  a  tribute,  land,  ran  from  the  southern  side  of  the 
Neither  were  the  Dal  g-Cais  bound  to  Hill  of 'i'ara,  or  Temhair,  in  the  di- 
jjay  any  tribute  to  Cashel.  rection  of  Ossory.     It  was  the  great 

'■'  Till.     Clan  Tail,  i.  e.  the  Children  south-western  road.      'I'lie  other  four 

of  Tal,  was  one  of  the  tribe  names  of  great  roads  were,  a  western  road,  called 

the  l)al-g-Cais.  the  Hiighe  Asail,  which  ran  from  'J  ara 

"  Malkgumhain.     lliis     chieftain's  towards  Loch  Owel,  near  Mullingar; 

name  has  been  anglicized  Mahon,  son  the  northern  road  was  called  the  Sligho 


THE    IIISTOKY    OF    IRELAND.  521 

is  called  Belacli  ]\[or  na  li-Osraide,  that  is,  tho  Great  Road  of  Os- 
sorj.  And,  moreover,  it  Avas  this  same  tribe  of  Cas  that  was 
wont  to  bear  the  brunt  of  the  wars  which  the  Kings  of  Cashel 
waged  cither  against  Leinster  or  Loth  Cuiiin,  as  the  bard  relates 
in  the  following  verse: 

"  'Tis  the  wont  of  tlie  men,  that  from  Lugaidh^^  have  sprung, 
In  the  battles  of  -Mumha  to  head  the  array, 
And  they  follow  always  in  the  rear  of  her  host, 
When  from  foemen  returning  through  regions  unknown." 

When,  indeed  Cormac,  son  of  Culinan,  had  spent  seven  years 
in  peace  and  happiness  as  sovereign  of  Munster,  he  was  instigated 
by  some  of  his  nobles,  and  more  especially  by  Flathbertach,  son 
of  Inmanen,  Abbot  of  Inis  Cathaigh,'^"  a  man  of  the  royal  blood, 
to  make  a  demand  of  chief-rent  from  the  principality  of  Leinster, 
upon  the  pretext  that  it  formed  a  portion  of  Leth  Mogha. 
Thereupon,  Cormac  convened  a  general  assembly  of  the  men  of 
Munster;  and  when  his  nobles  had  met  together  thereat,  the 
plan  which  they  adopted,  was  to  march  into  Leinster  for  the 
purpose  of  levying  that  chief-rent,  in  I'ight  of  the  division  which 
had  been  formerly  made  between  Mogh  Nuadath  and  Conn  of 
the  Hundred  Battles.  Notwithstanding  this  resolve,  it  was  with 
great  unwillingaess  that  Cormac  proceeded  upon  this  expedition, 
for  it  had  been  foreshown  to  him  that  he  should  fall  himself 
therein ;  but  he  consented  to  go  upon  it  nevertheless.  Previous 
to  his  marching,  he  made  a  will,  in  which  he  bequeathed  certain 
legacies,  wliich  were  to  be  given  by  Munster  to  some  of  the  prin- 
cipal churches  of  Ireland,  to  wit:  An  ounce  of  gold  and  an 
ounce  of  silver,  with  his  accouterments  and  his  steed,  to  Drum- 
Abradh,  which  is  called  Ard  Finnain ;  a  chalice  of  gold,  and 
a  chalice  of  silver,  with  a  satin  vestment,  to  Lis-mor ;  a  chalice  of 
gold,  and  a  chalice  of  silver,  with  four  ounces  of  gold,  and  five 
ounces  of  silver,  to  Cashel ;  three  ounces  of  gold  and  a  mass-book, 
to  Imlech  lubair;  an  ounce  of  gold  and  an  ounce  of  silver,  to 
Glenn-da-loch ;  his  wares  and  clothes,  with  an  ounce  of  gold  and 
a  satin  mantle,  to  Kill-dara;  twenty-four  ounces  of  gold  and  of 
silver  to  Ard-Macha;  three  ounces  of  gold  to  LiisCathaigh;  and 
three  ounces  of  gold  and  a  satin  vestment,  and  his  own  blessing, 
to  Mungarid.  The  wilP"  itself  is  contained  in  the  following 
verses : 

Midluachra    {Shlee  Meehoghra)  ;    the  in  the  second  century,  who  conquered 

Slighe  Cualanu  ran  from  Tara  towards  the  territory,  now  called  Clare,  from 

Dublin  and  Bray  ;  the  Slighe  Mor  was  the   Counaughtmen,  and  added   it  to 

the  great  western  road,  which  extend-  Munster. 

ed  from  Dublin  to  Galway.— O'D.  '"  Inis  CathaigJi,  now  Innishcathy, 

"  Lugaidh  ;  i.  e.  Lugaidh  Menu,  son  or  Scattery  Island,  in  the  Shannon. 

of  Aengus  Tirech,  King  of  Thomond,  "  The  Will     The  metrical  copy  of 


522  THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 

"  'Tis  time  my  testament  ■were  made, 
For  danger's  hour  approacheth  fast  ; 
M}'  days  shall  henceforth  be  but  few, 
My  life  has  almost  reached  the  goal 

My  golden  cup  of  sacrifice. 
Wherewith  1  holy  offerings  make, 
I  will  to  Seuan's^  brotherhood. 
At  luis  Cathaigh's  sacred  fane. 

The  bell  that  calleth  me  to  prayer, 
"Whilst  on  the  green-robed  earth  I  stay ; 
Forget  not  with  my  friend  to  leave 
At  Conall's'*''  shrine,  where  Forgas  flows. 

My  silken  robe  of  graceful  flow, 
O'erlaid  with  gems  and  golden  braid, 
To  Ros-cre,  Paul  and  Peter's  fane. 
And  Cronan's'^  guardianship  I  leave. 

My  silver  chessboard,  of  bright  sheen, 
I  will  to  Uladh's  roj*al  chief; 
My  well-wrought  chain  of  faultless  gold, 
To  thee,  Mochuda,™'  I  bequeath. 

Take  then  my  amice  and  my  stole, 
AncMake  my  mauuple  likewise  ; 
To  Lenin's  son,  who  lies  at  Cluain, 
To  Colman,"'  who  has  found  his  bliss. 

My  psalter  of  illumined  leaves, 
AVhose  light  no  darkness  e'er  can  hide — 
To  Caisel  I  for  ever  leave 
This  potent  gift  without  recal. 

And  my  wealth,  I  bequeath  to  the  poor. 
And  my  sins  to  the  children  of  curses  ; 
And  my  dust  to  the  earth,  whence  it  rose, 
And  my  spirit  to  Ilim,  who  has  sent  it." 

Great,  indeed,  arc  tlic   commendations  which  king   Cormac 
has  bestowed   upon  the  community  of  Mungaid,   according  to 

King  Cormac's  will,  from  which  the  the  founder  of  the  monastery  of  Inis 

editor  has  made  the  translation,  above  Cathaigh. 

given,  is  found  but  in  one  of  his  MS.  "*  ConnV.  St.  Conall,son  of  Modon, 

copies,  and  that   one  is  modern   and  received  the  ?rown  of  martyrdom  in 

somewhat  incorrect.     A  version  of  it  A.  D.  721.     The  F(jrgas  is  now  called 

has  been  given  in  Dermod  O'Connor's,  the  Fergus,  a  river  of  Clare. 

but  it  woidd  appear  Ijy  its  omission  by  "  Cronan.    St.  Cronan,  the  patron 

the  learned  Dr.  Lynch,  the  Latin  trans-  saint  of  Ros-cre. 

lator  of  Keating,  "tlia<  it  was  not  given  "■'  Mnchwla,  i.  e.  St.  Carthach,  called 
in  the  more  correct  copii.s  of  the  Foras  Mochuda,  the  founder  of  Lismore. 
Feasa.  It  seems  imperfect,  inasmuch  "' Co//nar),  i.e.  St.  i!olman,  son  of  Le- 
as it  does  not  mention  all  the  legacies  nin,  the  founder  of  the  church  of  Clu- 
contained  in  the  prose  summary  pre-  ain  Uamlia,  now  called  ("loyno,  in  Ui 
vioiiily  given.  Jvcathain,  County  Cork.  This  saint 
"  Seiian.  St.  Scnan,  or  Senanus,  was  died  in  A.  D.  600. 


TIIK   HISTORY    OF   IRELAND,  523 

what  Ave  read  in  the  duau  which  begins  with  the  line,  •'  A  gliilhi, 
ccngail  ar  loinn."  He  therein  sets  down  the  number  of  monks 
that  were  attached  to  the  six  temples  that  stood  within  the  walls  of 
that  great  monastery,  which  was  also  then  called  "  Cathair  Deocain 
Nesain,"  that  is,  the  city  of  Ncsan''^  the  Deacon.  The  following 
is  the  number  of  its  members,  to  wit :  five  hundred  monks,  who 
were  men  of  learning,  and  whose  office  it  was  to  preach  to  the 
people;  six  hundred  choristers,  who  sung  in  the  choirs;  and 
four  hundred  seniors,  who  were  devoted  to  the  meditation  of 
divine  things. 

But  to  return  to  Oormac,  when  he  was  about  to  march  into 
the  territory  of  the  Leinstermen,  he  sent  for  Lorcan,  son  of 
Lactna,  the  King  of  Thomond,  whom  he  received  with  welcome 
upon  his  arrival  at  the  royal  palace  of  Cashel.  He  then  pro- 
claimed to  the  nobles  of  the  line  of  Eogan,  that  it  was  the  right 
of  Lorcan®*  to  assume  the  kingdom  of  Munster  after  his  own 
death,  for  so  it  had  been  regulated  by  the  will  of  Olild  Olum, 
which  ordained  that  the  sovereignty  of  Munster  should  be  pos- 
sessed alternately  by  the  posterity  of  Fiacaidh  Maeil-lethan  and 
by  that  of  Cormac  Cas.  However,  the  desire  of  the  king  was 
not  fulfilled  in  this  matter. 

After  this,  Cormac,  having  mustered  a  large  host  around  him- 
self and  around  Flathbertach,  son  of  Inmanen,  marched  into  the 
territory  of  the  Leinstermen,  and  denmnded  of  them  to  give  him 
hostages  and  to  pay  him  tribute  as  King  of  Munster,  upon  the 
grounds  that  their  country  (Leinster)  formed  part  of  Leth 
Mogha."  Now,  when  the  host  of  Munster  had  come  together 
and  was  all  collected  into  one  camp,  previous  to  marching  upon 
the  intended  expedition,  it  happened  that  Flathbertach,  son  of 
Inmanen,   the  abbot  of  Inis  Cathaigh,  having  mounted   upon 

^  Nesan,  i.  e.  St.  Nasaii,  called  the  Field  of  Lugaidh,which  now  constitutes 

leper,  the  founder  and  patron  saint  of  the  county  of  Clare.     Their  exclusion 

the  monastery  of  Mungarid,  now  called  might   also   have    resulted    from    the 

Mungret,  near  Limerick,  who  died,  as  accidental  fact,  that  Aengus,  the  first 

heretofore  stated,  in  A.  D.  551.  Christian  king  of  Munster,  happened 

•^  Lorcan,  son  of  Lactna.     He  was  to  be  of  the  race  of  Eogan  Mor.     Cor- 

the  chief  of  the  line  of  Cormac  Cas,  mac  sought  to  put  an  end  to  this  in- 

whose   race  had  now   been  for   some  justice  by  appointing  Lorcan  his  heir, 

centuries  deprived  of  their  right  to  the  In  this,  however,  he  did  not  succeed, 

alternate  sovereignty  of  Munster.  Their  for   Lorcan   did   not   acquire  the  full 

exclusion  was  not,  however,  the  result  sovereignty  of  Munster  until  after  the 

of  the  weakness  of  the  Dal  g-Cais,  but  death  of  Flathbertach,  the   turbulent 

it  arose  from  the  fact  of  their  being  abbot  of  Inis  Cathaigh. 
placed  upon  the  northern  frontiers  of         "  Letk  Mogha,  i.  e.  Mogh's  Half  of 

Munster,  where  they  were  engaged  in  Ireland,  as  apportioned  between  Mogh 

constant  war,  either  in  the  defence  of  Nuadath  and   Conn  of  the  Hundred 

their  original   territories,  or   of  their  Battles, 
more  recent  sword  land,  the  Rugged 


524  THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 

horseback,  rode  through  the  street  of  the  encampment,  and  that 
whilst  he  was  thus  engaged,  his  horse  fell  beneath  him  into  a 
deep  trench.  This  was  esteemed  an  unlucky  omen,  and  its 
consL^quencfi,  was  that  a  large  portion  both  of  his  own  people  and 
of  the  whole  arni}^  retired  from  the  expedition,  having  first  pro- 
posed the  adoption  of  peaceful  measures — so  unfavorable  a  prog- 
nostic did  the}'  deem  the  sudden  ildl  of  the  holy  abbot  when  he 
had  mounted  his  steed. 

Then  ambassadors  arrived  from  the  Leinsternien,  and  from 
Kerball,  son  of  Murighcn,  charged  with  proposals  of  peace  to 
king  Cormac.  These  proposals  were ;  first,  to  have  one  universal 
peace  maintained  throughout  Ireland  until  the  following  month 
of  May,  for  it  was  then  the  Fortnight  of  the  Harvest,  and  for 
that  end  to  place  hostages  in  the  hands  of  Maenach,  son  of 
Siadal,  abbot  of  Disert  Diarmoda,"'  who  was  a  holy,  pious,  learn- 
ed and  wise  man ;  and,  next,  to  give  a  large  quantity  of  jewels 
and  valuables  to  Cormac  himself,  and  also  to  Flathbertach,  son 
of  Inmanen,  as  a  recompense  for  having  assented  to  such  a  peace. 
Cormac  was  most  willing  to  grant  their  request ;  w^hereupon  he 
immediately  proceeded  to  acquaint  Flathbertach,  that  these 
ambassadors  had  come  to  him  from  the  king  of  Leinster,  demand- 
ing peace  until  the  ensuing  month  of  ]\tay,  and  offering  jewels 
and  valuables  to  them  both  from  the  people  of  Leinster,  provided 
they  would  return  home  in  peace  to  their  owm  country.  But 
when  Flathbertach  had  heard  him  out,  he  fell  into  a  violent  rage, 
and  he  exclaimed,  "  How  easily  seen  is  the  weakness  of  thy 
mind,  and  the  littleness  of  thy  intellect  and  thy  spirit !  "  And 
after  this  fashion  he  then  addressed  much  of  abusive  and  con- 
temptuous language  to  Cormac.  The  latter  replied  to  him  in  the 
following  words,  "  I  know  full  well  what  will  be  the  rosidt  of  all 
this,  to  wit,  a  battle  shall  be  fought  with  the  men  of  Leinster,  in 
which  I  shall  be  slain,  and  in  which  it  is  probable  that  thou 
shalt  meet  thy  death  likewise." 

Having  uttered  these  words,  Cormac  proceeded,  sad  and  de- 
jected, to  his  own  tent.  When  he  had  taken  his  seat  therein,  a 
basket  of  apples  was  set  before  him,  which  he  began  to  share 
amongst  his  attendants,  saying,  "My  dear  friends,  I  shall  never 
more  share  any  apples  amongst  you,  from  this  hour  forth." 
"Dear lord,"  said  his  folk,  "thou  hast  cast  us  into  sadness  and 
grief  Why  art  thou  thus  wont  to  prophesy  evil  for  thyself?  " 
"Believe  what  I  now  say,  friends  of  my  lieart,"  said  Cormac, 
"for  though  I  am  wont  to  distribute  ajiplcs  amongst  you  with 
my  own  hands,  it  will  belittle  wonder  if  somebody  else  in  my 
stead  should  share  them  amongst  you  henceforth." 

"DtóertDúirmaíia,  now  called  Castle-dcrmot,  in  the  county  of  Kildare. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  525 

Corinac  tlicu  gave  orders  to  have  a  guard  placed  upon  bis 
tent,  and  the  ]nous  and  learned  Maenach,  son  of  Siadal,  tlie  suc- 
cessor of  St,  Comgall,  sent  for,  in  order  that  he  might  confess 
his  sins  to  that  holy  man,  and  make  his  testament  in  his  j^res- 
ence.  He  then  received  the  body  of  Christ  from  Maenacli,  before 
whom  he  renounced  the  world,  for  he  was  certain  that  he  should 
be  slain  in  the  impending  battle,  but  he  did  not  wish  that  his 
warriors  should  know  this.  He  willed  that  his  body  should  be 
brought  to  Cluain  Uamha,  if  it  were  possible  to  bring  it  thither, 
but  if  this  could  not  be  done,  to  have  it  brought  to  the  cemeterj^ 
ofDiarmaid,  son  of  Aedh  Roin,"  that  is,  to  Disert  Diarmoda, 
where  he  had  formerly  spent  a  long  time  as  student ;  but  he 
Ijreferred  to  be  buried  at  Cluain  Uamha  (Cloyne),  with  the  son 
of  Lenin.  Maenach,  however,  preferred  to  have  him  buried  at 
Disert  Diarmoda,  where  there  was  at  that  time  a  convent  of 
monks  of  the  followers  of  St.  Comgall,  for  IMaenach  himself  was 
at  that  time  the  comarba,  or  successor,  of  St.  Comgall."  He  was, 
as  before  stated,  a  man  of  piety  and  wisdom,  and  he  had  gone 
through  much  annoyance  and  labor  on  that  occasion  in  endeavor- 
ing to  bring  about  a  peace  between  the  men  of  Leinster  and  the 
King  of  Munster. 

But,  likewise,  numbers  of  the  men  of  Munster  had  deserted 
from  that  expedition  without  leave,  for  they  had  learned  that 
Flann  Sinna,  son  of  Maelsechlainn,  monarch  of  Ireland,  was  in 
the  encampment  of  Leinster,  accompanied  by  a  numerous  force, 
both  of  cavalry  and  infantry.  It  was  then  that  Maenach,  son 
of  Siadal,  said,  "  Good  people  of  Munster,  it  were  wise  on  your 
part  to  take  the  noble  hostages,  namely,  Kerball,  King  of  Lein- 
ster, and  the  son  of  the  king  of  Osraide,  that  are  offered  to  you, 
and  either  to  keep  them  yourselves,  or  to  place  them  in  the 
hands  of  some  devout  men  until  May  nest."  Thereupon  the 
whole  of  the  men  of  Munster  replied  unanimously,  that  Flath- 
bertach,  son  of  Inmanen,  was  the  man  who  had  forced  them 
to  invade  Leinster. 

When  this  complaint  was  ended,  the  army  of  Munster 
marched  eastwards  over  Sliabh  Margi,"  to  the  Droiched  Leith- 

"*  Son  of    Acdh    Roin.     Diarmaid  bot  of  Benuchoir,  in  right  of  -which 

was  the  grandson,  not  the  son,  of  Aedh  dignity  lie  presided  over  all  the  monas- 

Roin,  King  of  Ulidia,  who  was  slain  teries   that  followed   the   rule   of  St. 

in  732.     From  Diarmaid,  Disert  Diar-  Comgall.      Maenach,   the    holy    man 

mada,  i.  e.  Diarmaid's  Desert,   has  its  above  mentioned,  who  was  called  "  the 

name.      He  was  an  anchorite  and  a  best  scribe  of  all  the  Irish  race,"  died 

distinguished  doctor  in  his  day,  and  in  A.  D.  919. 
died  in  A.  D.  823.  ^  Sliabh  Margi,  now  Slievemargy, 

^  Comarba  of  St.  Comgall,  i.  e.  ab-  in  the  Queen's  county. 


626 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IKELAND. 


glinni."  Here  Tibradi,  the  coniarba  of  St,  Albi,""  took  up  his 
station,  accomi)anied  by  a  numerous  array  of  ecclesiastics,  and 
■with  him  were  left  the  camp  followers  and  the  baggage  horses. 
Then  the  men  of  ^lunster  sounded  their  trunipc;ts,  and  gave  the 
signal  for  forming  into  line  of  battle,  and  marched  onward  upon 
Magh  Ailbi,  where  they  took  up  a  strong  position  in  front  of  a 
wood,  and  there  awaited  the  enemy. 

Ilie  army  of  Munster  was  drawn  up  in  three  equal  divisions. 
Of  these,  the  first  was  commanded  by  Flathbcrtach,  son  of 
Inmanen,  and  Kellach,  son  ofKerball,  Kiiigof  Osraide.  Cormac, 
sonof  Culinan,  King  of  ^funster,  commanded  the  second  devision, 
and  Cormac,  son  of  Molta,  King  of  the  Desi,  was  the  leader  of 
the  third.  And  the  warriors  were  disheartened  by  reason  of  the 
multitude  of  their  enemies  and  of  the  fewness  of  their  own  host, 
for  some  authors  assert  that  the  army  of  Leinster  was  four  times 
more  numerous  than  that  of  Munster. 

Woeful,  indeed,  was  the  tumult  and  clamor  of  that  battle ;" 
for  there  rose  the  death  cry  of  the  men  of  Munster  as  they  fell, 
and  the  shouting  of  the  Leinstermen,  exulting  in  the  slaughter 
of  their  foes.  There  were  two  reasons  why  the  fight  went  so 
suddenly  against  the  Munstermen.  The  first  was,  because 
Keilichar,  a  relative  of  Kcnnghegan, "  a  former  king  of  IMunster, 


""  Droichet  Leithglinni,  i.  e.  the 
Bridge  of  I^itligleu,  now  called  Leigh- 
lin,  in  Carlow. 

™  Comnrbn  of  St.  Albi,  i.  e.  the  suc- 
cessor of  that  saint.  The  abbot  of 
Imlech  lubair,  now  called  Emly,  in 
the  county  of  Limerick,  was  thus 
styled. 

"  That  battle.  The  battle  of  Belach 
Mughua,  i.  e.  Mughain's  Pass,  or 
Road,  which  is  now  called  Ballagh- 
moon,  a  place  that  lies  two  miles  and 
a  half  north  of  the  present  town  of 
Kildare,  is  thus  recorded  by  the  Four 
Masters  : 

"A.  D.  903.  The  27th  year  of 
Flann.  'I'lic  battle  of  Belach  Mnghna 
was  fought  liy  Flann,  son  of  Mae!- 
sechlainn,  king  of  Ireland,  and  by  Kcr- 
ball,  son  ofMurighcn,  king  of  Loinstor, 
and  by  Catlial,  son  of  Concobar,  king 
of  Connaught,  against  Cormac,  son  of 
Culennan,  king  of  Caisel.  'J'he  battle 
was  gained  over  Cormac,  and  he  him- 
self wivs  slain,  though  his  loss  was 
mournful, for  he  was  a  king,  a  bishop,  an 
anchorite,   a  scribe,   and    profoundly 


learned  in  the  Scotic  tongue.  These 
were  the  nobles  that  foil  Avith  him, 
namely,  Fogartach  the  Wise,  son  of 
Suibni,lord  of  Kiarraide  Cuirche,  now 
called  Korrycurriky,  in  the  county  of 
Cork  ;  Kellach,  son  of  Kerball,  lord 
of  Osraido  ;  Maelgorni,  lord  of  Kiar- 
raide ryiuu'hn»,  in  Kerry  ;  ISIaelinorda, 
lord  of  Rathleim  ;  Olild,  son  of  Eogan, 
abbot  of  Trian  (Jorcaighc,  (i.  c.  the 
Third  of  Core)  Colman,  abbot  of  Kenn 
Etigh,  and  the  lord  of  Corca  Duibni, 
and  many  other  nobles  besides  them, 
and  KÍ.\  thousand  men  along  with 
them." 

"  Keiwghcgan.  1 1  is  proper  name 
was  Finguini.  'J'his  king  was  the  im- 
mediate ijrcdcce^sor  of  Cormac,  to 
whom  he  relinquished  Cashel  in  A.  D. 
HOG,  the  year  after  which  he  was  slain 
t)y  his  own  tribe,  namely  the  Kincl 
Aengnsa,  or  the  race  of  Aengus,  son 
of  Nadl'raech,  which  was  afterwards 
known  as  the  Mac  Carthies,  CKeciTcs 
and  O'Callaglians.  Cormac  belonged 
himself  to  this  tribe. 


THE    HISTORY    OF    IRELAND,  527 

jumped  hastily  upon  his  steed,  and  as  soon  as  he  found  himself 
mounted,  cried  out,  "  Flee,  0  Free  Clans  of  Munster,  flee  from 
this  terrible  conflict,  and  let  the  ecclesiastics'^  fight  it  out  them- 
selves, since  they  would  accept  no  other  condition  but  that  of 
battle  from  the  people  of  Leinster,"  Having  thus  spoken,  he 
quitted  the  field  of  strife,  followed  by  many  of  the  combatants. 
The  other  reason  why  the  men  of  Alunster  were  routed  was 
because  Kellach,  son  of  Kerball,  king  of  Osraide,  when  he  per- 
ceived the  carnage  that  was  made  amongst  his  people,  jumpjd 
likewise  with  haste  upon  his  steed,  and  thence  addressed  his 
host  in  these  words,  "Mount  your  steeds,"  said  he,  "and  banish 
these  men,  who  stand  up  against  you."  But  though  he  used 
this  language,  he  did  not  mean  to  encourage  them  to  drive  off 
their  enemies  by  fighting,  but  he  thus  let  them  know  that  it  was 
time  for  themselves  to  run  away.  The  result  of  these  two  causes 
was  that  the  ranks  of  the  men  of  Munster  were  broken,  and  they 
were  put  to  sudden  and  general  rout.  Alas !  great  indeed  was 
the  carnage  that  then  spread  over  Magh  n-Ailbi.  Neither  lay- 
man nor  ecclesiastic  found  quarter  therein ;  both  were  slaughtered 
indiscriminately,  and  if  any  man  of  either  class  happened  to  be 
spared,  he  owed  his  life  not  to  the  mercy  but  to  the  cupidity  of 
the  vanquishers,  covetous  of  his  ransom» 

Hereupon  Cormac  rushed  toward  the  van  of  the  first  division, 
but  his  horse  fell  beneath  into  a  ditch,  and  he  was  himself  dash- 
ed upon  the  ground.  Some  of  his  people  who  were  running 
away  from  the  battle,  saw  him  in  this  position,  and  they  came  at 
once  to  his  relief  and  replaced  him  upon  his  steed.  It  was  there 
that  Cormac  met  one  of  his  own  pupils,  a  free-born  man  named 
Acdh,  who  was  distinguished  for  his  proficiency  in  wisdom,  laws, 
and  history,  and  in  the  knowledge  of  the  Latin  tongue.  To  him 
the  royal  prelate  addressed  these  words:  "Dear  son,  do  not  fol- 
low me ;  but  betake  thyself  hence,  as  well  thou  maycst,  and  remem- 
ber that  I  had  said  that  I  should  myself  be  slain  in  this  battle." 
Cormac  then  rode  forward,  and  full  of  the  blood  of  horses  and  of 
men  was  the  way  before  him.  But  the  slipperiness  of  that  field 
of  carnage  soon  caused  the  feet  of  his  horse  to  glide  from  under 
him,  and  he  reared  and  fell  backwards,  crushing  his  rider  be- 

"  Ecclesiastics.  O'Halloran  assigns  Monaster  Emhin,  or  the  monastery  of 
a  cause  for  the  expedition  of  Cormac  St.  Emhin,  near  the  river  Barrow, 
into  Leinster,  which  may  explain,  if  The  object  of  the  war,  according  to 
not  excuse,  the  great  numbers  ofecclesi-  him,  was  the  restoration  of  their  mon- 
astics engaged  in  this  battle.  Accord-  astic  privileges  to  these  monks.  It  is 
ing  to  him,  it  was  entirely  undertaken  evident  that  Cormac  was  not  very 
for  a  religious  oliject.  Kerball,  king  popular  among  his  own  kinsmen,  per- 
of  Leinster,  had  expelled  a  convent  of  haps  because  of  the  favor  he  showed 
monks,  composed  exclusively  of  Muu-  to  their  rivals,  the  Dal  g-Cais. 
stermen,  from  Ros  Glas,  called,  also, 


528  THE    niSTORY    OF    IRELAND, 

ueatli  him.  The  neck  and  back  of  Cormac  were  broken  in  ihat 
fall,  and  he  died  sajnng,  "  Into  tli  j  hands,  0  Lord,  I  commit  my 
spirit! "  Then,  some  wicked  folk  came  up  and  pierced  liis  body 
with  their  javelins  and  cut  off  his  head.'* 

Hanmer  states  in  liis  chronicle,  that  it  Avas  the  Lochlannaigh 
that  slew  Cormac,  together  with  Kerball,  son  of  Murighen,"  king 
of  Leinster,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  nine  hundred  and  five;  but 
such  is  not  the  fact,  for  this  battle  was  not  fought  by  the  Loch- 
lannaigh, but  by  Flann  Sinna,  King  of  Ireland ;  and  Kerball,  son 
of  Murighen,  was  not  slain  therein.  This  is  evident  from  the 
historic  tale,  which  is  called  the  Battle  of  Belach  Mughna,  where 
Cormac,  son  of  Culinnan,  fell. 

The  number  of  noble  ecclesiastics,  kings,  chiefs  and  warriors, 
slain  in  this  battle,  was  very  great.  Kellach,  son  of  Kerball,  king 
of  Osraide,  and  his  son,  fell  in  the  very  beginning  of  the  conflict. 
Therein  also  fell:  Fogartach,  son  of  Suibni,  king  of  Kiarraidc;" 
and  Olild,  son  of  Eogan,  a  learned  nobleman  ;  and  Colman,  Ab- 
bot of  Kenn-etigh,"  Ard-ollamh  of  the  Brchons  of  L-cland ;  and 
numbers  of  their  followers  were  slaughtered  around  them.  The 
following  noblemen  likewise  fell  thei'cin,  namely :  Ct^rmac,  son 
of  Molta,  king  of  the  Desi ;  Dubagan,"  King  of  Fermaighe ; 
Kennfaeladh,"  King  of  Ui  Conaill  Gubra;  Aidin,  King  of  Aid- 
ni,^"  who  had  been  driven  an  exile  into  Munster;  and  Maelmu- 

■*  Cut  off  his  head.     The  stone  on  Tliej',  togother  with  the  0  Coilleains 

which  the  head  of  the  royal  sage  of  or  Collins,  the  Mac  Ennovics,  O  Flan- 

Cashel  was  cut  off,  is  still  pointed  out  neries,  and  0"Sheehans,  formed  the  tribe 

at   Ballaghmoon.     The   name   of   the  of  Ui   Conaill  Gabra,  whose   ancient 

man  that  beheaded  him,  has  been  re-  territories  lay  on  the  west  of  Limerick, 

corded.     It   was  Fiach  Ua  Ugfadan,  and  are  now  known  as  the  baronies  of 

ofDenlis.  U]iper  and  Lower  Conillo.    They  were 

"  Kerball,  son  of  Murighen.  He  was  a  branch  of  the  Ui  Fidirlienli,  a  race 
slain,  according  to  an  old  poem  quoted  descended  from  Eogan  Mor.  son  nf  Olild 
in  the  Four  Masters,  by  a  foreigner  Olum,  and  had  no  relation  to  the  0  ('on- 
named  Ilulb,  one  year  and  a  day  after  noils  of  Magh  O  g-Coinchin.  now  Mag- 
tlie  death  of  liis  adversary  Cormac.  He  unihy  in  Kerry— though  some,  misled 
was  the  last  king  of  T^inster,  who  held  by  the  resemblance  in  sound  between 
his  residence  in  the  ancient  royal  seat  the  English  form  ofConncll  and  the  L-ish 
of  Nas,  now  Naas,  in  Kildare.  word   Conaill,  have   asserted  Ihat  the 

■''  Klarraide,  i.  e.,  of  Kiarraide  Caut-  ()'(Jonnells  were  once  chiefs  of  the  Ui 

chi,  now  Kerrycurriky,  in  the  south  of  Conaill    (labra,    (Í7   Conaill    Gowrci). 

Cork.  I^iit   the  Irish  form  of  0   Conncll  is 

''  Kenn   Eti^h.     New    Kennity,  in  0  Conghailr,  which  is  now  pronounced 

the  Barony  of  Ballybrit,  and  Kings  co.  somcw  Íiat  like  0  Concdij,  and  is  derived 

''  Jhihafran.      'J'lie  ancestor  of  the  fiom  the  ]iropcr  name  C'ongal  or  Con- 

0  Dubagains,  now  O  Dugans  or  Dug-  glial,  not  Conall.     They  are  of  the  race 

gans,  once  lords  of  Fermoy.  of  Conari,  son  of  Mogh  Lamha,  and  not 

''*  Kennfaeladh.     It  is  probably  from  of  Olild  Olum. 

this  chief,  that  O  Kinealies,  in'  Irish  "■"  Aidni,  i.  c.  Ui  Fiachrach  Aidni, 

0  Cinnfhaelaidh,havc  taken  their  name,  in  Connaught. 


THE    HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  529 

adh,^^  Madigan,  Dubdaboirenn,  Conall  and  Feradacb ;  and  also 
Aedh,  King  of  [Ji  Liathain,  and  Domnall,  King  of  Dun  Kermna. 
The  following  Avere  the  chieftains  who  won  that  battle  over  the 
Munstormcn,  namely:  Flann  Sinna,  son  of  Maelsechlainn,  mon- 
arch of  Ireland;  Kerball,  son  of  Murighen,  khig  of  Leinster; 
Tadg,  son  of  Faelan,  hing  of  the  Ui  Kennselaigh  ;  Teminen,  king 
of  Ui  Degadh ;'''  Kellach  and  Lorcan,  the  two  kings  of  the  Ki- 
neil ;"  Inneirghi,  son  of  Dubgilla,  king  of  the  Ui  Drona;"  Fol- 
lamhain,  son  of  Olild,  king  of  the  Fotharta  Fea;"'  Tuathal,  son 
of  Ugari,  king  of  the  Ui  Muredaigh  i*"^  Odran,  son  of  Kenne- 
idigh,  king  of  Laeighis ;  JMaelcalann,  son  of  Fergal,  king  of  the 
Fortuatha;''  and  Cleirkin,  king  of  the  Ui  Barchi."* 

After  this  battle,  Flann  Sinna,  monarch  of  Ireland,  marched 
with  a  large  and  regal  host  of  cavalry  into  Osraide,  in  order  to 
install  Diarmaid,''  son  of  Kerball,  as  king  over  that  territory,  after 
his  brother  Kellach,  son  of  Kerball,  who  had  previously  held 
that  dignity,  and  who  had  just  fallen  in  battle,  fighting  at  the 
side  of  Cormac;  for  he  had  been  the  subject  of  the  latter  prince, 
inasmuch  as  his  territory  formed  portion  of  Leth  Mogha,  of 
which  Cormac  had  been  sovereign. 

When  the  conflict  was  over,  certain  folk  came  into  the  pres- 
ence of  Flaim  Sinna,  to  whom  they  had  brought  the  head  of  Cor- 
mac, soi^f  Culinnan ;  and  they  addressed  that  monarch :  "  Life 
and  he^^  to  thee,  0  mighty  and  victorious  king !     We  have 

"'  Maelinuadh  ;  This  is  probably  the  **"  Ui  Muredaigh.     This  tribe  then 

lord  of  Rathlenn,  who  is  called  Mael-  occupied  the  northern  half  of  the  coun- 

morda  by  the  Four  Masters.  ty  of  Kildare,     "J'heir  chief  sept  after- 

^'  Ui  Degadh.     A  tribe  of  this  name,  wards  took  the  name  of  O'Tuathail;  and 

which  is  otherwise  spelled  Ui  Deaghadh,  they  now  call  themselves  Toohill  Toolea, 

( U  Daa) ,  was  situated  south  of  Arklow,  or  Tu thills. 

in  the  county  of  Wicklow.  "  Fortuatha.       This,   according   to 

'^  Kineil ;  i.  e.  of  the   Tribes.     The  Dr.  O'Donovan,  was  an  alias  name  for 

editor  does  not  know  what  tribes  are  Ui  Mail,  (Imailc),  a  well  known  tcrri- 

here  meant,  if  it  be  notthe  Cinél  Cobh-  tory  lyinsi-  round  Gleudaloch,  in  the 

thaigh  {Kinail   Cowhigh),  a  tribe  de-  county  of  Wicklow. 

scended  from  Cathaeir  Mor,  seated  at  *■*  JJi  Baircki.     This  tribe,  descended 

Ard  Ladrann  in  Wexford.  from  Dari  Barach,  son  of  Cathaeir  Mor, 

"   Ui  Drona.     They  were  seated  in  was  at  the  time  of  this  battle  seated  in 

Idrone,  in  the  county  of  Carlow.  Their  the  county  of  Kildare,  between  the  Ui 

chief  family  afterwards  took  the  name  Drona  and  Ui  Muredaigh  ;  their  terri- 

of    O   Riain,   now    anglicized    Ryan,  tory  lay  east  of  the  River  Barrow,  in 

These   are  not  the  O  Maeilriains  of  the  county  of  Kildare.  Their  chief  fam- 

Uathini  in  Munster,  whose  name  has  ily  took  the  name  of  Mac  Gormain,  and 

been  also  anglicized  Ryan.  eventually  migrated  to  Ibrickan,  in  the 

^  Fotharta  Fea.     They  were  seated  county  of  Clare, 

in  the  present  barony  of  Forth,  in  Car-  "^  Diarmaid.     He  had,  apparently, 

low.   0  Nualain  or  O  Nolan,  was  after-  been  expelled  from  his  native  country 

wards  their  chief  family.  during  the  reign  of  his  brother. 

34 


530  THE   HISTORY    OF   IRELAND. 

brought  thee  hither  the  head  of  Corrnac,  king  of  Alunster.  Take 
it  then,  and  press  it  beneath  thy  thighs ;  for  it  has  been  a  custom"* 
amongst  the  kings  that  have  gone  before  thee,  -whenever  they 
had  slain  another  king  in  battle,  to  cut  off  his  head  and  to  press 
it  beneath  their  thighs."  However,  they  were  disappointed  in 
their  expectations ;  for  the  sovereign  not  only  returned  them  no 
thanks  for  their  present,  but  he  condemned  them  in  severe  terms 
for  the  evil  deed  they  had  committed.  And  he  both  said,  that 
it  was  a  sad  and  cruel  act,  to  have  cut  off  the  head  of  that  holy 
bishop,  and  declared  that  he  would  never  exult  over  it.  He 
then  took  the  consecrated  head  of  the  pious  bishop  into  his  hands 
and  kissed  it,  and  turned  round  three  times  therewith.  After 
this,  the  head  was  carried  with  honor  to  where  the  body  lay, 
and  to  Maenach,  son  of  Siadal,  the  successor  of  St.  Comgall, 
by  whom  both  were  borne  to  Disert  Diarmada,  and  there 
buried  with  great  honor.  Some  historians  will  have  it,  that 
Inis  Cathaigh  is  the  place  whither  Cormac's  remains  had  been 
carried  for  sepulture.  What  heart  would  not  feel  saddened  at 
that  deed,  to  wit,  the  deatli  and  mutilation  of  so  sacred  a  person- 
age, who  was  the  wisest  of  the  men  of  Ireland  in  his  own  day; 
a  learned  scholar  in  the  Gaelic  and  Latin  Languages;  an  arch- 
bishop who  was  filled  Avith  devotion,  and  sincerity  and  prayer, 
and  chastity,  and  godliness ;  the  head  of  doctrine  and  trtj^ihilos- 
ophy  and  good  morals,  and  the  Ard-righ  of  the  two^d^PFchates 
of  Mumha  ? 

Flann  Sinna,  monarch  of  Ireland,  at  length  returned  to  his 
home,  when  he  had  established  Diarmaid,  son  of  Kerball,  as 


*•  A   Custom. — The  editor  has  met  monarch  Flaun.     One  year  previously, 

with    no    mention  elsewhere,    of   any  A.  D.  902,  the  2Gth  year  of  the  reign 

such  atrocious  custom  as  that  above  of  Flann,  we  ai'e  told,  that  "  an  army 

named.    The  passage  alluding  tn  it  lias  of  the  men  of  ^lunster,  was  led  by  (Jor- 

beeu   altogether   omitted    in    Dermot  mac,  son  of  Culonnan,  and  by  Flathber- 

O'Connor's  translation  ;  and  the  pres-  tach,  to   Magh   Lena,  (in   the   king's 

ent  editor  would  willingly  be  spared  county).     The  people  of  Lcth  Cuinn 

the  task  of  rendering  it,  did  candor  al-  collected   against  them,  about   Flaun. 

low  of  his  passing  it  over.     If 'such  a  son  of  Maelsechlainu  ;  and  a  battle  was 

custom  ever  had  existence,  it  might  fought  between  them  in  which  the  men 

possibly  have  originated  in  some  lior-  of    Ijcth    Cuinn   were    defeated,   and 

ribly  distorted  aud  heathenish  tradition  iSIaelcraeibi    Ua  Cathalain,  was  slain, 

of  that  primitive  lOastcrn  custom,  in  Another  army  was  led  by  C'ljrmac.  and 

accordance  with  which  servants  were  \>y  Flatlibcrtach,  against  the  Ui  Ncill 

wont  to  swear  obedience,  l)y  ])lacing  of   the  south,   aud  against   tlie   Con- 

their  hand  beneath  the  thigh  of  their  naughtmcu  ;  and  they  carried  away  the 

master,  of  which  an  example  is  seen  in  hostages  of  Connaught  in  their  great 

Genesis  xxiv.  2.  ilects  on  the  Shannon  ;  and  the  islands 

The  engagement  just  recorded,  was  of  Loch  liibh  were  plundered  by  thep)." 

not  the  only  one  where  Cormac  had  — See  Four  blasters. 
measured  his  strength  with  that  of  tlie 


thí:  hiptouy  of  ikeland.  531 

king  of  Osraide,  and  liad  made  peace  between  that  chief  and  his 
kinsmen.  The  Leinsternien  also  returned  to  their  homes,  exult- 
ing in  their  victory ;  and  Kerhall,  son  of  Murighen,  king  of 
Leinster,  next  marched  towards  Kill-dara,  whither  he  had  brought 
a  great  number  of  Munstermen  who  had  become  his  prisoners, 
and  amongst  these  was  Flathbertach;  son  of  Inmanen.  Flathber- 
tach  Avas  then  brought  into  Kill-dara ;  and  there  the  clergy  of 
Leinster  set  about  reproving  him  with  great  severity,  for  they 
were  well  aware  that  it  was  through  his  contrivance  that  so  de- 
structive a  conflict  had  been  brought  about.  But,  when  Ker- 
ball,  King  of  Leinster,  had  died,  Flathbertach  was  released  ;  and, 
in  a  year  after,  Muirenn,  Ban-comarba"^  of  St.  Brighitt,  conveyed 
him  out  of  the  city  and  sent  a  large  body  of  the  clergy  of  Leins- 
ter as  his  escort,  with  directions  that  they  should  guard  him  un- 
til he  should  reach  Magh  n-Airb.®"  Then,  when  he  had  arrived 
in  Munster,  after  this  manner,  he  returned  to  his  own  monastery 
of  Inis  Cathaigh,  where  he  spent  a  short  time  in  the  practice  of 
piety  and  devotion.  After  some  time  he  came  out  of  his  monas- 
tery, for  the  purpose  of  assuming  the  sovereignty  of  Munster,  as 
the  successor  of  Dublactna,  son  of  Maelguala,  who  had  reigned 
over  that  jDrincipality  for  seven  years, ^^  after'  the  death  of  Cor- 
mac.     As  king,  he  continued  to  rule  his  territories  for  twenty 

It  ^Hh^^^  the  facts,  above  recorded,  are  related  in  the  an- 
cient Dool^which  is  called  the  Annals  of  Cluain  Aiduech  in 
Laeighis,  which  give  a  full  and  clear  account  of  this  battle  of 
Belach  Mughna;  and  it  is  so,  that  they  are  read  in  the  historic 
lay  compc  iP''d  by  Dalian,  the  Ollamh  of  Kerball,  king  of  Leinster, 
in  which  he  has  given  an  abridged  snmmar}^  of  the  battle  itself, 
and  has  stated  the  number  of  warriors  that  fell  therein.  But  I 
shall  not  quote  here  any  more  than  the  first  verse  of  this  lay, 
because  the  noblemen  that  fell  on  that  field  have  been  already 
mentioned  by  name.     The  following  is  the  verse : 

"'  Ban-Comarba,  of  St.  Brighitt,  i.  e.  from  tlie  death  of  Cormac  to  the  acces- 

Female-succcssoi*.     This  was  the  title  sion  of  Flathberthach ;  or,  as  is  not 

of  the  Abbess  of  Kill-dar.i.  unlikely,  no  chieftain  was  found  strong 

°'  Magh  n-Airb.      A  plain   in   the  enough,  during  that  time,  to  get  him- 

barony  of  Crannagh,  and  county  of  self  inaugurated  at  Cashel.     O'Hallor- 

Kiliienny.  an  has  also  fallen  iuto  the   error   of 

'■^  Seven  ijears.  This  is  a  mistake.  Dub-  placing  Dublactna,  son  of  Maelguala, 

lactna  had  died  in  A.  D.  890,  and  was  on  the  throne  of  Munster,  when  the  reigr.3 

succeeded  by  Finguini,  called  Kcnng-  of  two  of  his  successors  had  already 

hegan,  who  was  the  immediate  prede-  pa.sscd  by.      O'Dubagain's  Poem,    as 

cessor  of    Cormac,  son    of    Culinan.  published  by  O'Daly,  makes  Flathber- 

Either  Lorcan,  king  of  Thomond,  must  tach  the  next  sovereign  after  Cormac. 
have  held  the  chief  power  in  Munster, 


532 


THE    HISTORY   OF    IRELAND. 


"  Cormac  of  Fíinlienn,  Fogartach, 
Colman  and  Kellach.  of  hard  conflicts 
Were  slauglitcrcd,  ■with  six  tliousand  more, 
I»  that  great  fight  of  Belacli  Mughna." 

Flann  Sinna,  monarch  of  Ireland,  died  eventually  at  I'alti,  of 
the  plague. 


The  greater  part  of  the  long  reign 
of  Flann  had  some  respite  from  the 
attacks  of  tlic  Northmen.  Still  the 
annals  of  hi?  reign  are  but  too  full  of 
the  devastating  incursions  of  these 
pirates,  and  we  therein  read  of  some 
victories  gained  by  them  over  the  Irish 
chiefs,  and  of  frequent  plunderings  of 
those  religious  establishments,  which, 
all  through  this  long  and  desperate 
struggle,  the  indomitable  piety  of  the 
Gaels  seems  to  haA'e  renovated  and  re- 
paired as  fast  as  tiiey  were  d(>stroyed. 
The  following  are  the  principal  advan- 
tages then  gained  by  the  invaders,  be- 
sides those  already  mentioned  : 

A.  D.  885.  Flann  was  himself  de- 
feated by  them  before  Ath-cliath  (i.  e. 
Dublin),  where  Acdh,  King  of  Con- 
naught  and  the  abbots  of  Kill-dara 
and  Kill  Delga  (i.  e.  Kildalkey,  in 
Meath),were  slain.  Erimhon.king  of 
Ulidia,  was,  in  the  same  year,  slain  by 
Eloir,  son  of  largni,  one  of  the  foreign- 
ers. A.  D.  891.  Fiannagan,  .son  of 
Kellach,  lord  of  all  Breagh,  was  slain 
at  Olbda  by  the  Norsejnen.  A.  1). 
892.  Maelctigh,  lord  of  Fera  Rois, 
was  slain  y)y  them.  A.  D.  895.  They 
were  upon  Loch  n-Ethach  (Lough 
Neagh),  and  they  seized  upon  the 
Etach  Padraig,  i.  e.  St.  Patrick's 
vestment.  A.  D.  900.  Ailecli  Frigh- 
rcnn  (the  royal  seat  of  the  northern 
Ui  Neill),  was  plundered  ))y  a  foreign 
host.  A.  I).  908.  The  contest  seems 
to  have  been  even  carried  across  the  sea, 
we  read  that  "  A  victory  was  then 
gained  by  tlie  foreigners  over  the 
Ulidians  in  the  region  of  Saxon-land." 

'J'hc  following  were  the  chief  advan- 
tages gainexl  l)y  the  Gaels  : 

A.  D.  887.  A  slaughter  was  made 
of  the  foreigners  by  the  Ui  Amlial- 
gaidh  of  North  Connaught,  in  which 
fell  Eloir,  son  of  Barith,  one  of  their 
chieftains.     A.  D.  888.     A  battle  was 


gained  by  Riagan,  son  of  Dungal,  over 
the  foreigners  of  Port  J^argi,  Loch 
Carman  and  Tech  Moling  (i.  e.  of 
Wati  rford,  Wexford  and  St.  Mullins), 
in  which  200  heads  were  left  behind- 
A.  I).  891.  A  slaughter  was  made  of 
the  invaders  by  the  Conalli  (i.  e.  the 
men  of  Down),  and  by  Athdeidh,  son 
of  Laighni,  in  which  Amlacibh,  grand- 
son of  Jmhar,  and  Gluntradna,  son  of 
Gluniarann,  fell,  with  800  of  their  fol- 
lowers A.  D.  897.  The  foreigners 
from  Ireland  (i.  e.  the  Irish-born),  were 
expelled  from  the  fortress  of  Ath-cliath 
(Dublin),  by  Kerball,  son  of  Murighen, 
and  tlie  I A'instcrnK'n,  and  by  ^^faelfinnia, 
son  of  Fiannagan,  and  the  men  of 
Breagh,  when,  leaving  great  numbers 
of  their  chiefs  behind,  tl^jjtecaped 
half  dead  across  the  sea^^^^B 

Thus  did  the  balancc^^^^}'^  lean 
for  some  time  towards  the  Gaels  :  but 
near  the  close  of  this  reign,  vast  rein- 
forcements of  the  Northmen  came  to 
the  aid  of  their  kinsmen  in  Ireland.  ]n 
A.  D.  912,  a  new  and  great  fleet  of 
the  foreigners  came  into  LocliDacaech 
(Waterford  Harbor),  and  placed  a 
stronghold  there.  In  A.  I).  913,  Corc- 
ach.  Li.s-mor  and  Achadh-bo  were  plun- 
dered by  them.  Great  and  frequent 
reinl'orcements  of  foreigners  arrived  in 
IjOcIi  Dacaech,  by  whom  the  lay  dis- 
tricts and  churches  of  Munster  were 
constantly  plundered.  In  A.  D.  914 
(thi-  year  oi'  Flami's  death,  according 
to  the  I-'onr  Masters),  (Jebeiinach,lord 
of  Ui  Fidghenti.  and  Anli,  son  of 
(iathan,  lord  of  Uaithni  C'liach,  were 
slain  by  them.  The  foreigners  of  Loch 
Dacaech  continued  to  plunder  Munster. 
—  See  Four  Masters. 

The  death  of  Alfred  the  Great  of 
JOngland,  is  recorded  as  having  hap- 
pened in  the  24th  year  of  this  reign, 
in  the  following  t«rms  :  "A.  D  900 
(correctly  901),  Alfred,  the  king  who 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND, 


533 


NIALL  GLUN-DUBH,    ARD-EIGH. 

A.  D.  924.'*  Niall  Glun-dubli,'^  son  of  Aedli  Finn-liath,  son 
of  Niall  Calli,  son  of  Aedh  Oirnighe,  son  of  Niall  Frasach,  of 
the  line  of  Erimhon,  held  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland  for  three 
years. 

^riie  royal  fair,  or  assembly  of  Talti  was  renewed  by  this  king. 
It  was,  also,  this  Niall  that  marched  with  a  strong  force  of  the 
Gaels  to  give  battle  to  the  Lochlannaigh  of  Loch  Da-caech,"^  in 
Ulster,  on  which  occasion  great  numbers  both  of  the  natives 
and  the  foreigners  were  slain.  It  was,  likewise,  during  his 
reign  that  the  pirate  chieftain  Imhar  routed  the  Leinstermen  in 


instituted  the  laws  and  ordinances  of 
the  Saxons,  and  who  was  the  most 
distinguished  for  prowess,  wisdom  and 
pietv  of  the  Saxon  kings,  died." — lb. 

""'A.  D.  91o.— lb. 

"^  Niall  IY.  This  is  the  ancestor 
from  whom  the  O'Neills  of  Tyrone 
take  their  name.  From  his  elder 
brother  Domuall.  king  of  Ailech,  or 
north-western  Ulster,  came  the  sept  of 
O  Doungali,  now  called  O'Donnelly. 

°°  Loch  DaQQecIi,  -in  Ulster.  This  is 
a  very  great  mistake.  Loch  Dacaech 
was  the  old  name  of  Watcrford  Har- 
bor, which  lay  between  Leinster  and 
Munster.  Port  Largi,  i.  e.  the  Port 
or  Fort  of  Larac,  the  more  modern 
Gaelic  name  of  the  city  of  Waterford, 
was  not  in  all  probability  given  to  it 
until  after  the  death  of  the  Northman 
chieftain  Larac,  who  flourished  in  A.  D. 
951.  The  name  of  Waterford  was 
given  to  it  by  the  Danes  or  Norsemen, 
who  wTÍte  it  Vedrafjord,  wich  is  sup- 
posed to  signify  "  weather  bay." — O'D. 

"A.  D.  915.  Sitric,  grandson  of 
Imhar,  with  his  fleet,  took  up  at  Kenn- 
fuait,  in  the  east  of  Leinster.  Ragh- 
nall,  grandson  of  Imhar,  with  another 
fleet,  went  to  the  foreigners. 

"  A  slaughter  was  made  of  the  for- 
eigners by  the  Munstcrmen.  Another 
slaughter  was  made  of  them  by  the 
Eoganachta  and  the  Kiarraighe. 

"An  army  of  the  Ui  Neill  of  the 
south  and  north  was  led  by  Niall,  king 
of  Ireland,  to  the  men  of  Munster,  to 
wage  war  against  the  foreigners.  He 
pitched  his  camp  at  Tobar  Gethrach, 


in  Magh  Femhenn  (South  Tipperary), 
on  the  22nd  of  August.  The  foreign- 
ers entered  that  territory  on  the  same 
dayv  The  Irish  attacked  them  the  3rd 
hour  before  noon,  so  that  1100  men 
were  slain  between  them.  But  more 
of  the  foreigners  fell,  and  they  were 
defeated.  There  fell  here,  in  the  lieat 
of  the  conflict,  the  chief  of  Carraig 
Brachaide,  and  Maelfinnen,  son  of 
Donnagan,  chief  of  Ui  Kearnaigh,  Fer- 
gal,  son  of  Murighcn,  chief  of  Ui 
Crimthainn,  and  others.  Reinforce- 
ments set  out  from  the  fortress  of  the 
foreigners  to  relieve  their  people.  The 
Gaels  returned  back  to  their  camp  be- 
fore the  arrival  of  the  last  host,  which 
was  commanded  by  Raghnall,  king  of 
the  Dubh  Goill  (Danes),  who  had  an 
army  with  him.  Niall  set  out  against 
them  M'ith  a  small  force,  so  that  God 
prevented  their  slaughter  througli  him. 
Niall  remained  encamped  against  the 
foreigners  for  twenty  nights  after  this. 
He  then  requested  of  the  Leinstermen 
to  continue  the  siege.  This  the  latter 
did,  until  Sitric,  grandson  of  Imhar, 
gave  them  battle  at  Kenn-fuait,  where 
six  hundred  were  slain  around  the 
lords  of  Leinster,  together  with  their 
king  Ugari,  son  of  Ailall.  These  are 
the  names  of  some  of  the  chiefs  :  Mael- 
morda.  lord  of  Airther  Lifi ;  Mugron, 
lord  of  the  three  Comainns  and  of 
Laeighis  ;  Tuathal,  lord  of  Ui  Feincch' 
lais,  and  many  other  chiefs,  with  the 
archbishop  Maelmaedog,  son  of  Diar- 
maid,  who  was  of  the  Ui  Conannla, 
abbot  of  Glenn  Uiscan,  a  distinguished 


534  THE    niSTORY   OF    IRELAND. 

the  battle  of  Kenn-faaid,"  wherein  six  hundred  of  the  latter  were 
slain,  around  Maelmorda,  son  of  Murighen,  king  of  the  territory 
west  of  the  Lifi;  around  Ugari,  son  of  Olild;  around  Moghron, 
or  Odran,  son  of  Kenneidigh,  king  of  the  three  Coinainns  and 
of  Laeighis,  and  around  many  other  chiefs  that  I  shall  not  now 
name. 

It  was  about  this  time  that  Oitir,  another  chieftain  of  the 
Lochlannaigh,  sailed  with  a  numerous  host  from  Loch-da-caech 
to  Alba,  wliere  Gnas,'*  son  of  Aedh,  mot  him  in  battle,  wherein 
Oitir  fell  himself,  together  with  great  numbers  of  his  followers. 

During  the  reign  of  Niall,  there  arrived  in  Ireland  another 
great  host  of  the  foreigners,  under  the  conduct  of  Sitric  and  the 
sonsof  Imhar.  These  seized  upon  the  city  of  Ath-cliath,  in  spite 
of  the  men  of  Ireland.  Thereupon,  Niall  Gluu-dubh  assembled 
the  full  force  of  Leth  Cuiun,  and  with  which  he  engaged  the 
Lochlannaigh  in  battle  at  Ath-cliath,"'  where  he  was  himself 
slain,  together  with  Concobar  0  Maelsechlainn,  the  heir  apparent 
to  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland,  and  Aedh,  son  of  Eocagan,  king 
of  Ulidia,  and  Maelniithigh,  son  of  Flannngan,  king  of  Breagh, 
and  }klaelcraeibi  O  Dublin naigh,  king  of  Oirghiaila,  and  many 
chieftains  and  warriors  of  inferior  degree. 

DONNCADII,    ARD-RIGH. 

A.  D.  927."'  Donncadh,^  son  of  Flann  Sinna,  son  of 
Maelsechlainn,  of  the  line  of  Erimhon,  held  the  sovereignty  of 

scribe  and  anchorite,  and  an  adept  in  enumerated,  there  fell  likewise  Kellech, 

the    Latin    learninii   and   the   Scotic  son    of   For?:artach,   lord    of    South 

language." — Four  Masters.  Breach,  and  Maelcraeibi,  son  of  Doil- 

*'  Kenn-fuaid.      Now  Confey,  near  ghen,  lord  of  Ui  Tortain. 

Leixless,  county  Kildarc.    The  foreign-  '""  A.  D.  918.  Four  Masters.    These 

ers  at  this  place  jjlundercd  Kill-dara  annalists  give  this  prince  a  reigu  of  25 

soon  after  the  battle  just  mentioned,  years. 

Those  of  Ath-cliath  plundered  it  again  '  Do.vncadii  II.     lie  was  the  flrst 

next  year,  when  they  also  plundered  that  took  tlie  surname  of  O'Maelscch- 

Leithglinn,where  Maelpadraig,  a  priest,  lain,  being  the  0,  or  grandson  of  King 

and  Mongan,  an  anchorite,  with  many  Maelsechlainn  I. 

others,  were  slain. — See  Four  Masters.  Kennanus,    now   Kells,   was    plun- 

*    Cuas.     This    name    is    wrongly  dered  by  the  foreigners  in  the  1st  year 

spelled.     Perhaps  it  is  a  mistake  for  of    his   reign,    and  its  stone    church, 

('uan.     According  to  our  annals,  Co:i-  or  daimli-liag,  was  razed  to  the  earth, 

stantine,  son  of  Aedh,  wasthe  name  of  But   soon   after   the   monarch  cngag- 

thc  king  of  Alba  tliat  defeated  Oitir  ed  Ihein   in  battle    at  a  place  called 

and  the   Northmen  of  Watcrfnrd   in  Tigh  mic  n-Ethach,  in  the  Kiannachta 

A.  D.  916.  (if  Breagh,  wherein  a  countless  num- 

"    The  battle  of  Ath-cliath.      This  IxT   of  them  were   slain.      "  Indeed," 

battle  was  fought  on  tlie  ITtli  of  Octo-  say  the  Four  Masters,  "in  this  battle 

ber,  in  A.  D.  917,  at  Kill  Mosainhog,  revenge    was   had   of   them    for    the 

now  lvilma.sho'4-ue,  near  Katlifarnham,  slaugiiter  of  Ath-cliath,  for  there  fell 

CO.  Dublin.    Besides  the  chiefs  here  here  of  the  njbles  of  the  Norsemen,  as 


TIiE    HISTORY    OF    IRELAND. 


535 


Ireland  for  twenty  years.     Gorn-iflaith,  daughter  of  Flann,  son 
of  Conaing,  was  tlie  mother  of  this  Donncadh. 

It  was  while  he  was  monarch  of  Ireland  that  the  following 
event  took  place  ;  for  it  was  in  the  beginning"  of  his  reign  that 
KclLachan,  son  of  Buadcan,  who  is  called  Cellaehan  Caisil 
{Callaglian  CYishi'U),  or  Kellachan  of  Cashel,  assumed  the 
sovereignty  of  Munster,  which  he  held  for  ten  years.  But 
before  Keilachan  had  been  made  king,  Kenneidi,  son  of  Lorcan, 
came  to  a  convention  of  the  chiefs  of  Munster,  which  was  held 
at  Glennamhain'  {Gknnowin),  and  there  strove  to  supplant  him 
in  the  royalty.  But,  thereupon,  the  mother  of  Kellachan  went 
thither  from  Cashel,  where  she  was  wont  to  dwell  with  her 
fosterfather,  the  Comarba  of  St.  Patrick,  and  when  she  arrived 
at  the  place  of  the  convention,  she  besought  Kenneidi  to  remem- 
ber the  compact  formerly  made  between  Fiacaidh  Maeildethan 
and  Cormac  Gas,  by  which  it  was  ordained  that  the  royal  inherit- 
ance of  Munster  should  be  alternately  possessed  by  their  respect- 
ive descendants.  In  memory  of  this  intervention,  the  words  in 
which  the  lady  then  addressed  him  have  been  transmitted  to  us 
in  the  following  verse : 

"  Kenneidi  Cas,  revere  that  law, 
Which  Fiacaidh  and  Cormac  willed, 


many  as  had  fallen  of  the  nobles  and 
plebeians  of  the  Gaels  in  the  battle  of 
Ath-cliath.  Murkertach,  son  of  Tigher- 
nan,  heir  apparent  of  Brefni,  was 
wounded  in  this  battle,  so  that  he 
afterwards  died  of  his  wounds."  The 
annals  of  Clommacnoise  say,  "  that  not 
one  half  of  the  Danish  army  was  left 
alive,  and  that  there  never  was  such  a 
massacre  made  of  them  before  in  Ire- 
laud." 

■  In  the  beginning.  This  can  scarcely 
be,  if  we  allow  that  he  reigned  but  ten 
vears ;  for  we  find  by  the  Irish  annals 
that  in  A.  D.  920,  Flathbertach,  son 
of  Inmanen,  I'csigned  the  kingdom  of 
Cashel  to  Lorcan,  son  of  Conligan,  and 
went  upon  a  pilgrimage.  Kellachan 
is  first  mentioned  in  Irish  records  in 
the  year  934,  the  17th  year  of  Donn- 
cadh, when  he  distinguished  himself  by 
plundering  Cluain-mic-Nois.  From 
that  time  until  liis  death,  in  953,  being 
the  11th  year  of  the  reign  of  Con- 
gal,  or  Congalacli,  he  occupies  a  prom- 
inent place  in  our  annals.  This,  sup- 
posing him  to  have  assumed  the  king- 
dom of  Munster  in  the  former  year, 


would  give  him  a  reign  of  18,  not  10 
years.  During  the  14  years  that 
intervened  between  his  first  appearance 
and  the  resignation  of  Flathbertach, 
Munster  must  have  been  successively 
ruled  by  Lorcan,  son  of  Conligan,  and 
by  his  namesake,  Lorcan,  son  of  Lactua. 
That  the  former  was  a  different  person 
from  the  latter,  and  of  the  royal  blood 
of  the  Eoganachta,  we  have  evidence 
in  the  record  of  the  death  of  his  father. 
Con]igan,son  of  Corcran,  who  was  slain 
in  898,  in  revenge  for  Kennghcgan, 
i.  e.  Finguini,  king  of  Munster,  who 
had  been  "  slain  by  his  own  tribe." 
The  ambitious  Flathbertach  did  not, 
however,  die  until  944,  and  he  might 
have  resumed  the  throne. 

^  Glennamhain.  It  is  now  called 
Glanworth,  and  is  situated  on  the 
river  Tuncheon,  in  the  barony  of  Fer- 
moy,  county  Cork.  It  was  one  of  the 
royal  residences  of  the  Eogauacht  prin- 
ces, and  became  afterwards  the  chief 
seat  of  that  branch  of  their  tribe  which 
took  the  name  of  O'Caeimh,  or  as  now 
spelled,  O'Keeffe. 


536  THE   HISTORY    OF    IRELAND. 

By  which  a  \:uv^  from  cither  sprung, 
Should  Mumha  rule  alternately." 

The  final  result  of  her  expostulation  was  that  Kenneidi  retired 
from  the  contest,  and  relinquished  the  sovereignty  to  Kellachan. 
Some  time  after  this,  the  Lochlannaigh  made  Kellachan  their 
captive,  bv  a  treacherous  scheme,  but  the  Sil  Eogaiu  and  the  Dal 
g-Cais  soon  rescued  him  by  force  from  their  bonds. 

The  captivity*  and  rescue  of  Kellachan  of  Cashcl. — His  victories 
over  the  Lochlannaigh. 

When,  indeed,  Kellachan  and  the  men  of  Munster  had  routed 
the  Lochlannaigh  in  many  battles,  and  had  driven  them  out  of 
his  principality,  the  plan  adopted  by  Sitric,  sonof  Targeis,  their 
principal  chiei'tain,  was  to  propose  a  matrimonial  alliance  to  the 
Munster  king,  that  is,  he  offered  to  give  Kellachan  his  own 
sister,  Bebinn,  as  his  wife,  promising  at  the  same  time  to  free 
Munster  thenceforth  from  all  the  attacks  and  all  the  demands  of 
his  countrymen.  lie  did  this  in  order  that,  when  Kellachan 
went  to  wed  his  sister,  and  trusted  himself  to  his  protection,  he 
might  slay  both  the  king  himself,  and  as  many  of  the  nobles  of 
the  Gaels  as  might  accompany  him.  With  this  treacherous 
stratagem  he  acquainted  Donncadh,  son  of  Flann,  king  of  Tem- 
hair,  because  that  monarch  was  at  enmity  with  Kellachan,  who 
had  refused  to  paj^  him  the  chief-rent  of  Munster,  For  the  lat- 
ter reason,  did  Donncadh  give  his  consent  that  Sitric  should  put 
his  treason  into  execution  against  Kellachan  and  his  southern 
nobles.  ^v 

Having  matured  his  plans,  Sitric  sent  ambassadors  to  Munster, 
to  treat  of  the  proposed  alliance.  When  they  had  explained 
their  instructions  to  the  king,  his  first  intention  was  to  take  a 
large  army  Avith  him,  when  going  to  wed  the  lady.  "  That  is 
not  the  proper  course,"  said  Kenneidi,  son  of  Lorcan,  "Ibr  it  is 
not  proper  to  leave  Munster  unguarded  ;  but  what  thon  shouldst 
do  is  to  take  a  strong  and  sufficient  guard  with  thee,  when  thou 
goe.st  to  wed  that  woman."  And  this  was  the  counsel  that  was 
then  followed. 

*  The  captivity,  ^c.      The  account  romantic.      The  Irish  annals   tell  us 

here  pivcn  of  Keilaclian's  capture  and  that  Kellachan  was  indeed   captured  ; 

rescue  has  been  taken  by  Keating  from  l»ut  that  it  was  l)y  Murkertach,  son  of 

an  old  historic  tale  called   "  Toruig-  Niall,  kinji  of  Ailech,  not  the  North- 

hccht  Cheallachain  Cacsil  "  (Toreeaght  men.     The  following  is  the  record  they 

Cidtaghnuin  Caihcl),  i.  e.  "Tlie  Pursuit  give  of  the  fact : 
after  Kellachan  of  Cashel."      Moore        "  A.   D.   939.     Tiie   22iid   year  of 

and  others  have  treated  it  as  altogether  Donncadh.     Murkertach,  son  of  NialL 


THE   IIISTOKY   OF   IRELAND. 


>37 


Now,  when  Kellachan  had  set  out  upon  that  expedition,  and 
on  the  night  before  he  reached  Ath-cliath,  iLor,  daughter  of 
Aedh,  son  of  Eocaidh,  king  of  the  Isle  of  the  Finn-Goill,  who 
was  also  the  wife  of  Sitrie,  demanded  of  her  husband  the  reason 
why  he  was  about  to  contract  this  matrimonial  connection  with 
Kellachan,  by  whom  so  many  of  the  chiefs  and  nobles  of  Loch 
lainn  had  fallen  ?  "  It  is  not  for  his  good  luck,  that  I  have  pro- 
posed it  to  him,"  replied  Sitric,  "but  for  the  purpose  of  dealing 
treacherously  by  him."  The  woman  became  frightened  at  these 
M^ords,  for  she  had  long  cherished  a  secret  love  for  Kellachan, 
Avhom  she  had  formerly  seen  at  Port-Largi.  Prompted  by  this 
feeling,  she  arose  early  next  morning,  and  went  out  privately  upon 
the  road  by  which  Kellachan  was  expected  to  be  coudng ;  and,  as 
soon  as  she  met  him,  she  took  him  apart  and  told  him  of  the  treach- 
erous deception  which  Sitric  had  contrived  for  his  assassination. 
When  Kellachan  had  heard  this,  and  thought  to  turn  back,  he 
found  that  it  was  no  longer  possible  for  him  to  do  so ;  for  the  fields, 


with  the  men  of  the  iiortli  and  of 
Breagh,  went  into  the  territory  of  the 
Osraide  and  theDesi,  and  he  pkiudered 
and  ravaged  the  entire  country  as  far 
as  Lis  Ruadhrach,  in  the  county  of 
Waterford,  so  that  they  submitted  to 
him.  A  fleet  was  next  fitted  out  by 
Murkertach,  and  he  carried  off  much 
plunder  from  Insi  Gall,  i.  e.  the  Isles 
of  the  Strangers  (now  the  Hebrides), 
after  gaining  victory  and  triumph.  A 
slaughter  was  then  made  of  the  Desi 
by  Kellachan,  and  by  the  men  of  Mun- 
ster,  because  they  had  submitted  to 
Murkertach,  when  two  thousand  of 
them,  together  with  Kelichar,  son  of 
Cormac,  Maelgorm,  son  of  Giblichan, 
Seghda,  son  of  Naebelan,  and  Cleir- 
cell,  son  of  Sesta.  Another  battle 
was  gained  by  the  Desi  and  the  Os- 
raide over  the  king  of  Caisel,  in  which 
many  were  slain.  Murkertach  after- 
wards assembled  the  Kinel  Conaill 
and  Kinel  Eogain,  and  the  people  of 
the  north  at  Ailech,  where  he  selected 
ten  hundred  of  the  chosen  heroes,  and 
made  a  circuit  of  Ireland,  keeping  his 
left  hand  to  the  sea,  until  he  arrived  at 
Ath-cliath,  and  thence  he  brought 
Sitric,  lord  of  that  city,  with  him  as  a 
hostage.  He  then  marched  into  Lein- 
ster,  where  the  Leinstermen  at  first 
opposed  him,  and  finally  agreed  to  sub- 


mit to  him,  and  he  carried  off  Lorcan, 
son  of  Faelan,  their  king.  He  then 
marched  to  the  men  of  ilunster,  who 
were  in  readiness  to  give  him  battle, 
but  they  finally  agreed  to  give  him  up 
their  king,  Kellachan,  upon  whom  a,- 
fetter  was  placed  by  Murkertach.  He 
next  proceeded  into  Counaught,  where 
Coucobar,  son  of  Tagd,  came  to  meet 
him,  but  neither  gyve  nor  fetter  was 
put  upon  him.  He  then  returned  to 
Ailech,  carrying  these  kings  with  him 
as  hostages,  and  they  were  for  nine 
months  feasting  there  ;  and  at  the  end 
of  that  time,  he  sent  the  hostages  to 
Douncadh,  because  it  was  he  that  was 
at  Temhair,  and  the  sovereignty  had 
fallen  to  him." — Such  is  the  account 
which  the  northern  antiquaries  give  of 
Kellachan's  captivity.  It  may  possibly 
have  afforded  the  groundwork  of  the 
historic  tale,  of  which  Keating  has 
given  an  abridgement,  or  the  latter 
may  have  been  founded  on  some  other 
captivity,  which  the  Ui  Neill  anti- 
quaries omitted,  on  account  of  its 
reflections  upon  their  hero,  Murker- 
tach, and  upon  the  monarch,  Donncadh. 
It  is  to  be  remarked,  that  Cormacan 
Eigeas  relates  that  Kellachan  was  de- 
livered up  by  his  people  to  Murker- 
tach at  his  own  request. 


538  THE    HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 

on  either  side  of  tlic  road,  were  full  of  ambuscades,  composed 
of  foreign  soldiers,  avIio  lay  in  wait  for  the  purpose  of  capturing 
him.  As  soon,  then,  as  lie  attempted  to  return,  those  soldiers 
rushed  upon  him  from  all  sides,  and  slew  some  of  the  noblemen 
who  were  in  his  compan_y ;  not,  however,  until  the  latter  had 
slain  some  of  their  assailants.  But  the  great  bulk  of  the  attack- 
ing force  bore  down  upon  the  king  himself,  so  that  he  was  made 
captive  together  with  Donncuan,  son  of  Kenneidi ;  and  then 
both  were  carried  into  Ath-cliath  in  chains — whence  they  were 
sent  off  to  Ard-Machn,  where  nine  earls  of  the  Lochlannaigh, 
with  their  several  bands  of  \varriors,  were  set  to  guard  them. 

As  to  those  of  the  Munstcr  nobles,  who  had  escaped  from  that 
conflict,  they  returned  immediately  to  their  own  country,  and 
there  they  explained  their  adventure  to  Kenneidi,  son  of  Lor- 
can" ;  and  thereupon  Kenneidi  mustered  two  armies  for  the  pur- 
pose of  going  in  pursuit  of  Kellachan.  These  armies  consisted 
of  a  force  destined  to  act  upon  land,  and  one  destined  to  act  upon 
sea.  And  the  captain  tliat  was  set  over  the  land  forces  was  Donn- 
cadh  O'Caeimh,**  king  of  the  two  territories  of  Fermoighe  ;  and 
then  Kenneidi  lauded  this  chieftain,  and  ennumerated  eleven  of 
his  immediate  ancestors,  who  had  held  the  sovereignty  of  Mun- 
stcr; such  as  Finguini,  who  is  called  Kennghegan  ;  Artri,  son 
of  Cathal ;  Cathal,  son  of  Finguini ;  Finguini,  son  of  Cathal; 
Catlial,  who  is  called  Cu-gan-mathair ;  Cathal,  son  of  Aedh 
Flann-Cathrach;  Carbri  Crom  ;  Crimthann  Srebh  ;  Eocaidh  ;  and 
Aengus,  son  of  Nadfraech.  Kenneidi  next  added  ten  hundred 
warriors  of  the  Dal  g-Cais,'  to  the  army  of  Donncadh,  and  over 
these  he  placed  three  captains,  namel}^,  Cosgarach,  Lonnargan, 
and  Congalach,  as  we  learn  from  the  lay  which  begins  with  the 
line,  "  Let  twenty  hundred  northwards  march."  Here  follows 
the  verse  of  that  lay,  which  repeats  the  words  Kenneidi : 

'  Kenneidi,    son   of  Lorcan.      This  cadh,    prandson  of  Caciinh    [Kuceve.) 

prince  did  not  always  continue  the  faith-  lie  was  the  first  that  bore  the  name  of 

ful  ally  of  Kellaclian  tliat  he  is  here  re-  O'Caeimh,  and  was  the  founder  of  the 

presented.     In  A.  U.  942,  a  victory  was  sept  now  called  O'Keeffe.     His  father 

gained  over  him  Ijy  the  latter  at  Mag-li-  was  Cathal,  son  of  Caenih,  (from  whom 

duin,  v.'here  many  were  slain.     lie  was  O'Caeimh,)   son    of    Finjiuini,   called 

the  fatlier  of   Brian   Boromha,  whose  Kenn^-heiian.and  had  his  chief  rcsideucc 

birth  is  entered  under  tiie  year  025  in  at  (ilennainhain,  now  called  (jianworth. 

the  following  terms:  "The  Kth  year  of  3000     warriors    of    the    Eopanachta 

Donncadh.     Brian, son  of  Kenneidifrh,  placed  themselves  under  his  command 

was  born  this  year,  that  is,  24  years  be-  on  this  oeca.sion. 

fore  (his   rival)   Maelsechlainn,  son  of  '    Of  the  Dal  p;-Cais,  that  is,  of  his 

Domnall." — However,    the    year   941  own  inmiediate  sept  of  the  Dal  g-Cais. 

has  been  proved  to  be  the  true  year  of  For   the   tribe   of  Cas,  like   its  rival 

Brian's  birth,  as  shall  hereafter  appear,  tribe   of  the  Eoganacht,  was  already 

'  Donncadh  O'Caeimh,  i.  e.,  Donn-  divided  into  .several  powerful  clans. 


THE    HISTORY   OF    IRELAND.  539 

"March  lliithor,  Cosgarach  of  fights, 
jMurcli  thither,  gentle  Lonnargan, 
And  Cong'ulach,  now  leave  thy  lake — 
My  brothers  three,  I  bid  ye  march." 

Ill  addition  to  these,  Keuneidi  sent  with  that  expedition, 
another  division  of  the  Dal  g-Cais,  consisting  of  five  hundred 
warriors  of  the  Clann  Coilein,  under  their  own  immediate 
chieftain,  Esida,  son  of  Sida.'  Anotlier  division  of  five  hun- 
dred of  the  Dal  g-Cais  was  placed  under  the  command  of  De- 
gaidli,  son  of  Domnall.'  Besides  these,  a  large  contingent  was 
furnished  bj  the  other  Saer  Clanna,  or  free  clans"  of  Thomond. 
The  other  great  host  was  embarked  upon  the  sea,  and  Falbi 
Finn,  King  of  Desmond,^^  was  chosen  as  its  commander.  Then 
Donncadh  O'Caeimh  led  the  land  forces  out  of  Munster  into 
Connaught,  where  he  sent  out  foragers  to  the  Muaidh,'^  and  to 
Irrus,  and  to  Umhall,"  for  the  purpose  of  bringing  in  spoils  to 
the  camp  of  his  Munstermen.  But  the  warriors  had  not  been 
long  encamped,  waiting  for  the  return  of  these  foragers,  when 
an  armed  and  well-appointed  host  was  seen  advancing  towards 
them  in  military  array ;  and  the  number  of  this  host  was  one 
thousand  men,  and  one  youthful  wai'rior  marched  apart  from 

*  Esida,  son  of  Sida.    The  chief  rep-  ble  clans  who  were  not  sprung  from 

resentatives  of  his  clann,  are  the  Mac  Cormac  Cas.     These  wei'e,  then,  the 

Conmaras,  called   in  English,  Macna-  Basgnigh  of  Oorca  Baskinu,  and  the 

maras.     His  name  is  pronounced  in  chiefs  of  Corcamruadli.     The  former 

Gaelic  Essheeda,son  of  Sheeda.  One  of  are  now  represented  by  the  O'Donnells 

the  meanings  of  Sida  or  Sioda,  is  Silk  ;  of  North  Munster  ;  the  latter,  by  the 

hence  many  of  this  clan  barbarously  O'Lochlins  of  Burriu,  and  the  O'Con- 

called  themselves  Si/Zi;  Macnamara.  uors  Corcamruadh.     The  chief  part  of 

'•'  Dcgaidh,    son  of  Domnall.      His  these  had  joined  the  fleet  under  Falbi. 
clann  was  then  called  the  Kind  Fer-        "  King  of  Desmond.      Falbi   Finn, 

maic.       His    descendants    afterwards  whose  name  is  usually  written.  Failbhe 

called  themselves  O'Deghadh  (O'Dao),  (Falvie)    Fionu,   was   king   of    Corca 

in  English,  O'Dea  and  Dee,  from  this  Duibui,    now    Corcaguiny,   in  Kerry. 

Degaidh.     Kenneidi,  Esida   and   De-  and  not  of  Desmond  or  South  ]\Iunstcr. 

gaidh,  represented  three  of  the  sons  of  The  dignity   of    King   of    Desmond 

Cas,  son  of  Couall  of  the  Fleet  Steeds,  should   have    belonged   to  Donncadh 

namely    Blod,     Caisin,   [Casheen]   and  O'Caeimh.      From  Falbi,  the  O'Fal- 

Aeugus  Kenn-athrach.  Another  son  of  vies,  of  Corcaguiny,  took  their  name. 

Cas,  Aengus  Kenn-atinn,  founded  the  His  kinsmen  of  Magh  Og  Coinchinn, 

clann   Ifernain,  of  which  O'Cuinn,  of  and  Ui  Rathach  (now  the  O'Connells 

North  Munster,  now  called  O'Quinn,  and  O'Sheas,)  followed  in  his  division, 

was  the  chief  sept.      From  Delbaeth,  and  also  the  Kiarraide,  (now  O'Con- 

another  son  of  Cas,  came  the  Dclbna  uors,  Kerry.) 

in  Connaught  and  Meath,  of  whom  the        "  T/i.e  Muaid,  now  the  river  Moy, 

Mac  Cochlans,  O'Finuallans,  &c.  were  in  Mayo, 
the  chief  septs.  '^  Irrus  and  Umhall,  now  called  Erris 

'"  Free  Clans.     That  is,  those  no-  and  the  Owles,  in  the  west  of  Mayo. 


540  THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 

the  rest,  in  front  of  its  foremost  rank.  Then,  when  this  warrior 
had  arrived  near  the  camp,  Donncadh  O'Caeimh  demanded  of 
him,  "  What  marshalled  host  is  that  yonder  ?  "  "  This  host," 
rephed  the  warrior,  "  consists  of  a  portion  of  the  men  of  Mun- 
ster  ;  namely,  of  the  Galen gaigh"  and  the  Luighnigh,  descended 
from  Tadg,  son  of  Kian,  son  of  Olild  Olum  ;  and  of  the  men 
of  Delbna^  descended  from  Delbaeth,  son  of  Cas,  son  of  Conall 
of  the  Fleet  Steeds.  And  these  have  now  come  hither  to  join 
the  strength  of  their  arms  to  your  own,  prompted  by  the  frater- 
nal love  which  they  bear  you,  who  are  their  kinsmen ;  and  there 
are  three  brave  and  fortunate  chieftains  in  command  of  yon 
host,  namely,  Aedh,  son  of  Dualgasach,  around  whom  all  the 
Galengaigh  are  arrayed ;  Diarmaid,  son  of  Finnactach,  around 
whom  all  the  Luighaigh  march ;  and  Donncadh,  son  of  Mael- 
domnach,  who  commands  the  men  of  Delbna."  In  memory  of 
this  event,  was  composed  that  historic  lay,  which  begins  with  the 
following  verse : 

"  In  yonder  host  march  Kio.n's  clans, 
AVuh  Del bacth's  sons  in  order  ranged  ; 
Your  perils  they  have  come  to  share  ; 
They've  come  to  strike  the  foe  with  yon." 

The  force  that  had  here  come  to  join  theirs  w-asthns  composed ; 
to  w'it,  it  consisted  of  five  hundred  men,  armed  with  sword  and 
shield,  and  of  five  hundred  bowmen. 

Thus  reinforced,  the  army  marched  onward  into  Tir  Conaill, 
and  spoils  were  borne  off  from  that  country  by  the  allied  hosts. 
Thereupon,  Murkertach,  son  of  Kennfiieladh,  King  of  Kinel- 
Conaill,  came,  and  in  upbraiding  language,  demanded  a  restora- 
tion of  the  spoils  from  Donncadh  O'Caeimh.  To  him  Donncadh 
repli(^d,  that  he  Avould  return  no  spoils,  except  those  that  might 
be  left  after  all  his  army  was  satisfied.  Upon  this  the  King  of 
Kind  Conaill,  went  away  in  anger  from  the  host  of  Munster; 
and  he  sent  private  word  to  the  sons  of  Turgeis  at  Ard  Macha, 
informing  them  that  an  army  was  marching  thither  in  pnrsuit 
of  Kellachan,  in  order  to  rescue  him  from  their  hands. 
As  to  the  sons  of  Turgeis;  the  nine  carls  retreated  from  Ard 
Macha,  upon  receiving  this  information,  taking  with  them  the 
force  under  their  command,  together  with  their  prisoners,  Kel- 
lachan and  Donncuan. 

The  Munster  forces  arrived  soon  after,  at  Ard  Macha,  and 
there  tlicy  slew  every  Loehlannach  upon  whom  they  could  lay 

1«  Galengaigh,  (fc.     These  Ebcrian  tribes,  who  were  settled  in  Connaught, 
have  been  alrea<ly  described. 


THE    HISTORY    OF    IRELAND.  541 

hands ;  and  when  they  had  heard  that  Sitric  and  liis  host  had 
retreated  to  Dun  Delgain/''  thej  marched  thilher  next  day  in 
pursuit  of  him.  But  when  Sitric  perceived  them  approaching 
the  town,  he  retreated  to  his  ships  with  all  his  forces,  taking 
OÍF  Kedachan  and  Donncuan  on  board  with  him.  The  Mimsicr 
host  then  marched  down  to  the  edge  of  the  beach,  and  came  so 
near  to  the  ships  of  their  enemies  that  they  conversed  with 
those  on  board. 

They  were  not  long  in  this  position,  when  there  was  seen  sail- 
ing into  the  harbor,  a  fleet  which  the  Munstermen  recognized  as 
the  armament  of  Falbi  Finn.  This  chief  led  his  shijis  straight- 
way towards  those  of  the  enemy,  and  immediately  attacked  in 
person  the  vessel  that  carried  Sitric,  Tor  and  Magnus ;  and  he 
jumped  on  board  into  the  midst  of  his  enemies,  holding  a  sword 
in  each  of  his  hands.  With  the  sword  which  he  held  in  his  left, 
he  cut  asunder  the  ropes  wherewith  Kellachan  was  tied  up  to 
the  mast,  and  thus  loosed  his  captive  king,  set  him  standing 
upon  the  deck,  and  placed  in  his  grasp  the  sword  which  he  had 
till  then  borne  in  his  left  hand.  Kellachan  cut  his  way  to  the 
ship  of  his  deliverer,  whilst  Falbi  remained  lighting  in  the  midst 
of  his  enemies,  until  he  fell  overpowered  by  numbers,  and  then 
the  Lochlannaigh  immediately  cut  off  his  head.  Upon  this  Fi- 
angalach,  a  captain  of  Falbi's  people,  took  his  chieftain's  place 
in  the  conflict,  and  fiercely  seizing  Sitric  round  the  body,  he 
flung  himself  overboard  with  his  foe  in  his  grasp,  and  both  went 
to  the  bottom  together,  and  were  thus  drowned.  Segha  and 
Conall,  two  other  caj^tains,  next  rushed  forward,  and  clasped 
their  arms  around  Tor  and  Magnus,  the  two  brothers  of  Sitric, 
and  each  of  them  jumped  overboard  with  his  adversary,  so 
that  the  four  were  thus  drowned.  And  like  bravery  was  display- 
ed by  every  other  portion  of  the  host  of  the  Gaels ;  for  they 
rushed  upon  the  Lochlannaigh  with  such  vehemence,  that  the 
latter  were  everywhere  routed,  and  broken,  and  slaughtered,  and 
thrown  into  confusion,  and  of  them  there  survived  but  a  small 
remnant  that  escaped  by  the  fleetness  of  their  ships.  The  ]Mun- 
ster  warriors  then  landed,  having  at  their  head  their  king,  Kel- 
lachan, whom  they  had  just  liberated  by  their  hardihood  and 
by  the  strength  of  their  arms. 

Having  thus  vanquished  the  foreigners,  the  warriors  next  de- 
termined to  attack  the  king  of  Kind  Conaill  ;^''  for,  as  we  have 

"  Dun  Bel  gain  ;  i.e.,  the  Fort  of  having  ever  carried  his  arms  so  far  north 

Delgan  ;  it  is  now  called  Dundalk.  as  Kinel  Conaill.     In  A.  D.  937  (two 

'°  Kind  Conaill.   Some  of  the  expedi-  years  previous  to  his  being  led  oif  host- 

tions  of  Kellachan  into  Leth    Cuinn  age  by  Murkertaeh,  sou  of  Niall,)  he 

arc  recorded  in  the  Annals  of  the  Four  led  an  army  composed  of  Munstermen 

Masters  ;  but  they  do  not  mention  his  and  Northmen  into  Meath,  the  church- 


542  THE    HISTORY    OF   IREI.AND. 

heretofore  related,  it  was  lie  that  had  given  information  of  their 
march,  and  bad  advised  the  Lochlannaigh  to  take  Kellachan  to 
Dun  Delgain.  But  that  king  did  not  make  head  against  them, 
wiicreupon  they  ravaged  his  teiTÍtories,  and  took  much  of  cattle 
and  valuables  therefrom.  They  then  sent  an  embassy  to  Donn- 
cadh,  son  of  Flann,  monarch  of  Ireland,  to  challenge  him  to  bat- 
tle ;  for  he  had  previously  given  his  consent  to  the  capture  of 
Kellachan  at  Ath-cliath.  But  Donncadh  refused  to  fight  them ; 
and  in  consequence  thereof,  they  plundered  his  territories  of 
Temhair.  Thence  they  marched  to  Munstcr,  where  Kellachan 
resumed  the  sovereignty  of  his  own  country.  But,  as  they  were 
proceeding  homewards  from  Ath-Cliath,  Murcadh,  son  of  Flann, 
king  of  Leinster,  prepared  to  give  them  battle,  in  vengeance  for 
the  numbers  of  the  Lochlannaigh  they  had  slain  in  rescuing 
their  prince.  But  when  he  perceived  the  fortitude  and  valor  of 
the  men  of  Munster,  he  shrunk  from  the  fight  and  let  them  ])ass 
through  his  territories  without  opposition. 

AVhen  Kellachan  had  now  returned  to  his  kingdom,  he  took 
into  consideration  all  the  oppressions  which  the  Lochlannaigh' 
had  exercised  over  his  people;  and  he  entered  into  counsel 
with  his  nobles,  with  the  intention  of  making  a  vigorous  effort 
for  their  expulsion.  He  then  led  his  forces  against  Luimnech, 
and  there  slew  five  hundred  of  the  marauders,  and  forced  the  re- 
mainder to  deliver  up  hostages.  After  that,  he  sacked  Corcach, 
whence  he  bore  ofí:'  hostages  likewise.  He  next  plundered 
Cashcl,  where  he  slew  three  hundred  of  the  same  people.  Thence, 
he  marched  against  Port-Largi,  which  town  was  stormed  by  his 
army  and  given  up  to  pillage.  And  he  gave  a  great  defeat  to 
Sitric,  son  of  Lnhar,  of  whose  followers,  five  hundred  were  slain; 
but  Sitric,  himself,  escaped  to  his  ships.  Kellachan  on  his  re- 
turn thence,  came  to  Domnall  O'Faclain,  king  of  the  Desi,  to 
whom  he  gave  his  own  sister,  namely,  Gormflaith,  daughter 
of  Buadcan  to  wife.  It  was  not  long  after,  when  Kellachan 
died." 

After  him  Fergraidh,  son  of  Alghenan,  son  of  Donngal,  held 

cs  and  lay  ilistricts  of  which  he  plun-  their  name  from  Carthaeli,  son  of  Saor- 

dercd   as   far    as   Cluain   Iraird,   and  brethach,  son  of  Donncadh.  The  O'Cal- 

thonce  led  off  many  captives.     In  949,  laglians  talj:e  llioir  name,  not  from  him, 

we  find  him  ai^ain  in  Lcth  Cuinn,  plun-  but  from  Kellachan,  son  of  Domnall,  son 

dorinj^   Cluain-forta  of    St.    Brendan,  of  Murcadh,  also  son  of  Donncadh,  at 

and  tlie  Sil  Anamcadha,  a  sept  of  the  v/lnim  llicir  lines  respectively  branch  off. 

Ui  Mani.  Maelfoirartach,  son  of  Flann,  of  the 

"  Kellachan  died.     A.  D.  952,  is  the  line  of  Eojian,  was  tiie  immediato  suc- 

rccordc'd  date  of  his  death.     The  Afac  ce,ssor  of  Kellachan.     lie  died  in  855. 

(Jarlhies  and  (J'Calluirhans,  of  Munstcr,  Maclf  )i^arlac!i     {Muiloii^arlai^lL)     way 

are  descended  from  Donncadh,  son  of  succeeded   by  Dubdaboirenn,  [Duvda- 

thÍ3  prince.    The  Mac  Carthiea  have  vorrenn,)  son  of  Acngus  (called  son  of 


THE    niSTOEY    OF    IRELAND. 


543 


the  sovereignty  of  Minister  for  two  ycnrs,  until  he  was  treacher- 
ously murdered  by  his  own  tribesmcu.^^ 

Malhgamaini  commonhj  called  ITalion,  son  of  Kenneidi,  King  of 
Mimsier,  A.  D.  960  to  976.^^ 

Mathgamain  (Mahoiuin),  son  of  Kenneidi,  assumed  the  sover- 
eignty of  Munster,  after  the  death  of  Fergraidh.  He  held  it  for 
twelve  years,  his  brother,  Echtigherna^"  [Agh-heerna),  son  of  Ken- 
neidi, being  king  of  Thomond,  during  the  same  time.  It  was 
this  Mathgamain  and  his  brother,  Brian,  son  of  Kenneidi,  then  a 
youth,  that  won  the  battle  of  Sulchoid"^  over  the  Lochlannaigh. 
In  this  engagement  fell  Tethild,  the  Champion,  and  Ruadnan  and 
Bernard  and  Muiris  of  Luimnech,--  and  Torold,  together  with 
seven  thousand  of  their  host,  who  were  slain  around  them !  Math- 
gamain, Brian  and  the  Dal  g-Cais  pursued  their  routed  enemies 
thence  into  the  very  centre  of  Luimnech,  and  slaughtered  multi- 


Domnall,  in  the  Four  Masters,)  an  an- 
cestor of  the  O'Donoghoos  of  Kerry. 
He  died  in  957. 

'^  Fergraidh — This  king  was  slain 
in  958  or  959,  that  is  in  the  5th  or  6ch 
year  of  the  reign  of  Domnall,  sou  of 
Murkertach,  monarch  of  Ireland.  He 
was  slain,  say  some  authorities,  by  Ma- 
elmuaidh,  son  of  Branu,  chief  of  the 
Eoganaclit  of  Ratlilenn,  because  he  had 
not  made  opposition  to  the  monarch 
Domnall.  Maelmuaidh  then  became 
king  of  Desmond  in  his  stead. 

'•'  Neither  the  above  heading  nor 
dates  are  given  in  the  original.  Dr. 
Keating  has  here  committed  a  great 
oversight,  in  making  the  reigns  of  Kel- 
lachan  and  his  successors  Fergraidh 
and  Mahon,  or  Mathgamain,  over  Mun- 
ster, cotemporaneous  with  thatof  Donn- 
cadh,  son  of  Flann,  monarch  of  Ireland  ; 
for  the  last  ten  years  of  Kellachan's 
reign,  were  cotemporaneous  with  the 
reign  of  Congal,  the  next  succeeding 
monarch  after  Donncadh.  Congal  died 
the  year  after  Kellachan,  wliile  Mael- 
fogartach  was  king  of  Cashel.  The 
last  year  of  the  short  reign  of  the  latter 
prince,  together  witli  the  equally  short 
ones  of  Dubdaboircnn  and  Fergraidh, 
passed  by  within  the  first  5  years  of  the 
monarchy  of  Domnall,  in  the  5th  or  6th 
year  of  which,  Mathgamain  must  have 
assumed  the  sovereignty  of  Munster. 


•"  Echtigherna.  This  name  is  derived 
from  "  ech"  (agh),  a  steed,  and  "  tigh- 
erna"  [teeraa),  a  lord ;  and  it  may 
mean,  "  chief  of  cavalry."  Echtigherna, 
who  was  king  of  Thomond,  under  his 
brother  Mahon,  was  founder  of  the 
Dalcassian  sept  of  0  h-Echligherna  (0 
hagh  heerna),  the  descendants  of  which 
now  call  themselves  Ahern,  Hearn, 
Hern,  or  even  Herring.  He  was  also 
the  ancestor  of  the  sept  of  Mac  Craith, 
now  called  Magrath,  of  North  Mun- 
ster. 

-'  Sulchoid.  This  place  lies  in  the 
borders  of  the  counties  of  Limerick  and 
Tipperary ;  not  far  from  the  town  of 
latter  name.  It  is  now  called  Sullog- 
hod,  and  Sallowhead.  It  has  been  al- 
ready mentioned  as  the  scene  of  an  en- 
counter between  the  Red  Branch  knight 
Cuchulainn,  and  the  Munster  hero  Cu- 
raidh,  son  of  Dari.  Mathgamain  gain- 
ed his  famous  victory  of  Sulchoid  over 
the  Northmen,  in  A.  D.  968.  Brian  was 
about  27  years  old  at  the  time  of  the 
battle  of  Sulchoid,  having  been  born 
in  A.  D.  941,  as  has  been  heretofore 
stated  in  these  notes.  But  he  should 
have  been  very  young  indeed,  were  the 
reign  of  Mathgamain  cotemporary  with 
that  of  the  monarch  Donncadh,  in  the 
eighth  year  of  which,  he  was  born. 

"  Luimnech  ;  i.  e.  the  present  city  of 
Limerick.     Mahon  had  already  chas- 


544 


THE    HISTORY    OF   IRELAND. 


tudes  of  them  in  the  streets  and  in  the  houses  thereof,  and  they 
bore  off  a  large  quantity  of  gold  and  silver  and  of  jewels  and 
valuables  from  this  city*  and  they  likewise  burned  and  razed  its 
castles  and  fortifications!  Soon  "after  this,  ]\Iathgnniain,  son  of 
Kenneidi  was  betrayed"  by  Donnoban,'*  in  the  latter s  own 
house,  and  he  was  delivered  up  by  his  captor  to  Maelmuaidh,  son 
of  Brann,  and  to  the  strangers,  'in  breach  of  the  safeguard  of 
Colum,  son  of  Kiaragan,  Comarba  of  St.  Barra,"  in  violation  ot 
the  guarantee  of  which  saint  he  was  thereupon  put  to  death  by 
the  people  of  the  son  of  Brann  at  Lecht  Mathgamna"'  {Laghth 
Valwwna)  upon  Musiri  Mor,  in  Musgi'aide, 


Sequel  of  the  reign  of  Donncadh.     A.  D.  918-942. 

It  was  also  in  the  days  of  Donncadh,  son  of  Flann  Sinna,  mon- 
arch of  Ireland,  of  whose  reign  we  are  treating,  that  those  events 


tised  the  Danish  colonists  settled  here. 
In  965  he  had  twice  delivered  their  town 
up  to  pillage ;  on  the  latter  occasion  of 
which,  he  burned  their  ships.  Mael- 
ruadnaidh,  son  of  Flann,  Tanist  of  Os- 
raide,  was  slain  while  storming  the 
fortress. — The  same  year  he  marched 
his  army  to  Sciath-an-Eigis,  (now  the 
hill  of  Skea,  south  of  the  river  Bandon), 
whence  he  carried  away  the  hostages  of 
Munster,  and  expelled  the  son  of  Brann, 
(Maelmuaidh)  Lord  of  Desmond. — In 
967  we  find  him  at  the  head  of  the  Eli, 
Desi.  and  Osraide,  and  the  Northmen 
of  Waterford,  marching  into  Leinsler 
to  oppo.sc  -Murcadh,  son  of  Finn,  king  of 
that  territory.  In  the  same  year,  he 
spent  three  nights  in  the  Danish  city 
of  Cork,  and  carried  off  the  hostages 
of  Desmond.  In  969  he  drove  the 
Northmen  out  of  their  fortress  of  Lim- 
erick. 

■^  W(i<t  betrayed.  The  chiefs  of  the 
Koganachta,  fearing  lest  tlie  sovereign- 
ty of  Miin-ter  should  lor  ever  pass 
away  from  their  house,  plotted  with  the 
Danes  for  his  destniction.  Donnaban, 
{Dorirvfimi)  son  of  (!athal,  king  of  the 
Ui  Fidghenti,  whose  territory  of  Ui 
Oairljri  Aedba  lay  nearest  to  Thom- 
ond,  invited  him  to  a  banquet  at  his 
house,  giving  Cohim,  bishop  of  Cork, 
and  gevcnU  of  the  clergy  of  Desmond, 
ag  sureties  of  his  good  faith.     But 


there,  he  treacherously  seized  upon  his 
royal  guest,  whom  he  delivered  up  to 
Maelmuaidh,  son  of  Brann,  and  Irahar 
of  Limerick,  by  whose  people  he  was 
slain  in  the  very  presence  of  the  clergy- 
men who  had  guaranteed  his  safety. 
"When  Maelmuaidh  saw  him  slain,  he 
rode  away  swiftly,  saying  to  one  of 
those  clergymen,  "  Cure  that  man  ifhe 
come  to  thee."  The  latter  cursed  him. 
and  predicted  that  he  would  come  to  an 
evil  end. — See  a  full  account  of  this 
trcachcrcus  assassination,  pp.  702-703 
notes  to  the  Four  Masters,  wh  icli  is  there 
translated  by  Dr.  Donovan  from  the 
Cogadh  Gall  re  Gaedhal,  i.  e.  "the 
War  of  the  Stranf}:ers  with  the  Gaels." 

"  Donnoban.  The  sept  of  O'Don- 
nabhain,  now  O'Donovan,  are  the  de- 
scendants of  this  treacherous  chieftain 
of  the  Ui  Fidgh(>nti.  'J'he  S('])t  of  0' 
Mathgamna,  now  O'Mahony .has  sprung 
frnm  his  accdmplice,  or  perhaps,  insti- 
gator, the  ruthless  Maelmuaidh. 

^  Comarba  St.  Barra,  i.  e.  bishop 
of  Cork,  of  which  St.  Barra,  or  Finn- 
barr  was  the  founder.  Bishop  Colum 
maledicled  all  that  were  concerned  in 
the  murder  of  Mathgamain. 

■■"  Lcrht  Mnth<ranuta,  \.  e.,  Mahons 
Heap.  It  is  situated  on  ^luisiri-na- 
mona-moiri.  now  the  Mushera  moun- 
tains near  Macroom. 


THE    HISTORY    OF    IRELAND. 


545 


occurred,  wliicli  we  arc  about  to  record;  such  as  the  death  of 
Kiaran,  bishop  of  Tolón." 

This  Donncadh  went  once  to  drive  spoils  from  Connaught; 
but  great  numbers  of  his  people  were  slain  at  Dubthir,"  near 
Ath-luain,  and  amongst  them  fell  Kinaetb,  son  of  Concobar,  king 
of  Ui  Falghi. 

It  was  about  this  time  that  Cluain-mic-Nois  was  again  plun- 
dered by  the  Lochlannaigh,  who,  on  their  return  thence  upon 
Loch  Kibh,  plundered  the  country  along  both  its  shores.  They 
also  pillaged  and  devastated  En-inis,'''  where  they  slew  twelve 
hundred  of  the  Gaels.  After  that,  twelve  hundred  of  the  pirates 
were  themselves  drowned  in  IjocIi  Rudraide.^"  Then,  also,  Fae- 
lan,  son  of  Muredach,"  king  of  Leinster,  was  captured,  together 
with  his  children,  by  the  Lochlannaigh  of  Ath-Cliath,  and  Dun 
Sobarki^^  was  plundered  by  the  Lochlannaigh  of  Loch  Cuain, 
and  Kill-dara,  by  those  of  PortLargi.  But  soon  after,  a  great 
slaughter^  was  made  of  these  invaders  by  the  men  of  Ulster,  led 
by  Murkertacb,  son  of  Ni;dl,  on  which  occasion  eight  hundred 
of  the  foreigners  fell,  together  with  their  three  chieftains,  namely, 
Albdann,  Anfer,  and  Rolt. 

It  was  about  this  period  that  the  commerce^  of  Ireland  was  so 


^  Bishop  of  Tolen.  Kiaran,  bishop 
of  Tolen,  or  Tuilen,  now  the  parish  of 
Tullane  near  Kells,  in  Meath,  died 
A.  D.  919: 

^  Dubthir ;  i.e.,  the  black  district 
of  Ath-luain,  situated  in  the  present 
barony  of  Athlone,  county  Galway. 
This  expedition  was  mads  in  A.  I). 
928. 

'^  En-inis,  i.  e.,  Bird  Island.  The 
name  is  now  unknown,  but  is  stated  to 
have  been  situated  in  Fotharta-thiri, 
{Foharta-heeri),  now  the  barony  of 
Forth,  in  Carlow.  They  were  the 
Foreigners  of  Limerick  that  made  this 
destructive  incursion  in  A.  D.  920  ;  on 
which  occasion  a  scribe,  named  Abel, 
suff.ired  martyrdom  at  their  hands. 

^  Loch  Rudraide.  The  mouth  of  the 
river  Erne,  was  thus  called.  1200 
NorthmcQ  were  drowned  there  in  A.  D. 
922.— .See  Four  blasters. 

''  Faelan,  son  of  Muredach.  He  was 
captured  with  his  son  Lorcan,  in  A.  I). 
923. 

^^  Dun  Sobarki,  now  Dunsevcrick, 
was  plundered  in  924,  and  many  were 
slain  therein. 

^  A  great  slaughter.    This  victory 


was  gained,  say  our  Annalists,  at  the 
bridge  of  Ath-na-g  Crumhther  [Aiuh- 
na-gryffer),  on  the  28th  of  December, 
924.  It  would  appear  that  one  half  of 
the  Northmen  were  slain  ;  for  we  are 
told  that  the  other  half  was  besieged 
for  a  week  at  Ath  Cruithni,  a  place 
near  Newry,  until  Godfrey,  lord  of  the 
foreigners,  came  to  their  relief  from  Ath- 
Cliath.— Killdara  was  plundered  twice 
in  this  year ;  once  by  the  pirates  of 
Port  Largi,  and  again  by  those  of  Ath- 
cliath. 

^  The  flourishing  condition  of  com- 
merce, to  which  our  author  here  al- 
ludes, must  have  been  principally  owing 
to  the  marts  established  in  the  Danish 
or  Norse  seaports  of  Dublin,  Water- 
ford,  Cork,  &c.,  which  places  the 
Gaelic  chieftains  allowed  the  foreigners 
to  hold,  notwithstanding  their  frequent 
ravages,  for  the  purpose  of  carrying  on 
the  external  trade  of  tlie  nation.  The 
Gaels  themselves  disdained  to  practice 
commerce.  Arms  and  letters  were 
their  only  studies  ;  for,  previous  to  the 
arrival  of  the  men  of  the  North,  all 
commercial  and  industrial  pursuits  were 
left  to   the   Daer    Clanna,  or  subject 


5-íQ 


THE   HISTORY    OF   IRELAND. 


extensive.  "Whereupon  a  Locblanuacli  earl,  named  Oliinn, 
mustered  the  full  strength  of  bis  countrymen,  both  from  Leinster 
and  Connaught,  for  the  purpose  of  attacking  tbe  fair  of  Eos 
Cre^  held  on  the  festival  of  Saints  Peter  and  Paul.  But,  accord- 
ing to  the  treatise  Avbich  Fingbin  ]\Iac  Cartbaigh  has  written 
upon  Irish  affairs  from  the  earliest  to  tbe  present  times,  the  folk 
of  the  fair  marched  out  against  him  and  engaged  him  in  a  battle, 
in  which  four  thousand  of  the  foreigners  were  slain,  together 
with  that  earl  himself 

Tadg,  son  of  Catha!,^®  reigned  for  twenty  jeavs  as  king  of  Con- 
naught  during  these  times.  During  the  same  period  died  Sitric, 
son  of  Imhar,^^  h:ing  of  both  the  Firm-Lochlannaigh  and  the 
Dubh-Lochlannaigb. 

It  was  also  about  this  time  that  a  great  slaughter  was  made  of 
the  Lochlannaigb  of  Loch  Oirbscn,^^  by  the  men  of  Connaught, 
and  another  was  made  of  those  of  Loch  n-Ecbach,  by  Couaing, 
son  of  Niall  f^  on  the  latter  occasion,  one  thousand  of  them  were 
slain. 

After  this  tbe  invaders  came  upon  Loch  Erni,*'  whence  they 


tribes,  composed  of  Fer-Bolgp,  'J'uatha 
De  Donann,  and  other  conijucred  or 
foreign  races.  The  Danish  or  Norwe- 
gian invaders,  had  tlien  for  a  time, 
conferred  at  least  the  benefit  of  an  ex- 
tended trade,  upon  the  Irish  nation — 
if  that  may  be  truly  called  a  benefit. 
As  we  no  longer  hear  much  of  the  an- 
cient Irish  races,  who  were  not  Gaels 
by  paternal  descent,  it  is  to  be  sup- 
posed that  they  began  to  amalgamate 
freely  with  the  foreigners  of  the  North, 
amongst  whom  and  amongst  the  sub- 
sequent Nurman,  AVelch,  and  English 
settlers,  all  trace  of  them  was  finally 
lost — with,  as  O'Flaherty  tells  us,  the 
single  exception  of  the  O  Benachains 
and  0  I^yns  of  Connaught,  the  de- 
scendants of  the  Belgian  kings,  of 
which  clans,  the  representative  of  the 
former  continued  lord  of  a  territory  in 
Sligo,  down  to  a  recent  period. 

"■'  Ros  Cre.  Now  called  Roscrca,  in 
the  north  of  Tipperary.  A(;cording  to 
O'llalloran,  the  liattle  of  Ros  tJre 
was  fought  in  A.  D.  942.  The  Irish 
had  received  timely  notice  of  the  in- 
tended attack,  and  liad  come  to  the 
fair  prepared  to  meet  their  assailant.s. 

'*  Tadg,  son  of  Catlial.  He  was 
otherwise  called  Tadg  an  Tuir,  {Tcig- 
ne  an  Tooir,  i.  c.  Tadg  of  the  Towor,) 


He  reigned  from  A.  D.  914  to  A.  D. 
954,  and  was  the  father  of  Concobar, 
also  king  of  Connauiiht  from  A.  D. 
954  to  A.  D.  972.  From  the  latter, 
his  descendants  took  the  name  of 
0  Concobair.  They  are  now  repre- 
sented by  the  O'Connors  Don,  and 
other  races  of  the  name  of  O'Connor, 
sometimes  vulgarly  called  Connors,  who 
still  dwell  in  Connaught. 

^  Silric,  son  of  Imhar.  Lord  of  tbe 
Black  and  Fair  Strangers,  i.  e.,  both 
Danes  and  Norwegians,  died  in  926. 

*  Lodt.  Oirbscn  ;  now  Lough  Corrib. 
The  foreigners  here  entrenched,  were 
slaughtered  in  A.  D.  927. 

^'  Connnifr.  son  rf  Niall.  He  was  the 
son  of  Niall  CIun-dul)h,  the  late  mon- 
arch of  Ireland.  He  won  this  victory 
in  A.  D.  931. 

*"  Loch  Erni  •  now  Lough  Erne. 
A.  D.  922.  A  fleet  of  the  foreigners 
now  came  upon  this  lake,  and  i)lunder- 
ed  its  islands  ;  and,  having  ravaged  the 
country  nn  every  side,  tliey  remained 
on  the  lake  till  the  ensuing  summer, 
when  they  left  the  country.  A.I).  931. 
They  again  took  up  their  march,  and 
ravaged  the  country  as  far  as  Loch 
(jamhna,  (now  Loch  Gowna,  in  Long- 
ford). Ard  Macha  was  jilundcred  in 
the  same  year  by  Amlaeibh,  son  of 


THE    HISTORY   OF   IREL.AJSÍD. 


547 


laid  waste  tlie  properties  both  of  tlie  laity  and  the  church.  Gof- 
raidh,  chieftain  of  the  Lochlannaigh  of  Loch  Cuain,  plundered 
Ard  Macha;  Amlaeibh,  son  of  Gofraidh,  plundered  Kill  Cuil- 
inn/^  out  of  which  he  brought  oif  ten  hundred  captives.  The 
Lochlannaigh  next  plundered  Ailech  Ncid,^  where  they  cap- 
tured Murkertach,  son  of  Niall;  but  God  afterwards  rescued  him 
miraculously,  from  their  hands.  Soon  after  this  event,  Arolt,*^ 
son  of  Imhar,  chieftain  of  the  Lochlannaigh  of  Luimnech,  was 
slain  by  the  men  of  Connaght ;  and  Amlaeibh,  son  of  Gofraidh, 
king  of  both  the  Finn-Lochlannaigh  and  the  Dubh-Lochlannaigh, 
died  :  and  Lorcan,  son  of  Faelan,*^  was  slain  by  the  folk  of  Nor- 
wegia.  According  to  Hanmer,  it  Avas  about  this  time,  that  the 
prince  of  Britain,^  came  to  ravage  Ireland ;  but  he  was  slain  by 


Godfrey,  and  the  foreignei's  of  Loch 
Cuain,  (Strangford  Lough).  Amla- 
eibh and  his  band  next  plundered  Ul- 
ster as  far  as  Macnaraha,  (Mucknoe), 
on  the  east,  and  Sliabh  Betha,  (Slieve 
Beagh)  on  the  west ;  "  but,"  say  our  au- 
thorities, "  they  were  overtaken  by 
Murkertach,  son  of  Niall,  (Gluu-dubh) 
who  fought  and  routed  them  ;  and  they 
left  with  him  two  hundred  of  their 
heads  (cut  off),  besides  prisoners  and 
spoils." 

^'  Kill  Cuihnn  ;  now  Kilcullen.  "A. 
D.  936.  Amlaeibh,  son  of  Godfrey, 
came  to  Dublin  again,  and  plundered 
Kill  Cuilinn,  whence  they  carried  off 
1,000  prisoners." 

There  was  then  a  challenge  of  battle 
between  Donncadh,  king  of  Ireland,  and 
Murkertach,  son  of  Niall  Glun-dubh, 
lord  of  Ailech  ;  but  God  pacified  them  ; 
and  they  went  with  both  their  forces  to 
lay  siege  to  the  foreigners  of  Ath-cli- 
ath,  (Dublin),  so  that  they  spoiled  and 
plundered  all  that  was  under  the  do- 
minion of  the  foreigners,  from  Ath- 
cliath  to  Truisten,  (a  ford  on  the  river 
Greece,  near  Mullaghmart) . 

*^  Ailech-Neid,  i.  e.,  Elagh,near  Lon- 
donderry. The  brave  Murkertach  was 
captured  in  937,  and  taken  to  the  ships 
of  the  pirates,  but,  say  our  Shanua- 
chies,  "  God  redeemed  him."  "We  find 
him  next  year  marching  with  the  mon- 
arch Donncadh,  to  compel  Munster  to 
give  up  hostages  as  sureties  for  submis- 
sion. The  next  year  after,  he  made 
the  grand  circuit  of  Ireland,  when  he 
bore  off  the  Danish  lord  Sitric,  of  Dub- 


lin, Kellachan  of  Munster,  Faelan 
king  of  Leinster,  and  the  royal  heir  of 
Connaught,  as  his  hostages.  He  Í3 
known  in  Irish  history  as  "  Muirchear- 
tach  na  g-cochal  croicenn"  {Miirrcetagh 
na  ^oghal  Creckenn),  i.  e.,  Murkertach, 
of  the  Leather  Coats.  "Murketach,  son 
of  Niall  Glun-tlubh,  lord  of  Ailech,  the 
Hector  of  the  west  of  Europe,  was  slain 
at  Ath-Firdiah  (nowxVrdee),by  Blacari, 
lord  of  the  foreigners,  on  the  2Gth  of 
March.  Ard  Macha  was  plundered  by 
the  foreigners  the  day  at'Ler." — Four 
Masters. 

«  Arolt.  A.  D.  938,  Arolt,  son  of 
Sitric,  son  of  Imhar,  lord  of  the  Danes 
of  Limerick,  was  killed  in  Connaught, 
by  the  Caenraidhe,  [Kainree)  of  Aidni, 
(a  tribe  then  seated  in  the  north  of 
Galway).— Amlaeibh,  son  of  Gofraidh, 
or  Godfrey,  did  not  die  in  this  reign. 

''■'  Lorcan,  son  of  Faelan.  He  was  slain 
in  941 ,  while  he  was  plundering  Dub- 
lin, having  first  defeated  and  slain  many 
of  the  foreigners  who  occupied  it. 

^^  Frince  of  Britain.  This  was  prob- 
ably the  man  called  Aedh  Albanach, 
(i.  e.,  Aedh,  the  Scotchman)  by  the 
Irish  Annalists.  He  was  slain  in  A. 
D.  839,  by  the  Ui  Falghi,  which  tribe 
gained  two  great  victories  over  invad- 
ers in  this  year,  as  is  thus  entered  ;  "A 
slaughter  was  made  of  the  foreigners 
by  the  Ui  Falghi,  by  Amergin,  son  of 
Kinaedh.  who  slew  1200  of  them  at 
Magh-Kisi,  (in  the  north  of  the  King's 
county)." 

And  again  we  read,  that  another 
battle  was  gained  over  the  foreigners 


548 


THE   HISTOKY    OF   IRELAND. 


the  Irish  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  nine  hundred  and  sixty-six. 
It  was  now  also,  that  Ath-chath  was  plundered'"*  by  Congal,  son 
of  Machnithigh,  who  slew  seven  hundred  and  forty  of  the 
Lochlannaigh  therein,  and  bore  ofi'  much  treasure  and  valuables. 
After  these  events,  Donncadh,  son  of  Flaun  Sinna,  monarch  of 
Ireland,  died. 


CONGAL,   ARD-EIGH. 

A.  D.  947.'*'  CongaV*  son  of  Maelmithigh,  son  of  Flannagan, 
sonofKellach,  son  of  Oonaing,  sonof  Congal,  son  of  Acdh  Slanni, 
son  of  Diarmaid,  son  of  Fergus  Kerbeol,  son  of  Conall  Cremthan- 
ni,  son  of  Niall  of  the  Nine  Hostages,  held  the  sovereignty  of 
Ireland  ten  years,  Muiri,  daughter  of  Kinaeth,  son  of  Alpin, 
king  of  Alba,  was  the  mother  of  this  Congal, 

It  was  in  his  reign  that  the  following  events  took  place ;  for  it 
was  during  it  that  Etimon,^'  king  of  Saxon-land,  and  Blacari,'*'' 
king  of  Norway,  died.  And  it  was  tlien,  that  Congal,  son  of 
Maelmithigh,  king  of  Ireland,  gained  the  battle  of  Muini  Breo- 
gain"  over  the  Lochlannaigh,  of  whom  he  slew  therein  seven 
thousand ;  but  great  numbers  of  the  Gaels  also  were  slain  in  that 
engagement. 


of  Ath-cliath,  by  Ihc  Ui  Falghi,  where 
there  Icll  1,000  of  ihein,  tof^ethcr  with 
Aedh  Albanach,  and  many  other 
chiefs." — Four  Blasters. 

*"  Ath  clialh  plundered.  The  last 
year  of  Donncadh's  rei,?!!  was  rendered 
famous  by  the  destruction  of  the  fort- 
ress of  Dublin  by  his  successor  Congal. 
The  fact  is  thus  recorded :  "  A.  D. 
942.  The  destruction  of  Ath-cliath  by 
the  Gaels,  that  is,  by  Congal,  sou  of 
Maelmithigh,  heir  apparent  to  the 
monarchy  of  Ireland  ;  13raen,  son  of 
Maelmorda.  king  of  I/^instcr,  and  Kel- 
lach,  son  of  Faelan,  heir  of  Leinster. 
The  destruction  brought  upon  it  was 
this,  that  is,  its  liou.ses,  division?,  ships, 
and  all  other  structures  were  Iturned, 
its  women,  Ijoys,  and  plebians,  were 
carried  into  bondage.  Its  men  were 
totally  destroyed  by  killing,  drowning, 
burning,  and  capturine.  excepting  a 
small  number,  that  fled  in  a  few  ships 
to  Dclg  Inis,  (now  Dalkv  Island)." — 
See  Id. 

Notwithstanding  this,  we  find  tliat 
the  same  foreigners  were  allowed  to  re- 
possess themselves  of  the  same  city  al- 
most immediately  after. 


"  A.  D.  943.— Fo2{r  Masters. 

"  Congal  III.  He  is  called  Con- 
galach  by  the  annalists  just  cited,  who 
assign  to  him  a  reign  of  twelve  years. 

■"■  Elimon,  i.  e.,  Edmund. 

"•  Blacari.  This  chief  was  slain  in 
946,  in  a  battle  that  is  thus  recorded  : 
"  It  was  in  the  fourth  year  of  his  (Con- 
gaVs)  reign,  that  the  battle  of  Ath-cli- 
ath was  fought  by  him  against  Blacari, 
grandson  of  Inihar,  lord  of  the  Norse- 
men, where  Blacari  himself  was  slain, 
together  with  1900  men,  in  revenge  for 
Murkertach,  son  of  Niall  Glun-dubh, 
slain  by  him  some  time  before. — Lrab- 
har  Gabliala. 

"  Muini  Breogain,  otherwise  Mu- 
ini Brocain,  i.  e.,  Brocan's  Brake.  It 
was  not  by  Congal  that  this  victory 
was  gained  ;  but  bylluaidri,  {Roori/). 
O'Canaunain,  king  of  Kind  Conaill, 
then  contending  with  him  for  the  sov- 
ereignty. In  the  year  949,  we  are  told 
that  this  chief,  having  invaded  Mcatli 
and  Breiigh,  and  having  gained  a  vic- 
tory over  the  monarch  Congal,  whom 
he  reduced  to  great  straits,  encamped 
for  six  months  at  Muini  iirocain,  whith- 
er the  duca  of  the  king  of  Ireland  were 


F' 


THE    HISTOllY    OF    IRELAND. 


549 


Brian^  son  of  Kenneidi^  King  of  Munsier. — A.  D.  978-1002. 


It  was  in  the  fourth  year  of  the  reign  of  Congal,^"  the  present 
monarch,  that  Brian,  son  of  Kenneidi,  assumed  the  sover- 
eignty of  Munster.  And  in  the  second  jqvix  after  his  assump- 
tion thereof,  he  challenged  Maelmuaidh,  son  of  Brann,  king 
of  the  Ui  Eachach,  to  meet  him  in  battle,  at  Belach  Lechta*^ 
{Bailagh   Laghta,)  in  order   that  he  might   wreak  vengeance" 


sent  to  him  from  every  quarter.  Au 
engagement  took  place  soon  after  be- 
tween him  and  the  foreigners,  on  the 
feast  of  St.  Andrew,  the  Apostle. 
The  foreigners  were  defeated  therein  ; 
for  there  fell  of  them  six  thousand 
mighty  men,  besides  boys  and  camp-fol- 
lowers. Kuaidri,  heir  to  the  monarchy 
of  Ireland,  fell,  however  himself,  in  the 
heat  of  that  conflict,  as  did  also  Irahar, 
Tanist  of  the  foreigners.  But  God- 
frey, son  of  Sitric,  escaped,  with  some 
others.  The  exact  site  of  Muini  Bre- 
ogain,  is  unknown. — Four  Masters. 

^'' A.  D.  978,  &c. — These  dates  are 
here  inserted  in  order  that  the  reader 
may  not  be  set  astray  by  Dr.  Keating's 
having  antedated  the  reign  of  tlais 
prince,  over  Munster,  by  more  than 
30  years.  Neither  his  reign,  nor  that 
of  his  brother  Mathgamain  were  con- 
temporaneous with  any  part  of  that 
of  the  monarch  Congal.  See  the  An- 
nals of  the  Four  blasters  and  0' Dono- 
van's notes  thereon  ;  0 '  Flaherty '  s 
OgUgia ;  Moore's  History  of  Ireland  ; 
O'Halloran,  fyc. 

'-  The  fourth  year  of  Congal.  It 
was  in  the  the  22d  of  Domnall  lY.,  the 
successor  of  Congal,  and  two  years  after 
the  murder  of  Mathgamain,  that  Brian 
became  King  of  Munster,  by  the  death 
of  Maelmuaidh,  son  of  Brann,  who  had 
held  the  sovereignty  of  Munster  for 
two  years  subsequent  to  the  murder  of 
Brian's  brother,  Mathgamain.  During 
those  two  years  Brian  was  apparently 
engaged  in  establishing  his  sway  over 
Thomoud  or  North  Munster. 

^  Belach  Lechta.  Antiquarians  are 
not  agreed  as  to  the  situation  of  this 
place.  Some  assert  that  it  lies  at  the 
confluence  of  the  rivers  Lee  and  Sul- 
lane,  near  Macroom,  in  the  county  of 
Cork.  Others  say  that  it  lay  at  Cnoc- 
ramhra  [Knock-rowra],  south  of  Mal- 


low, on  the  road  between  that  town 
and  Cork.  Others  again  will  have  it 
that  the  battle  between  Brian  and 
Maelmuaidh,  king  of  Munster,  was 
fought  at  Bearna  Derg,  now  called 
Red  Chair,  a  place  situated  in  the 
parish  of  Kilflin,  on  the  borders  of  the 
counties  of  Cork  and  Limerick.  It  is  a 
chasm  lying  between  two  hills,  and  the 
high  road  from  Cork  to  Limerick 
passes  through  it.  The  battle  of  Be- 
lach Lechta  was  fought  in  the  year 
978  ;  and  thereby  Brian  conquered  the 
sovereignty  of  the  two  Munsters. 
Maelmuaidh  fell  in  this  battle  by  the 
hand  of  Murcadh,  son  of  Brian,  then 
but  a  youth,  who  signalized  his  first 
campaign  by  slaying  the  murderer  of 
his  uncle.  Having  thus  avenged  his 
brother  and  placed  himself  on  the 
throne  of  Munster,  Brian  granted 
peace  to  the  Eoganachta,  and  even  gave 
his  daughter  Sadb  in  marriage  to  Kian, 
the  son  of  his  rival  Maelmuaidh,  who 
succeeded  his  father  as  chief  of  the  Ui 
Eachach  and  king  of  Desmond,  which 
dignity  he  held  until  after  the  battle 
of  Clontarf. 

"  Wreak  Vengeance,  fyc.  His  first 
effort  was  directed  against  the  Danes 
of  Limerick,  and  he  slew  Imhar  their 
king,  with  two  of  his  sons.  Donno- 
bau,  king  of  the  Ui  Fidghenti,  the  be- 
trayer of  iMathgamain,  then  sent  for 
another  of  Imhar's  sons,  whom  he 
caused  to  be  elected  king  of  the  Danes 
of  Munster.  As  soon  as  Brian  had 
heard  this,  he  ravaged  the  lands  of  the 
Ui  Fidghenti,  seized  an  immense  prey 
of  their  cattle,  and  slew  Donnoban, 
their  king.  He  also  plundered  Limer- 
ick, where  he  slew  Harold,  king  of  the 
Danes,  of  which  people  he  made  a 
slaughter  and  then  returned  home, 
loaded  with  immense  spoils. 


550  THE   IIISTOKY   OF   IRELAND. 

for  bis  brotlier  Matligamain,  son  of  Kcniieidi,  who  Lad  been 
treacherously  murdered  by  fhe  people  of  Maehnuaidh,  Macl- 
muaidh  thereupon  mustered  a  great  arm}'-,  composed  as  well 
of  strangers  iis  of  Irish ;  for  he  had  with  him  a  body  of  one 
thousand  five  hundred  of  the  Lochlannaigh,  together  with  a 
large  force  of  the  Gaels  lilcewise.  lie  was  nevertheless  routed 
at  Belach  Lechta,  b}^  Brian  and  the  Dal-g-Cais,  by  whom  a 
countless  multitude  of  his  followers  were  slaughtered :  and  those 
of  them  that  were  not  killed  became  the  captives  of  Brian.  After 
this,  Domnall  O'Faelain,"  king  of  the  Desi,  aided  by  the  Loch- 
lannaigh, proclaimed  war  against  Brian,  and  the  greater  part  of 
Munster  was  ravaged  by  him  and  his  foreign  allies.  However,  they 
were  soon  overtaken  by  Brian,  who  gave  them  battle  at  Fan 
Conracli,^  where  the  king  of  the  Desi  and  his  foreigners  were 
completely  vanquished.  Brian  then  pursued  their  routed  host 
to  Port  Largi,  where  he  slew  Domnall  O'Faelain  himself.  He 
next  made  captives  of  the  greater  part  of  the  inhabitants  of  that 
city,  which  he  plundered  and  then  burned. 

In  eight  years  aftcr"^  Brian  had  assumed  the  kingdom  of 
Munster,  the  entire  of  Leth  Mogha  was  compelled  to  submit  to 
him  as  its  sovereign.  However,  after  the  death  of  Domnall 
Claen,^  king  of  Leinster,  both  the  Lochlannaigh  and  the  Gaels  of 
that  principality  rebelled  against  his  authority.  Ujion  this, 
Brian  called  together  the  full  strength  of  the  ]\[en  of  Munster 

"  Domnall  O'Faelain.  This  chief  Annals  of  the  Four  Masters  record  the 
should  ratlier be  styled 3/«cfW(;7;i, i.e.  death  of  Domnall,  son  of  Faelan,  king 
son  of  Faelan.  The  surname  O'Fae-  of  the  Desi.  The  kings  of  Leinster 
Ian  could  scarcely  have  been  yet  and  Osraide,  or  Ossory,  and  the  Danes 
adopted  by  the  lords  of  Desi ;  for  Fae-  of  Limerick,  Cork,  and  Leinster,  had 
lain,  son  of  Cormac,  (apparently  the  entered  into  a  formidable  confederacy 
father  of  this  Domnall),  from  whom  the  against  Brian,  the  designs  of  which 
O'Faelains  of  the  Desi  Mumhan  have  he  defeated  by  this  victory.  After  the 
taken  their  name,  had  not  been  tiien  battle,  Brian  invaded  Leinster,  re- 
many  years  dead.  lie  had  died  king  duced  it  to  obedience,  received  host- 
of  the  Desi  in  A.  D.  904.  'J'iie  mem-  ages  from  both  its  kings,  who  had 
bers  of  the  sept  that  lias  s])rung  from  come  to  his  camp  in  person  to  tender 
Faelan  now  call  themselves  either  him  their  allegiance. 
O'Felan,  Phelan  or  Whclan.  "  Ei<!;lii  years  after.  This  was  prob- 

"  Fan  Conrach,   i.e.  the   Slope  of  ably  about  the  time  of  the  battle   of 

Curaidh.    In  some  of  the  editor's  Á18S.  Fan  Conrach,  when,  having  received 

it  is  called  Ferann  (Jonrach  ;  i.  c.  the  the  hostages  and  the  homage  of  the 

land  or  farm  of  Curaidh.  The  Annals  of  kings  of  Leinster,  he  had  reduced  all 

Imiisfallcn  call  it  Fan  Mic  Coiiracli,  i.e.  Leth  Mogha  beneath  his  sway, 

the  .Slope  of  the  son  of  Curaidh  ;  its  sit-  "*  Doinnall  Claen.     Domnall  Claen, 

uation  is  unknown  to  the  editor.     'J'hc  son  of  I>(jrcan,  was  king  of  Leinster 

annals,  just  named,  enter  the  liatlle  of  from  A.  I).  1)70  to  983.     The  battle  of 

this  place  A.  D.  979,  which  can  scarce-  Clenn   Mama  was  not  fought   before 

ly  be  it.s   time  ;  for   A.D.  99.5,  is  the  A.  D.  99.S,  the  20th  year  of  Maclsech- 

ycar  under  which  the  more  accurate  lainn  as  raonarcli  of  Ireland. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND, 


551 


and  to  attack  the  men  of  Leinstcr  and  tlieir  foreign  allies :  and 
he  fought  the  battle  of  Glenn  Mama^'  against  their  united  forces, 
and  therein  he  vanquished  them  both,  and  slew  four  thousand  of 
their  warriors. 

Sequel  of  the  reign  of  Congal^  A.  D.  944  to  A.  D.  956." 

Congal,  son  of  Maelmithigh,  Monarch  of  Ireland,  afterwards 
marched  into  Munster,  which  he  pillaged  and  despoiled,  and 
where  he  sIcav  two  of  the  sons  of  Kenncidi,"  son  of  Lorcan ; 
namely,  Echtigherna  and  Donncuan. 

After  this,  Kenannus,  Domnach  Padraig,"  Ard  Brecain,  Kill 
Sgiri,  and  many  other  churches  besides,  were  plundered  by 
Gofraidh,  son  of  Sitric,  and  the  foreigners  of  Dublin,  on  which 
occasion  they  made  captives  of  three  thousand  persons,  whom 
they  bore  off  into  captivitj^,  together  with  much  of  gold  and 
silver,  and  valuable  Avares. 


''  Glenn  Mamn  ;  a  valley  near  Dun- 
lavan,  county  Wicklow.  The  glory  of 
this  battle  should  more  probably  be 
given  to  Maelscchlainn  II.,  for  it  -was 
he  that  commanded  the  Irish  army 
upon  that  occasion,  M-hilst  Brian  acted 
but  as  his  ally.  Some  Munster  Anti- 
quaries would  usurp  all  its.  glory  for 
their  favorite  hero,  for  which  purpose, 
apparently,  they  antedated  it  by  several 
years.  Dr.  Keating  was  possibly  mis- 
led by  these.  Some  northerns  would, 
on  the  other  hand,  exclude  Brian  from 
his  proper  share  therein.  The  follow- 
ing entry  of  the  engagement  is  given 
by  the  Four  Masters  : 

"  A.  D.  998  [or  999,)  the  2Ist  year 
of  Maelsechlainn.  An  army  was  led 
by  King  Maelsechlainn  and  by  Brian, 
son  of  Kenneidigh,  to  Glenn  Mama. 
The  foreigners  of  Ath-cliath  came 
thither  to  attack  them,  but  the  latter 
were  routed  and  slaughtered  together 
with  Aralt,  son  of  Amlaeimh,  and 
Cuilen,  son  of  Etigen,  and  other  of 
their  chiefs  ;  and  many  of  the  foreign- 
ers were  cut  off  in  this  conflict.  After 
it  Maelsechlainn  and  Brian  entered 
Ath-cliath,  where  they  remained  for  a 
full  week  and  carried  off  its  gold,  silver, 
and  prisoners.  They  burned  the  fort- 
ress and  expelled  the  lord  of  the  for- 
>  eigners — namely,  Sitric,  son  of  Am- 
aleimh." 

">  A.  D.  944  to  A.  D.  956.  For  the 
correctness  of  these  dates,  the  reader  is 


referred  to  O'Flaherty's  Ogygia  and 
O'Donovan's  notes  to  the  Annals  of  the 
Four  Masters. 

•^'  The  Two  sons  of  Kenncidi.  The 
incursion  in  which  they  were  slain  was 
made  in  A.  D.  948.  whilst  Kellachan 
of  Cashcl  was  King  of  Mnnster,  and 
whilst  their  father,  Kenneidi,  was  still 
King  of  Thomond.  This  entry  should 
in  itself  have  shown  to  Dr.  Keating 
tl>e  absurdity  of  placing  the  accession 
of  Brian  to  the  throne  of  Munster  in 
the  fourth  year  of  this  reign,  i.  e.  seven 
years  before  the  death  of  Kellachan, 
and  when  five  other  princes,  namely, 
]\[aelfogartach,  Dubdaboireun,  Ferg- 
raidh,  IMathgamain  and  Maelmuaidh 
were  yet  to  occupy  that  position  before 
him.  Brian  was  then  but  a  child,  and 
in  addition  to  the  remaining  years  of 
his  father's  reign,  those  of  the  reigns  of 
his  elder  brothers  Lactna  and  Math- 
gamain  had  stiU  to  pass  by  before  he 
became  king  even  of  Thomond. 

^'^  Domnach  Padraig,  ífc.  "  A.  D. 
949.  Kenannus,  Domnach  Padraig, 
Ard  Brecain,  Tulan,  Disert  Kiarain, 
and  Kill-Sgiri,  and  other  churches  fall 
in  East  Meath),  were  plundered  by 
Godfrey,  son  of  Sitric,  and  the  for- 
eigners of  Ath-cliath.  It  was  out  of 
a  camp,  pitched  at  Kenannus,  they 
were  all  plundered.  They  carried  off 
upwards  of  3000  persons  into  captivity, 
besides  gold,  silver,  raiment,  wealth 
and  goods  of  all  kinds.'' — Four  Masters. 


552 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


About  this  time  died  Etlmi,"  daughter  of  Fergal,  Queen  of 
Irehmd,  and  wife  of  Congal,  son  of  i^iaehnithigh.  Then,  also, 
died  Maelcoluim,  son  of  Domnall,"  King  of  Alba ;  Gacithini, 
Bishop  of  Dun-da-leth-glas,  and  Tadg,  son  of  Cathal,"  king  of 
Connaught. 

Soon  after  these  events,  Congal,  son  of  Maeilmithigh,  King  of 
Ireland,  was  slain  at  Ard  Macha,°"  by  the  Leinstermen,  and  the 
Lochlannaigh  of  Ath-cliath. 


DOMNALL,    ARD-RIGH, 


A,  D.  957.  Domnall,"  son  of  Murkertach  of  the  Leather 
Coats,  son  of  Niall  Glun-dubh,  son  of  Aedh  Finn-liath,  son  of 
Niall  Calli,  son  of  Aedh  Oirnighe,  son  of  Niall  Frasach,  of  the 
line  of  Erimhon,  held  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland  for  ten  {correctly 
for  twenty-four'^^)  years. 


"  Eitkni  died.  She  died  in  A.  D. 
951. 

*'  Maelcoluim,  son  of  DomnaU.  He 
in  called  Malcolm  I.  by  the  Scotch 
writers.  He  was  assassinated  by  his 
own  people  in  A.  D.  953.  He  was 
the  41st  kin;r  of  the  race  of  the  Irish 
Dal  Hiada  that  reigned  over  Alba,  or, 
as  it  is  now  called,  Scotland. — Sec  the 
Ogij^ia. 

•^  Tadg,  son  of  Catlml.  This  prince, 
who  is  also  called  Tadg  of  the  Three 
Towers,  died  in  456.  Gaeithini,  Bishop 
of  Down,  died  in  the  same  year. 

^  Slain  at  Ard  Macha.  This  is  a  mis- 
take :  Congal  was  slain  at  a  place 
called  Tigh  Gighrain,  situated  on  the 
river  Liffey,  and  near  Dublin.  The 
true  year  of  his  death  is  95G,  l>ut  it  is 
thus  recorded  l)y  the  Four  Masters, 
under  A.  D.  954,  for  these  annalist.s  arc 
about  two  years  behind  the  vulgar 
era  at  this  period  : 

"A  hosting  by  Congalach,  King  of 
Ireland,  into  Lcinster,  and  after  he  had 
despoiled  Leinster,  and  held  the  Fair 
of  Lifi,  (i.  e.,  Aenach  ('ohnain  in  Magh 
liifij  for  three  days,  infDrination  thereof 
wa;s  sent  to  the  Goill  of  Ath-cliatli, 
and  Amlaeimh,  son  of  Godfrey,  lord  of 
the  (Join,  laid  a  battle  ambush  for  the 
king,  and  he  was  taken  therein,  with 
his  chieftains,  at  Tigh  Gighrain.    The 


following  are  those  who  were  then 
slain  :  Congalach  himself,  Madudan, 
son  of  Aedh,  son  of  Maclmithidh,  and 
Cormac,  son  of  Cathalan,  lord  of  Fera 
Arda,  now  Ferrai'd,  in  Louth,  and  a 
great  many  others." 

•^  DoMNALL  IV.  The  date  in  the  te.xt 
chances  to  be  correct  with  regard  to 
the  accession  of  this  king,  lie  was 
commonly  called  Domnall  O'Neill, 
being  the  0,  i.  e.,  the  grandson,  of 
Niall  Ghuwlubh.  With  him  origin- 
ated the  family  name  of  the  O'Neills 
of  Tir  ííogain,  or  Tyrone. 

^  Twenty-four  years.  The  learned 
O'Flaherty  has  ascertained,  on  compar- 
ing the  various  Irish  annals,  that  such 
was  the  real  length  of  the  reign  of 
Domnall  O'Neill.  Kither  Keating  or 
his  Iranscriljcrs  have  evidently  curtail- 
eil  it  by  fourteen  years  in  endeavoring 
to  make  the  career  of  Brian,  as  King 
of  Munster,  cotemporaneous  with  the 
rcigas  of  Congal,  Domnall  and  Mael- 
scchlainn.  As  there  is  no  authority 
for  such  curtailment  found  in  the  Irish 
aimals,  which  are  perfectly  clear  and 
distinct  upon  the  subject,  the  editor, 
in  giving  the  dates  of  the  ensuing 
reigns,  shall  be  guided  by  the  number 
of  years  which  lie  has  above  inserted, 
in  italics,  and  shall  disregard  altogether 
the  number  (ten)  given  in  the  text. 


THE   niSTORY    OF   IRELAND.  553 

During  the  reign  of  this  monarch,  Kill-dara  was  plundered"' 
by  Amlaeibh,  son  of  Sitrie,  and  the  Lochlannaigli  of  Ath-cliath. 

It  was  now  that  the  monarch  of  Irehind,  L)omnal],  son  of 
Murkertach,  marched  into  Connaught,  which  he  pillaged  and 
despoiled,  and  whence  he  brought  a  large  prey,  together  with 
many  captives,  taken  from  Fergal  O'Euairc,'"  who  was  king  of 
Connaught  at  that  time. 

It  was,  also,  about  this  time  that  the  great  temple  of  Tuaim 
Greni  was  built  b}^  Cormac  O'Killini,  bishop  of  that  see.  About 
the  same  time  Fergal  O'Euairc,  King  of  Connaught,  was  slain 
by  Domnall,  son  of  Congal,  son  of  Maelmithigh.  It  was  then, 
likewise,  that  Luimncch  was  plundered"  and  burned,  in  spite  of 
the  Lochlannaigli,  by  Brian,  son  of  Kenneidi,  King  of  Minister. 
After  this,''  Domnall  O'Neill  marched  into  Leinster  with  a 
numerous  army,  and  laid  that  country  waste  from  the  river 
Berba  eastwards  to  the  sea,  and  he  continued  encamped  therein 
for  two  months,  in  spite  of  both  the  Lochlannaigh  and  the  Lein- 
stermen. 

It  was  now,  also,  that  Maelfinnen,"  son  of  Uctan,  Bishop  of 
Kenannus  and  comarba  of  St.  Ulltan,  died.  Soon  after,  Am- 
laeibh Cuaran  and  the  Lochlannaigh  of  Leinster  plundered  Ken- 
annus,'* whence  they  carried  off  a  great  prey  and  many  valuable 
articles,  and  the  Ui  Neill  suffered  a  terrible  and  great  defeat,'^  in 

^  Kill-dara plundered.     "A.  D.  9G2.  victories   over   Donnoban   and   Mael- 

Kill-dara  was  plundered  by  the  foreign-  muaidh,  and  in  the  22nd  year  of  the 

ers,  and  a  great  number  of  seniors  and  reign  of  Domnall  O'Neill. 

ecclesiastics  were  taken  prisoners  there,  '^  After  this.     It  was  several  years 

but   Xiall   Ua    h'Eruilbh     ransomed  before  this,  namely,  in  A.  D.   966,  that 

them   Avith   his    own   money." — Four  Domnall  made  this  invasion  of  Leinster, 

Masters.  but  Keating  frequently  uses  the  phrase 

These  annals  tell  us  that  Amlaeibh,  "  after  this"  in  a  very  indefinite  sense. 

son  of  Sitrie,  was  defeated  within  the  "  Maelfinnen.     He  died  in  A.  D. 

same  year,  at   Inis  Tioc,  now  Ennis-  967. 

tiogue,  on  the  Nore.  by  the   men  of  '^  Keiiannus   plundered.       It    was 

Osraide.     In  979,  Kill-dara  was  again  jilundered   by   Amlaeibh    Cuaran,   in 

plundered  by  the  foreigners.     On  the  A.  D.  968,  when  he  carried  oif  a  great 

latter  occasion  they  captured  Domnall  prey  of  cattle,  but  lost  numbers  of  his 

Claen,  King  of  Leinster.  own  people.     On   this   occasion,    the 

'"  Fergal  0  Ruairc.     A.  D.  963  is  foreigners  and  the  Leinstermcn  defeated 

the  date  of  the  monarch's  invasion  of  the  Ui  Neill,  that  is,  the  ISIeathmen. 

the  territories  of  this  prince.     Fergal  at  Ard  Maelcon,  now  Ardmulchau,  on 

gained  a  victory  on  the  Shannon  over  the  Boyne.     Kenannus,  or  Kclls,  had 

Matligamain,  King  of  Munster,  in  962.  been  also  plundered  during  the  prcvi- 

He  was  slain   by  Domnall,    lord    of  ous  year,  by  Sitrie,  son  of  Amlaeibh, 

Breagh,  and  son  of  the  last  monarch,  and  Murcadh,  sou  of  Finn,   King  of 

in  96-i.     Cormac  O'Killine,  successor  Leinster,   but   Domnall   O'Neill  over- 

of  St.  Kiaran,  died  in  the  last-mention-  took  and  defeated  them. 

ed  year.  "   The  Ui  Neill  defeated.     This  was 

"    Luimnech  plwidered.      This  oc-  in  A.  D.  969,  when  the  southern  Ui 

curredin  A.  D.  9(8,  previous  to  Brian's  Neill,    or     Clann    Colmain,    having 


554  THE    HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 

wliich  numbers  fell  on  both  sides.  About  the  same  time,  the 
battle  of  Kill-na-^[ona'^  was  gained  by  Domnall,  son  of  Congal, 
and  the  Lochlannaigh  of  Ath-Cliath,  over  Domnall,  son  of  ]\Iur- 
kertach.  King  of  Ireland,  wherein  fell  Ardgal,  son  of  Madagan, 
who  had  been  king  of  Ulidia  for  seventeen  years,  and  Donuagan, 
son  of  Maelmuri,  King  of  Oirghiall,  and  a  great  many  other 
nobles,  together  with  them. 

Very  soon  after,  Becan,  Bishop  of  Oilfiun,  and  Kinaeth  O'h- 
Artagain, "'  Primate  of  Ard  Macha,  died.  It  was  then,  also,  that 
Ugari,  son  of  Tuathal,  King  of  Lsinster,  was  captured  by  the 
Lochlannaigh  of  Ath-Cliath.  After  this,  Inis  Cathaigh"  was  pil- 
laged, in  spite  of  the  Lochlannaigh,  by  Brian,  son  of  Kenneidi, 
King  of  ]\Iunster,  who  slew  five  hundred  of  them  therein,  and 
who  there  captured  three  of  their  chieftains,  namely,  Imhar, 
Amlaeibh  and  Dubghenn,  It  was  of  this  that  the  bard  com- 
posed the  following  verse : 

"  That  slaughter  made  at  Inis  Cathaigh 
AVas  not  unwortliy  of  thy  fame, 
AV^here  cliieftaius  of  the  stranger  perished, 
Where  Imhar  and  where  Dubgheun  fell." 

It  was  about  this  time  that  the  battle  of  Bithlann"  was  gained 
over  the  Leinsterinen  by  the  Lochlannaigh  of  Ath-Cliath,  and 
Ugari,  son  of  Tuathal,  King  of  Leinster,  was  slain  therein. 

Shortly  after  this,  Domnall,  son  of  Murkertach,  King  of  Ire- 
land, died'"  at  Ard  Macha. 

leagued  with  the  foreigners,  drove  King  Meath,  and  not  of  Oilfinn,  now  Elphin, 

Domnaill  northwards  across  Sliabh  Fu-  in   Koscommon.      The  latter  died  in 

aid  ;  but  he  immediately  mustered  the-  A.  D.  971.     An  account  of  the  works 

Kinel  Eogan  and  Kinel  (.'onaill  against  of  Kinaeth  O'h-Artagain,  several  of 

them,  so   that  he  pluiidcrcd  ail  their  wliieli  are  still  extant,  will  be  found  in 

fortresses,  and  spoiled  the  Ui  Falghi  O'Rei/ly's  Catalogue  of  Irish  Writers. 

and  Fothartha  likewise,  and,  say  our  "  Inis  Cathaigh.     This  ex]iloit  was 

annalists,  "  he  then  took  revenge  for  performed   in  A.  D.  977,  while  Brian 

their  opposition  to  him,  for  he  erected  was  yet  but  King  of  Thoniond.  and 

a  camp  in   every  cantrcd  of  Meath,  previous  to  his  taking  of  Luimncch,  or 

from  the  Sianinn  to  Belach-duin,"  now  Limerick. 

Castle  Kieran,  near  Kells.  "  liitlilann,  now  Belan,  in  the  south 

'"  A'í7/->ía-mo/i/í,  otherwise  Kill-mona,  of  Kildare,  about  four  miles  from  the 

and  now  Killmoon,  in  the  barony  of  town  of  Athy.   The  battle  of  Bithlann 

Skreen,  county  Meath.    This  battle  was  fouglit  in  A.  D.  978. 

was  fought  in  tlie  same  year  with  that  '■"  Doinnnll  died.    "A.  D.  978  (more 

of  Belach  I^chta,  i.  e.,  A.  D.  978.  correctly  A.  I).  979).   After  Domnaíl, 

"   Kinaeth     O'h-Artagain.       Both  son   of  Murkertach   of    the   Lcalher 

these  entries  are  wrong.    Kinaeth  O'h-  Cloaks,  son   of  Niall  Glun-dubh,  had 

Artagain  was  Chief  Poet  of  Ireland,  been   twenty-four  years  in  the  sovei"- 

and   not   Primate   of  Armagh.     His  cignty   of  Ireland,   he   died   at    Ard 

death   is  entered   under    .\.  I).    973.  Maclia,  after  the  victory  of  i)enance." 

Becan  was  Bishop  of  Cluaio  Iraird,  in  — Four  Masters. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


555 


MAELSECHLAINN  MOR,    ARD-RIGH. 

A.  D.  980,"  Maelsechlainn,^'  son  of  Domnall,  son  of  Douncadh, 
son  of  Flann  Sinna,  son  of  Maelsecblainn,  son  of  Maclruad- 
naidh,  of  the  line  of  Erimhon,  held  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland 
for  twenty-three  years.  Donnflaith,"  daughter  of  Mnrkertach, 
son  of  Niall,  was  the  mother  of  this  monarch. 

It  was  in  this  reign  that  Gluniarainn,"  King  of  Lochlainn,  ar- 
rived in  Ireland.  It  was,  moreover,  during  this  reign  that  the 
following  deeds  were  done  ;  for  it  was  IMaelsechlainn  in  person 
that  won  the  battle  of  Temhair,^*  over  the  sons  of  Amlaeibh,  and 
the  Lochlannaigh  of  Ath-cliath.  In  this  engagement  there  fell 
five  thousand  of  the  foreigners,  together  with  Kaghnall,  son  of 
Amlaeibh,  the  heir-apparent  to  the  sovereignty  of  the  Loch- 
lannaigh. 

After  this  success,  Maelsechlainn,  King  of  Ireland,  accompani- 
ed by  Eocaidh,  son  of  Ardgal,  who  was  King  of  Ulidia  for 


^'  A.  D.  980  is  the  year  of  his  acces- 
sion.— See  Ogygia. 

'^  Maelsechlaixn  II.  He  is  also 
styled  IMaelsecblaiiin  Mor,  i.  e.,  the 
Great,  a  title  he  well  merited,  notwith- 
standing the  calumnious  aspersions  of 
the  shauaachies  of  Munster. 

"  Donnflaith.  This  lady,  after  the 
deathof  Maelsechlaimi's  father,I)omnall 
O'Maelsechlainn,  had  been  married  to 
Amlaeibh,  lord  of  the  foreigners,  by 
whom  she  had  Gluniai'rann,  who  was, 
thus,  the  brother  of  the  Irish  king. 

**  G/«ni«?-a;iii,  i.e.  Iron  Knee.  "He 
was  probably  so  called  from  having  his 
knees  cased  in  iron  mail,  against  the 
stroke  of  the  battle  axe." — O'D.  In 
A.  D.  982,  we  find  him  aiding  his 
maternal  brother,  in  a  victory  which 
the  latter  gained  over  Imhar  of  Port 
Largi  and  Domnall  Claen  of  Leinster, 
where  many  perished,  both  by  drown- 
ing and  killing,  among  whom  was  Gilla- 
Padraig,  son  of  Imhar,  and  many  others 
of  distinction. — Four  Masters. 

"  The  battle  of  Temkair.  This  bril- 
liant victory,  second  only  to  that  of 
Clontarf.  was  gained  by  Maelsechlainn 
in  A.  D.  979,  immediately  previous  to 
his  accession  to  the  throne.  "  Invaded," 
says  Moore,  '•  in  the  heart  of  his  do- 


minions, by  the  Northmen  of  Dublin 
and  the  isles,  he  not  merely  repelled 
the  invasion  with  spirit,  but,  turning 
assailant  in  his  turn,  attacked  the  main 
body  of  the  enemy's  force,  consisting 
of  Danes  collected  from  all  parts  of 
Ireland,  and  continuing  the  conflict 
with  but  little  interruption  for  three 
days  and  nights,  forced  them  to  submit 
to  whatever  terms  he  chose  at  the 
sword's  point  to  dictate."  The  Four 
Masters  record  it  thus  :  "  The  battle 
of  Temhair  was  gained  by  ]\Iaelsech- 
lainn,  son  of  Domnall,  over  the  foreign- 
ers of  Ath-cliath  and  of  the  islands,  and 
over  the  sons  of  Amlaeibh  in  particu- 
lar, where  many  were  slain,  together 
with  Raghnall,  son  of  Amlaeibh,  heir 
to  the  sovereignty  of  the  foreigners, 
Oonamhail,  son  of  Gilla-Arri,  and  the 
orator  of  Ath-cliath,  and  a  dreadful 
slaughter  of  the  foreigners  around  them. 
There  also  fell  in  the  heat  of  the  battle 
Braen,  son  of  Murcadh,  royal  heir  of 
Leinster.  Congalach,  son  of  Flann,  lord 
of  the  Galenga,  and  his  sou,  Maelan ; 
Fiachna  and  Cndalich,  sons  of  Dub- 
laech.  lords  of  Fera  Tulach,  now  Fer- 
tullauh  in  West  Meath  ;  and  Lactna, 
lord  of  Muehdorna  Maighen,  now  Cre- 
morue,  in  Monaghan. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


twenty-five  years,  marched  against  Ath-cliatli/"  in  order  to  pillage 
and  despoil  that  stronghold  of  the  invaders.  At  this  place  he 
remained  encamped  for  three  days  and  three  nights  ;  thereupon 
all  of  the  Irish  nobles,  that  Avere  held  in  captivity  by  the  Loch- 
lannaigh,  were  delivered  from  their  bonds,  and  amongst  them 
Domnall  Claen,  King  of  Lcinster,  and  all  the  hostages  of  the  Ui 
Neill  likewise.  He  compelled  them,  moreover,  to  acknowledo-e 
his  authority,  and  to  give  up  all  their  claims  for  tributes  or  lines 
upon  any  of  his  territories,  from  the  Sinainn  to  the  sea. 

It  was  about  this  time  that  Amlaeibh,  son  of  Sitric,"  the  head 
chieftain  of  the  Lochlannaigh,  was  banished  out  of  Ireland,  and 
forced  to  dwell  an  exile  at  Aei  Coluini  Killi,  in  Alba,  whither  he 
had  been  driven  by  the  Gaels. 

Alaelseehlainn  7iext  marched  to  plunder  and  despoil  the  terri- 
tories of  the  Dal  g-Cais,  and  he  there  cut  down  the  great  tree  of 
Magh  Adair;''  but,  0  reader!  this  deed  did  not  pass  unavenged, 
as  shall  hereafter  be  made  evident.     Glenn-da-loch  Avas  also  then 


^  Marched  against  Ath-cb'ath.  "A.  D. 
980.  A  great  army  was  led  by  ]\Iael- 
scchlainn,  Kingof  Ireland.aml  Eocaidh, 
son  of  Ardgar,  King  of  Ulidia,  against 
the  foreigners  of  "Ath-cliath.  They 
laid  siege  to  them  for  three  days  and 
three  nights,  and  carried  thence  all  the 
hostages  of  Ireland,  among  whom  was 
Domnall  Claen,  King  of  lcinster.  Two 
thousand  was  the  number  of  these 
hostages,  besides  jewels,  goods  and  the 
freedom  of  the  Ui  Xeill  from  the  Sin- 
ainn to  the  sea  from  tribute  or  taxa- 
tion. It  was  then  that  Maelsechlainn 
himself  issued  his  famous  proclamation, 
in  which  he  said,  '  Let  every  one  of 
the  Gaeidhil  who  is  now  in  servitude 
and  bondage  iu  the  territories  of  the 
strangers  return  to  his  own  land  in 
gladness  and  peace.'  Tliis  was  the 
Babylonian  captivity  of  the  Irish,  until 
they  were  released  "by  Maelsechlainn. 
It  was,  indeed,  next  to  the  captivity  of 
hell." — Four  Mast  rs. 

"  Amlaeibh,  son  of  SItric.  lie  was 
expelled  from  Dublin,  or  Ath-cliath, 
after  the  battle  of  Temhair,  and  died 
next  year  in  lona,  "  on  his  pilsrrimage 
after  penance  and  a  good  life." — lb. 
"This  is  the  first  instance  in  the  Irish 
annals  of  a  Danish  chieftain  being  a 
Chriitian.  Ware  thinks  the  Danes 
of  Dublin  embraced  the  Christian  reli- 
gion iu  the  year  930." — 0' Donovan. 


^  The  great  tree  of  Magh  Adair. 
It  was  called  in  Irish  "  Bile  Maighe 
Adhair"  [Billch  Moye  Ire).  It  was 
under  this  tree  that  the  kings  of  Tho- 
niond  were  inaugurated.  Magh  Adhar 
is  now  called  Moyre,  and  is  situated  in 
the  townland  of  Toonagh,  parish  of 
Cloney,  and  barony  of  Upper  Tulla,  iu 
the  county  of  Clare.  In  A .  D.  980, "  Dal 
g-Cais  was  plundered  by  Maelsech- 
lainn, and  the  Tree  of  Aenach  Maighe 
Adair  was  cut  after  being  dug  from 
the  earth  with  its  roots." — FourMastcrs. 
Maelsechlainn  gav(!  another  defeat  to 
the  Dal  g-Cais  at  Fordroma,  wliere  he 
.slew  seven  hundred  of  their  warriors. 
In  A.  D.  994,  he  pillaged  Ormond, 
burned  Aenach  Tcte,  now  Nenagh, 
and  routed  before  him  Brian  and  the 
men  of]\Iunster.  It  would  appear  that 
the  rival  kings  had  madti  ]X'aee  soon 
after  this,  for  iu  A.  D.  997  we  fiud  they 
had  joined  their  forces,  "  to  the  joy  of 
the  men  of  Ireland;"  when  Maelsech- 
lainn, with  the  men  of  Meath,  and  also 
Brian,  with  those  of  Munster,  marched 
to  Ath-cliath,  and  comiielled  the  for- 
eigners to  deliver  up  liostages  and 
jewels.  The  Lochlannaigh  soon  again 
rebelled,  when,  having  attacked  the 
allied  kings  at  Glenn  Mama,  they  were 
defeated  in  the  great  battle  of  that 
))lace,  which  has  been  ])rematurely 
inserted  under  the  reign  of  Congal  III. 


THE  HISTORY   OF  IRELiVND.  557 

plundered**  by  the  three  sons  of  Kerball,  son  of  Lorcan  ;  but  im- 
mediately after  the  whole  three  were  killed  on  the  same  night, 
by  the  miracles  of  St.  Caeimghin,  who  was  held  in  reverence  at 
that  place. 

It  was  about  this  time  that  ]\ror,°°  daughter  of  Donncadh,  son 
of  Kellach,  Queen  of  Ireland,  died.  Then,  also,  died  Erard,  son 
of  Coisi,''  Primate  of  Ireland.  Domnach  Padraig  was  plundered^^ 
soon  after  by  the  Lochlannaigh  of  Dublin,  and  by  Murkertach 
O'Congalaigh ;  but  God  wreaked  vengeance  upon  them  for  the 
deed,  for  death  came  upon  them  before  the  end  of  that  very 
month. 

It  Avas  now  that  Maelsechlainn  forcil)ly  carried  off  a  collar  or 
ring  of  goh?^  from  a  chieftain  of  the  ISTorthmen,  who  was  called 
Tomar  f*  from  another  of  their  chieftains,  named  Carlus,''^  he 
carried  off  a  sword. 

Dethronement  of  Maelsechlainn^  A.  D.  1002. 

At  length  the  nobles  of  Leth  Mogha,  and  the  majority  of  those 
of  Connaught,  considered  that  it  was  Brian,  son  of  Kenneidi, 
that  bore  the  labor  and  trouble  of  expelling  the  Lochlannaigh 
from  the  country,  Avhilst  Maelsechlainn,  who  was  then  King  of 
Ireland,  was  delivering  himself  up  to  luxury,*''  effeminacy  and 
ease — a  course  of  action  that  was  by  no  means  conducive  towards 

"  Glenn-da-Ioch  phmdercd.  This  having  taken  their  stronghold,  he  car- 
took  place  in  A.  D.  982.  ried  off  the  collar  or  ring  of  Tomar,  and 

>»  Mor.     She  died  in  A.  D.  985.  the  sword  of  Carlus. 

"  Erard  Mac  Coisi.  He  was  not  ^'  Collar  of  gold.  Moore  has  founded 
Primate  of  Ard  Macha,  but  Chief  his  ballad,  "  Let  Erin  remember  the 
Poet  of  Ireland.  He  died  in  A.  D.  990.  days  of  old,"  upon  this  entry. 
Keating  has  already  made  a  similar  mis-  '•"*  Tomar.  "There  was  no  Tomar 
take  with  regard  to  KinaethO'h-Arta-  in  Malachy  (Maelsechlainn  II.'s)  time, 
gain,  led  astray  apparently  by  the  and  the  chain  or  ring  referred  to  was 
accidental  resemblance  there  is  in  sound  certainly  preserved  at  Dublin  as  an 
between  the  Gaelic  word  primh-fhaidh  heirloom  by  the  Danish  kings  of  Dub- 
(a  chief  poet),  and  primhaidk  (a  ^wi-  lin,  the  descendants  of  Tomar,  or  Tom- 
mate),  which  is  corrupted  Latin — both  rair.  the  Earl,  tanist  of  the  King  of 
being  sounded  somewhat  like  preeuaWi.  Lochlain,  who  was  killed  at  Sciath 
Another  chief  poet  of  this  name,  some  Nechtain,  near  Castledermot,  in  the 
of  whose  compositions  still  survive,  year  947." — 0' Donovan. 
died  in  1023.  ''  Carlus.  It  would  appear  that  the 

°'-  Domnack  Padraig  plundered.  This  sword  of  Carlus  was  another  heirloom, 

happened  in  A.  D.  994.    The  same  Carlus,  whose  sword  was  now  carried 

church  had  been  plundered  by  the  Loch-  away  by  Maelsechlainn,   was  son   of 

lannaigh  two  years  previously.     It  is  Aralaff  I.  (Amlacibh),  King  of  Dublin, 

now  called  Donaghpatrick,  and  lies  iu  who  was  killed  at  Kill  Ua  n-Daighré, 

Meath.    It  was  probably  iu  revenge  in  A.  D.  8G6. 

for  this    outrage  that  Maelsechlainn  ^  Luxury,  fyc.    "  This  is  all  proviu- 

again   chastised    the  Danes  of  Ath-  cial  fabrication,  for  Maelsechlainn  had 

cllath  within  that  very  year,  when,  the    Danes  of   Dublin,    Meath,    and 


558  THE  HISTORY  OF  IRELAND. 

ridding  the  nation  of  its  enemies.  For  this  reason,  Brian  took 
counsel  with  the  nobles  wlio  sided  with  him,  and  the  measure  on 
which  they  determined  was  to  send  an  embassy  to  the  monarch, 
with  instructions  to  inform  him  that  it  was  not  just  that  any  man 
should  hold  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland,  except  one  who  would 
toil  strenuously  in  banishing  the  foreign  enemies  from  the  land ;  and 
to  tell  him  likewise,  that  it  had  now  become  the  right  of  Brian  to 
assume  the  sovereign  power,  inasmuch  as  the  entire  labor  of  their 
expulsion  had  fallen  upon  him,  and,  also,  inasmuch  as  it  was  he 
that  had  delivered  the  country  from  the  oppressions  of  the 
pirates.  They  demanded  of  him,  moreover,  to  grant  a  personal 
conference  to  Brian,  upon  the  plain  !Magh-da-caemhog.  But  to 
none  of  these  proposals  would  Maelsechlainn  consent. 

Brian  then  called  together  a  general  gathering  and  muster  of 
all  the  nobles  of  Leth  Mogha,  both  Gaels  and  Northmen  ;  for  all 
the  Xorthmen,  that  dwelt  in  Leth  Mogha,  were  at  that  time  held 
in  subjection  by  Brian.  With  these  he  marched  to  Temhair" 
of  the  Kings,  and  thence  he  sent  another  embassy  to  ^Mael- 
sechlainn,  demanding  of  that  monarch,  either  to  send  him  hostages 
as  a  token  of  submission  to  himself  as  his  sovereign,  or  else  to 
meet  him  in  arms  on  the  battle  field.  lie  left  the  choice  of 
either  of  these  conditions  to  Maelsechlainn.  The  latter  replied  to 
the  embassadors,  by  saying  that  if  Brian  would  gi*ant  him  a  re- 
spite of  one  month,  in  order  that  he  might  have  time  to  summon 
around  him  the  army  of  Leth  Cuinn,  that  he  would,  at  the  end 
of  the  period,  either  give  battle  or  send  hostages  to  the  King  of 
Leth  Mogha.  He  also  desired  the  embassadors  to  request  of  his 
rival  not  to  devastate  or  pillage  Meath  for  that  month,  because 
he  would  submit,  if  he  could  not  fight,  as  soon  as  he  had  received 

Ijcinster  coinpletoly    mastered,  until  Brian's  desic^ns  were  then  bafllcd,  as  is 

Brian,  whose  dauj^litcr  w;is  married  to  seen  by  the  foilowin;^  entry  :  "  A  great 

Sitric,  Danish  king  of  Dublin,  joined  hosting  by  Brian,  son  of  Kcniieidigh, 

the  Danes  against  him.     Never  was  with  the  chiefs  and  i'orces  of  South 

there  a  character  so  historically  ma-  Connauglit,  Osraide,  and  L<Miister.  and 

ligncd.  as  that  of  Maelsechlainn  II.,  by  with  the  foreigners  of  Ath-cliatli,  to 

the   Munster   fabricators   of  liistory  ;  proceed  to  Tenihair.     But  the  foreign- 

but  Mr.  Moore,  by  the  aid  of  authen-  crs  set  out  before  them  with  a  plund- 

tic  Irish  annals,  has   laudably  cndea-  ering    party    of    cavalry   into   Magh 

vored  to  clear  his  character  from  the  Broagh,  where  Maclsochlainn  apposed 

stains  with  which  their  prejiulices  and  them  ;  and  a  spirited  battle  was  fought 

calumnies   have   attempted  to  imbue  between  tlum,  in  which  the  foreigners 

it." — O'Donovan's  Notes  to  the  Four  were  defeated,  and  only  a  few  of  them 

Masters.  escaped.      Brian   then    proceeded   to 

^  Marched  to   Temhair.     The  first  Ferta  Neimhidh  in  Magh  Breagh,  but 

hostile  attempt  made  by  Brian  again.st  returned  thence  without  battle,  with- 

the  monarch,  took  place  the  year  afUir  out  Ijurning.     This  was  the  finst  turn- 

the  great  victory,  which  their  united  ing  of  Brian  and  the  Connau£rhtmen 

arms  had  achieved  at  Glenn  !Mama.  against  Maelsechlainn." — FourMasters. 


THE  HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  559 

answer  from  Leth  Cuinn.     "  If  that  be  so,"  said  Brian,  "I  grant 
biin  the  respite  which  lie  requires." 

Hereupon  the  measure  determined  upon  by  Maclseehlainn  was 
to  depute  Gilla-Comgaill,'*  in  place  of  his  own  Ollamh,""  to  Aedh 
O'Neill,  King  of  Ailech,  to  Eocaidh,  son  of  Ardgal,  King  of 
Ulidia,  and  to  Cathal  O'Concobair,  King  of  Connaught,  request- 
ing of  these  princes  to  march  without  delay,  and  join  him  giving 
battle  to  Brian  and  the  Dal  g-Cais ;  and  he  likewise  sent  them 
word  by  this  ambassador,  that  he  should  himself  deliver  up  host- 
ages, and  make  his  submission  to  Brian,  for  he  was  not  strong 
enough  to  meet  him  in  battle,  unless  they  would  all  come  with 
one  accord  to  defend  the  free  royalty  of  Temhair,  Avhich  their 
race  had  now  held  for  so  long  a  period ;  "  And,  in  truth,"  said 
he,  "it  will  be  no  greater  shame  for  myself  personally  to  refuse 
to  fight  in  the  defense  of  Temhair,  than  it  will  be  for  the  whole 
race  of  Niall  and  for  all  the  host  of  Leth  Cuinn." 

Gilla-Comgaill  then  proceeded  on  his  embassy,  bearing  this 
message  from  the  monarch  to  the  nobles  of  the  race  of  Conn.  To 
these  he  made  known  the  object  of  his  mission ;  but  the  follow- 
ing was  the  reply  which  he  received  from  Aedh  O'Neill :  "  When- 
ever," said  he,  "  Temhair  happened  to  be  possessed  by  the  Kinel 
Eogain,-  they  were  themselves  wont  to  defend  its  rights,  and 
sought  no  other  aid  ;  therefore,  let  him,  who  holds  it  now,  stand 
up  himself  and  fight  for  its  freedom  as  best  he  may,"  He  said, 
moreover,  that  he  would  not  draw  down  the  hostility  of  the  Dal 
g-Cais  upon  himself  by  fighting  in  defense  of  the  sovereignty 
of  another  man. 

Gilla-Comgaill  then  returned  to  Mailsechlainn,  to  whom  he 
delivered  the  answer,  which  Aedh  O'Neill  had  made  to  his 
request.  Having  heard  it,  the  monarch  went  himself  to  visit 
that  prince,  whom  he  personally  besought  to  come  to  his  aid  in 
giving  battle  to  Brian  and  the  Dal  g-Cais,  and  he  addressed  him 

*  Gilla-Comgaill.    This  was  Gilla-  who  was  slain  in  A.D.  1022;  Dom- 

Comgaill  Ua  Sleibhiu,  who  died  chief  nail  in  A.  D.  1168,  &c. 
Poet  of  Ireland  in  A.D.  1031.     He         ^'^  In  place  of  his  own  Ollamh.     It 

was  the  ancestor  of  the  sept  of  O'Slei-  Avould  appear  from   this,  that   Gilla- 

bhni  or  O'Sleibhin,  now  represented  Comgall  was  not,  then,  actually  the 

by  the  O'Slevins  and  Slevins  of  Ulster,  monarch's  own  Ollamh.     The  reason 

Sieibni,  the  founder  of  this  family,  was  for  selecting  him  for  the  mission  to 

decended  from  Feidlimidh,  fourth  son  Aedh  O'Neill  was  probably  because 

of  Eogan,  son  of  Niall  of  the  Nine  it  was  thought  that  he  would  have  the 

Hostages.     The   clan  was  originally  more  influence  with  the  Kinel  Eogain, 

seated   west    of    Lough    Foyle,    but  from  the  fact  of  his  being  of  that  race 

was  in  after  times  driven  thence  by  himself      The    speech    delivered    by 

the  race  of  Couall  Gulban.     There  Gilla  Comgall  on  this  occasion  is  still 

were  several  distinguished  poets  of  this  extant  in  the  Irish  work  called  the 

name  ;  such  as  Muredach  O'Sleibhin,  Cogadh  yall  re  Gaedlialaibh. 
chief  Poet  of  the  North  of  Ireland, 


560  THE   HISTORY    OF   IRELAND. 

in  these  words :  "  If  tliou  wilt  not  fight  in  defence  of  Temhair  for 
my  sake,  defend  it  for  thine  own,  and  I  sliall  give  thee  hoátages, 
as  sureties  for  my  leaving  thee  in  the  quiet  possession  thereof: 
for  I  prefer  that  thou  shouldst  hold  it,  rather  than  Brian."  Upon 
this,  Aedh  called  together  a  general  convention  of  the  tribe  of 
the  Kinel  Eogain,  and  acquainted  them  both  with  the  personal 
visit  of  Maelsechlainn,  and  with  the  offers  made  to  himself,  in  case 
he  should  march  to  aid  him  in  his  war  with  Brian  and  the  Dal 
g-Cais.  To  him  the  Kinel  Eogain  made  answer,  and  unanimously 
declared  that  the  promise  of  Maelsechlainn  was  nothing  more 
than  a  treacherous  lure ;  "  For,"  said  they,  "  he  knows  well  that 
he  is  himself  an  older  and  a  more  powerful  man  than  thou  art, 
and  that,  consequently,  thou  couldst  not  strive  to  wrest  the 
sovereignty  of  Ireland  out  of  his  hands  during  his  lifetime ;  of 
this  he  is  satisfied,  however  desirous  he  may  be  at  present  to  get 
us  and  thee  to  help  him  in  his  contest  with  the  Dal  g-Cais." 
Notwithstanding  this  general  declaration,  Aedh  requested  of  his 
tribesmen  to  form  a  secret  council  amongst  themselves,  and  there, 
both  to  enter  into  a  serious  consideration  of  the  j^roposals  of  the 
monarch,  and  to  prepare  a  suitable  reply  thereto ;  ''In  order  that," 
said  he,  "  this  visit  of  Maelsechlainn  to  us  may  not  result  in  our 
having  let  the  sovereign  power  slip  through  our  hands»"  The 
Kinel  Eogain  then  took  private  counsel  together  thereupon. 
And  it  was  their  opinion,  that  it  was  likely  that  very  many  of 
them  would  never  return  from  the  war,  in  case  they  should  now 
march  against  the  Dal  g-Cais.  For  which  reason,  they  declared, 
that  it  was  meet,  that  they  should  first  acquire  an  inhei  itance  for 
their  children  after  them.  "  Because,"  said  they,  "  it  is  idle  to 
expect,  that  any  possessions  or  any  wealth  will  ever  come  to 
them  from  our  return  to  our  homes,  if  we  once  march  against 
that  tribe,  namely,  the  Dal-g-Cais,  whose  warriors  are  the  hard- 
iest and  the  bravest  upon  all  battle-fields.  Their  race  has  never 
yet  fled  before  the  Lochlannaigh ;  and  it  is  as  certain  that  it  will 
not  now  flee  before  us."  •  Upon  these  grounds,  they  came  to  the 
determination  of  demanding  from  Maelsechlainn  the  one  half  of 
Meath,^*'  together  with  the  district  around  Temhair  for  a  posscs- 

"*  One  half  of  Meath.  At  the  first  lessen  either  the  wealth  or  the  political 
glance,  this  would  seem  a  much  less  importance  of  the  Clanu  Colmain.  llo 
grant,  than  that  of  the  crown  of  Ire-  knew  also  that  Brian  Avould  never 
land.  It  was,  however,  a  much  greater ;  come  to  settle  his  Dalcassiuns  in  Mwxth. 
for  by  doin;;-  so,  Maelsechlainn  would  He,  therefore,  made  choice  of  the  saf- 
have  destroyed  the  power  and  strength  est  as  well  as  the  most  patriotic  course 
of  his  tribe,  who  were  then  the  posses-  that  could,  under  such  difficulties,  be 
sors  of  Meath,  and  would  rob  hLs  own  adopted.  Throughout  the  whole  of 
kinsmen  of  their  inheritance.  His  these  proceedings,  the  conduct  of 
yielding  up  of  the  crown  was  more  a  Maelsechlainn  is  generous  and  high- 
personal  sacrifice ;  and  did  not  much  minded ;  that  of  Aedh  O'Neill  and  the 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  561 

sion  for  themselves  and  tlicir  posterity  after  tliem,  as  the  reward 
of  their  going  with  him  upon  the  present  expedition.  This  re- 
solve was  forthwith  made  known  to  the  monarch,  who  was 
seized  with  great  anger  thereat,  and  forthwith  returned  home, 
exceedingly  indignant  and  dissatisfied  at  the  result  of  his  visit. 

Upon  his  return  home,  he  called  around  him  an  assembly  of 
the  Clann  Colmain  and  made  known  to  them  the  reply  of  Aedh 
O'Neill  and  the  Kinel  Eogain ;  and  when  his  tribesmen  had  heard 
it,  they  came  to  the  resolution  of  having  Maelsechlainn  set  out 
at  once,  at  his  own  risk,  and  visit  Brian  unconditionally  at  his  camp 
at  Temhair,  where  the  latter  had  now  been  staying  for  one 
month,  during  which  time  his  army  had  been  supported  by  the 
men  of  Meath.  Maelsechlainn  therefore  went  to  Temhair,  es- 
corted by  twelve  score  of  horsemen.  Thus  accompanied,  he 
arrived  upon  the  green  of  Temhair,  and  proceeded  at  once  to  the 
residence  of  Brian  without  either  surety  or  safeguard.  He 
there  acquainted  his  rival  with  all  his  proceedings  from  begin- 
ning to  end.  He  said  that  he  would  have  given  him  battle,  had 
he  been  in  a  position  to  fight ;  but,  as  he  was  not  in  such  a  posi- 
tion, that  he  had  now  come  to  give  hostages  and  to  submit. 
When  Brian  had  heard  him,  he  said,  "  As  thou  hast  come  thus 
to  my  dwelling,  without  surety  or  safeguard  from  me,  I  now 
grant  thee  a  further  respite  of  one  year,  during  which  time  I 
shall  demand  neither  homage  nor  hostages  at  thy  hands.  And 
in  the  meantime  I  shall  pay  a  personal  visit  to  those  northern 
folk,  both  Aedh  O'Neill  and  Eocaidh,  son  of  Ardgal,  king  of 
Ulidia,  in  order  that  I  may  learn  what  kind  of  answer  they  will 
make  to  me.  And  then,  should  they  give  me  battle,  thou  mayest 
help  them  against  me,  if  thou  wilt."  But  here  Maelsechlainn 
declared,  that  he  would  not  fight  against  him  after  any  such 
manner.  However,  he  told  Brian  that  he  would  not  advise  him  to 
march  northwards  just  then  ;  and  said,  that  it  was  now  better  for 
him  to  return  to  his  own  home  until  another  time.  "  For,"  said 
he,  "it  is  enough  that  thou  hast  received  my  submission,  as  the 
result  of  thy  present  expedition."  They  finally  ngreed  upon 
this,  and  the  Dal  g-Cais  were  well  pleased  thereat,  for  they  had 
almost  consumed  all  their  provisions  for  the  campaign.  Then, 
as  he  was  about  to  march  homewards,  Brian  presented  twelve 
score  of  steeds^  to  Maelsechlainn,  together  with  a  large  quantity 
of  gold  and  silver,  which  was  to  be  distributed  amongst  his 
people. 

rest  of  the  race  of  Conn,  unchivalrous,  lord-paramount.     For  the  c'ifts  or  sti- 
selfish,  and  wily.  pends  which  the  superior  Irish  chief- 
'   Twelve  Score  Steeds.    These  were  tains  were  wont  to  give  to  their  feud- 
given  to  Maelsechlainn,  as  a  stipend,  atories,  see  The  Book  of  Rights. 
by  Brian,  who  had  now  become  his 
36 


THE  HISTORY  OF  IRELAND. 

Afterwards,  wlien  one  3^car  had  passed  b}',  Brian  called  to- 
gether a  general  muster  of  the  whole  force  of  Leth  IMogha,  both 
Gallic  and  Gaelic.  There  came  thither  the  Lochlaunaigh^  of 
Ath-cliath,  Port-Largi,  Loch  Carman,  and  Corcach,  together 
with  those  that  dwelt  in  Ui  Eachach  Mum-han,  Corca  Luighe 
and  Ui  Kennselaigh.  With  this  host,  Brian  marched  to  Ath- 
luain,^  where  the  nobles  of  Connaught  gave  him  hostages  as 
13ledges  of  their  submission  to  him  as  their  Ard-righ.  lie  sent 
an  embassy  thence  to  IMaelsechlainn,  requesting  of  him  to  send 
his  hostages  thither  likewise.  Upon  receiving  this  message, 
Maelsechlainn  came  and  delivered  up  his  hostages  and  made  his 
submission  in  person.  Thereupon,  Brian  mustered  the  full 
strength  of  the  men  of  Munster,  Connaught,  Leinster,  and  Meath, 
and  therewith  marched  to  Dun  Delgain,  where  he  received  the 
hostages  and  submission  of  all  Ulidia. 

It  w^as  thus  that  Brian  Borhoma  acquired  the  sovereignty  of 
Ireland.  He  did  not  acquire  it  by  treason, "as  some  will  have  it, 
but  by  the  bravery  and  hardihood  of  his  deeds  of  arms,  and  by 
his  chivalrous  valor.  For  it  was  not  the  usage  of  the  Gaels, 
that  son  should  succeed  to  father  in  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland, 
as  is  evident  from  what  has  been  stated  hitherto  in  this  book ; 
but  the  sovereign  power  fell  to  the  share  of  whatever  man  was 
most  distinguished  for  his  personal  worth,  and  for  the  greatness 
of  his  actions.  And  therefore  did  the  nobles  of  Ireland  select 
Brian  Boromha  as  the  sovereign  ruler  of  their  country,  because 
he  was  the  man,  who  was  most  distinguished  for  worth  and  gieat- 
ness*  amongst  the  Irishmen  of  his  own  day.     And  those  of  the 

-  Lochlannaigh.  "  Since  Brian  had  hostai^cs."  But  he  did  not  receive  liost- 
conceived  the  ambitious  project  of  de-  ages  from  eitiier  Ulidia  or  the  North- 
posing  Maelsechlainn,  he  invariably  ern  Ui  Neill  within  that  year.  For, 
joined  the  Danes  against  him,  and  this  when,  Iiaving  joined  his  forces  to  those 
is  sufiQcicnt  to  prove  that  the  subjuga-  of  Maclsccldainn.  lie  liad  marched  to 
lion  of  tlie  Danes  was  not  Brian's  chief  Dun  L'elgain,  or  Dundalk.  he  wqs  there 
object.  The  Munster  writers,  with  a  met  by  the  Uiidians.  the  KinelKogain, 
view  of  exonerating  Brian  from  the  Kind  Conaili.  and  Oirghialla,  under 
odium  of  usurpation,  have  asserted  Acdh  O'Neill  and  Eocaidli,  son  ol' 
that,  previously  to  his  first  attack,  he  Ardgar,  who  did  not  alhjw  him  to  tid- 
had  been  solicited  l)y  the  king  and  vance  further,  ))ut  •'  they  separated  in 
the  chieftains  of  Comiaught  to  depose  peace  without  hostages  or  booty. 
Maelsechlainn  and  become  monarch  spoils  or  pledges." — See  Foitr  Masters. 
himself ;  but  no  authority  for  this  as-  '  Worth  and  Greatness.  He  was 
sertion  is  found  in  any  of  our  authentic  certainly  the  ablest  and  most  successful 
Irish  Annals." — O'Donovan's  Notes  to  warrior  amongst  the  Irishmen  of  his 
the  Four  blasters.  day,  and  perhajjs  the  most  clever  states- 

'  Ath-luain ;   now  Athlone.     Brian  man,  but  it  is  (lucstionablc  whether  in 

marched  thither  in  A.  D.  1001,  "  when,  greatness  of  soul  and  real  patriotism 

having  weakened  the  southern  Ui  Xeill  he  was  not  inferior  to  Maelsechlainn. 
and  the  Connaughtmen,  he  took  their 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


oGS 


nobility  who  did  not  willingly  consent  to  liis  assumption  of  the 
royal  dignity,  were  forced  to  yield  liim  liomage  against  their 
will. 

It  was  after  this  manner  that  Maelsechlainn  was  compelled  to 
resign  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland  and  to  deliver  it  over  to 
Brian. 

BRIAN  BOROMIIA,^  ARD-RIGH. 


A.  D.  1002.  Brian  Boromha,  son  of  Kenneidi,  son  of  Lorcan, 
son  of  Lactna,  son  of  Core,  son  of  Anluan,  son  of  Mathgamain, 
son  of  Tordelbach,  son  of  Cathal,  son  of  Aedh  Caemh,  son  of 
Conall,  son  of  Eocaidh  Bal-derg,  son  of  Carthann  Finn,  son  of 
Blod,  son  of  Gas,  son  of  Conall  of  the  Fleet  Steeds,  son  of  Lu- 
gaidh  Menn,  son  of  Aengus  Tirech,  son  of  Fer-corb,  son  of 
Mogh-corb,  son  of  Corniac  Cas,  son  of  Olild  Olum,  of  the  line  of 
Eber,^  held  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland  for  twelve  years.     Be- 


*  Boromha ;  i.  c.  of  the  tribute. 
According  to  some  authorities,  he  re- 
ceived the  surname  Boromha  [Boroo], 
otherwise  written  Boroirahe  [Borivvie), 
from  his  having  revived  the  Boromha 
Laighen,  i.  e.  the  Tribute  of  Leinster, 
which  we  have  seen  abolished  during 
the  reign  of  Finnacta  II,  A.  D.  67-1- 
694. 

*  Of  the  line  of  Eber.  No  prince 
of  this  line  had  been  universally  ac- 
knowledged as  monarch  of  Ireland  since 
the  time  of  Crimthann  I\Ior,  son  of 
Fidach.  who  ruled  Ireland  from  A.  D. 
366  to  A.D.  379.  However,  the  claim 
of  the  descendants  of  the  eldest  branch 
of  the  children  of  JNIiledh  to  Irish  mon- 
archy had.  during  that  time,  been 
maintained  by  several  Eberian  chief- 
tains, such  as  Core,  son  of  Lugaidh  ; 
Aengus,  son  of  Nadfraech  ;  Cathal,  son 
of  Fiugiiini  ;  Feidlimidh,  son  of  Crim- 
thann (styled  king  of  Ireland  by  some 
foreign  writers)  ;  and  Cormac,  son  of 
Culinnan,  &c.,  all  of  whom,  at  some 
time,  either  demanded  or  forced  the 
king  of  Temhair  to  give  them  hostages. 
It  is  true,  that  these  were  all  of  the 
Eogauachta  or  Engenian  liranch  of  the 
line  of  Eber,  and  that  in  Brian's  pedi- 
gree we  have  to  go  back  to  Duach 
Dalta  Degadh,  son  of  Carbri.  who  was 
monarch  some  time  previous  to  the 
Christian  era,  before  we  find  any  direct 


paternal  ancestor  of  Brian  holding  the 
sovereignty  of  all  Ireland.  For  this 
latter  reason,  some  have  styled  him  a 
usurper,  and  such  he  would  probably 
be  according  to  modern  ideas,  and 
more  particularly  according  to  English 
law.  But  that  he  was  no  usurper  ac- 
cording to  any  law  of  the  Gaels,  will 
be  evident  to  any  one,  who  will  take 
the  trouble  of  examining  their  institu- 
tions :  for  his  descent  from  the  royal 
stock.through  a  long  line  of  distinguish- 
ed chiefs,  was  so  clear,  that  his  ene- 
mies dare  not  contest  it  in  his  day. 
This,  and  the  support  of  the  majority 
of  the  Gaelic  nation,  was  the  only  valid 
right  to  the  Irish  throne.  It  is  certain 
that  Brian  had  the  latter  ;  wherefore, 
whatever  objection  may  be  urged 
against  the  policy  or  the  patriotism  of 
his  deposition  of  Maelsechlainn,  no  ob- 
jection can  be  urged  against  the  legiti- 
macy of  his  right  to  throne.  His  pro- 
vincial rivals,  the  chiefs  of  the  Eogaa- 
achta.  had  raised  no  objection  on  the 
grounds  of  prescriptive  right,  cither  to 
his  own  or  to  his  brother  Mathgamain's 
title  to  the  sovereignty  of  Munster, 
from  which,  with  the  single  exception 
of  Lorcan,  son  of  Lactna,  the  Balcassi- 
an  family  had  been  excluded  during  the 
reigns  of  more  than  forty  provincial 
kings.  Neither  did  the  sons  of  his 
brother  Mathgamain  object  to  his  right 


56i  THE   HISTORY   OF    IRELAND. 

binn,  daugliter  of  Arcadh,  son  of  Murcadh,  king  of  West  Con- 
naught,  was  tlie  mother  of  Brian.  The  following  Avas  the  de- 
scent of  Bebinn:  Kianog,  daughter  of  Kiacaran,  one  of  the 
Connaughtmen,  bore  a  son  and  a  daughter  to  a  Leinster  chief- 
lain,  named  Criachan,  through  the  prayers  of  the  abbot  Carcll, 
and  his  seven  hundred  monks,  who  had  joined  him  in  making 
supplication  to  God,  whom  they  besought  to  grant  a  progeny  to 
the  above-named  married  pair,  for  they  had  remained  barren 
for  a  long  time.  And  God  heard  the  prayers  of  Carell  and  his 
community,  and  Kianog  bore  a  son  and  a  daughter  to  her  hus- 
band Ci-iachan.  The  son  they  called  Maelmithidh,  and  Osna 
was  the  name  of  the  daughter.  This  daughter  was  afterwards 
married  to  Arcadh,  son  of  Murcadh,  son  of  Maenach,  king  of 
the  West  of  Connaught,  and  to  him  she  bore  Bebinn,  who  was 
the  mother  of  Brian  Boromha. 

It  is  from  a  brother  of  Eocaidh  Bal-derg,  son  of  Carthann  Finn, 
who  has  been  mentioned  above,  that  the  sept  of  O'h-Ilcedha' 
( O'/Zee/cee),  has  sprung;  to  wit,  from  Fergal,  son  of  Carthann 
Finn;  for  Ikidh,  from  whom  the  sept  has  its  name,  was  the 
soil  of  Makin,  son  of  Artgal,  son  of  Cuilen,  son  of  Urthal,  son 
of  Donngal,  son  of  Acluan,  son  of  Fergal,  son  of  Carthann 
Finn. 

It  was  in  the  reign  of  Brian  Boromha  that  the  following  event 
took  place.  For  it  was  then  that  Sitric,  son  of  Amlaeibh,  set 
out  in  his  fleet  on  a  predatory  expedition  to  Ulster,  where  he 
plundered  Kill  Clethi^  and  Inis  Cumsgraigh,  whence  he  brought 
off  many  captives  and  much  treasure.  Soon  after  this,  Naem- 
han,'  son  of  Maelkiarain,  Chief  Artificer  of  Ireland,  died.     Brian 

to  the  chieftaincy  of  the  Dal  g-Cais  on  has  not  deemed  it  rin:ht  to  omit  any 
the  grounds  that  he  was  the  youngest  notice,  made  in  any  of  his  originals,  re- 
son  of  his  father  Keimeidi.  IJrian,  lativo  to  any  sept  of  the  (Jaels. 
then,  was  no  usurper;  and  it  is  some-  *  Kill-Ctcthi ;  now  Kilclief  in  the 
v;ho.t  strange  that  some  moderns,  im-  barony  of  Lecale,  county  Down.  /)i?.s- 
bucd  with  English  ideas,  will  brand  Cumsgntigh —  It  is  now  called  Innish 
him  with  an  epithet  which  his  cotcni-  courcey,  a  peninsula  formed  by  the 
])orory  rivals  (who  sliould  know  the  western  branch  of  Loch  Cuan,  near 
matter  best)  did  not  affix  to  his  name.  Saul,  in  the  same  county.  Sitric  plun- 
For  the  names  of  the  chiefs  that  in-  dercd  these  places  in  A.D.  1001. 
tervcned  between  Olild  Olum  and  *  Naemluin.  lie  died  in  A.  D.  1003. 
Duach,  monarch  of  Ireland,  see  the  In  this  year  the  Ui  ISeill  of  the  north 
pedigree  of  MacCarthaigh,  Part  II.  had  not  yet  submitted  to  Brian.  For 
'  O'h-Ikcdha;  in  English,  O'llickey,  our  aimals  tell  us  that  Mael.scchlainn 
or  simply  Hickey.  This  sept  wa-s  a  and  he  then  led  an  army  into  Nortli 
branch  of  the  Clann  Coilcin,  of  which  Coimaught,  as  far  as  Traigh  Eothali, 
the  Macnamaras  were  chiefs.  The  near  I'allysadare,  for  the  purpose  of 
above  entry,  which  seems  rather  mis-  making  the  circuit  of  Ireland,  but  they 
placed  here,  is  not  found  in  all  the  were  there  stopped  by  the  Ui  Neill  of 
copies  of  Keating.     But  the  editor  the   North.     In  this  year  also  was 


THE   HISTORY    OF   IRELAND. 


565 


soon  marched  uitli  a  numerous  army  into  tlie  territories  of  the 
Kinel  Eogain  in  Uhster.  lie  proceeded  thence  into  Meath,  and 
stayed  for  one  night  at  Talti.  From  the  hitter  place,  he  marched 
to  Ard  Alacha,  where  he  remained  for  a  week,  and  where  he  laid 
twenty  ounces  of  gold  upon  the  altar  of  the  primatial  church. 
He  next  visited  the  territories  of  the  Dal  Araide,^**  so  that  he 
had  now  received  hostages  and  pledges  of  peace  from  the  entire 
principality  of  Ulidia.  Soon  after,  he  led  another  great  army 
into  Tir  Eogain  and  Tir  Conaill,  from  which  territories  he  car- 
ried away  very  many  captives  as  securities  for  the  maintenance 
of  peace. 

It  was  about  this  time  that  Maelruanaidh,^^  son  of  Ardgal, 
King  of  Ulidia,  was  slain.  Soon  after  died  Clothna,^  son  of 
Aengus,  chief  poet  of  Ireland,  and,  likewise,  Cathal,^^  son  of  Con- 
cobar,  who  had  been  King  of  Connaught  for  twenty  years,  when 
he  died  at  Irrus  Domnan. 

After  these  events,  ]\Iurcadh,  son  of  Brian,  with  the  men  of 
Munster  and  Leinster ;  and  some  of  the  Ui  ISTeill  of  the  north, 
around  Flathbertach,  son  of  Aluredach,^*  attended  by  a  band  of 
warlike  youths  ;  made  a  predatory  expedition  into  the  territory 
of  the  Kinel  Luighdech'^  {Kinnaile  Lueeagh),  which  he  despoiled 
and  devastated. 


fouijlit  the  battle  of  Craebli  Tulcha, 
in  Antrim,  between  the  Kinel  Eogain 
and  the  Ulidians,  in  which  fell  Eocaidh, 
son  of  Ardgal,  or  Ardgar,  king  of 
Ulidia,  and  numbers  of  his  people. 
His  opponent,  Aedli  O'Neill,  king  of 
Ailech,  and  heir-apparent  to  the  Irish 
monarchv,  fell  there  likewise. 

•"  Dai  Amide.  '^A.  D.  1004.  A 
hosting  by  Brian,  son  of  Kenneidigh, 
with  the  men  of  the  south  of  Ireland, 
into  Kinel  Eogain  and  Ulidia,  to  de- 
mand hostages.  They  marched  through 
Meath,  and  remained  a  night  at  Talti ; 
thence  they  marched  northwards,  and 
remained  a  week  at  Ard  Macha,  where 
Brian  left  twenty  ounces  of  gold  upon 
the  altar.  After  that,  they  went  into 
the  territories  of  the  Dal-Araide, 
whence  they  carried  off  pledges  both 
of  that  tribe  and  the  Dal  Fiatach." — 
Four  Masters.  It  does  not  appear  by 
any  authentic  annals  that  Brian  had 
received  the  submission  of  the  northern 
Ui  Ncill  upon  this  occasion. 

"  Maelruanaidh.  He  was  slain  in 
A.  D.  1005.  He  had  then  reigned 
two  and  a  half  years.     [Madadan,  sou 


of  Domnall,  his  slayer  and  successor, 
was  himself  slain  very  soon  after,  by 
Dubthuni,  called  Tore,  in  the  middle 
of  Dun-da-leth-glas,  "  in  violation  of 
the  guarantees  of  the  saints  of  Ireland." 
By  this  murder  Tore  became  King  of 
Ulidia,  but  Muredach,  son  of  Madadan, 
slew  him  immediately  after,  in  revenge 
for  his  father,  "  through  the  miracles 
of  God  and  St.  Patrick."  Thus  was 
the  sovereignty  of  Ulidia  seized  by 
four  princes  in  one  vear. 

'-  ChAlina.     He  died  in  A.  D.  1008. 

"  Cathal,  son  of  Conccbar.  He  was 
grandson  of  Tadg  of  the  Tower,  and 
died  in  A.  D.  1009. 

'*  Son  of  Mnreúach.  The  reading 
should  be,  son  of  Murkcrtach.  "A.  D. 
1011,  Murcadh,  son  of  Brian,  with 
the  men  of  Munster  and  Leinster,  and 
the  Ui  Xeill  of  the  south,  together  with 
Flathbertach,  son  of  Murkcrtach,  lord 
of  Ailech.  and  the  soldiers  of  the  north, 
invaded  Kinel  Luighdech,  whence  they 
carried  off  three  hundred  persons,  and 
a  great  prey  of  cattle." — Four  Masters. 

"  Kind  Luighdecli.  This  was  the 
tribe-name  of  the  section  of  the  Kinel 


566 


THE    HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


At  this  time  an  army  was  also  led  by  Brian,  son  of  Kenneidi, 
to  Magli  Corrann,  -whence  he  led  off  Maelruanaidh  O'Mael- 
doraidh/^  King  of  Kind  Conaill,  in  captivity  to  Kenn-coradh. 

Soon  after,  the  principality  of  Leinster  was  plundered  and 
burned  by  ^Murchadh,  son  of  Brian,  as  far  as  Kill  Maighncnn,^' 
and  thence  to  Glenn-da-locli. 

It  was  about  this  time  that  the  Lochlannaigh  arrived  in  ^fun- 
ster with  a  great  fleet,  on  which  occasion  they  plundered  and 
burned  Corcach ;  but  God  took  vengeance  upon  them  for  that 
deed,  for  Amlaeibh,  son  of  Sitric,  King  of  Lochlainn,  and  Matli- 
gamain,  son  of  Dubgall,  son  of  Amlaeibh,  were  shortly  after 
treacherously  slain  by  Cathal,  son  of  Domnall,^^  son  of  l)ubda- 
boirenn.     After  this,  the   Lochlannaigh  and  the  Leinstermen 


Conaill  that  afterwards  assumed  the 
surnames  of  O'Docliartaiuli,  O'Dom- 
naill  and  O'Buisihill — in  English,  0'- 
Doliert)-,  O'Donnell  and  O'Boyle.  They 
took  their  tribe-name  from  Lugaidh, 
son  of  Sedna,  son  of  Fergus  Kenn-fada, 
son  of  Conall  Gulban,  the  common 
ancestor  of  all  the  Kinel  Conaill.  The 
first  mention  of  the  surname  0"I)onnelI 
occurs  in  this  year,  namely,  Maelru- 
anaidh O'Domnaill,  chief  of  Kind 
Luighdech,  who  Mas  then  slain  by  the 
men  of  Magh  Itha.  The  territory  of 
the  Kinel  Luighdcch  extended  from  the 
stream  of  Dobhar  to  the  river  Suillighe, 
now,  anglice,  the  Swilly,  in  the  present 
county  of  Donegal. 

'"'  O'MaeUoraidh.  At  this  time, 
and  until  after  the  English  invasion, 
the  family  O'Maeldoraidh  [0' Mail- 
dory),  and  that  of  O'Canannain  were 
the  ruling  races  of  the  M'hole  of  the 
Kinel  Conaill.  The  O'Donnells  and 
their  correlatives  were  then  but  chiefs 
of  f he  Kinel  Luigdech,  mentioned  in  the 
last  note.  Both  the  former  families  lost 
their  preeminence  on  the  rise  of  the  0'- 
Doimells  in  the  11th  and  12th  centuries. 
Tiie  name  O'Maeldoraidh  is  suppo-sed 
to  1)0  extinct,  but  a  branch  of  the  sept 
still  exists  under  the  name  of  !Mac 
(iilla-Finnen,  sometimes  anglicized  (iil- 
finnen,  but  oftener  Leonard.  The  line 
of  Mac  Gilla-Finnen  has  been  traced 
down  to  John  Mac  Gilla-Finnen,  who 
lived  about  A.  J).  1C12.  Dr.  O'Dono- 
van  informs  us  that  "  tlie  present  repre- 
sentative of  this  family,  which  is  one  of 
the  most  royal  in  Ireland,  is  unknown." 


"  KtU  Mai glmenn;  wow  Killniainhan, 
near  Dublin.  Murcadh's  invasion  of 
Leinster  is  recorded  under  the  year 
1012.  It  seems  to  have  been  made  in 
consequence  of  a  war  which  his  ally 
Maelsechlainn,  now  King  of  Meatli, 
was  then  waging  against  the  Leinster- 
men and  the  Danes,  in  which  he  had 
been  defeated.  Both  events  are  thus 
recorded  by  the  Four  Masters :  "A.  D. 
1012.  Great  forces  were  led  by  Mael- 
sechlaimi  into  the  territoiy  of  the  for- 
eigners, and  he  burned  their  country  as 
far  as  Edar,  (now  llowlh)  ;  but  Sitric 
and  Maelmorda  overtook  one  of  his 
])reying  parties,  and  slew  two  hundred 
of  them,  amongst  whom  were  Flann, 
Maelsechlainn's  son,  Lorcan,  son  of 
Eclitighern,  lord  of  Kinel  Meachair, 
and  numbers  of  others.  This  was  the 
defeat  of  Draighnen"  (now  Drinan,  co. 
Dublin).  After  this,  they  record  the 
plundering  of  Leinster  by  Murcadh, 
'•  whence  he  carried  off  great  spoils 
and  innumerable  captives." 

'"  Catlial,  son  nf  Domnall.  His 
Hither,  Domnall,  was  then  king  of  the 
Ui  Eachach-Mumhan,  whose  territories 
bordered  upon  Corcach,  or  Cork.  The 
O'Donoghoos,  or  O'Donohoes  of  Kerry, 
are  descended  and  derive  their  name 
(in  Irish  0'Do»ncliadha),  from  Donu- 
cadli,  brother  of  this  Cathal.  Kian, 
son  of  Maolmuaidh,  chief  of  another 
branch  of  the  same  sept,  was  at  this 
time  King  of  Desmond.  The  above- 
menlioncd  burning  of  Cork  took  place 
inA.  D.  1012. 


THE    HISTORY    OF    IRELAXD.  567 

invaded  Mcath,  where  they  plundered  Termonn  Fechin/^  and 
whence  tliey  carried  off' great  numbers  of  captives  ;  but  for  this, 
also,  God  wreaked  speedy  vengeance  upon  them,  as  is  evident 
from  what  we  have  already  related  of  that  destructive  invasion, 
which  Murcadh,  son  of  Brian,  made  into  Leinster,  when  he  de- 
stroyed the  territories  of  the  Leinstermen  and  the  Lochlannaigh, 
after  the  manner  which  we  have  mentioned. 

The  Benefits  conferred  upon  Ireland  by  Brian  Boromha. 

With  respect  to  Brian,  son  of  Kenneidi,  numerous,  indeed, 
were  the  benefits  which  he  conferred  upon  Ireland,  according  to 
Avhat  we  read  in  our  historic  books.  Here  follows  a  brief  sum- 
mary of  some  of  these  benefits  : 

First  of  all  he  built  churches,  and  delivered  up  his  own  pro- 
per temple  to  each  clergyman,  according  to  his  ecclesiastical 
rank,  and  to  his  right  thereto.  He  next  built  and  organized 
public  schools  for  the  purpose  of  giving  instruction  in  letters  and 
the  other  sciences.  He  likewise  gave  either  books,  or  the  price 
of  books  to  those  who  could  not  afford  to  buy  them,  and  who 
were  detexmined  to  devote  themselves  to  the  pursuit  of  litera- 
ture. 

To  his  lords  and  territorial  princes  he  granted  freedom  from 
oppression ;  and  he  bestowed  upon  the  Gaels  all  the  wealth  of 
which  he  had  deprived  the  Lochlannaigh ;  and  he  released  all 
his  countrymen  from  every  vestige  of  foreign  slavery.  Besides 
this,  it  was  not  to  his  own  tribesmen  that  he  gave  those  territo- 
ries from  which  he  had  expelled  the  foreigners  by  the  230wer  of 
his  arms,  but  he  restored  them  to  whatever  Irish  tribe  such  ter- 
ritory had  originally  and  rightfully  belonged. 

It  was  also  Brian  that  first  instituted  specific  surnames^ 
amongst  the  men  of  Ireland,  so  that  the  members  of  one  family 
or  sept,  might  be  thereby  distinguished  from  those  of  another. 

"   Termon  Fechin,  i.  e.,  the  sacred  true,  sprun,?  into  existence  since  the 

ground,  or  the  sanctuary  of  St.  Fechin.  days   of  Brian  ;  but   they   appear   to 

It  is  now  Termon-fecken,  in  the  barony  have  grown  out  of  the  necessity,  or  the 

of  Ferrard,  county  Louth.      The  in-  fashion  of  the  times  rather  than  any 

cursion  in  which  Tcrraon  Fechin  was  pre-arranged  plan.   Some  family  names, 

plundered  took  place  a  short  time  be-  as  0'MacÍsechlainn,0'Neill,  O'Maeldor- 

fore  the  battle  of  Clontarf,  and  in  it  aidh,  O'Canannain,  >tc.,  existed  before 

the  foreigners  carried  off  many  cap-  his  time.     And  many  others,  such  as 

tives.  those  of  his  own  descendants,  O'Briain, 

-°  Surnames.   The  attributing  of  the  and   Mac  Mathgamna,  did  not  come 

institution  of  surnames    to  Brian,   is  into    general    use    until    long   after ; 

somewhat  hazarded.     It  is  not  likely  neither  did  he  himself  adopt  any  sur- 

that  they  were  ever  established  by  any  name  but  that  of  ]\IacCenneidigh,  i.  e., 

regular  enactment  or  decree.     Most  of  son  of  Kenneidi  or  Cenneidigh,who  was 

the  Irish  family  surnames  have,  it  is  his  own  father — a  thing  that  was  the 


568  THE   HISTORY    OF   IRELAND. 

Moreover,  it  was  Brian  that  built  the  temple  of  Kill-da-luadh," 
and  the  temple  of  Inis  Keltrach,  and  that  repaired  the  belfry  of 
Tuaim  Greni."  Many  bridges,  causeways,  and  great  roads,  were 
constructed  by  him  likewise.  He  erected,  or  reconstructed,  nu- 
merous duns  and  insulated  fortresses."  By  him  were  fortified 
Cashel  of  the  Kings,  and  Kenn-abradh,  Inis  Locha  Ke,  Inis  Locha 
Goir,  Dun  Eochair  Maighe,  Dun  lasg.  Dun  Tri  Liag,  Dun  Grott, 
and  Dun  Ani  Cliach,  Inis-an-Ghoill-Duibh,  Inis  Locha  Saigh- 
lenn,  Ros-na-righ,  Kenn-coradh  of  the  Boromha,  and  the  other 
royal  fortresses  of  Munster. 

It  was  in  the  reign  of  Brian,  that  a  lone  woman  had  travelled 
from  Toun  Clidna''  in  the  south  of  Ireland,  to  Torach,  in  the 
north  thereof,  bearing  in  her  hand  a  wand,  upon  which  there 
was  a  ring  of  gold ;  and  that  no  man  was  found  hardy  enough 
either  to  rob,  or  insult  her  during  her  journey,  so  severe  was  the 
justice  with  which  Brian  ruled  Ireland.  It  was  on  this  subject 
that  the  bard  composed  the  following  verse  : 

"  From  Tor  to  lovely  Clidna's  wave, 
AVith  rings  of  gold  upon  licr  wand, 
AVhiist  Brian  reigned,  severe  and  just, 
One  woman"^  lone  through  Eri  roamed." 

Ireland  was  indeed  prosperous,  wealthy  and  peaceable,  during 
the  twelve  years  that  this  monarch  reigned;  in  testimony 
whereof  a  bard  has  sung  the  following  verse  : 

"  A  raven  of  the  sea  was  he  ;  his  might  like  whelming  flood  ; 
On  many-colored  Banba's  isle,  his  glory  flashed  like  fire. 
He  banished  sadness  from  his  land  ;  lie  quelled  all  wrath  and  guile ; 
And  P>i  saw  twelve  happy  years,  while  conquering  Brian  reigned." 

usage  amongst  the  Irish  from  the  carl-  Mhich  are  unknown,  and  are  elsewhere 

iest  time.     It  was  but  by  degrees  that  pointed  out. 

3Iac,  a  son,  and  0  or  Un,  a  grandson,  "   Tonn  Cllilna ;  \.  e.,  the  wave  of 

lost  their  primary  significations  in  Irish  Clidna   [Clcena),  in  Glandore  Ilarbor. 

proper  names,  and  came  to  signify  any  'I'orach,  otherwise  called  Toraidh  and 

descendant.  Tor-inis,  and  now  known  as  'J'ory  Isl- 

■-'   KiU-da-luadh ;    now    Killaloc,   in  and,  lies  off  the   Iiorth-Avcst   coast   of 

the  county  of  Clare.     The  church  built  Donegal. 

here  by  Brian,  exists  still.     lais  Kd-  "  One  woman.     Upon  this  tradition 

track,  is  an  island  situated   in   Lough  Moore  has  founded  his  ballad  of  "  Rich 

Derg,  in  the  Shannon.  and  rare  were  the  gems  she  wore." 

"   TvMÍm    Gr'mi ;    now  Tomgrany,  In   Dennod  O'Connor's  iranslation, 

CO.  Clare.                                            '  there  is  here  inserted  a  list  of  the 

'■^  Fortresses.     The  situations  of  all  various  tributes  received  by  Brian  from 

the  fortresses  here  mentioned,  arc  still  his  subject  princes.     But  the  present 

known,  with  the  exception  of  Inis-an-  translator  has  not  found  it  in  any  man- 

Goiii-Duibh,  i.  e.,  the  Isle  of  the  Black  uscript  copy  of  Keating,  avaikiblc  to 

Stranger,  and  Inis  Locha  Saighlcnn,  him.      lie  therefore  omits  it,  as  he 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  569 

Tke  haitle  of  Cluain  Tarhh,   (Clooin  Tarve),  and  its  immediate 

cause. 

A.  D.  1014.  When  Brian  had  been  thus  fully  established  in 
the  sovereignty,  and  whilst  he  v>"as  dwelling  in  peace  and  happi- 
ness at  Kenn-coradh,  he  requested  of  the  king  of  Leinster, 
namely,  of  Maelmorda,°°son  of  Murcadh,  to  send  him  three  masts 
of  excellent  timber  from  the  forest  of  Fidh  Gaibli."  These  mast 
were  accordingly  felled  by  the  king  of  Leinster,  and  he  set  out 
therewith  for  Kenn-coradh,^^  where  Brian  was  then  abiding. 
One  of  these  masts  he  requested  the  Ui  Falghi^'  to  carry ;  another 
was  carried  by  the  Ui  Faelain ;  and  the  third  by  the  Ui  Muredaigh. 
But  an  altercation  for  precedency  arose  between  these  tribes,  as 
they  were  approaching  a  morass,  that  lay  in  the  forest  where  the 
masts  had  been  cut ;  and  thereupon  the  king  of  Leinster  himself, 
put  his  shoulder  to  the  one,  which  was  borne  by  the  Ui  Faelain, 
whilst  he  wore  a  satin  mantle,  adorned  with  a  border  of  golden 
tissue  and  fastened  with  a  silver  clasp,  Avherewith  Brian  had  pre- 
sented him  a  short  time  previously.  He  then  exerted  himself 
so  violently  in  urging  on  the  mast,  that  this  clasp  was  torn  off 
from  his  mantle.  Thus  did  the  king  of  Leinster  arrive  at  Kenn- 
coradh  ;  and  there  he  took  off  his  mantle  and  gave  it  to  his  sister 
Gormflaith,'"  (Gormla),  who  was  the  wife  of  Brian,  requesting  of 
lier  to  retix  the  clasp  thereon.  The  queen  thereupon  took  the 
mantle  into  her  hands,  but  she  immediately  flung  it  into  a  fire 
that  burned  before  her,  and  commenced  forthwith  to  revile  hex 
brother  for  remaining  the  vassal  of  any  man  upon  earth.     "A 

places  little  faith  in  its  being  genuine.  ^  Kenn-Coradh ;  i.  e.,  the  head  of 

For  a  correct  list  of  the  tributes  which  the  Weir.     It  ts  anglicized  Kincora. 

the  kings  of  Munster  received,  when  It  was  the  name  of  a  hill  in  the  town 

mouarchs  of  Ireland,  as  well  as  when  of  Killaloe,  where  the  Kings  of  Tho- 

merely  rulers  of  their  own  province,  he  moud  had  a  palace.     It  extended  from 

refers  the  reader  to  the  Leabhar  na  g-  the   present    Catholic   church   to   the 

Ceart,  or  Book  of  Rights,  and  to  the  brow  of  the  hill  over  the  bridge  ;  but 

notes  thereunto  annexed,  as  edited  by  no  vestige  of  it  now  remains, 

the  learned  Dr.    O'Donovan,  for  the  "^   Ui^Faliihi.     Afterwards  knov.n  as 

Celtic  Society.  O'Connors  Faly  and  their  correlatives. 

•"  Maehnorda.  This  prince,  although  The  Ui  Mured'aigh  were  the  tribe  of 
styled  Mac  Mnrcadha,  i.e.,  son  of  Mur-  which  O'Tuathaií  or  O'Toole  Avas  the 
cadh,  was  not  the  ancestor  of  the  fam-  chief  sept.  The  Ui  Faelain  was  the 
ily  of  Mac  Murrough,  afterwards  kings  tribe  to  which  Maelmorda  himself  be- 
ef Leinster.  But  he  was  the  father  of  longed.  The  O'Brainns  or  O'Byrnes, 
Brann,  the  ancestor  from  whom  the  0'  were  its  chieftains  in  after  times. 
Byrnes  of  Leinster,  have  taken  their  '"^  Gormjlaith.  She  was  daughter  of 
surname.  Murcadh,  son  of  Finn.    She  had  been 

""  Fidh    Gaihli.      A    famous   wood  previously  the  wife  of  Amlaeibh,  king 

along  the  river  Figile,  in  the  parish  of  of  the  Danes  of  Dublin  ;  and  at  some 

Cloousast,  barony  of  Coolestown,  and  period  the  wife  of  Maelsechlaiuu. 
ia  Kings  county. 


570  THE    HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 

thing,"  said  she,  "  to  Avliich  thy  father  never  stooped.     But  now, 
Brian's  son  will  demand  the  same  vassalage  from  thine." 

Maelmorda  stored  up  this  rebuke  of  the  queen  in  his  heart ; 
and,  whilst  pondering  thereupon  the  next  day,  he  came  to  where 
Murcadh,  son  of  Brian,  and  Conaing,  son  of  Donncuan,  were 
playing  at  chess,  (according  to  some  historians  it  was  the  Comar- 
ba  of  St.  Caeimghin  of  Glenn-da-loch,  that  was  playing  with 
Murcadh.)  Here  the  king  of  Leinster  advised  the  adversary  of 
Murcadh  to  make  a  certain  move,  whereby  he  won  the  game. 
Hereupon,  Murcadh  said:  "Thou  hadst,  likewise,  once  given  a 
counsel  to  the  Lochlannaigh,  but  its  consequence  was  their  total 
rout  at  the  battle  of  Glenn  Mama."  "If,"  replied  Maelmorda, 
"I  did  give  them  counsel  which  caused  their  defeat  in  that  con- 
flict, I  shall  now  give  them  another  counsel,  whereby  in  their 
turn  they  shall  defeat  thee."  "I  defy  thee  to  do  it,"  said  Mur- 
cadh. ^Maelmorda  then  left  the  company  in  wrath  ;  and  he  went 
immediately  to  his  sleeping  apartment,  whence  he  could  not  be 
induced  to  come  to  the  banquet-hall  for  tliat  night.  At  dawn 
next  morning,  he  set  out  for  his  home  without  bidding  farewell 
to  Brian. 

When  the  monarch  had  heard  that  the  king  of  Leinster  had 
departed  after  this  manner,  without  bidding  farewell  to  himself, 
he  sent  a  page,  who  was  one  of  his  own  kinsmen,  to  request  of 
the  angry  chieftain  to  stay  until  he  should  have  received  his 
stipend  from  his  sovereign.  This  youth  came  up  with 
Maelmorda  at  Kill-da-luadh,  on  the  east  side  of  the  Shannon, 
as  he  was  mounting  his  steed,  and  to  him  he  at  once  delivers 
the  message  of  Brian.  Hereupon,  Maelmorda,  the  king  of  Lein- 
ster, turned  angrily  upon  the  youth,  and  struck  him  three  times 
with  a  wand  of  yew,  which  he  carried  in  his  hand,  so  that  the 
youth's  skull  was  fractured  thereby,  and  he  had  to  be  car- 
ried back  to  the  residence  of  Brian.  Cogaran  was  the  name  of 
this  youth ;  and  from  him  have  descended  the  Ui  Cogarain  of 
Munster.  Some  of  the  household  of  Kenn-coradh  were  now 
anxious  to  pursue  the  king  of  Leinster,  and  not  to  allow  him  to 
escape  until  he  should  have  submitted  to  the  will  of  the  mon- 
arch. However,  Brian  declared  that  no  treachery  should  be 
wrought  upon  a  guest  of  Kenn-coradh.  "But,"  added  he,  "sat- 
isfaction shall,  nevertheless,  be  required  of  him  at  liis  own  bed- 
2:)0sts." 

But  Maelmorda,  having  returned  to  his  own  country,  forth- 
with summoned  around  him  tlie  nobles  of  Leinster.  To  them  he 
made  known  the  insult  and  the  reviling  words  which  had  been 
flung  both  at  himself  and  his  entire  principality,  in  the  palace  of 
Kenn-coradh.  Upon  this,  they  determined  to  revolt  against 
Brian,  and  to  resist  him  with  the  whole  of  their  own  strength 


THE    HISTORY   OF    IRELAND.  571 

and  tliat  of  the  Loclilannaigli.  From  this  arose  the  battle  which  , 
was  contested  at  Cluain  Tarbh.  But  there  remained  no  longer 
alive  in  Ireland  a  sufficient  number  of  the  Lochlannaigh  to  con- 
tend with  Brian  in  a  pitched  battle ;  for  he  had  only  allowed  a  few 
of  that  nation  to  hold  a  mercantile  possession  of  Áth-cliath,  Loch 
Carman,  Port  Largi,  Corcach,  and  Luimnech,  for  the  purpose  of 
kee))ing  u])  the  foreign  commerce  of  the  country.  Therefore  did 
the  kingofLeinster  and  those  foreigners,  who  still  remained,  send 
ambassadors  to  the  king  of  Lochlainn,  beseeching  him  to  send  a 
strong  force  to  their  aicl,  in  order  that  they  might  thus  be  ren- 
dered able  to  engage  Brian  in  battle  at  Cluain  Tarbh,  upon  Magh 
u-Elta.  When  this  embassy  had  reached  the  king  of  Lochlainn, 
he  sent  his  two  sons,  namely,  Carlus  Cnutus,  and  Andreas,  to- 
gether with  a  force  of  twelve  thousand  men,"  to  assist  the  king 
of  Leinster  and  the  Irish  Lochlannaigh  in  the  approaching  con- 
test. When  this  host  had  landed  at  Ath-cliath,  i^Iaelmorda  bid 
defiance  to  Brian,  and  challenged  him  to  meet  him  in  battle  upon 
Cluain  Tarbh. 

To  return  to  Brian,  son  of  Kenneidi,  king  of  Ireland  ;  that 
monarch  having  called  together  the  strength  of  Munster  and 
Con  naught,  marched  therewith  to  Ath-cliath,  in  order  to  give 
battle  to  his  enemies  on  the  appointed  field.  In  his  army 
marched  the  Children  of  Fiacaidh  Maeil-lethan,'^  with  all  the 
branching  septs  of  that  stock — a  host  both  numei:ous  and  impos- 
ing. 

"    Twelve  thousand  men.     There  is  Eugenians,  the  ruling  race  of  Desmond, 

little  reason  to  suspect  that  this  num-  or  South  Munster.     They  constituted 

ber  is  exaggerated.     "  Not  only  from  the  bulk  of  the  second  division  of  Bri- 

Scotland,  the  Orkneys  and  Hebrides,  an's   army   at    Clontarf.     Their   com- 

the  Isle  of  Man  and  the  isles  of  Shetland,  manderwasthemonarch'sson-iu-law,the 

did  they  muster  together  all  the  dispos-  king  of  Desmond,  namely,  Kian,  son  of 

able  strength  of  their  fellow  Northmen,  Maelmuaidh,  son   of  Brann,  (ancestor 

but   even  to  Denmark,  Norway,   and  of  the  O'Mahonies),  who  is  said  by  our 

other  parts  of  Scandinavia,  messengers  historians  to  have"  exceeded  in  stature 

were  sent  to  solicit  immediate  succors  ;  and  beauty  all  other  Irishmen  ;"  with 

and  such  were  the  accounts  circulated  him  were  Domnall.  son  of  Dubdaboi  ■ 

by  them  of  their  prospects  of  success,  renn,  chief  of  the  Ui  Eachtsch.  (ancoi- 

that — as  a  French  chronicler  of  that  tor   of  the   O'Donoghoos )  ;    IMurker- 

age  states — a  large  fleet  full  of  north-  tach,  son  of  Amncadh,  chief  of  the  Ui 

ern  adventurers,  were  induced  by  these  Liathain  (the  0  Lehans  or  O'Lyons,  and 

representations  to  crowd  to  the  Irish  the  O'h-Anmcadhas)  Sgannlan,  son  of 

shores,  bringing  with  them  their  wives  Cathal,  chief  of  the  Eogauacht  of  Loch 

and  children,  and  hoping  to  share,  as  Lein  (of  this  tribe  the  O'Moriarties  and 

he  adds,  in  the  conquest  and  enjoyment  O'Carrolls  of  Kerry,  were    the  chief 

of  a  country  •'  which  contained  twelve  families,  the  latter  were  the  immediate 

cities,   most    ample    bishopricks,   and  descendants  of  Sgamilan)  ;  I^oingsech, 

abundant  wealth." — Moore's  History  of  son  of  Dunking,  chief  of  Ui   Conaill 

Ireland.  Uabra,    (i.    e.,   the    O'Kinealies,    the 

^-   The   Children  of  Fiacaidh  Maeil-  O'Cuilleans,  or  Collins,  and  their  cor- 

lethan. — These  were  the  Eoganachta  or  relatives)  ;      Cathal,     son     of     Don- 


672 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


Tliitlier  marched  the  Children  of  Cas,"  son  of  Conall  of  the 
Fleet  Steeds,  namely;  the  Ui  Bloid,"  the  Ui  Casin,"  the  clan  of 
Aengus  Kcnn-athrach,'"  the  Kinel  Baeith,  the  Kinel  Cuallach- 
ta,  the  Kinel  Albi,  and  the  Clann  Eachach  around  Kellach,  son 
of  Dubghen ;  and  the  Clann  Coilein  around  Menma/'  son  of 
Aedh,  son  of  Enda,  son  of  Esida,  son  of  Sida,  son  of  Maelcluithi, 
and  the  Kinel  Fennaic,   around   Maelnieda ,'*  son  of  Baedan. 


naban,  cliicf  of  Carbri  Aedlia,  (ances- 
tor of  the  O'Donovans)  ;  these  were 
the  chiefs  of  the  Eogaiiachta.  In  the 
same  division  niarclied  Mac  Bctlia,  son 
of  Muredach,  king  of  Kiarraidc  Luach- 
ra,  (ancestor  of  the  O'Connors  Kerry  ;) 
Gebiuacli,  son  of  Dubagan,  king  of 
Fera-Maighe-Funi,  now  called  Fermoy, 
(ancestor  of  the  O'Diibagains  or  Dug- 
gans) ;  Molta,  or  Mothla,  kMng  of  the 
Desi  (ancestor  of  the  O'Fekns)  ;  Ker- 
ball,  son  of  Aedh,  king  of  the  Eli,  i.  e., 
the  O'Carroils  and  O'Moaghers  and 
their  correlatives  (Kerball  was  the 
progenitor  of  .tlic  former  sept).  The 
Oirghialla,  likewise,  fought  in  this 
division  :  as  their  own  territories  lay 
farthest  north  of  any  of  the  Irish  en- 
gaged in  this  battle,  they  made  choice 
of  fighting  by  the  side  of  the  descendants 
of  Eogan  Mor,  because  their  land  lay 
farthest  south.  They  were  led  by  Mac 
Uidhir,  prince  of  Fera  ]\Ianach,  now 
Fermanagh  (ancestor  of  the  Maguires), 
and  Ua  Kerbaill,  king  of  Oirgialla — 
"  the  two  most  illustrious  Irishmen," 
saj'S  the  chronicler,  "  that  graced  the 
field  on  that  day ;  and  therefore, 
worthy,"  he  adds,  "  of  fighting  under 
the  banner  of  Kiaa." — Moore's  Iltstonj 
of  Ireland. 

="  The  Children  of  Cas ;  i.  c.,  the 
Dal  g-Cais  or  Dalcassians.  This  was 
the  tribe  of  which  Brian  himself  was 
the  chief  Together  with  the  force 
which  Maelseciilainn  had  led  from 
Mcath,  it  formed  the  first  division  of 
the  Irish  army.  It  was  placed  undi'r 
the  immediate  command  of  Murcadli, 
the  eldest  son  of  Brian. 

•'  Ui  Bloid.  Tiie  territory  of  this 
tribe  lay  in  the  north-e.a.«t  of  Clare. 
Blod,  son  of  Cas,  from  whom  it  was 
called,  was  the  common  ancestor  of 
many  septs  of  the  Dal  g-Caig.  It  was 
the  sept  or  tribe  to  which  Brian  himself 


belonged. — See  tke  pedigree  of  O'Briain, 
Part  III. 

'^  Ui  Caisin.  The  Macnamaras, 
called  also  Sil  Aeda,  and  the  Mac  Clan- 
cliics,  Brehons  of  Thomond,  were  des- 
cended from  this  sept.  Caisin  was  the 
brother  of  the  Blod,  who  is  mentioned 
in  the  last  note. 

^  Aengus  Kenn-Athrach.  Ho  was 
also  the  brother  of  Blod,  and  son  of 
Cas.  The  O'Deas  of  Kinel  Ferraaic, 
are  sprung  from  liim  ;  and  also  the  Ki- 
nel Baeith,  of  which  the  chiefs  took  the 
name  of  O'Muehneda,  which  their  de- 
scendants have  probably  changed  to 
Mulvy;  the  present  representatives  of 
the  Kinel  Cwdachla,  are  unknown  to 
the  editor,  unless  by  it  is  meant  the 
Muintir  Conlochta,  also  descended  from 
Aengus  Kenn-Athrach,  of  which  the 
O'Dubghinns,  now  possibly  translated 
by  Duggan,  descended  from  the  Jvel- 
lach,  son  of  I)ul)ghenp.  mentioned  iu 
tiie  text,  were  the  chiefs.  The  Kinel 
Albi  and  Kinel  Eachach,  are  unknown 
to  the  editor  ;  they  were,  probably, 
branches  of  the  same  as  the  foregoing. 

^  Mcnmn.  He  was  the  direct  ances- 
tor of  the  ]\[acnamaraH,  who  had  their 
name,  in  Irish  Mac  Conmara,  from  Con- 
mara.  son  of  Domnall,  son  of  Meuma. 

**  Maclmela.  'J'he  Kinel  Fcrmaic, 
of  which  he  was  the  chief,  have  been 
already  classed  amongst  tlie  descend- 
ants of  Aengus  Kenn-athrach.  It  is 
]i03sibly  from  him  that  th(;  surname 
O'Maeilmeda  is  derived. 

The  catalogue  above  given  by  our 
author  is  very  confused  ;  and  it  would 
appear,  that  the  several  alias  names  of 
the  race  are  given  therein,  as  those  of 
separate  tribes.  The  great  divisions 
of  the  Dal  g-Cais  then  were  the  Ui 
Bloid  of  wliicli  lirian  and  his  immediate 
relatives  were  tin;  chiefs;  the  Ui  (^'aisin, 
or  Clann  Coilein,  commanded  by  Men- 


THE   IIISTOKY   OF   IRELAND. 


573 


There  went  tliitlicr  moreover,  the  children  of  Kenneidi,"  son  of 
Lorcan,  namely :  Annluan  Lactna,  Oosgarach,  Senchan,  Ogan, 
Maelruanaidh  and  Angidh ;  and  Murcadh,  son  of  Brian,  with 
his  son  Tordelbach,  and  with  his  five  brothers,  namely :  Tadg, 
Donncadh,  Domnall,  Concobar,  and  Flann ;  and  thither  went 
likewise,  the  children  of  Donncuan,  son  of  Kenneidi,  namely: 
Lonnargan,  Keilichar,  Kenneidi,  Fingalach,  and  Innractach  and 
Eocaidh,  son  of  Innractach,  with  Dubghen,  son  of  Eocaidh,  and 
Beolan ;  and  all  of  their  kinsfolk  and  dependents  that  followed 
these  chieftains. 

Thither  marched  likewise,  a  large  host  of  the  men  of  Con- 
naught,*"  around  Tadg,  son  of  Murcadh  O'Kellaigh,  king  of  Ui 
Mani ;  and  around  Maelruanaidh  na-Paidre"  0  h-Eidin,  king  of 
Aidni,  and  besides  these,  there  came  a  great  number  of  the  other 
nobles  of  Connaught  through  love  of  their  relative,  Brian,  whose 
mother,  Bebinn,  was  a  Connaught  woman.  In  addition  to  these, 
Maelsechlainn,  son  of  Domnall,  king  of  Meath,  marched  thither, 
leading  the  entire  strength  of  his  kingdom  to  the  aid  of  Brian. 

Then,  when  the  adverse  hosts  had  arrived  thus  constituted  upon 
Magh  n-Elta,"*"  they  were  drawn  up  in  battle  array, *^  each  host 


ma  ;  the  Kind  Fermaic,  or  Clann  Aen- 
gusa  Kenn  Athracli,  commanded  by 
Maelmeda  and  Kellach  ;  and  the  Clanu 
Ifernaiu,  or  race  of  Aengus  Kenn- 
atinn,  not  mentioned  by  this  name, 
though  one  of  its  chiefs,  Niall,  sou  of 
Conn,  (the  ancestor  of  O'Quinn),  fell  at 
Clontarf,  fighting  by  the  side  of  Mur- 
cadh, son  of  Brian,  whose  henchman  he 
then  was.  The  name  of  Clann  Ifer- 
nain  has  been  preserved  in  that  of  O'h- 
Ifernaiu,  now  generally  called  Heffer- 
uan. 

^"  Cinldren  of  Kenneidi,  Sfc  These 
were  the  members  of  Brian's  immedi- 
ate family.  Many  of  them  were  found- 
ers of  Irish  septs,  to  which  they  left 
their  names,  such  as  Senchan,  of  the  0 
Shannahans,  of  North  Mimster ;  Ogan, 
of  the  O'Hogans ;  Kenneidi,  of  the 
O'Keunedies  of  Ormond ;  Lonnargan 
of  the  O'Lonnergans  ;  Kelichar  of  the 
O'Kellchers  ;  Maelruanaidh,  of  the  0' 
Muvronies  ;  Beolan,  of  the  O'Bolans  ; 
Inurachtach,  of  the  Mac  Innrachtaigh, 
or  Mac  Enrights. — See  Pedigree  of 
O'Briain,  Part  II. 

""  The  Men  of  Connaught.  They 
formed  the  bulk  of  the  third  division 
of  the  Irish  army  at  Cloutarf.     Some 


Munster  tribes  also,  are  recorded  as 
having  fought  in  this  division  They 
were  the  men  of  Corca  Baskin,  under 
its  chieftain  Domnall,  son  of  Diarmaid, 
(ancestor  of  the  O'Dounells  of  Clare  ;) 
the  people  of  Musgraide  Bréogain.  now 
Clan  William,  in  Tipperary,  under 
Murkertach,  son  of  Core  (ancestor  of 
the  0 'Quirks)  ;  the  meu  of  Ui  Cua- 
nach,  (now  Coonagh,  co.  of  Limerick,) 
under  Aedh,  son  of  Lochlainn  ;  the  men 
of  Musgraide  h-Aeda,  neur  the  source 
of  the  Blackwater,  co.  Cork,  under 
Echtigherna,  sou  of  Donnagau,  (ances- 
tor of  the  0  Donnagaus). 

■"  Na  Paidre  ;  i.  e..  of  the  Prayer. 

«  3I(igh  n-Elta.  Clontarf  lay  in  the 
famous  plain  called  by  this  name. 

"  The  battle  array,  ifc.  The  army 
of  the  Lochlannaigh  and  Leinstermen. 
was  also  drawn  up  in  three  divisions  or 
columns.  The  first  of  these  is  describ- 
ed as  consisting  of  the  Danes  of  Dub- 
lin, or  Ath-cliath,  under  the  command 
of  Dolat  and  Conmacl ;  and  of  a  por- 
tion of  their  foreign  au.xiliaries,  under 
the  Norwegian  princes,  Carol  and  An- 
rud,  (Carlus  and  Andreas)  ;  amongst 
the  latter  were  1,000  clad  from  head  to 
foot  in  iron  mail.     This  division  was 


574 


TFTE   HISTORY   OF  IRELAND. 


in  its  respective  position.  On  the  one  side  stood  the  king  of 
Leinstcr  and  tlic  Loclilannaigh ;  and  pver  this  host  the  two  sons 
of  the  king  of  Lochlainn,  namely,  Carlus  and  Andreas,  were  the 
commanders-in-chief  On  the  other  side  stood  Brian,  and  the 
nobk^s  of  Munster,  Connaught  and  Meath  ;  and  here  Murcadh, 
son  of  Brian,  was  the  commander-in-chief  of  his  father's  army. 
It  is,  however,  to  be  observed  here,  that  Maelsechlainn  would 
notallow*Miis  forces  to  aid  either  host  in  the  conflict  that  ensued. 
The  battle^*  was  then  jioured  forth,  and  both  armies  strove  with 
hardihood  for  the  victory.  But  at  length  the  Lochlannaigh  and 
the  Laighnigh  were  .completely  vanquished ;  and  the  two  sor.s 
of  the  king  of  Lochlainn  were  slain,  and  around  them  fell  the 
captains  of  the  fleet,  which  they  had  led  to  Ireland,  together  with 
six  thousand  and  sixty*"  of  their  immediate  followers.  Besides 
these,  there  fell  in  that  slaughter  four  thousand  of  the  Lochlan- 
naigh, who  came  from  Ath-cliath,  and  other  Irish  seaports.  Ma- 
elmorda,^'  king  of  Leinster,  was  likewise  slain  therein;  with  him 


opposed  to  the  first  column  of  the  nation- 
al army  under  Murcadh  and  Maelsech- 
lainn. The  second  division  of  the  enemy 
consisted  of  the  Irish  of  Leinster,  under 
their  kinf^  ]\Iaelraorda,  and  his  sub- 
chiefs  ;  they  were  supported  by  a  cntli* 
or  battalion  of  the  fcreig-ners.  This 
division  was  opposed  by  the  second 
column  of  the  Irish,  under  the  com- 
mand of  Kian,  king  of  Desmond.  The 
foreign  auxiliaries  from  the  Hebrides, 
the  Orkneys,  and  the  coasts  of  the 
Baltic,  under  the  earls  Bruadar  and 
Lodar,  formed  the  third  division  ;  with 
them  were  joined  a  number  of  Britons 
from  Wales  and  Cornwall,  under  their 
respective  chiefs.  The  third  division 
of  the  Irish,  under  Maelruanaidh,  king 
of  Ui  Fiacrach  7\.idni,  and  'J'adg,  king 
of  Ui  Mani,  was  opposed  to  these. 

^'  Maelschlamn  would  not  allow,  fyc. 
This  assertion  is  not  true,  as  shall  be 
shown  further  on.  Keating  has  too 
easily  adopted  it  from  the  Munster 
calumniators  of  JNIaelsechlainn. 

"  T/ic  battle.  "The  Danes  were 
better  armed  than  the  Irish,  in  this 
battle  ;  for  thc^y  had  1,000  men  dressed 
in  armor  from  head  to  foot  in  iron 
mail.  In  a  dialogue  between  the  ban- 
shee, Aeibill,  or  Aeibinn,  of  Craglea 
and  theliero,  Kinacth  O'llartagain,  the 

*  The  cath  consisted  of  3,000  men. 


former  is  represented  as  advising  the 
latter  to  shun  the  battle;  "for  Gaei- 
dil  (the  Gaels)  were  only  dressed  in 
satin  shirts,  while  the  Danes  were  in 
one  mass  of  iron  :" 

"  Leinteacha  sróil  ar  shiol  n-Gaeidhll, 
Is  GoiU  iia  ii-aenbliroin  iarainn." 

— O'Donovan. 

^  Six  thousand  and  sixty.  "  In  the 
Chronicle  of  Adcmar,  monk  of  St. 
Eparchius  of  St.  Angoulcme,  it  is 
stated  that  this  battle  lasted  for  three 
days ;  that  all  the  Norsemen  M'cre 
killed  ;  and  that  crowds  of  their  wo- 
men, in  despair,  threw  themselves  into 
the  sea  ;  but  the  Irish  accounts  agree 
that  it  lasted  only  from  sun-rise  to  sun- 
set on  Good  Friday.''  In  the  Nialla 
Saga,  published  in  Johnston's  Ant. 
Ccllo-Scand.,  a  Northman  prince  is  in- 
troduced as  asking,  sometime  after  the 
battle,  what  had  become  of  his  men, 
and  the  answer  was,  that  "  they  were 
all  killed !  "—Id. 

*'  Maelmorda  slain.  Amongst  the 
chiefs  who  fell  with  him  were  Dunla- 
ing,  son  of  Tuathal,  ion  of  Ugari,  royal 
heir  of  I/'inster,  (ancestor  of  the 
O'Tooles)  ;  and  Brogarban,  son  of  Con- 
cobar,  taiiist  of  Ui  J^'alghi,  (ancestor  of 
the  0  Connors  Falghi),  "  and,"  say  oin- 
annalists,  "  a  countless  slaughter  of  the 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IKELAND. 


575 


fell  the  greater  jDart  of  his  nobles,  and  three  thousand  three  hun- 
dred of  the  men  of  Lcinster. 

On  the  other  side  fell  Murcadh/'  son  of  Brian,  heir  apparent 
to  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland,  around  whom  were  slain  the  greater 
part  of  the  nobles  of  Munster  and  Connaught,  together  with  four 
thousand  of  his  people. 

It  happened  also,  that  a  body  of  Lochlannaigh,  in  fleeing  at 
random  from  the  carnage,  came  upon  the  royal  ])avilion,  and  re- 
cognized Brian  therein ;  upon  which,  Brodar,  who  was  the  cap- 
tain of  this  band,  attacked  and  slew  the  monarch  in  his  tent.^^ 
He  was,  nevertheless,  slain  himself  at  the  same  time,  by  Brian 
and  his  attendants. 

The  following  are  the  names  of  some  more  of  Brian's  people, 
who  were  slain  in  that  battle,  to  wit :  Tordelbach,  son  of  Mur- 
cadh,^°  son  of  Brian  ;  Conaing,  son  of  Donncuan,  son  of  Kennei- 
digh ;  Molta,  son  of  Domnall,  son  of  Faelan,  king  of  the  Desi 
Mumhan  ;  and  Eocaidh,  son  of  Dunadach,  chieftain  of  Clann 
Sganlain,  with  Niall  Ua  Cuinn,  and  Cuduligh,  son  of  Kennei- 
digh,  these  were  the  three  companions  of  Brian;  and  Tadg  Ua 
Kellaigh,^!  king  of  Ui  Mani;  Maelruanaidh  na  Paidre  0  h-Eidin, 


Leinstermen  aloug  with  them."  Neither 
O'Morda,  chief  of  Leighis,  nor  O'Nolun, 
chief  of  Fotharta,  fought  against  Brian 
on  this  occasion. 

•"*  Murcadh.  He  fell  by  the  Danish 
chief  Anrud,  whose  brother  he  had  just 
slain,  and  who  had  sought  him  out  for 
vengeance.  "  On  seeing  him  approach, 
the  Irish  hero  rushed  forward  to  meet 
him,  and  seizing  him  firmly  with  his  left 
hand— the  right  having  been  enfeebled 
by  the  constant  use  of  his  weapon — 
shook  him  fairly  out  of  his  coat  of  mail 
and  there  transfixed  him  with  his  sword. 
The  Norwegian,  however,  in  dying, 
had  his  full  revenge ;  for  as  the  con- 
queror stooped  down  over  him,  he 
drew  forth  the  knife  or  dagger,  which 
hung  by  Murrough's  (Murcadh's)  side, 
and  plunged  it  into  his  heart." — 
Moove. 

■'^  Slew  the  monarch  in  his  tent.  "  It 
was  in  the  midst  of  the  rout  and  car- 
nage of  the  defeat,  that  the  Danish  ad- 
miral Bruadar,  having  fled  for  refuge 
with  a  few  followers  into  a  wood,  into 
the  ncighborliood  of  Brian's  tent,  per- 
ceived from  his  lurking  place  that  the 
monarch  was  surrounded  with  but  few 
attendants — most  of  his  body  guards 


having  joined  in  pursuit  of  the  enemy, 
— and  was  kneeling,  with  hand  up- 
raised and  his  mind  on  prayer  intent. 
Taking  advantage  of  the  moment, 
Bruadar  rushed  into  the  tent,  and,  after 
a  short  struggle,  put  the  aged  monarch 
and  a  boy,  who  was  in  attendance  upon 
him,  to  death.  Then,  unable  to  restrain 
his  triumph,  he  held  up  his  blade,  still 
warm  from  the  royal  victim's  heart, 
and  cried  out,  "Let  it  be  proclaimed 
from  man  to  man,  that  Brian  has  fallen 
by  the  hand  of  Bruadar." — Id. 

"^  Tordelbach,  son  ofMwcadh.  "  Tor- 
delbach, the  king's  grandchild,  then 
but  fifteen  years  old,  was  found  drown- 
ed near  the  fishing  weir  of  Clontarf, 
with  both  his  hands  fast  bound  in  the 
hair  of  a  Dane  whom  he  had  pursued 
into  the  sea." — Annals  of  Clonmacnoise. 

"  Tadg  Ua  Kellaigh.  He  was  the 
first  that  was  called  Ua  Ce'laigh  or 
O'Kelly  ;  from  him  all  the  families  of 
the  0  Kellies  of  Ui  Mani,  or  Hy  Many 
in  Gidway,  are  descended.  The  Ui 
Mani,  afterwards  represented  bv  the 
O'Kcllies,  the  O'Maddens,  O'Mulallies 
or  Lallies  and  others,  sufiPercd  dread- 
fully in  this  battle.  Tadg  Mor  ( Tigue 
More) ,  their  chief,  performed  prodigies 


576 


THE   HISTORY  OF  IRELAND. 


king  of  Aidni,^2  CTcbenacli,  son  of  Dubagnn,  king  of  Fera 
Maiglie ;  Mac-Bcth;\igh,  son  of  Muredach  Clacn,  king  of  Ciar- 
raide  Luaclira;  Domnnll,  son  of  Diarmaid,  king  of  Corca-Bas- 
kinn;  Sganlan,  son  of  Cathal,  king  of  tlie  Eoganacht  of  Loch  Lein ; 
and  Domnall,  son  of  Emhin,  son  of  Cannech,  Maer-nior  of  Marr,^ 
in  Alba;  and  Muredach,  Maer-mor  of  Lemhain;^  and  with 
these  fell  many  other  nobles  whose  names  are  not  mentioned 
here. 

One  thousand  and  tliirty-fonr,  was  the  year  of  our  Lord  in 
■which  the  battle  of  Clnain  Tarbh  was  fought.  The  conflict  took 
place  on  the  Friday  before  the  Easter  of  that  year.  Here  follows 
a  record,  left  by  a'^bardic  historian  in  testimony  of  the  number 
of  years  that  liad  elapsed  from  the  birth  of  Christ  to  the  death  of 
Brian,  son  of  Kenneidigh : 

"  Four  and  thirty  years,"'  in  truth, 
Above  one  thousand  then  had  passed, 
Since  Clirist  had  come  to  heal  our  woes, 
When  Brian  died  on  Bregha's  plain." 


of  valor,  and  "was  one  of  the  principal 
heroes  in  tlie  battle. 

"  King  of  Aidni.  Maclruadh- 
naidh  O'h-Eidhin  {Mmlroone  O'llyne), 
was  the  first  that  bore  tlie  surname  of 
O'h  Eidin.  His  brother,  Maelfabaill, 
was  the  immediate  progenitor  of  tlic 
O'lTeynes,  or  Hynes,  of  Soutli  (Jon- 
naught.  The  Ui  Fiachrach  Aidhni, 
{ee  Feeghrash  Ei/nic),  the  tribe  wiiich 
Maelruanaidh  Jed  to  Clomarf,  is  now 
represented  by  the  O'lleynes,  O'CIcr- 
ies,  Mac  Kilkellies,  0  Shauglinessies  and 
their  correlatives.  See  Pedigree  of 
O  Sechmmigh,  Part  HI. 

Tiie  king  of  Connaught  is  represent- 
ed by  Mr.  Moore  and  some  modern  his- 
torians as  having  conmianded  the  Con- 
naughtmen  at  Clontarf.  But  of  this 
tliere  is  no  historic  evidence,  if  we  re- 
ject some  legendary  and  higlily  exag- 
gerated romances.  There  is  nothing  in 
our  aimals  to  show  that  any  other  of 
the  Connaughtmen  than  two  tribes  just 
named,  had  partaken  in  that  conflict. 

"  Maer-mor  of  Marr.  "  He  was 
the  chief  of  the  lioganachta  of  Magh 
Geir-gliiiin,  or  Marr  in  modern  Scot- 
land, and  descended  from  Mani  Lemna 
(the  brotlier  of  Carbri  Ijuachra,  ances- 
tor of  the  O'Moriarties,  of  Kerry,)  son 
of  Core,  son  of  Lugaidh,  son  of  Olild 


Flann  Beg,  son  of  Fiacaidh  Maeil-le- 
than,  son  of  Eogan  Mor,  son  of  Olild 
Ohnn,  king  of  Munster,  and  common 
ancestor  of  King  Brian,  and  of  this 
Domnall  (or  Donald),  of  Marr,  who 
assisted  him  against  the  common  ene- 
my."—  0' Donovan. 

"  Maer-mor  of  Lemhain  ;  i.e.,  Great 
Steward  of  Lemliain,  [Levvin,  or  Leio- 
7?i?i),  in  Latin  Levinia,  and  in  English, 
Lennox.  O'Flaherty  is  of  opinion  tliat 
tlic  Stuarts,  carls  of  Lennox,  and  after- 
wards kings  of  Scotland  and  England, 
arc  maternally  descended  from  the 
Gaelic  Maer-niors  of  Lemhain,  and  he 
informs  us  that  in  the  reign  cjI'  Robert 
H.,  (A.  D.  i:]70— 1395),  Alan  Stuart, 
a  relative  of  that  monarch,  marrying 
the  heiress  of  Donncadh,  or  Duncan,  tlie 
last  chief  of  this  family,  transferred  the 
title  of  liCnnox  to  his  family. — -In  the 
note  last  quoted,  there  is  what  seems  an 
oversight  on  the  part  of  its  learned 
author  ;  for  O'Flaherty  states  that  the 
Great  Stewards  of  Marr,  were  descend- 
ed from  Carbri,  called  Cruithncch,  or 
the  Pict ;  and  the  Great  Stewards  of 
Ijcnnox,  from  Mani  Lemna,  his  brother. 

"  I'^iur  and  thirty ;  i.  e.,  in  (Taclic, 
Ceithre  hliaglina  trichad.  The  copy  of 
the  poem  from  which  Keating  has 
quoted  this  verse,  must  have  been  cor- 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


577 


And  his  age  was  eight  years  above  four  score  at  that  time :  as  a 
bard  has  told  us  in  the  following  verse: 

"  For  four  score  years  and  eight 
(Riiiht  truly  is  their  number  told), 
Ilad  Brian  lived  in  victories, 
Before  that  rougli  and  desperate  fight." 

And,  moreover,   Murcadh,  son  of  Brian,  was  three  score  and 
three  years  when  he  fell  in  that  same  battle  of  Cluain  Tarbh. 


The  return  from  the  battle — The  Dal  g- Cats  reject  the  claims  of  the 

Eoganachta. 

At  length,  after  winning  the  battle,^  and  after  the  deaths  of 
Brian  and  Murcadh,  and  very  many  of  the  Gaels  besides  them, 
and  after  the  rout  of  the  Lochlannaigh  and  the  Leinstermen, 
with  the  slaughter  of  the  greater  part  of  their  forces,  the  Dal  g- 
Cais  and  the  tribes  of  Fiacaidh  Maeil-lethan  marched  together  in 
harmony  as  far  as  Mullach  Masdenn.^''     But  here,  the   descend- 


rupted.  In  a  copy  of  the  romantic  tale 
called  the  Battle  of  Clontarf,  now  in 
the  editor's  possession,  the  verse  gives 
the  date  thus  : 

"Ceithre  bliaghna  défr,  Is  deimhin, 
Agus  mile  gan  mebhaill,  &e." 

In  English  : 

"  Fonrteen  years  to  a  certainty, 
And  one  thousand  without  falsehood,  Ac." 

This  has  been  proved  to  be  the  true 
date,  and  is  probably  the  correct  read- 
ing of  the  verse.  Keating's  having 
placed  too  much  reliance  upon  the  one 
given  in  the  text,  has  probably  hel])ed 
to  cause  him  to  make  so  many  mistakes 
in  chronology  with  regard  to  Brian 
and  his  cotemporaries. 

"^  After  winning  the  battle,  ^c.  On 
the  day  after  the  battle,  all  the  wound- 
ed of  the  Irish  army,  were  conveyed  to 
the  camp  at  Kill  Maighcnn,  now  Kil- 
mainhani,  by  Tadg,  son  of  Brian,  and 
Kian,  son  of  Maelmuaid.  On  the  fol- 
lowing day,  the  monks  of  St.  Colum,  at 
Swords,  came  to  bear  away  the  mon- 
arch's body  to  have  it  interred  in  the  ca- 
thedral of  Ard  Macha.  From  Swords 
it  was  conveyed  to  the  monastery  of 
St.  Kiaran  at  Daimliag,  now  Duleek. 

37 


Thence  it  was  borne  to  Louth,  where 
the  Primate,  Maclmuri,  awaited  the 
royal  remains,  and  had  them  borne  to 
the  archiepiscopal  city.  The  bodies  of 
Murcadh  and  the  other  chiefs  of  the 
family  were  borne  thither  at  the  same 
time.  Brian's  body  was  deposited  in 
the  north  side  of  the  cathedral,  and 
those  of  Murcadh  and  the  others,  on 
the  south.  There,  for  twelve  nights, 
the  religious  of  the  order  of  St.  Pat- 
rick kept  watch  over  the  dead,  chauut- 
ing  hymns,  and  offering  prayers  for  the 
repose  of  the  departed  souls. — See 
Mo're. 

'"''  Mullach  Masdenn.  Now  Mullagh- 
mast  in  the  county  of  Kildarp.  Doun- 
cadh,  son  of  Brian,  was  not  at  the  bat- 
tle, he  had  been  absent,  with  a  portion 
of  the  Dal  g-Cais,  on  a  predatory  into 
Leinster,  whence  he  returned  on  Holy 
Satuiday  with  immense  booty.  Having 
formed  a  junction  with  his  brother  Tadg 
(Teiijue),  and  the  Eugenian  chieftain, 
Kian,  and  having  sent  much  offerings  to 
the  Archbishop  of  Ard  Macha,  the 
camp  at  Killmainham  was  broken  up  ; 
and  the  army  of  IMunster  commenced 
its  first  day's  march  homeward,  at  the 
end  of  which  the  above  mentioned  se- 
cession took  place. 


578  THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND, 

ants  of  Fiacaidli  !Macil-letlian,  formed  themselves  into  a  distinct 
body  and  separated  from  the  descendants  of  Oas.  And  then,  as 
the  latter  found  that  they  were  themselves  superior  to  the  Dal  g-Cais 
in  the  number  of  their  warriors  and  followers,  thej  determined 
to  send  an  embassy^  to  demand  hostages  from  Donncadh,  son  of 
Brian,  and  to  explain  to  him  that,  inasmuch  as  they  had  lately 
given  hostages  to  his  father  Brian,  and  ])rcviously  to  his  fiithcr's 
brother,  Mathgamain,  son  of  Kenneidigh,  it  was  now  their  right 
to  possess  the  sovereignty  of  Munstor,  according  to  the  rule  of 
alternate  succession.  To  this,  Donncadh,  son  of  Brian,  replied: 
"It  was  not  with  your  own  good  will  that  you  ever  gave  any 
hostages  to  father  or  relative  of  mine ;  but  it  was  they  themselves, 
that  compelled  both  you  and  the  other  men  of  Ireland  to  pay 
them  involuntary  homage."  And  he  added,  "  that  he  would 
give  no  hostages,  or  other  pledges  of  submission  either  to  their 
race  or  to  any  other ;  and  he  said  moreover,  that  he  would  not 
himself,  have  allowed  them  to  have  separated  from  him  even  then, 
had  his  host  been  numerous  enough  to  meet  them  in  battle,  until 
they  should  have  given  pledges  of  their  remaining  as  submissive 
to  himself,  as  they  had  been  to  his  father." 

When  this  reply  Avas  told  to  the  chiefs  of  Desmond,  they  arose 
in  haste,  and  seizing  their  arms,  they  went  out  to  give  immedi- 
ate battle  to  the  Dal  g-Cais.  Whereupon  Donncadh,  son  of 
Brian,  commanded  his  people  to  place  their  wounded  men  within 
the  rath  of  Masdenn,  and  to  leave  one  third  of  his  force,  as  a 
guard  upon  them;  "and  then,"  said  he,  "let  the  other  two 
thirds  give  their  answer  to  yonder  folk  upon  the  battle  field!" 
He  gave  these  orders,  though  the  Dal  g-Cais  were  then  little 
more  than  one  thousand  strong,  whilst  their  adversaries  of  Des- 
mond, had  a  force  of  three  thousand  men.  But  whcu  the 
wounded  men  had  heard  the  orders  of  their  chieftain,  they  arose 
hastily  from  their  beds,  and  having  put  moss  upon  their  wounds 
and  hurts,  they  with  one  accord  determined  to  participate  in  the 
expected  battle. 

"•  To  send  an  embassy,  ^c.  It  was  ity  of  our  ancient  historians.  "  'i'iiis 
Kian,  King  of  Desmond,  that  sent  prince  bore  a  high  character  for  wis- 
this  embassy  ;  and  it  was  liis  undoubted  dom  and  bravery.  '  No  one,'  says  Ihi,- 
right  according  to  the  will  of  Olild  historian,  'seemed  more  worthy  of 
Olum,  tlie  common  ancestor  of  tlie  the  crown  of  Munstcr  or  monarchy 
Eoganachta  and  the  Dal  g-Cais.  He  is  of  Ireland,  than  Kian  ;  and  liad  fate  so 
condemned  by  many  historians  for  his  decreed  it  in  all  appearance,  Ireland 
attempt  on  this  occasion ;  but  whatr  would  not  have  felt  those  calamities 
ever  its  immediate  policy  or  consoquen-  which  she  has  so  long  endured.'  Ac- 
CC3  were,  there  can  lie  no  doubt  that  he  cording  to  Erard  Mac  Coisi,  chief 
was  every  way  qualified  to  till  the  post  chrf)niclcr  of  the  Irish,  who  died  anno, 
to  which  he  aspired.  Ilardiman,  in  his  1023,  Kian  was  as  gallant  and  geuer- 
Irisk  Mimlrelsy,  bears  the  following  ou.s  a  prince  as  tlie  house  of  Eber  ever 
testimony  to  his  worth,  on  the  author-    produced." — Irish  Minstrc'sy,]).  3GC. 


THE   HISTORY    OF   IRELAND. 


570 


UpoM  this,  wlien  the  descendants  of  Fiacaidh  Maeil-letlum, 
had  seen  the  fortitude  with  which  the  warriors  of  the  Dal  g-Cais 
— the  wounded  as  well  as  the  unwounded — were  prejjariug 
themselves  for  the  conflict,  they  retired  from  the  field^"  without 
fighting,  and  returned  to  their  homes,  without  having  received 
any  hostages  from  the  rivals  of  their  tribe. 


^^  Tkcij  retired  from  the  field,  ifc. 
Keating  has  both  confounded  ',vhat 
took  place  on  this  occasion  with  wliat 
occurred  subsequently  in  the  case  of 
the  Ossorians,  and  has  not  at  all  stated 
the  real  cause  of  the  retiring  of  the 
Eoganachta.  O'Halloran  has  given  a 
wrong  idea  of  the  immediate  pre- 
liminaries that  led  to  it ;  and  Mr. 
Moore  has  been  entirely  misled  as  to 
the  motives  that  actuated  the  chieftain 
who  brought  it  about.  The  following- 
quotation,  translated  from  the  Cath  Clu- 
ana  Tarbh,&n  ancient  talc  not  likely  to 
flatter  the  opponents  of  the  sous  of 
Brian,  may  assist  the  reader  in  forming 
his  own  judgment  thereon.—"  "When 
Domnall,  son  of  Dubdaboirenn,  saw  him 
thus  preparing  to  force  hostages  from 
the  sons  of  Brian,  he  demanded  of  Kiau, 
what  advantage  would  be  conferred  by 
the  latter  chief  upon  himself,  as  the 
reward  of  his  assistance  in  that  attempt. 
In  reply  to  this  Kian  told  him  that  he 
should  receive  nothing  more  than  the 
possession  of  his  own  lordship  of  Ui 
Eachach,  free  from  tribute.  "  Then  by 
my  word,''  said  Domnall,  "  I  shall  risk 
neither  hurt  nor  hardship  in  winning  a 
sovereignty  for  thee."  "  I  care  little," 
rejoined  Ivian,  "  whether  ray  attempt 
have  thy  consent  or  not,  for  thou  shalt 
be  forced  to  march  out  and  assist  me 
to  the  throne."  "  Then  if  we  be  to 
suffer  compulsion,"  said  Domnall,  seced- 
ing from  Kian.  AVhen  Donncadh,  son 
•  of  Brian,  had  learned  that  a  quarrel  be- 
tween themselves  had  sprung  up 
amongst  the  chiefs  of  the  race  Éogan 
Mor,  he  struck  his  camp,  carried  off 
his  wounded  men,  and  marched." — Such 
v.'as  the  reason  why  the  Engenians  did 
not  fight.  When  the  half  of  his  own 
sept  (for  Domnall  and  he  both  belonged 
to  the  same  branch  of  the  race  of 
Eogan,)  had  deserted  him,  and,  very 
likely,  several  other  southern  septs,  less 


interested  in  his  success,  had  followed 
their  example,  Kian  was  no  longer 
strong  enough  to  attack  the  Dalcas- 
sians.  After  his  return  to  Rathlenn, 
he  challenged  Domnall  to  a  battle, 
which  was  almost  immediately  fought 
upon  the  plains  of  jSIagh  Guillidhe.  In 
this  conflict  Kian  and  his  two  brothers, 
Cathal  and  Raghallach,  were  slain, 
with  great  numbers  of  his  followers. 
Mathgamain,  or  Mahon,  the  son  of 
Kian,  would  then  have  shared  his  fa- 
ther's fate,  had  not  his  maternal  uncles, 
Donncadh  and  Tadg,  speedily  led  their 
Dalcassians  to  his  assistance.  Domnall 
risked  another  battle  against  Mahon, 
thus  reinforced,  but  he  was  totally  de- 
feated, and  lost  his  eldest  son,  Cathal, 
therein.  After  this,  Mathgamain  was 
for  a  short  time  reinstated  in  his  father's 
principality.  But  within  the  same 
year,  the  two  Dalcassian  princes  quar- 
relled amongst  themselves,  and  came  to 
open  hostilities.  Thereupon  Domnall 
again  attacked  their  nephew,  whom  he 
killed  in  a  pitched  battle.  He  then  led 
the  Eoganachta  to  Limerick,  in  the  be- 
ginning of  A.  D.  1015;  but  he  was 
there  met  in  battle  by  the  sons  oi 
Brian,  then  temporarily  reunited.  In 
this  engagement  the  men  of  Desmond 
were  routed  and  cut  to  pieces,  and  Dom- 
nall himself  slain. — It  i?  from  the 
Mathgamain.  or  Mahon,  just  mention- 
ed, that  the  Desmond  sept  of  O'Math- 
ganina,  in  English,  O'Mahony,  has  its 
name.  It  is  to  be  distinguished  from 
the  Dalcassian  sept  of  Mac  Mathgam- 
na,  or  Mac  Mahon,  of  Corca  Baskinn, 
and  also  from  that  of  ilac  Mahon  of 
Oirghialla. — "  A  sad  tale  v.'as  that," 
says  Macliag,  the  chief  historian  and 
chief  physician  and  biographer  of  Brian, 
in  recording  his  death;  "  for  there  was 
not  in  Ireland  in  his  own  time,  any 
man  more  distinguished  for  generosity 
and  nobility  than  that  Kian." 


580  THE    HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 

Tlic  Dal  g-Cais  in  Osraide — Repuhe  of  Donncadh,  son  of 
Gilla-Padraig. 

As  to  the  Dal  g-Cais,  they  marched  onward  from  Mullach  Mas- 
denn  to  Ath-Aei**,  on  the  brink  of  the  Berba,  where  they  com- 
menced to  drink  water  from  that  river.     But  hither  Donncadh, 
son  of  Gilla-Padraig,  king  of  Osraide,  had  come  to  attack  them, 
with  a  numerous  force,  composed  of  Leinstcrmen  and  Ossorians, 
which  he  had  mustered  upon  the   plain  of  Clann   Kellaigh.^^ 
Thence  he  had  sent  out  scouts  to  discover  the  route  by  wliich 
the  Dal  g-Cais  were  coming,  for  he  held  them  in  the  greatest 
hatred,  because  Brian  had  placed  his  father^^  in  bondage,  and  he 
had  detained  him  in  chains  two  years,  and  also  because  he   had 
plundered  and  devastated  all  Osraide,  and  had  sLain  numbers  of 
its  inhabitants.     Therefore  did  the  son  of  Gilla-Padraig  store  up 
hostility  towards  the  Dal  g-Cais ;  and  in  consequence  thereof,  he 
sent  arnbassadors  to  meet  them  at  Ath-Aei,  with  instructions  to 
demand  hostages  from  them  as  the  condition  of  his  allowing 
them  to  march  through  his  territories  unmolested.     But  Donn- 
cadh, son  of  Brian,  at  once  told  these  ambassadors  that  he  would 
deliver  up  no  hostages  to  their  chief     "  Then,"  said  they,  "  thou 
shalt  reply  to  the  demand  of  the  son  of  Gilla-Padraig  by  a  bat- 
tle."    "And  a  battle  he  shall  get,"  said  Donncadh  ;  but_  it  is  a 
sad  thing,  that  I  did  not  meet  with  a  death  like  that  which  my 
father  found,  before  I  suffered  the  insult  of  having  hostages  de- 
manded fiom  me  by  the  son  of  Gilla-Padraig."     Hereupon  the 
ambassadors  expostulated  with  the  angry  chieftain  of  the  Dal  g- 
Cais,  requesting  him  not  to  feel  so  very  indignant,  whilst  it  was  so 
evident  that  his  force  was  not  sti'ong  enough  to  give  battle  to 
that  led  by  their  own  king.     To  this  Donncadh  thus  rejoined: 
"  Were  it  ever  lawfid  to  punish  any  ambas.--adors  for  the  pur- 
port of  the  message  they  conveyed,  I  would  now  have  had  your 
tongues  plucked  out  of  your  heads  for  this  present  insolence. 
For,  though  I  had  but  one  solitary  camj)  follower  to  stand  by 
me,  I  should  never  think  of  refusing  to  contend  in  battle  with 
the  son  of  Gilla-Padraig  and  the  nun  of  Osraide." 

'"    Alh-Aei;    otherwise,    Baile-atha-  Ossory,  luive  their  name.    He  had  been 

aci.     A  ford  on  the  river  lierba  or  Bar-  captured   by  Brian  in  A.  D.  982,  and 

row,  where  the  town  of  Athy,  in  the  was  shiin  in  A.I).  095  by  Donnoban, 

county  of  Kildarc,  now  stands.  son  of  Imhar.   i.ord  of  the  J)anes  of 

"   Tlie    Plain    if   Clann    Kelhiifrh.  "Waterlord.     'I'he  latter  cliief  was  son 

The  territory  of  the  Clann   Kellaigh  of     ln«rlK'n,    danrr-hter    of    i)onnoban 

(not  the  O'Kellies)  lay  in  the  north  of  (from    whom    the    O'Donovans,)   the 

the  present  county  of "Wicklow.—O'/).  kin.;;   of  the   Ui   Fid,i;hcnti,  who  was 

'=  His  father  ;  i.  e.,  Gilia-Padraif?,  slain  by  Brian   in  A.  1).  977,  in   ven- 

the  prog-enitor  from  whom  the  Fitzpa-  geance  for  his  brother,  Mahoa. 
tricks,  or  the  Mac  fjiiiiu-ratricks  of 


THE  HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  5S1 

Donncadh,  then,  again  gave  orders,  that  one  third  of  his  host 
Bhould  be  pUiccd  on  guard  as  a  protection  for  the  wounded,  and 
that  the  other  two  thirds  should  meet  the  expected  battle.  But 
when  the  wounded  men  heard  of  these  orders,  thej  sprung  up. 
in  such  haste  that  their  wounds  and  sores  burst  open  ;  but  thoy 
bound  them  up  in  moss,  and  grasping  their  lances  and  their 
swords,  thej  came  thus  equipped  into  the  midst  of  their  comrades. 
Here  tiiey  requested  of  Donncadh,  son  of  Brian,  to  send  some 
men  to  tlie  forest  with  instructions  to  bring  thence  a  number  of 
strong  stakes,  which  they  proposed  to  have  thrust  into  the 
ground,  ."  And  to  these  stakes,"  said  they,  "  let  us  be  bound  with 
our  arms  in  our  hands,  and  let  our  sons  and  our  kinsmen  be 
stationed  by  our  sides ;  and  let  two  warriors,  who  are  unwound- 
ed,  be  placed  near  each  one  of  us  wounded,  for  it  is  thus  that  we 
will  help  one  another  with  truer  zeal,  because  shame  will  not  al- 
low the  sound  man  to  leave  his  position  until  his  wounded  and 
bound  comrade  can  leave  it  likewise."  This  request  was  com- 
plied witb,  and  the  wounded  men  were  stationed  after  the  man- 
ner wdiich  thev  had  pointed  out.  And,  indeed,  that  array  in 
which  tlie  Ual  g-Cais  wei'e  then  drawn,  was  a  thing  for  the  mind 
to  dwell  upon  in  admiration,  for  it  was  a  great  and  amazing 
wonder.''^ 

And  tlie  men  of  Leinster  and  Osraide  were  seized  with  fear 
and  dismay  when  they  saw  the  astounding  courage  wherewith 
the  Dal  g-Cais  stood  up  against  them.  And  what  they  said 
was,  "  It  is  not  of  marching  off"  or  of  running  away,  or  of  break- 
ing their  ranks,  or  of  3^ elding  to  panic,  that  yonder  men  are 
thinking,  but  of  doing  their»utmost  to  defend  themselves  by  mak- 
ing a  firm,  obstinate,  and  hand  to  hand  fight.  For  this  reason, 
we  will  not  now  contend  with  them  in  battle,  for  to  them  life 
and  death  are  alike  indifferent."  Hereupon  the  son  of  Gilla- 
Padraig  spoke  and  said:  "It  is  cowardly  on  your  part  to 
speak  thus ;  for  you  are  numerous  enough  to  eat  up  yonder  folk 
were  they  but  cooked."  "That  is  true,"  replied  they,  "but  it 
is  equally  true,  that  not  one  man  of  them  can  be  slain,  until  five 
or  six  of  us  have  first  fidlen  by  his  hands.  And  then  what  ad- 
vantage will  result  to  us  from  dying  in  their  company  ? " 
"  Then,"  said  the  son  of  Gilla-Padraig,  "  as  you  will  not  give 
them  battle,  you  will  at  least  pursue  and  harass  them  on  their 
homeward  march,  for  they  are  impeded  by  the  number  of  their 
wounded,  and  are,  consequently,  unable  to  contend  with  you 
in  skirmishing."      And   this  course    of  action  was  what  was 

^^  An  Amazing  Wonder.  For  a  lory  of  Ire' and.  lie  alludes  to  it  in  his 
more  rationally  told  account  of  this  al-  ballad  of  "  Remember  the  glories  of 
most  fabulous  array,  see  Moore's  His-    Brian  the  brave." 


582  THE   HISTORY   OF    IRELAND. 

adopted ;  and  the  army  of  the  Dal  g-Cais  suffered  more  losses 
from  the  skirmishes  that  thence  ensued,  than  it  could  have  done 
from  a  pitched  battle.  From  Ath-Aei,  they  marched  through 
want  and  hardship  towards  their  own  country ;  and  at  length 
there  reached  home  under  Donncadh,  son  of  Brian,  but  eight 
hundred  and  fifty  of  their  number,  for  they  had  lost  ten  men 
above  seven  score,  in  their  skirmishes  with  the  men  of  Osraide/' 
who  had  continued  to  harass  them,  while  they  persisted  in  re- 
fusing to  stand  a  pitched  battle, 

Maelsechlainn's  Account'  of  the  Batik  of  Cluain  Totrhh. 

The  following  is  the  account  which  Maelsechlainn,  son  of 
Domnall,  king  of  ;Meath,  gave  of  the  battle  of  Cluain  Tarbh, 
within  one  month  after  it  had  been  fought.  For  when  the  chiefs 

0'   Osraide.    It  does  not  appear  that  treachery  on  the  part  of  this  prince, 

any  of  this  tribe  had  been  engag-cd  on  -n-hom  they  describe  as  a  true  patriot 

cither  side  at  Clontarf.     But  it  is  said  and  mao-nanimous  hero.      The  Dalcas- 

that  its  chief  had  lield  aloof  upon  tlie  sian  writer,  however,  in  order  to  exalt 

plain  of  Clann  Kcllaigh,  determined  to  the   character    of  the    popular   hero, 

shape  his  conduct  by  the  result.  Brian,   did   not    hesitate   to    blacken, 

The  only  sons  of  Brian  that  survived  unjustly,  the  fame  of  his  injured  com- 

the    battle    of   Clontarf   were    Tadg  petitor." — Were  there,  indeed,  no  other 

(Tei'^ue)  and   Donncadh  [Dnnoúgha],  evidence  of  its  falsehood,  than  the  acts 

^ C   '  '  .,  -• ,  11        i-nfT         -■    ;  _\         ,.<•   ii.:„   ,.1. ;,..,!„«.,„  „,.,1     ™„,,„-«„r,   v^..;..r<r> 


Of  the  others,  Murcadh  [Morongha).  of  this  chivalrous  and  generous  prnice 
his  eldest  son,  had  lallen  there,  and  during  the  whole  course  of  his  long 
Concobar,  Flann  and  Domnall,  though  life,  the  latter  alone  should  be  iiroof 
mentioned  by  Keating  as  engaged  enough  to  show  that  he  was  incapable 
therein,  had  either  died  or  been  slain  of  treacherously  conspiring  with  his 
previously.  The  surviving  brothers  cí)uní<ry's  enemies.  INlr.  Moore  does 
fell  out  soon  after  their  return  to  Kenn-  ample  justice  to  his  conduct.  This 
Coradh,  and  in  the  same  year  (A.D.  writer,  though  he  has  been  guided  by 
1014)  fought  a  desperate' battle,  in  foreign  rather  than  by  Irish  ideas  and 
which  victory  declared  in  favor  of  custcnns,  in  condemning  as  an  usnrjia- 
Tadg,  and  where  RuaidriO'Donnagain,  lion,  the  accession  of  Brinn  to  Urn 
Lord  of  Aradii,  and  many  others  were  throne— an  accession  that,  in  truth,  dif- 
slain.  But  they  were  soon  after  rccon-  fered  in  nothing  from  several  prcccdiuu' 
oiled  by  the  mediation  of  the  clergy  of  occasions,  except  in  his  not  having  kil!- 
Munster,  and  reigned  in  partnership,  as  ed  his  predecessor.  He  informs  us  that 
kincs  of 'Leth  Mogha,  until  A.  D.  102.3.  "  When  the  mortal  wound  received  by 
when  Tadg  was  treacherously  murder-  Murrough  (Murcadh,)  the  son  of  Brian, 
cd  by  the  men  of  Eli,  at  the  instigation  iu  the  battle  of  Clontarf,  deprived  the 
of  his  own  brother.  army  of  its  acting  leader,  the  conimaud 
"  MadsechlaJn'x  Acrotmt,  l^c. — This  devolved  upon  the  patriotic  and  high- 
account  is  pure  fiction.  It  was  ab-  minded  Malachy,  (Maelsechlainn)  by 
stracted  bv  Keating  from  the  historieal  whom  llio  victory,  then  all  but  acrrnn- 
tract  called  Cnth  Cluana  TtirWi,"which"  i)lishcd  was  folhjwed  up  to  its  full  and 
says  Dr.  O'Donovan,  "  is  a  Minister  perfect  success." — Jlistortj  of  Ireland. 
production,  full  of  prejudice  against  The  fact  that  Maelsechlainn  acted  as 
the  dethroned  Maelsechlainn,  but  the  a  tru(>  patriot,  and  faithlul  ally  on  that 
northern    annalists    acknowledge     no  occasion,  is  amply  borne  out  by  the  ac 


THE   HISTOKY   OF   IRELAND. 


583 


of  the  Clann  Colmain  had  requested  him  to  give  them  a  descrip- 
tion of  the  conflict,  he  addressed  them  and  said,  "  That  in  his 
opinion,  he  had  never  witnessed  any  battle  like  unto  that  one ; 
for."  said  he,  "were  one  of  God's  angels  to  come  from  heaven 
to  give  a  description  thereof,  it  would  appear  incredible  even 
from  him.  During  that  engagement  I  stood  aloof  with  my 
forces  and  remained  a  spectator  of  the  contest,  but  at  no  greater 
distance  than  the  breadth  of  a  single  fallow  field  and  its  hedge. 
And  then,  as  soon  as  the  warriors  had  come  to  close  quarters, 
and  were  fighting  breast  to  breast  and  hand  to  hand,  striking 
and  cutting  at  one  another,  like,  indeed,  unto  that  from  a  crowd- 
ed flock  of  Avhite  gulls,  when  the  summer  tide  is  making  for  the 
land,  was  the  dazzling  glare  of  the  bright  shields,  brandished 
above  the  heads  of  the  combatants.      And  even  if  we  felt  any 


counts  of  the  battle,  as  banded  down  to 
us  in  the  annals  of  the  Four  Masters, 
and  the  annals  of  Ulster.  The  follow- 
ing" is  the  simple  and  unadorned  entry 
which  the  compilers  of  the  former  have 
made  thereof; — "A.  D.  1013,(correctly, 
1014.)  An  army  was  led  by  Brian, 
sou  of  Kenneidigh,  son  of  Lorcan, 
King  of  Ireland,  and  by  Maelsechlainn, 
sou  of  Domuall,  King  of  Temhaii-.  The 
foreigners  of  the  AVest  of  Europe  as- 
sembled against  Brian,  and  Maelsech- 
lainn, and  they  took  with  them  ten  hun- 
dred men  with  coats  of  mail.  A  spirit- 
ed, fierce,  violent,  vengeful  and  furious 
battle  was  fought  between  them,  the 
likeness  of  which  was  not  to  be  found 
in  that  time,  at  Cluain  Tarbh,  on 
Friday  before  Easter  precisely.  In 
this  battle  were  slain  Brian,  son  of 
Kenneidigh,  monarch  of  Ireland,  who 
was  the  Augustus  of  all  the  west  of 
Europe,  in  the  88th  year  of  his  age  ; 
Murcadh,  son  of  Brian,  royal  heir  of 
Ireland  (Righdamna  Erenn)  in  the  63d 
year  of  his  age  ;  Conaing,  son  of  Don- 
cuan,  son  of  Brian's  brother  ;  Tordel- 
bach,  son  of  Murcadh,  son  of  Brian  ; 
Mothla  (or  Molta.)  son  of  Domnall,  son 
of  Faelan,  Lord  of  the  Desi  Mumhan  ; 
Eocaidh,  son  of  Dunadach,  i.  e.,  the 
Lord  of  Clann  Sganulain ;  Niall  Ua 
Cuinn  ;  Cuduiligh,  son  of  Kenneidigh, 
the  three  companions  of  Brian  ;  Tadg 
Ua  Kellaigh,  Lord  of  Ui  Mani ;  Mael- 
ruadnaidh  na  Paidré  0  hEidin,  Lord  of 
Aidni  ;  Gcbennach,  son  of  Dubagan, 
Lord  of   Fera  Maighe ;  Mac  Betha, 


son  of  Muredach  Claen,  King  of 
Kiarraide  Luachra  ;  Domnall,  son  of 
Diannaid,  Lord  of  Corca  Baskin ; 
Sgannlan,  son  of  Cathal,  Lord  of  Eo- 
ganacht  Locha  Lein ;  and  Donmall, 
son  of  Erahin,  son  of  Cainncch,  Great 
Stewai-d  of  Marr,  in  Alba. 

"  The  forces  were  afterward  routed 
by  dint  of  battling,  bravery  and 
strikipig,  by  Maelsechlainn  from  Tul- 
cainn  (the  small  river  now  called  the 
Tolka,  which  joins  the  sea  at  Clontarf,) 
to  Ath-cliath,  against  the  foreigners 
and  the  Leinstermen ;  and  there  fell 
Maelmorda,  son  of  Murcadh,  son  of 
Finn,  King  of  Leinster,  &c. — {See 
list,  alrrady  given) — there  were  also 
slain  Dubgall,  sou  of  Amlaeibh 
and  Gilla-Kiarain,  son  of  Gluniairn, 
two  tanists  of  the  foreigners ;  Sic- 
frith,  son  of  Lodar,  Earl  of  Ins- 
h-Orc,  (the  Orkneys  ;)  Brodar,  chief  of 
the  Danes  of  Denmark,  who  was  the 
person  that  slew  Brian.  The  ten  hun- 
dred in  armor  were  cut  to  pieces,  and 
at  least  3000  of  the  foreigners  were 
slain— Maelmuri,  son  of  Eocaidh,  Co- 
marba  of  St.  Patrick,  proceeded  to 
Sord  Coluim  Killi,  (Swords,)  with  seni- 
ors and  relics,  and  they  carried  thence 
the  body  of  Brian,  King  of  Ireland,  and 
the  body  of  Murcadh,  his  son,  and  the 
head  of  Conaing,  and  the  head  of  Moth- 
la.  Maelmuri,  with  his  clergy,  then 
waked  the  body  with  great  honor  and 
veneration,  and  they  were  interred  in  a 
new  tomb." 


584  THE   HISTORY    OF   IRELAND. 

desire  to  help  either  party,  it  was  no  longer  in  our  power  to  in- 
terfere, because  our  spears  and  arms  were  entangled  above  our 
heads  by  the  clotted  hair ;  for  the  wind  of  the  spring  had 
borne  down  upon  us  clotted  locks  of  hair,  torn  from  the  heads  and 
beards  of  heroes,  as  they  cut,  and  hacked,  and  slaughtered  one 
another  with  weapons  sharp  and  fleet.  So  that  from  this  cause 
alone,  we  had  much  to  do  in  keeping  the  handles  of  our  spears 
and  battle-axes  clear  of  each  other.  And  Ave  then  considered  that 
those  actually  engaged  in  the  fight  could  not  have  suffered  more, 
than  the  men  who  had  to  continue  spectators  of  such  a  fight, 
and  keep  themselves  from  running  mad." 

The  reader  must  here  observe  that,  although  Maclsechlainn 
and  the  men  of  ]\[eath,  had  marched  to  the  field  as  part  of  the 
army  of  Brian,  there  was  nevertheless  a  treacherous  plot  be- 
tween himself  and  the  Lochlannaigh,  by  reason  of  which,  he  did 
not  lead  his  men  into  the  line  of  battle  Avith  the  rest  of  the 
monarch's  forces ;  but  Avhat  he  did  Avas  to  draw  his  followers 
aside  from  the  fight,  as  had  been  previously  arranged  Avith  the 
strangers. 

Neither  Avere  the  Kinel  Eogain  nor  the  Kinel  Conaill  present 
at  that  engagement ;  but  their  absence  AA'as  caused  by  no  fliult 
of  theirs,  for  they  had  proffered  to  march  thither,  but  Brian  had 
himself  refused  their  aid,  saying  in  the  greatness  of  his  soul,  that 
as  he  had  gained  all  the  victories  he  had  ever  gained  Avithout  their 
help,  so  should  he  gain  this  one. 

MAELSECHLAINN,  ARD-RIGH. 

A.  D.  1014.*'''  j\raelsechlainn,  son  of  Domnall,  resumed  the 
sovereignty  of  Ireland  after  the  death  of  Brian,  and  reigned  for 
nine  years.  It  Avas  during  this  period  that  the  following  events 
took  place : 

Maclsechlainn,  aided  by  O'Neill  and  O'Macldoraidli,  led  a 
numerous  force  against  Ath-cliath,  Avhich  he  burned,"  in  spite 
of  the   remnant   of  the  Lochlannaigh,  that   had   survived   the 

°°  A.  D.  1014-15.     Aft'ir  the  death  res5.   Tlicy  tlicnmarcliod  into  Ui  Kenn- 

of  his  rival,  Brian,  and  liavint,'  com-  selaigh,  and  do.'ipoilcd  the  wliolc  territo- 

plcted  the  victory  of  Clontarf,  Mael-  ry,  carrying  off  many  thoinand   cap- 

sechlainn     regained     the     unopposed  lives  and  cattle.     However,  a  party  of 

possession  of  the  sovereignty  of  Ire-  his     foragers    were    intercepted,  and 

land.  many  of  tliom  were  slain,      ^[aelscch- 

*"  Alh-cliafh  hurned.     "  A.  T).  101<).  lainn  tlien  returned  into  T.PÍnsttM',  fol- 

An   army  was  led    V)y  Alaclsr-chlainn,  lowed   hy  O'Neill,  O'Maeldoiaidli  and 

O'Neill  and O'Maeldoraidh  (the  Princes  O'lluairc  (Prince  of  Prefni.)  when  ho 

of  Kinel  Eogain  and  Kine!  Conaill)  to  carried  off  the    hostages  of   T/>ins(e.r, 

Ath-cliath;  and  tliey  burned  the  fort^  and  gave  that    principality  to   Donn- 

rcss,  and  all  the  houses  outside  the  fort-  cuan,  sou  of  Dunlaing.     Hence  he  pro- 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


585 


slaugliter  of  tlieir  race  by  Brian,  upon  tlie  field  of  Cluain  TarLli. 
Thence  be  marched  against  the  Ui  Kennselaigb,  the  whole  of 
whose  country  he  pillaged  and  burned,  of  whose  people  he  slew 
great  numbers.  After  this,  the  monarch  marched  into  Ulidia," 
whence  he  carried  off  very  many  hostages. 

It  was  about  this  time  that  Donnagan,'''*  King  of  Leinstcr,  and 
Tadg  O'Piiain,"'  lord  of  Ui  Drona,  with  several  other  noble  per- 
sons, were  slain  in  the  middle  of  Lcithglinn  by  Donncadh,  son 
of  Gilla-Padraig.  Maelsechlainn,  King  of  Ireland,  then  made  a 
hosting  into  Osraide,  where  he  slew  Donngal,  son  of  Gilla-Pad- 
raig,  son  of  Donncadh,  and  many  other  people  together  with 
him,  and  whence  he  carried  off"  immense  spoil  and  great  numbers 
of  captives.  It  was  about  this  time  that  Mac-Liag,'"  the  Arch- 
poet  of  Ireland, 'died. 

It  was  this  Maelsechlainn,  of  whose  reign  we  are  treating,  that 
founded  the  monastery  of  St.  Mary's,  at  Ath-cliath,  about  the 
year  of  one  thousand  and  twenty-two. ''    In  the  latter  part  of  his 


ceeded  unto  Osraide,  whence  lie  car- 
ried off  inuumerable  preys  aud  many 
prisoners. — See  Four  Masters. 

^  IJUdia.  Maelsechlainn  received 
the  hostages  of  Ulidia  in  A.  D.  1016. 
"  Were  any  further  refutation  of  the 
calumny  (against  this  king,)  want- 
ing, we  should  find  it  in  the  prompt 
according  assent  of  the  whole  nation, 
and  to  his  immediate  resumption 
of  the  supreme  power,  and  the  instant 
vigor  with  which,  on  his  accession, 
leaving  no  respite  to  the  renniant  of 
the  Danish  force,  he  attacked  them  in 
their  head  quarters,  Dublin,  and  set- 
ting fire  to  the  citadel  and  the  houses 
around  it,  destroyed  the  greater  part 
of  that  city." — Moore. 

"''  Donnagnn.  His  name  was  Donn- 
cuan,  not  Donnagan.  He  was  the 
king  whom  Maelsechlainn  had  placed 
over  Leinstcr  a  short  time  previ- 
ously. The  murder  was  perpetrated 
at  Tx'ith-glinn,  in  A.  D.  1016.  Tadg 
Ua  Riaiu  was  slain  by  the  son  of  Gil- 
la-Padraig  upon  the  same  occasion. 
"  After  they  had  made  friendship,  and 
taken  a  mutual  oath  in  the  beginning 
of  the  day."  Maelsechlainn  invaded 
Osraide  within  the  same  year,  and 
avenged  his  murdered  vassal  by  slay- 
ing Doimgal,  the  brother  of  the  treach- 
erous Donncadh,  and  destroyed  the 
country  as  related  above. 


"*  O'Riain,  now  Ryan.  This  family 
is  still  numerous  in  Idrone  and  through- 
out Leinster,  but  they  are  to  be  dis- 
tinguished from  the  O'Maeilriains,  or 
O'Mulryans,  now  O'Ryans,  of  Owny 
O'^lulryan,  in  Tipperary.  Both  are 
of  the  race  of  Cathaeir  Mor,  King  of 
Ireland,  but  their  pedigrees  are  differ- 
ent. The  Ui  Drona  descend  from 
Drona,  4th  in  descent  from  that  King. 
The  Ui  Maeilriain  spring  from  Fergus, 
son  of  Bogan  Goll,  son  of  Nathi,  son  of 
Crimthan,  son  of  Enna  Kennselach, 
son  of  Labraidh,  son  of  Bresal  Belach, 
son  of  Fiacaidh  Bacheda,  son  of  Cath- 
aeir Mor. — O'D. 

'"  Mac-Liag.  His  name  was  ]Mur- 
kertach,  son  of  Cukertach.  He  was  the 
chief  physician  and  secretary  of  Brian 
Boromha,  of  v/hich  monarch  he  is  said 
to  have  written  a  life,  which,  accord- 
ing to  Dr.  O'Donovan,  was  extant  in 
MS.  in  the  last  century,  though  no 
copy  of  it  is  known  to  exist  at  pres- 
ent. He  died  in  A.  D.  1016.  See  some 
extracts  from  his  writings  in  Hardi- 
man's  Irish  Minntrelsij. 

"  One  thousand  and  twentji-two, 
O'Connor's  translation  has  it  Í045 ; 
one  of  the  editor's  MSS.  1034,  and 
another  has  the  one  given  above,  which 
has  been  adopted  as  the  least  objection- 
able. 


586 


THE   HISTORY  OF   IRELAND. 


life,  this  monarch  had  iiuleed  necome  a  good  and  a  pious  man." 
When  the  strength  of  Lochlannaigh  had  been  broken  in  the 
battle  of  Cluain  Tarbh,  and  when  they  no  longer  held  any  au- 
thority in  the  country,  except  the  warden  ship  of  some  seaport 
towns,  whence,  indeed,  they  still  made  occasional  plundering 
incursions  into  the  interior,  though  not  strong  enough  to  give  a 
pitched  battle  to  the  Gaels,  then  did  Maelsechlainn,  after  the 
example  of  Brian"  begin  to  reorganize  the  public  schools,  and  to 
build  new  churches  and  to  repair  those  tliat  had  fallen  into 
decay.  We  are  told,  moreover,  that  he  maintained  three  hun- 
dred students  in  those  schools,  at  his  own  cost. 

It  was,  also,  in  the  reign  of  Alaelsecldainn  that  Braen'*  son  of 
Maelmorda,  son  of  Murcadh,  who  had  been  king  of  Leinster  for 
two  years,  was  treacherously  blinded  by  Sitric,  son  of  Amlaeibh, ' 
at  Ath-cliath.     Kenannus,"  of  IMeath,  M^asnow  robbed  and  pil- 


'■  A  good  and  piom  man.  Judging 
from  all  that  is  trustworthy  in  the  re- 
cords of  bis  own  time,  IMaelsechlainu 
was  a  good  man,  not  only  subsequently 
to  the  death  of  his  rival,  but  during 
the  whole  course  of  his  own  career. 
He  was  not  alone  good,  but  he  stands 
forth  prominent  as  the  most  stainless 
and  the  noblest  of  all  the  Irish  laymen 
of  his  time. — "  In  approaching  the 
close  of  this  eminent  prince's  career." 
Mr.  Moore  has  truly  observed,  '"  it 
should  not  be  forgotten,  among  his 
other  distinguished  merits,  that,  unlike 
the  greater  part  of  those  chieftains,  who 
flourished  in  what  may  be  called  the 
Danish  period,  he  nover,  in  any  one  in- 
stance, sullied  his  name  by  entering  into 
alliance  with  the  spoilers  of  his  country; 
and  as  the  opening  year  of  his  reign 
had  been  rendered  memorable  by  a 
great  victory  over  the  Danes,  so,  at  the 
distance  of  nearly  half  a  century,  his 
closing  hours  were  cheered  by  a  tri- 
umph over  the  same  restless,  but  no 
longer  formidable  foe.  In  the  siimmer 
of  1022,  being  sunninoned  to  the  field 
by  some  aggres.sion  of  the  Northmen, 
he  encountered  their  force  at  the  Yel- 
low Ford,  a  place  now  called  Athboy, 
and  defeated  them  with  great  .slaugh- 
ter. Retiring  soon  after  the  battle  to 
a  small  island  upon  Loch  Annin,  he 
there  ended  his  life  in  ])enitencc  and 
prayer ;  being  attended  in  iiis  dj'ing 
moments  by  the  three  comarbas  of  tít. 


Patrick,  St.  Columba  and  St.  Kiaran  ; 
one  of  his  latest  cares  being  to  endow 
a  foundation  for  the  support  of  300  or- 
phan children,  to  be  selected  out  of  the 
principal  cities  of  the  island. " — History 
of  Ireland. 

'^  After  the  exam-pie  of  Brian,  It 
was  not  enough  to  have  robbed  Mael- 
sechlainn  of  his  merits  during  the  life- 
time of  his  rival,  but  the  i\[unster 
writers  would  even  deprive  him  of  part 
of  the  praise  due  to  the  meritorious 
deeds  he  performed  after  that  hero's 
death.  He  was,  however,  no  less  dis- 
tinguished for  his  pious  munificence, 
victories,  and  attention  to  the  internal 
improvement  of  his  country  during  his 
first  reign,  than  he  was  after  his  resto- 
ration ito  the  throne.  In  these  Brian 
might  rather  be  said  to  have  imitated 
him. 

">*  Bram.  Tie  was  blinded  by  the 
former  allies  of  his  father,  in  A.\).  1018. 
Blinding  was  the  usual  mode  of  incapa- 
citating a  prince  from  reigning.  Braeu 
died  in  consequence  of  this  ill-trcat- 
menl. 

"  Kcnanmis  robbed.  Kcnannus,  or 
KcUs,  in  Meath,  was  robbed  in  A.  D. 
1019,  and  many  persons  were  slain  in 
tlic  middle  by  the  church.  ]\Iaelscch- 
lainn  was  then  at  eimiity  with  the 
Kinel  Eogain  of  the  North,  by  whom 
his  two  sons,  Ardgar  ami  Ardcu,  were 
slain.  The  restless  plunderers  of  Dub- 
liu  seemed  to  have  seized  upon  that 


THE    HISTORY   OF    IRELAND. 


587 


lagcd  by  this  same  Sitric  and  the  Loeldannaigh  of  Ath-diatli. 
On  this  occasion  many  persons  were  slain  by  these  plunderers, 
and  numbers  were  carried  oft' into  captivity. 

Some  time  after,  Sitric,  son  of  Amlaeibh,  and  the  inhabitants 
of  Ath-cliath,  received  a  great  defeat  from  Ugari,  son  of  Dun- 
laing,'^  son  of  Cathal,  who  was  king  of  Leinsterfor  three  years: 
a  dreadful  slaugliter  was  made  of  the  Lochlannaigh  therein. 
But,  not  long  afterwards,  Donnslebi,  son  of  Maelmorda,  burned 
the  house  of  Ugari,  at  Dubh-loch."of  Lis  Culi,  and  Ugari  himself 
perished  in  the  flames.  It  was  also  about  this  time,  that  Sitric, 
son  of  Imhar"  lord  of  the  Lochlannaigh,  of  Port  Largi,  was  slain 
by  the  king  of  Osraide.  At  length,  Maelsechlainn,'"  king  of 
L'cland,  died  at  Cro-inis,"  inLocli  Anind. 

From  the  death  of  this  monarcli  to  the  invasion  of  the  Anglo- 
Normans,  I  am  of  oj^inion  that  no  king  was  ever  universally 
acknowledged  as  the  sovereign  ruler  of  Ireland ;  for,  although 


opportunity  for  making  an  incursion 
into  his  dominions.  It  M'as  but  two 
years  previously  that  he  had  defeated 
them  with  great  slaughter,  at  Odba  ; 
and  in  1021  he  avenged  the  agression 
by  ravaging  tlieir  territories. 

'"  Ugari,  son  of  Dunlaing,  He 
gained  this  victory  in  A.  D.  1021,  at 
Dclgni  Mogarog,  now  called  Delgany, 
in  the  barony  of  Rathdown,  County 
Wicldow. 

"  Duhloch ;  i.  e.,  the  Black  Lough 
Its  situation  is  unknown.  The  death  of 
Ugari  did  not  take  place  for  two  years 
after  that  ofMaelsechlainn,  as  is.seen  by 
the  following  entry  :  "  A.  D.  1024. 
Donnslebi,  Lord  of  Ui  Faelain,  took  a 
house  forcibly  from  Ugari,  king  of 
Leinster,  and  from  Maelmorda,  son  of 
Lorcan,  Lord  of  Ui  Kennselaigh,  and 
from  his  son  ;  and  the  three  were  slain 
therein." — Four  Mastrs. 

'"  Sdric,  son  of  Imhar.  He  was  slain 
in  A.  D.1022. 

"  Maelsechlainn  died.  "A.  D.  1022. 
The  victory  of  Ath  Buidhe  Tlactga 
(i.  e.,  the  Yellow  Ford  of  Tlactgo,  now 
Athboy,  in  Meath,)  was  gained  by 
Maelsechlainn,  over  the  foreigners  of 
Ath-cliath,  and  numbers  were  slain 
therein  ;  of  which  was  said  : 

His  last  red  victory  was  gained, 
One  evening  at  the  Yellow  Ford ; 
And  thirty  boiindini:  days  he  saw, 
From  t.hii  until  his  final  huur. 


He  lived  but  a  month  after  this.  Mael- 
sechlainn ]\Ior,  sou  of  Domnall.  son  of 
Donncadh,  pillar  of  the  dignity  and 
nobility  of  the  Western  world,  died  at 
Cro-inis,  of  Loch  Aniud,  after  receiving 
the  body  of  Christ  and  his  blood,  after 
being  anointed  by  the  hands  of  Amal- 
gaidh,  Comarba  of  Patrick  ;  and  the 
Comarba  of  Colum  Killi,  and  the 
Comarba  of  Kiaran,  and  most  of  the 
seniors  of  Ireland  were  present  at  his 
death  ;  and  they  sung  masses,  hymns, 
psalms  and  canticles,  for  the  welfare  of 
his  soul.  SorroM'ful  to  the  poor  of  the 
Lord  was  the  death  of  Maelsechlainn, 
as  is  evident  from  this  quatrain  : 

Four  hnndred  forts  that  king  possessed, 
In  which  both  flesh  and  food  were  given. 
Guests  from  the  elemental  king, 
Found  welcome  in  each  fort  of  these." — Fo^ir 
Masters. 

^  Cro-inis,  i.  e.,  the  isle  of  the  house 
or  hut.  It  is  still  called  Cro-inis  in 
Irish,  but  Cormorant  Island  in  English. 
It  lies  in  the  north-west  part  of  Lough 
Eunell,  near  Mullingar.  Some  frag- 
ments of  the  ruins  of  a  small  castle,  or 
stone  house,  are  still  to  be  seen  on  the 
island.  The  fort  of  Dun-na-Sgiath  (i. 
e.,  the  Fort  of  the  Shields),  the  seat  of 
Mae'.sschlainu,  which  consisted  of  sev- 
eral concentric  entrenchments,  is  sit- 
uated on  the  bank  of  the  lake  opposite 
this  island. — O'Donovan. 


588 


THE  HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


Listorians  name  certain  cliieftains  as  Ard-righa,  or  supreme 
king.s,  after  his  time,  still  I  find  that  none  of  these  reigned  with- 
out opposition,"  notwithstanding  their  assumption  of  the  title  of 
monarchs  of  the  whole  kingdom.  To  this  fact  a  historic  bard 
has  borne  testimony  in  the  following  verse : 

"  After  the  happy  Maclsechlainn, 
Sou  of  Domnall,  son  of  Donncadh, 
Each  noble  king  ruled  his  own  tribe, 
But  Eri  owned  no  sovcreig-n  lord." 


DONNCADH,    ARD-RIGn, 

Go  Fresabra. 

A.  D.  1028."  Donncadh,"  son  of  Brian  Boromha,  son  of  Kennei- 
digh,  son  of  Lorcan,  of  the  line  of  Eber,  held  the  sovereignty  of 
the  greater  part  of  Ireland,  and,  more  especially,  that  of  the 
kingdom  of  Leth  Mogha,  for  fifty  years."  This  is  the  opinion  of 
Finghin  MacCarthaigh,"  as  written  in  his  book  on  the  histor}^  of 


*'  Without  opposition,  i.  e  ,  gan  fres- 
abhradh"  (gonnfrassowra).  Maelsech- 
lainn  may  be  justly  styled  the  last  full 
king  of  Ireland.  So  several  of  the  pro- 
vincial kings  were  styled  ard-righa  by 
their  own  partizans,  after  his  time,  and 
are  even  named  as  such  by  foreign 
writers,  still  it  does  not  appear  that 
any  of  them  was  ever  either  regularly 
installed  as  monarch,  or  accepted  as 
such  by  the  majority  of  the  nation.  By 
our  antiquarians,  the  toparch,  whose 
power  predominated  for  the  time,  was 
styled,  "  Righ  go  fresabhradh  "  (Ree  go 
frassowra) ,  i.e.,  king  with  opposition, 
or  rather  king  iinder  protest. 

'^-  A.  I).  1023.  In  this  year,  Donn- 
cadh, having  procured  the  assassination 
of  his  brother  and  co-regnant,  as  already 
stated,  became  sole  king  of  Munster, 
and  he  soon  after  received  hostages  of 
Osraide,  Connaught,  Ix'inster  and  the 
Danes  of  Dublin.  At  this  time,  how- 
ever, the  power  of  Flathl)ertach  O'- 
Neill was  paramount  in  Meath  and 
Ulster;  whilst  the  sages.  Corcran  the 
Cleric,  and  Cuan  O'Lochain,  were  nom- 
inally considered  as  the  regents  of  Ire- 
laud. 

*^  Donncadh  III. 

*^'  Fiftij  years.  This  number  is  en- 
tirely wrong ;    for   there   elapsed  but 


fifty  years,  in  all,  from  the  battle  of 
Clontarf  to  the  deposition  of  Donncadh, 
in  A.  I).  10G4.  During  that  period, 
I\Iaelsochlainn  reigned  for  nine  years ; 
after  which  the  nominal  regency  lasted 
according  to  some,  for  six  years.  About 
the  year  A.D.  1053,  Donncadh's power, 
even  in  the  .«outhern  half  of  Ireland, 
began  to  sink  beneath  that  of  Diar- 
maid,  son  of  Donncadh,  styled  Mael-na- 
mbo,  King  of  Ixlnster,  and  the  f(jster- 
father  and  protector  of  Tordelbach, 
son  of  the  murdered  Tadg.  Under  this 
power,  the  fortunes  of  Donncadh  finally 
sank  in  A.D.  1003.  Donncadh  then, 
cannot,  with  the  utmost  latitude  of  ex- 
pression, be  considered  as  having  been 
sole  king,  even  of  all  Ij&ih.  Moghn,  for 
a  longer  period  than  thirty  years.  At 
no  time  can  he  be  considered  as  mon- 
arch of  all  Ireland,  for  none  of  the 
northern  tribes  liad  ever  suljiiiittcd  to 
his  authority.  His  title  to  be  styled 
Ard-righ  Erenn  is,  indeed,  much  less 
ostensible  than  that  of  any  of  those 
toparchs,  whom  our  ancestors  have 
called  righa  go  frcsabradk. 

"'  Fnighin  MacCdrthaigli ;  otherwise 
Florence  MacCarthy.  lie  lived  in  the 
fifteenth  century,  and  wrote  a  history  of 
Ireland,  said  to  be  still  extant  in  man- 
uscript. 


THE    HISTORY   OF    IRELAND, 


589 


Ireland,  and  it  is  also  that  of  some  otlicr  Irish  antiquarians;  and 
I  do  m^-sclf  deem  it  more  likely  to  be  correet,  than  that  of  those 
who  say  that  Donncadh  held  the  sovereignty  for  no  longer  than 
twelve  years;  for  the  opinion  of  Finghin  is  in  accordance  with 
the  number  of  years  that  elapsed  from  the  time  of  Biian  to  the 
Anglo-Norman  invasion,  whilst  the  other  assertion  does  not 
accord^'^  therewith. 

It  Avas  during  the  reign  of  Donncadh  that  Harold  Conan," 
Prince  of  Britain,  lied  to  Ireland,  where  he  found  sheltei',  in  the 
year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  and  fifty-one.  It  was  then,  like- 
wise, that  Mathgamliain  O'Kiagain,^'  King  of  Breagh,  captured 
Amlaeibh,  son  of  Sitric,  Lord  of  the  Lochlannaigh  of  Ireland, 
and  forced  him  to  pay  a  ransom  of  two  hundred  cows  and  sixty 
steeds,  for  his  liberty.  It  was,  moreover,  during  the  .reign  of 
Donncadh,  that  Flathbertach  O'Neill*®  set  out  upon  his  pilgrim- 
age to  Eome.  After  this,  Tadg  O'Lorcain,*''  king  of  Ui  Kenn 
selaigh,  died  at  Glenn-da-loch,  where  he  had  been  doing  penance 
About  this  time,  likewise,  died  Gormflaith,®^  daughter  of  Donn- 


^  Does  not  accord.  The  reason  of 
the  discrepancy  here  noticed,  was  ap- 
parently caused  by  the  fact  that  the 
partizans  of  each  pretender  to  the 
throne  had  styled  their  chieftain  king 
of  Ireland,  from  the  time  of  his  access- 
ion to  the  rulership  of  his  own  tribe  or 
province.  In  our  authentic  annals, 
which  acknowledge  no  monarch  after 
Maelscchlainn,  there  is  no  such  confu- 
sion of  dates. 

^  Harold  Conan.  Harold,  son  of 
Earl  Godwin,  and  the  last  of  the  Saxon 
kings  of  England,  is  here  meant.  '1  he 
second  wife  of  Donncadh  was  the  sister 
of  Harold.  The  latter  fled  to  Ireland 
after  the  rebellion  of  his  father  against 
Edward  the  Confessor.  In  this  coun- 
try, saj-s  the  Saxon  Chronicle,  he  re- 
mained "  all  the  winter  on  the  king's 
security."  Donncadh  afterwards  sup- 
plied him  with  a  fleet  and  a  body  of 
armed  men,  wherewith  he  made  a  suc- 
cessful landing  in  his  own  country. 

""*  Mathgamaiii  Ua  R  la  gain ;  in  En- 
glish, Mahon  O'Eef^an.  "A.D.  1029. 
Amlaeibh,  son  of  Sitric,  lord  of  the  fo- 
reigners, was  captured  by  Mathgamain 
O'Riagain,  lord  of  Brcagha,  who  ex- 
acted 1,200  cows  as  his  ransom,  toge- 
ther with  140  British  horses,  and  sixty 
ounces  of  gold,  and  tlie  Sword  of  Carlus, 


and  the  Irish  hostages  both  of  Leinster 
and  Leth  Cuinn  ;  and  sixty  ounces  of 
silver  as  his  fetter-ounce  (i.  e.,  the 
price  of  his  fetters)  ;  and  eighty  cows, 
for  word  and  supplication  ;  and  four 
hostages  to  Ua  Riagain,  as  securities 
for  peace  ;  and  the  full  value  of  the  life 
of  the  third  hostage."- — Four  Masters. 
This  account  is  more  likely  to  be  near 
the  truth  than  Keating's. — Ed. 

'"  Flathbertach  O'Neill.  He  was  king  of 
Ailech,  from  A.  D.  1004,  to  A.  D.  1Ó36. 
He  was  a  distinguished  and  powerful 
chieftain  in  his  day,  and  might  be 
styled  king  of  the  North  of  Ireland, 
from  the  death  of  Maelsechlaiuu  to  his 
own.  His  pilgrimage  to  Rome  took 
place  in  A.  D.  1030,  whence  he  returned 
next  year.  He  is  thence  styled  in  th? 
O'Neill  pedigrees,  An  Trosdain,  i.  e..  of 
the  Pilgrim  Staff. 

^  Tadg  O'Lorcain.  "A.D.  10.']7. 
Tadg  Ua  Lorcain,  tanist  of  Ui  Kerni- 
selaigh,  was  taken  prisoner  at  Kill 
Cuillinn,  (Kilcullon,)  l)y  Donncadh, 
son  of  Gilla-Padraig,  and  he  was  after- 
wards blinded  by  the  son  of  Mael-na- 
mbo." — Four  Masters. 

"  Gormjiaith.  "A.  D.  1030.  Gorm- 
flaith.  daughter  of  Murcadh,  son  of  Finn, 
mother  of  Sitric,  king  of  the  foreigners  ; 
of  Donncadh,  son  of  Brian,  king  of 


590 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


cadh,  son  of  Flann,  King  of  Lcinstcr,  and  mother  of  Sitric,  son 
of  Ainaleibh,  Lord  of  tlie  Loclilannaigh  of  Ireland.  She  was 
also  the  mother  of  Donncadh,  son  of  Brian  Boromha. 

It  was  no.w  that  Cluain  Ferta,  of  St,  Brendan,  was  plundered 
bj  Art  Coilech  O'Euairc/'  King  of  Brefoi ;  but  Donncadh,  son  of 
Brian  Boromha,  overtook  him  on  the  same  day,  and  made  a 
dreadful  slaughter  of  his  people,  in  vengeance  of  the  sacrilege 
which  they  had  committed.  Soon  after  this,  Cathal,  son  of  Ruaid- 
ri,"  King  of  the  west  of  Connaught,  went  upon  a  pilgrimage  to 
Ard  Macha. 

In  a  few  years  after.  Port  Largi  was  plundered  and  burned  by 
Diarmaid,  son  of  Mael-na-mbo,'*  King  of  Leinster.  It  was  then, 
also,  that  Cluain-mic-Nois  was  plundered"'  and  burned  by  the 
Conmacni,  but  God  and  St.  Kiaran  wreaked  prompt  vengeance 
upon  them  for  that  sacrilegious  deed,  for  the  greater  part  of  the 
people  of  this  tribe,  together  with  their  cattle,  died  soon  after  of 
a  plague. 

It  was  about  this  time  that  Garth ach,  son  of  Saerbrethach,"* 


llunster,  and  of  Concobar,  son  of  Mael- 
sechlainn,  kiiif?  of  Temhair,  died,  It 
was  this  Gormlaitb  that  made  the  three 
leaps,  of  which  was  said  : 

"  Goniilaith  made  the  leaps, 
Wliicli  woman  never  more  shall  make; 
One  at  Atli-diiith,  one  at  Temhair, 
And  one  at  Caisel  of  Cups,  over  al]."—Four 
Masters. 

She  had  ijcen  fiiat  queen  of  tlic  Danes, 
t'.icii  of  Brian,  and  lastly  of  Maelscch- 
kiun.  She  was  the  sister  of  Maclmor- 
da,  king  of  Leinster.  Finn,  not  Flann, 
■was  her  and  his  grandfather's  name. 

''  Art  CoHech ;  i.  e.,  Art  the  Cock. 
Art  O'Ruairc,  v/lio  was  king  of  (Jon- 
naught,  was  slain  l)ytlie  Kiiiel  Conaill, 
in  A.  D,  104C.  'The  plundering  of 
Cluain  Fcrta,  of  St.  Brendan,  men- 
tioned above,  took  place  in  A.  D.  1031. 

"^  Cathal,  son  of  Ruaidri.  lie  went 
on  his  pilgrimage  to  Ard  Macha  in 
A,  D.  1037,  where  he  died,  in  A.  D. 
1013. 

'''  Diarmaid,  son  of  Mael-nn-mho.  He 
was  the  first  of  the  immediate  ances- 
tors of  the  MacMurrough,  that  became 
King  of  Leinster,  Maelmorda,  son  of 
Murcadh,  was  ancestor  of  the  O'Byrncs. 
Port  Largi  (now  Water  ford)  was  plun- 
dered by  iiim  iu  A,  D.  1037.     From 


thai  time  until  his  death,  he  continued 
to  be  one  of  the  most  warlike  and 
powerful  of  the  Irish  princes.  During 
part  of  it,  some  antiquarians  style  him 
monarch  of  Ireland. 

"^  Cluain-mic-Nois  plundered.  The 
Conmacni,  who  plundered  this  ecclesias- 
tical establishment  on  the  present  oc- 
casion, were  most  probably  of  the 
branch  of  that  tribe  tliat  dwelt  in 
Mayo  and  Ix;itrim.  It  was  done  at  the 
suggestion  of  O'Ruairc,  who  was  then 
sovereign  of  Connaught,  for  we  are 
told  that  when  "  the  unknown  plague 
was  sent  amongst  them,  so  that  the 
booleijs  and  their  cattle  were  laid  waste 
after  the  death  of  all  the  sheplicrd  peo- 
ple, the  clergy  of  St.  Kiaran  received 
an  award  in  atonement  therefor,  name- 
ly, the  son  of  O'Ruairc,  who  was  callwl 
>lac-na-h-oidhché  {mac  na  fieehie,  i.e., 
the  Son  of  Night,)  and  twelve  sons  of 
thesub-cliiefs,  the  best  of  the  (ionmacni. 
along  with  him,  and  a  sgrchall  from 
every  f7 Mi). "  This  happened  in  A.  D. 
lOM.  It  was  plundered  again  iu  A. 
D.  lO.'iO. 

"  C(irthach,sonofSaerhrcthach.  This 
is  the  progenitor  from  whom  the  royal 
Bcpt  of  MacCarthaigh  [Mac  Caarha)  of 
Desmond,  now  anglicized  MacOarty, 
takes  its  nama     This  chieftain  had  do- 


THE    HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


591 


king  of  the  Eoganaclit  of  Casliel,  was  burned,  together  with 
many  other  nobles,  in  a  house  which  was  set  on  fire  by  the 
grandson  of  Lonnargan,  son  of  Donncuan. 

At  last,  Donncadh,  son  of  Brian,  was  deposed"  from  the  sov- 
ereignty ;  whereupon  he  Avent  on  a  pilgrimage  to  Eome.  There 
he  died,  in  the  monastery  of  St.  Stej)hen. 

The  races  of  Power ^  Plunlceit^  and  Fitz- Eustace. 
Many   people   assert   that  the   Paeraigh,s8   Plunketaigh   and 


foatcd  the  united  forces  of  Ormond  and 
Osraide,  or  Ossory,  iu  A.  D.  1043,  at 
Maeilcacnnaigh  (a  place  near  the  vil- 
lage of  Golden),  where  Mac-Craith 
O'Donnagain,  lordof  Aradh,  was  slain. 
The  Lonnargan  above  mentioned  was  of 
the  Dal  g-Cais  tribe,  and  ancestor  of  the 
O'Lonnargains,  who  very  probably  then 
made  their  first  settlement  at  Cathair- 
duin-iasgach,  in  Tipperary,  which  is 
now  called  Cahir. 

*'  Donncadh  deposed.  "  A.  D.  1064. 
Donncadh,  sou  of  Brian,  King  of  Mun- 
ster  was  deposed  ;  and  he  afterwards 
went  to  Eome,  where  he  died  under  the 
victory  of  penance,  in  the  monastery  of 
St.  Stephen  the  Martyr. — Fotir  Mast-rs. 

After  the  assassination  of  his  brother 
Tadg,  Donncadh  had  soon  encountered 
an  active  and  warlike  opponent  in  his 
nephew,  Tordelbach.  This  accomplish- 
ed prince,  favorably  received  by  the 
Irish  chieftains,  and  affectionately  sup- 
ported by  his  kinsman  Diarmaid,  King 
of  Leinster,  soon  became  a  formidable 
rival  to  his  uncle.  Seconded  by  the 
reluctant  tributaries  of  the  Donncadh, 
Tordelbach  gained  several  successes 
over  the  suborner  of  his  father's  mur- 
der, by  which  he  compelled  him  to  ex- 
onerate both  Conuaught  and  Leinster 
from  tribute.  In  A.  D.  1058,  Donncadh 
was  routed  in  a  battle  fought  near 
Sliabh  Grod  (tlie  Gaulties)  by  Diar- 
maid, son  of  Mael-na-mbo,  the  friend 
and  protector  of  his  nephew.  This 
chief  again  invaded  Munster,  in  A.  D. 
10Gl,and  defeated  the  forces  of  Donn- 
cadh with  great  slaughter  at  Cnamh- 
coill,  near  Tipperary.  Next  year  he 
made  another  invasion  of  this  princi- 
pality, when  he  a  second  time  burned 
Limerick.     But  at  last  Diarmaid  and 


Tordelbach,  leading  against  him  the 
united  forces  of  Connaught  and  Leins- 
ter, gave  Donncadh  the  final  fatal  over- 
throw, which  compelled  him  to  resign 
in  favor  of  his  nephew,  and  retire  into  a 
foreign  monastery  to  atone  for  his  frat- 
ricide, among  his  other  sins.  The 
events  preceding  his  resignation  are  re- 
corded as  follows:  "A.  D.'^IOGO.  A  great 
army  was  led  by  the  son  of  Mael-na- 
mbo,  into  Munster  ;  and  the  chief's  of 
the  plain  of  Munster,  came  into  his 
house  and  left  hostages  with  him.  The 
son  of  Brian  (Donncadh)  and  his  son 
Murcadh,  of  the  Short  Shield,  came  to 
attack  Tordelbach,  after  the  departure 
of  Diarmaid  ;  but  Tordelbach  defeated 
Murcadh,  and  slaughtered  his  people. 
Diarmaid  again  entered  Munster,  and 
took  its  hostages  from  the  Water 
southwards,  to  St.  Brendan's  Hill, 
(now  the  Brandon  mountains,  in  Kerry) 
and  those  hostages  he  delivered  into 
the  hands  of  Tordelbach,  who  was  his 
foster-son." — Four  Masters.  This  Donn- 
cadh is  the  king  who  is  stated  to  have 
carried  the  crown  and  regalia  of  Ire- 
land to  Rome,  and  there,  with  the  con- 
sent of  the  Irish  nobility,  to  have  de- 
livered both  them  and  the  supreme 
sovereignty  of  his  country  into  the 
hands  of  the  Roman  Pontiff.  But  it  is 
evident  from  all  the  records  of  his  time, 
that  he  had  never  become  possessed  of 
any  crown  or  regalia  of  Ireland,  which 
he  could  so  bestow,  and  that  at  the 
time  of  his  resignation  or  deposition 
his  possessions  had  been  reduced  with- 
in very  narrow  limits. 

°*  Paemigh,  ifc;  i.  e.,  the  families  of 
Power,  Plunkett,  and  FitzEustace ; 
which  names  have  been  hibernicizcd 
Paer,  or  Paor,  Pluinceatt,  and  Eustas. 


592  THE    HISTORY    OF   IRELAND. 

Evisdasaigh  are  descended  from  this  monarch.  But  I  have  not 
found  a  single  lay,  or  other  writing,  in  proof  of  the  descent  of 
any  of  these  races  from  Donncadh,  son  of  Brian  Boromha,  with 
the  exception  of  one  verse  that  is  contained  in  a  duan,^'  begin- 
ning with  the  hue,  "  I  shall  confer  a  favor  on  the  sons  of  Tal," 
which  duan  has  been  composed  by  a  man  who  is  a  cotemporary 
of  our  own,  namely,  by  Maeilin  MacBruaidin.  There  is  also  an 
oral  tradition,  repeated  by  many  ignorant  persons,  Avliich  saj-s, 
that  after  his  arrival  in  Kome,  Donncadh  had  an  intrigue  with 
the  daughter  of  an  emperor,  then  dwelling  in  that  citv,  and  that 
she  bore  him  a  son,  who  became  the  progenitor  of  the  three 
tribes  here  mentioned.  But  this  tradition  cannot  be  true,  be- 
cause, Avhen  Donncadh  set  out  upon  his  j)ilgrimage,  he  was  a  very 
old  man,  inasmuch  as  he  had  then  passed  his  eightieth  year;  for 
which  reason  it  is  not  at  all  likely  that  any  emperor's  daughter 
could  feel  desirous  of  holding  an  inti'igue  Avith  any  such  veteran 
as  he.  Besides  this,  it  would  have  been  exceedingh'  unbecom- 
ing for  a  man,  who  had  gone  to  Rome  as  a  pilgrim,  in  order  to 
do  penance  for  his  sins,  to  have  had  an  amorous  intrigue  with 
any  woman  in  the  world.  For  these  reasons  I  judge  that  Donn- 
cadh had  no  intrigue  with  any  emperor's  daughter,  and  that  no 
son  was  borne  to  him  in  Rome,  from  whom  the  above  mentioned 
races  could  have  sprung. 

The  truth  of  my  opinion  may  be  the  more  readily  estimated 
from  what  is  read  in  the  book  of  Annals,  which  was  copied 
about  three  hundred  years  since,  out  of  the  Leabar  Brcc,  or 
Speckled  Book  of  ]\iacAedagain.     For  it  is  there  stated,  that, 

^  A  duan.  The  duan  here  referred  scarcely  liave  bad  at  that  time  any  in- 
to is  a  metrical  frenealogy  of  the  terestcd  motive  in  coining  a  fictitious 
O'Briens  of  Thomond.  The  verse  in  relatinn«liipljc*wccn  these  noble  families 
question  is  introduced  but  incidentally  and  that  of  his  patrons.  Vic  have 
therein.  The  following  is  a  transla-  seen  that  Donncadh  was  doubly  con- 
tion  :  nectcd  with  foreigners.    By  his  mother, 

'■  From  Ponnea^llfs  branching  stock  have  sprung  ^^,  ^íf /,■"-'  l^l'«^''"^',^.«f  ^^'^  Banish  King 

The  noble  tribfs  of  Power  and  Plunkett;  Ot    Duolin,    and    his    secoildwile    waS 

Tried  viarriors  from  the  upland  field.»-  Briella,  daildltcr  of  Earl  (Jndwill.     Bv 

Thence  Enrung the  martial  race,  FitzEustacc.      i,„„    i,„    i.„  i'"„ i   t-v  n 

'      "                      '  her  no  nad  a  son  named  Bonniall,  or 

Dr.  Keating,  in  denying  the  truth  of  Domnan,  who  may  possibly  have  mi- 

tho   assertion  contained  in   this  rnnn,  grated  to  Normandy  or  Briltany,  and 

has  not  adduced  the  slightest  adniissa-  there  lbun(Vd  the  above  named  races, 

ble   proof  of   its  iixisehood.     It   were  This   is   rendered    less    tnilikely    from 

strange,  indeed,  that  such  a  tradition  Donnradh's   family   relationship    with 

should  have  got  amongst  the  Dalcassian  the   ])td)lin   Danes — a   people   of  the 

shannachies,  without  some  foimdation  ;  same  blood  as  the  Normans.     Accord- 

nor  d(KS  the  fact  of  Dr.  Keating's  never  ing  to  OJIalloran,  Dr.  Keating  has,  in 

having  seen  any  "  lay  or  writing"'  in  order  to  refute  MacBruaidin,  taken  up 

support  thereof,  prove  that  such  docu-  some  vulgar  tradition  that  would  cou- 

ments  did  not  then,  and  may  not  still  vert  the  Saxon  lady  Driella  into  tha 

exist.    The  bard,  MacBruaidin,  could  daughter  of  an  emperor. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


593 


after  performing  his  pilgrimage  to  Kome,  Domieadli  entered  the 
monaster}^  of  St.  Stephen,  in  that  city,  where  he  took  upon  him- 
self the  yoke  of  religion,  and  where  he  passed  what  remained  of 
his  hfe  in  the  practice  of  penitence,  up  to  the  day  of  his  death. 
We  also  find  the  name  of  Kobert  le  Poer,""  from  whom  the 
Paeraigh  and  Eiistasaigh  are  more  immediately  sprung,  men- 
tioned in  the  Chronicles  of  the  Strangers,  where  they  record  the 
names  of  those  foreign  nobles  that  came  over  to  Ireland  in  the 
very  beginning  of  the  Anglo-Norman  invasion.  The  same 
authorities  tell  us,  that  the  Piunketaigh  are  descended  from  the 
Lochlannaigh  (i.  e.,  the  ISTorthmen  or  Danes). 

TORDELBACH  O'bRIAIN,  ARD-RIGH, 

Go  Fresabra. 
A.  D.  1064.1     Tordelbach,  son  of  Tadg,  son  of   Brian  Bor- 


""  RoheH  le  Pocr.  In  Ireland,  Ro- 
bert became  the  founder  of  the  uoble 
Anglo-Norman  sept  of  Power,  or  Le 
Poer,  whose  principal  settlements  lay 
in  the  territories  of  the  southern  Desi, 
now  the  county  of  Waterford,  where 
several  of  its  members  still  rank 
amongst  the  highest  of  the  local  aristoc- 
racy. The  name  is  also  widely  spread 
amongst  the  brave  peasantry  and 
wealthy  farmers  of  that  county,  as  all 
ancient  names  usually  are.  In  the 
reign  of  Elizabeth,  the  heiress  of  the 
eldest  branch  of  this  race  married  into 
the  English  family  of  Beresford,  to 
which  family  she  transferred  a  large 
portion  of  its  domains.  This  branch  is 
now  represented  by  the  chivalrous, 
though  anti-national  Marquis  of  Wa- 
terford— no  degenerate  representative 
of  the  good  and,  perhaps,  of  the  evil 
qualities  of  the  knightly  spoilers  of 
olden  time.  The  eldest  male  branches 
are  represented  by  the  houses  of  Gur- 
teeu  and  Douisle,  or  Dunhill.  But 
other  branches,  also,  still  retain  the 
ownership  of  large  portions  of  their 
ancient  conquests. — Several  members  of 
the  sept  founded  by  Eobert  le  Poer,  as 
if  ashamed  of  any  drop  of  old  Irish 
blood  that  might  chance  to  have  been 
transmitted  to  them  therewith,  have  bar- 
barized their  name  to  Powers.  Augus- 
tin  Thierry  has,  amongst  others,  rather 
unfairly  cited  the  nom-de-guerre  of 
the  progenitor  of  the  sept  of  Power, 
38 


as  a  proof  of  the  humble  class  from 
which  the  mass  of  the  Anglo-Norman 
invaders  of  Ireland  had  sprung.  But 
his  mistaking  the  very  name  of  that 
founder,  whom  he  calls  Raymond, 
shows  that  he  had  not  taken  the  trou- 
ble to  examine  whether  his  example 
was  in  point  or  not.  Poer  is,  accord- 
ing to  him,  the  Norman-French  for 
pauvre,  i.  e.,  poor.  But  as  well  might  it 
be  said,  that  King  John  of  England 
was  sprung  from  the  dregs  of  the  po- 
pulace, because  he  was  surnamed  Sins- 
terre,  or  Lack-land.  Then,  Robert  le 
Poer  was  not  one  of  the  mass,  he  was 
one  of  the  leaders  of  the  invasion,  and 
though  possibly  poor,  as  most  soldiers 
of  fortune  are,  he  was  of  noble  blood  ; 
for.  according  to  the  traditions  of  this 
family,  one  of  the  earliest  known  of  its 
progenitors  won  his  knighthood  at  the 
Crusades.  There  is  also  no  reason  why 
that  progenitor  might  not  have  been 
either  the  son  or  the  grandson  of  the 
above-mentioned  Domnan. 

The  other  sons  of  Donncadh  who  left 
offspring,  were  the  Murcadh,  of  the 
Short  Shield,  a  distinguished  warrior, 
who  was  ancestor  of  several  septs  of  the 
O'Briens ;  and  Diarmaid,  from  whom 
sprang  the  O'Briain,  of  Etharla,  or 
Aharia ;  the  Mac  Ui  Briain  O'g-Cua- 
nach,  or  Mac  O'Briens,  of  Coonagh; 
and,  some  say  the  Mac  Ui  Briain  Ara, 
or  Mac  O'Brien,  of  Ara. 

'  A.  D.  1073  is  the  date  of  the  year 


594 


THE   HISTORY   OF  IRELAND. 


omha,  of  the  line  of  Eber,^  held  the  sovereignty  of  the  greater  part 
of  Ireland,  but  more  especially  that  of  Leth  Mogha,  for  twelve 
years.  Mor,  daughter  of  Gilla-Brighdi  O'Maelmuaidh,^  king  of 
the  Kinel  Fiacadh  and  the  Fera  Kell,  was  the  mother  of  this 
Tordelbach.  It  was  in  his  reign  that  the  following  deeds  were  done. 

For  it  was  in  it  that  Coucobar,  son  of  Maelsechlainn,  king  of 
Meath,*  was  treacherously  murdered  by  the  son  of  his  own 
brother,  namely,  by  Murcadh,  son  of  Flann.  It  was  then  also 
that  the  head  of  this  prince  was  forcibly  carried  off  out  of  Cluain- 
mic-Nois,  on  the  Friday  after  Easter  Sunday,  by  Tordelbach 
O'Briain,  who  took  it  with  liim  to  Kenn-Coradh ;  but  the  same 
head  was  carried  northwards  again  to  that  monastery,  on  the  next 
following  Sunday ;  and  this  happened  through  the  miracles  of 
God  and  St.  Kiaran. 

It  was  also  in  this  reign,  and  with  the  permission  of  the  Irish 
king,  Tordelbach  O'Briain,  that  AYilliam  Eufus,^  King  of  Saxon- 
land,  sent  to  Ireland  for  timber  to  roof  the  Hall  of  Canterbury. 
This  happened  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  and  ninety- 
eight  ;  and  it  was  during  the  previous  year  that  the  first  bishop 
of  Port  Largi^  was  consecrated. 


afier  the  death  of  Diarmaid,  son  of 
Mael-na-mbo,  who  reip^ned  for  uinc 
years  as  king  of  Leth  Mogha,  after  the 
deposition  of  Donncadh.  Tordelbach 
ruled  Munster  during  the  same  period, 
apparently  as  the  vassal  of  his  friend 
and  kinsman.  Diarmaid,  having  been 
slain  by  Concobar  0'í»[aelsecliIainn  at 
the  battle  of  Odba,  in  A.  D.  1072, 'i'or- 
delbach  may  thenceforward  be  con- 
sidered a.s  king  of  Leth  Mogha  and  the 
greater  part  of  Ireland.  This  I  )inrmaid 
had  vanquished  the  Danes  of  Dublin 
and  Fine  Gall  (now  Fingal)  in  A.  D. 
1052  ;  and  having  expelled  their  chief- 
tains, assumed  the  lordship  of  the  for- 
eigners of  Leinstcr  into  his  own  hands, 
he  bestowed  it  upon  his  son  Murcadh 
(father  of  Diarmaid,  of  the  English), 
who  thus  became  the  first  lord  of  the 
Danes  who  was  of  Irish,  or  rather  of 
Gaelic,  blood.  'J'liis  Murcadh  subdued 
the  Isle  of  Man,  whence  he  brought 
off  tribute.  In  recording  the  death  of 
Diarmaid,  our  annalists  style  him  the 
"  King  of  Leinstcr,  Lord  of  the  For- 
eigners, and  of  Leth  Mogha." 

'  Tordelbach  I.  This  prince's  name, 
which  is  also  spelled  Toirdhealbhach 
(Turraylagk),  is  said  to  signify  tower- 


like,  being  derived  from  tor, a,  tower,  and 
delb,  or  dealbh,  a  form,  or  likeness. 
Persons  of  this  name  are  now  called 
Terence,  which,  though  wrong,  is  not 
so  objectionable  as  Turlough,  which 
gives  neither  the  vulgar  pronunciation 
nor  the  true  etymology.  Tordelbach 
was  the  first  person  called  O'Briain. 
being  the  O,  or  grandson,  of  Brian 
Boromha. 

=  Gilla-Brighdi  0' Maebnuaidk.  The 
Fera  Kell,  or  Fcara  Ceall,  of  which  he 
was  chief,  are  nov/  represented  by  the 
0".Molloys,  for  it  is  thus  that  O'Mael- 
mhuaidh  {Mailvooi,  or  Mailooi)  has 
been  rendered  into  English.  Tiieir 
tribe-land  is  now  called  Fircall,  and  lie.s 
in  the  King's  Cormty. 

■*  Concobar,  King  of  Meath.  This 
prince  was  murdered  in  A.  D.  1073. 

'  Wdliam  Rufus.  The  date  given 
for  this  circumstance  is  wrong  ;  for 
Tordelbach  died  in  A.  D.  108G.  It 
was,  also,  for  roofing  the  Hall  of  West- 
minster, not  Canterbury,  that  William 
is  said  to  have  sent  to  Ireland  for  oak 
timber. 

°  The  first  Bishop  of  Port  Lnrgi- 
'J'he  Danes  of  Waterford,  or  Port 
Largi,  having  now  become  Christianp, 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IKELAND. 


595 


It  was  also  about  this  time  that  DerborgailV  daughter  of  Tadg 
Mac  Gilla-Padraig,  and  wife  of  Toixlelbach  O'Briain,  king  of  the 
greater  part  of  Ireland,  died;  and  soon  after  her  died  Tordelbach* 
O'Briain  himself,  having  then  spent  twelve  years  in  the  sover- 
eignty of  Ireland. 


MURKERTACH   MOR   O  BRIAIN, 

Go  Fresabra. 


ARD-RIGH, 


A.  D.,  1086.9  ]\Iurkertach,'°  son  of  Tordelbach,  son  of 
Tadg,  son  of  Brian  Boromha,  of  the  line  of  Ebcr,  held  the 
sovereignty  of  the  greater  part  of  Ireland,  but  more  especially 
that  of  Leth  jMogha,  for  twenty  3'ears.  Caillecli  De  (i.e.,  the 
Nun),"  daughter  of  O'h-Eidin,  Avas  the  mother  both  of  this  prince 
and  of  Euaidri  O'Concobair.^^  It  was  during  the  reign  of  this 
Murkertach  that  the  following  events  took  place. 

For  it  was  in  the  early  part  of  his  reign — to  wit,  in  the  year 


would  have  a  bishop  of  their  own  race. 
The  uame  of  their  first  bishop  was 
Malchus. 

'  Derborgaill.  This  entry  is  mis- 
placed.    See  note  11,  on  next  reign. 

•*  Death  of  Tordelbach.  "A.  D. 
1086.  Tordelbach  O'Briain,  King  of 
Ireland,  with  opposition,  after  having 
suffered  from  long  illness  (for  he  was 
not  well  since  the  head  of  Concobar 
O'Maelsechlainn  had  been  lirought 
from  CIuain-Mic-Nois),  died  in  the 
22d  year  of  his  reign,  and  in  the  77th 
year  of  his  age,  on  the  Ides  of  June 
precisely,  after  intense  penance  for  his 
sins,  and  after  taking  the  body  of  Christ 
and  his  blood." — Four  Masters.  This 
was  22  years  after  the  resignation  of 
his  uncle  Donncadh  in  A.  D.  10(54,  and 
14  after  the  death  of  his  ally,  Diarraaid, 
King  of  Leinster,  in  A.  D.  1072. 

»  A.  D.  1086.  "  On  the  death  of 
Torlough  (Tordelbach),  the  kingdom 
of  ilunster  was  equally  divided  between 
liis  three  sons — 'i'cigue,  Murkertach, 
and  Derraot  (Diarmaid).  But  in  the 
course  of  the  same  year,  Teigue  having 
died  on  the  l)ed  of  his  father,  Murker- 
tach banished  his  brother  Dermot  into 
Connaught,  and  took  sole  possession 
of  the  throne." — Moore. 

Thence  ensued  a  long  series  of  hos- 
tilities, during  the  continuance  of  which 
Murkertach  cannot  be  considered  as 
full  king  of  Lcth  Mogha  and  nominal 


monarch  of  Ireland,  until  about  the 
year  1094. 

""  Murkertach  II.  A.  D.  1094.  "  For 
72  years  after  the  death  of  Maelsech- 
lainn,"  says  the  learned  and  judicious 
O'Flaherty,  "  the  supreme  throne  of 
Ireland  was  destitute  of  any  monarch  ; 
but  in  1094  two  monarchs  ruled  Ire- 
land— one  in  the  north,  and  the  otiier 
in  the  south.  Of  these,  iNIurkertach, 
great  grandson  of  Brian,  ruled  the 
south  of  Ireland  for  25  years,  and 
Domnall  O'Lochlainn  governed  the 
north  for  27. 

"  The  Nun.  She  was  apparently  thus 
styled  from  her  having  taken  religious 
orders  at  Glenn-da-loch,  either  after  the 
birtli  of  her  sons,  or  the  death  of  her 
husband.  That  she  was  not  the  daugh- 
ter of  O'h-Eidin  is  seen  by  the  follow- 
ing entry—"  A.  D.  1098.  Dearbhfor- 
gaill  (DervorgiU),  daughter  of  Tadg 
Mac  Cilla-Padraig,  the  mother  of  ]\Iur- 
kertach  and  Tadg  Ua  Briain,  died  at 
Glen-da-loclia.'' — Four  blasters.  Mor 
was  the  name  of  tlie  daughter  of  O'h- 
Eidin.  Sadb,  daughter  of  Carthach 
(ancestor  of  Mac  Carthy),  is  also 
named  as  having  been,  at  some  time, 
the  wife  of  Tordelbach  O'Briain,  the 
father  of  this  Murkertach  ;  and  Gorm- 
flaith,  daughter  of  O'Fogarta,  another 
of  his  wives,  died  in  A.  L>.  1077. 

■^  Ruaidri  O'Co/icobair.  lie  was  the 
father  of  Tordelbach,  and  grandfather 


596 


THE    HISTORY   OF   IRP:LAN'D. 


of  our  Lord  one  thousand  one  hundred  and  one— that  ho  made 
a  grant  of  the  city  of  Oashel  as  a  sacred  offering  to  God  and  St. 
Patrick.^3 

It  was  also  during  this  reign  that  a  general  synod  of  the  men 
of  Ireland,  both  lavmcn  and  ecclesiastics,  was  convened  around 
Murkertach  O'Brialn  at  Fiadh-mic-Aengusa.^*  Here  follows  the 
number  of  ecclesiastics  that  attended  at  that  meeting — to  wit, 
M;iclmuri  O'Dunain/'  Archbishop  of  ^Nlunster ;  Kellach,!'^  son  of 
Acdh,  Comarba  of  St.  Patrick,  Vicar-Grencral  and  Primate  of  all 
Ireland ;  with  whom  were  tliirty  bishops,  three  hundred  and  sixty 
priests,  abbots,  and  priors  ;  one  hundred  and  forty  deacons  ;  and 
many  other  persons  belonging  to  religious  orders,  who  are  not 
enumerated  here.     At  this  synod,"  regulations,  laws,  and  cus- 


of  Rnaidri,  or  Roderick,  afterwards 
nominal  monarchs  of  Ireland.  He  is 
called  Ruaidri  na  Soig-lie  buidhi — i.  e., 
Roderick  of  the  Yellow  (ireyhound 
Bitch.  He  reigned  over  Coiiiiauffht 
from  A.  D.  1076  to  1092,  when  he  was 
blinded  by  Flathbertach  Ua  Flatlibcr- 
taigh  {biahertagh  0' Flaherty),  Kiris^ 
of  NVcst  Connaught.  lie  did  not  die 
mitillUS.      - 

'^  Cnsliel  granted  to  God  and  St. 
Patrick.  "Among  the  warmest  sup- 
porters of  ecclesiastical  interests  was 
the  monarch  Murkertach,  who,  in  the 
year  1101,  having  convoked  a  great 
assembly  of  the  people  and  clergy,  made 
over,  by  solemn  donation,  to  tlie  church 
that  scat  of  the  Momonian  Kings,  the 
city  of  Cashcl,  dedicating  it  to  God 
and  St.  Patrick." — Moore. 

"  A.  D.  A  meeting  of  Jjcth 
Mogha  was  held  at  Oaisci  by  Murker- 
tach Ua  Briain,  with  the  chiefs  of  the 
laity,  and  Ua  Dunaiu,  noble  bishop 
and  chief  senior,  with  the  chiel's  of  the 
clergy  ;  and  there  Murkertach  Ua 
Briain  made  such  a  grant  as  no  king 
had  ever  made  before,  namely,  he 
granted  Oaisel  of  the  Kings  to  religious, 
without  any  claim  of  layman  or  clergy- 
man upon  it,  but  to  religious  of  Ireland 
in  general. "—jPou?-  blasters. 

'^  Ficulli  mic  Acngusa;  i.  e.,  the  land 
of  the  son  of  Aengns.  This  was  the 
name  of  a  place  near  the  hill  of  Uisnech, 
in  Mcath.  O'D.  OlTalloran  thinks 
that  the  Synod  of  liath  ]3rosai!  was 
but  a  continuation  of  this,  Rath  Brc- 


sail  being,  according  to  him,  a  fort 
near  Fiadh-mic-Aeiigusa.  Some,  how- 
ever, suppose  the  place  of  meeting  to 
have  been  situated  in  Ui  Bresail,  now 
Clanbrassil,  Co.  Armagh. 

"  Maehnnri  O'Dunain.  His  death 
is  recorded  as  having  occurred  in  A.  D. 
1117,  some  years  after  the  Synod  of 
Fiadh-mic-Aengusa.  Dr.  O'Donovau 
thinks  it  an  error  to  call  him  Arch- 
bishop of  Munster,  for  he  is  found 
styled  Senior  of  Leth  Cuinn  in  a  con- 
temporaneous document,  a  charter 
contained  in  the  Book  of  Kells.  He 
concludes  that  he  was  the  same  as 
Idunan.  Bishop  of  Meath,  who  flour- 
ished in  the  year  lOiXJ.  He  might, 
however,  have  been  translated  from 
one  see  to  another. 

'"  Kcllach,  son  of  Acdii.  His  name 
is  latinized  Celsus.  His  appointment 
to  the  See  of  Armagh,  which  he  held 
until  1129,  is  thus  recorded — "  A.  D. 
llOfi.  Kcllach,  son  of  Acdh,  son  of 
Maeilisa,  was  appointed  to  the  succes- 
sorship  of  St.  Patrick,  by  the  election 
of  the  men  of  Ireland  ;  and  ho  received 
his  ordination  on  the  dav  of  the  Festi- 
val uf  St.  Adamnan  (2:!d  Sept.)"— 
Four Mnxicrs.  lie  died  at  Ardpatrick, 
in  Munster,  on  his  visitation  of  that 
province  in  1129,  and  was  buried,  ac- 
cording to  his  own  will,  at  Lis-mor, 
of  St.  Mochuda,  after  an  active  and 
beneficent  career. 

"  This  Sijnod.  It  is  otherwise 
called  the  Synod  of  Uisnech  (now 
Usnagh  Hill,  "in  Meath).     It  was  hold 


THE   UISTORY    OF    IRELAND.  597 

toms  were  enacted  for  the  guidance  both  of  the  hiity  and  of  tlie 
clergy.  Maehnuri  O'Danain,  Archbishop  of  MunsLor,  died  soon 
after  this  event. 

It  was  also  in  the  reign  of  this  jNlurkertach  that  another  genei'al 
council,  or  synod,  was  convened  in  Ireland  at  Kath  Bresail,^^ 
about  the  year  one  thousand  one  hundred  and  ten,  for  so  we 
read  in  the  ancient  Book  of  Cluain  Aidnech,  of  St.  Fintann,  in 
Laeighis ;  in  which  authority,  the  principal  affairs  transacted  at 
this  latter  synod  are  recorded.  It  was  Gilla-Esbog,  Bishop  of 
Luimnecli,  that  presided  at  the  council  of  Eath  Bresail,  for  he 
was  at  that  time  the  Pope's  Apostolical  Legate  in  Ireland.  The 
following  are  the  principal  arrangements  made  thereat. 

Just  as  the  twelve  bishops  of  the  southern  part  of  Saxon-land 
were  ranged  around  the  see  of  Canterbury,  and  the  twelve  of 
the  northern  part  under  that  of  Eborach,^^  so  were  the  prelates 
of  Ireland  similarly  grouped  at  this  synod  of  Eath-Bresail ;  to 
wit,  the  twelve  bishops  of  Leth  Mogha,  and  the  twelve  bishops 
of  Leth  Cuinn  ;  and  more  the  two  bishops  that  were  in  Meath. 
It  was  upon  this  occasion  that  the  churches  of  Ireland  were  given 
up,  in  full  possession,  to  the  Irish  prelates,  who  Avere  thencclbith 
to  hold  them  for  ever,  free  from  the  authority  or  rent  of  any 
temporal  lord.  It  was  here,  likewise,  that  certain  and  distinct- 
boundaries  were  laid  out  for  the  Irish  dioceses,  and  that  a  limit 
was  set  to  the  number  of  bishops  thereof.  The  following  Avere 
the  bishops  then  appointed  to  preside  over  the  church  of  Leth 
Cuinn — to  wit,  six  over  the  province  of  Ulster,  amongst  whom  . 
was  the  primate  ;  five  over  the  province  of  Connaught ;  and  two 
over  Meath :  these  constituted  the  twelve  bishops  of  Leth  Cuinn, 
without  reckoning  the  primate  as  one  of  their  number.  The 
episcopal  sees  of  Ulster  were  these :  Ard  Macha,  the  seat  of  the 
Archbishop,  who  was  primate  of  all  the  bishops  of  Ireland  ;  and 
Clochar,  Ard-Sratha,  Doiri,  Cunniri,  and  Dun-da-leth-glas.  The 
sees  of  Meath  were  Doimliag  and  Cluain  Iraird ;  those  of  Con- 
naught  were  Tuaim-da-gualann,  Cluain  Ferta  of  St.  Brendan, 
Conga,  Kill-alaidh,  and  Ard-Carna.  The  sees  of  Munster  were : 
Cashel,  the  seat  of  the  Archbishop  of  Leth   Mogha,  Lis-mor,  or 

in  the  year  1111,  as  is  seen  by  the  fol-  morals  for  all,  both  laity  and  clev^j." 

lowing    entry  : — "  A.  D.      A    synod  — Four  Masters.     This  enumeration  ia 

was  convened  at  Fiadh-mic-Aengusa,  more  likely  to  be  exact  than  that  given 

by  the  chiefs  of  Ireland,  with  Kellach,  by  Keating. 

Comarba   of  St.  Patrick  ;   Maelmnri         '*  Rath  Bresail.     One  copy  of  Keat- 

Ua  Danain.  noble  Senior  of  Ireland  ;  ing  gives  the  date  of  this  synod  1115  ; 

with   50   bishops,   300    priests,   3000  another  in   1098.     It  was  probably  a 

students  ;   together   with   Murkertach  prorogation  of  the  former  synod. 
Ua   Briain,   and   the   chiefs   of   Leth         "  É/wrac/i.i.  e.  York,  the  Latin  name 

Mogha,  to  prescribe  rules  and  good  of  which  is  Eboracum. 


598  THE    HISTORY    OF    IRELAND. 

Port  Liirgi,  Corcach,  Rath-maighc-deskirt,  Imlech  lubair,  and 
Kill-da-luadh  :  these  were  the  seven  sees  which  were  decreed  to 
Munster  in  that  synod.  There  were  five  sees  allowed  to  Leinster, 
namely,  Kill  Cainnigh,  Leith-glinn,  Kill-dara,  Glenn-da-loch,  and 
Ferna,  or  Loch  Carman  :  thes^,  with  the  bishopricks  of  Munster 
(not  counting  that  of  the  Archbishop),  constituted  the  twelve 
episcopal  sees  of  Leth  Mogha. 

The  reason  why  I  have  not  numbered  the  bishoprick  of  Ath- 
cliath  amongst  the  above  is  because  it  was  customary  with  its 
bishop  to  receive  his  degrees  of  ordination  in  Saxon-land,  from 
the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury.  Upon  this  fact  Ilanmer  has 
grounded  a  false  statement,  in  which  he  says  that  the  Archbishop 
of  Canterbury  had  exercised  a  jurisdiction  over  the  Irish  clergy 
from  the  time  of  the  monk  St.  Augustine  to  that  of  the  English 
invasion.  But  it  is  nowhere  found  that  the  prelates  of  Canter- 
bury had  ever  claimed  any  authority  over  any  portion  of  the 
clergy  of  Ireland,  except  during  the  prelacies  of  the  Archbishops 
Lanfranc,  Eanulph,  and  Anselm  ;  and  even  then,  it  was  only 
over  a  few  of  the  Irish  clergy  that  they  held  supremacy,  namel}', 
over  the  bishops  of  Ath-cliath,  Loch  Carman,  Port  Largi,  and 
Luimncch — places  whose  inhabitants  were  sprung  from  the  re- 
"  mains  of  the  Lochlannaigh,  and  whose  bishops,  through  a  kindly 
feeling  towards  the  Normans,  who  were  of  the  same  origin  with 
themselves,  had  chosen  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  for  their 
primate.  This  fact  is  clearly  proved  in  the  work  of  Doctor 
•  Usher.  Their  reason  for  having  done  so,  was  because  there 
would  be  no  equality  in  the  election  if  it  were  left  to  the  voice  of 
the  people  to  decide  between  a  man  of  their  own  nation  and  a 
man  of  the  Gaelic  race,  should  both  be  candidates  for  the  episco- 
pal dignity  ;  for,  in  such  a  case,  the  majority  of  the  voices  of  the 
people  would  be  given  to  the  Gael,  in  preference  to  any  one  of 
them. 

Now,  though  it  is  not  so  stated,  I  am  myself  of  opinion,  that 
the  number  of  bishops  then  decreed  to  Munster  was  but  six,  and 
that  there  were  six  more  given  to  Leinster,  and  that  the  Arch- 
bishop of  Cashel  jDresided  over  the  whole  twelve,  as  it  was  cus- 
tomar}^  with  the  metropolitan  of  Leth  Moglia,  after  the  example 
of  its  temporal  princes.  This  opinion  I  have  already  stated 
Tinder  the  reign  of  Lacgari,  son  of  Niall. 

I  now  proceed  to  point  out  the  extent  and  boundaries^"  of  each 
diocese,  as  they  were  laid  down  at  the  said  Synod  of  Rath  Bre- 
sail. 

The  Sees  of  Ulster. — The  diocese  of  the  Archbishop  of 
Ard  Macha  extended  from  Sliabli  Breagh  to  Cuailli  Kiannacta, 

"  Boundaries.  The  moderu  names  will  be  found  in  the  preceding  notes- 
of  many  of  the  places  here  mentioned,    Several  of  them  are  now  unknown. 


THE   lIIS'IOIiY   OF   IRELAND.  599 

and  from  Birra  to  tlie  Amhain  Mor.  The  diocese  of  Clooliar, 
extended  from  tlic  Amhain  Mor  to  Gabail-liuin,  and  from  Sliabh 
Botha  to  Sliabh  Larga.  The  diocese  of  Ard-Sratha  extended 
from  Sliabh  Larga  to  Carn-glas,  and  from  Loch  Craei  to  Benn 
Foibni.  The  diocese  of  the  bishop  of  Doiri  or  Eath-both  extend- 
ed from  Es-ruadh  to  the  Srubh  Broinn,  and  from  Srubh 
Broinn  to  Carn-glas.  The  diocese  of  the  bishop  of  Cunniri 
extended  from  Benn  Foibni  to  Tor  Buirg,  and  from  Port 
Murbuilg,  to  Ollnrba,  to  the  harbor  of  Snamh  Aighni,  and  from 
Glenn  Eighe  to  Colba  n-Germainn.  The  limits  of  the  diocese  of 
the  Bishop  of  Dun-da-leth-glas  are  not  stated  in  the  ancient  book. 

The  Sees  of  JSIeath. — The  diocese  of  the  bishop  of  Doim- 
liag  extended  from  Sliabh  Breagha  to  the  Carn  of  Dun  Cuair, 
and  from  Lochan  na-h-Lnirki  to  the  sea.  The  diocese  of  Clnain 
Iraird  extended  from  Clochan  westwards  to  the  Sinainn,  and 
from  Ur-coillti  to  Cluain  Conari. 

The  Sees  of  Connaught. — The  diocese  of  Cluain  Ferta 
of  St.  Brendan  extended  from  the  Sinainn  to  Boirenn,  and  from 
Sliabh  Echtighe  to  the  Suca.  The  diocese  of  Tuaim-da-gualann 
extended  from  the  Suca  to  Ard  Carna,  and  from  Ath-an-termaiun 
to  the  Sinainn.  The  diocese  of  Conga  extended  from  Amhain 
0-m-Broin  in  the  north  to  Neimthin,  and  from  Ath-an-termainn 
westwards  to  the  sea.  The  diocese  of  Kill- Alaidh  extended  from 
Neimthin  to  Es-ruadh,  and  from  Kill-Ard-bili  to  Srathau  Fer- 
ainn.  The  diocese  of  Ard-carna,  which  is  also  called  Ard-acadh, 
extended  from  Ard-carna  to  Sliabh-an-iarainn,  and  from  Keis 
Corainn  to  Ur-coillti.  [However,"  this  arrangement  was  made 
but  provisionally  with  regard  to  Connaught,  for  Ave  find  the  fol- 
lowing condition  appended  thereto.]  "This  distribution  has  our 
fullest  sanction  provided  it  meet  with  the  consent  of  the  clergy 
of  Connaught.  But,  should  they  not  deem  it  satisfactory,  let 
them  make  whatever  other  distribution  may  seem  best  to  them- 
selves. Whatever  division  they  may  determine  shall  meet  with 
our  approbation.  But  there  shall,  nevertheless,  be  no  more  than 
five  bishops  in  their  province." 

The  Sees  of  Munster. — The  Arch-diocese  of  Cashel  ex- 
tended from  Sliabh  Eiblinui  to  the  river  Siuir,  and  from  Cnamh- 

-'  However,  ^c.  The  words  in  brack-  proceedings,  and  the  editor  has  there 
ets  are  inserted  by  the  editor,  as  from  also  supplied  a  connecting  link  between 
the  abruptness  MÍth  which  the  succeed-  the  quotations  and  what  precedes  them, 
ing  passage,  (which  is  evidently  a  quo-  From  the  proviso  attached  to  the  Tes- 
tation from  the  Resolutions  of  the  olutions  passed  with  regard  to  the 
Synod,)  is  introduced,  he  suspects  that  Sees  of  Connaught  and  Leinster,  it  is 
there  is  here  some  omission  on  the  part  evident  that  the  majority  of  the  clergy 
of  Dr.  Keating's  transcribers.  The  of  those  provinces  were  not  present, 
omission  occurs  again  in  relation  to  these 


600  THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 

coin  near  Tibraid  Arann  eastwards  to  Grian  Airb  and  to  Cros 
Greni.  The  diocese  of  Lis-mor,  or  Port  Largi,  extended  from 
Port  Largi  to  Miledach  on  the  brink  of  the  Eiver  Berba,  to 
Cumar-na-thri-n-iski,  and  thence  to  Cork;  and  from  the  Siuir 
southwards  to  the  sea.  The  diocese  of  Corcach  extended  from 
Corcach  to  Carn  Ui  Neid,  and  from  the  southern  Anihain  Mor 
to  the  sea.  The  diocese  of  Path  Muighe  Deskirt  extended  from 
Baei  Bera  to  Kenn-Mara,  and  from  the  Piver  Fial  to  the  sea. 
The  diocese  of  Kill-daduadh  extended  from  the  road  called 
Slighe  Dala  to  Leim  Couculaiun,  and  from  Sliabh  Echtighe 
{Slieve  Aghiee)  to  Sliabh-oighedh-an-righ  {Slieve-eeyanree),  and 
thence  to  Sliabh  Cacin,  or  Glenn  Caein.  The  diocese  of  Luim- 
nech  extended  from  Mael-carn  eastwards  by  Ath-ar-coinui-Lo- 
dain  and  Loch  Guir,  and  the  Lathach  Mor  or  the  Great  Bog ;  and 
■westwards  from  Ani,  taking  in  Ard  Padraig,  Bclach  Febradh,  and 
Tulach  Lias  towards  the  south  as  far  as  the  Fial  and  Tarbert,  in- 
cluding Cuinchi  in  Thomond  and  the  Crosses  on  Sliabh-Oighedh- 
an-righ  and  the  Dubh-amhain.  "And,"  [added  the  decree  of  the 
council],  "  if  any  person  go  beyond  these  limits  he  will  act  in 
violation  of  the  will  of  the  Deity,  and  of  St.  Peter,  St.  Paul,  and 
St.  Patrick,  and  the  men  that  have  succeeded  these  saints  in  the 
government  of  the  Church  of  Christ;"  and  the  temple  of  St. 
Mary  in  Luimnech  was  its  chief  church.  The  diocese  of  Imlech 
lubair  extended  from  Cluain  Caein  to  the  Piver  Amhain  Mor, 
and  from  Cnamh-coill  near  Tibraid  Arann  to  the  Piver  Ella. 

The  Sees  ofLeinstei?. — The  diocese  of  Kill  Cainnigli  extend- 
ed from  Sliabh  Bladma  to  Miledach,  and  from  Grian  2\irb  to  Sliabh 
Margi.  The  diocese  of  Leith-glinn  extended  from  Sliabh  Bladma 
to  Sliabh  Uighe  of  Lcinster,  from  Sliabh  Margi  to  Bclach 
Carcrach,  and  from  Belach  ^íughna  to  Tigh  Moling  and  its  ter- 
mons.  The  diocese  of  Kill-dara  extended  from  Pos  Finn-glasi 
to  Nas  of  Leinster,  and  from  Nas  to  the  Cumar  of  Cluain 
Iraird.  The  diocese  of  Glenn-da-loch  extended  ft-om  Granach 
to  Beg  Eri,  and  from  Nas  to  Pechrainn.  The  diocese  of 
Ferna,  or  Loch  Carman  extended  from  Beg  Eri  to  ]\iiledach 
on  the  west  side  of  the  Berba,  and  from  Sliabh  Uighe 
of  Leinster  southwards  to  the  sea:  "And,"  [said  the  council] 
"  we  now  pass  this  decree  subject  to  the  approbation  of  the 
clergy.  Should  the  arrangement  tlierein  made  not  seem  good  to 
them,  let  them  adopt  another;  but  there  shall  nevertheless  be 
hot  more  than  five  bishops  amongst  them."  And  the  benediction 
of  the  Trinity,  and  of  St.  Peter,  St.  Paul,  and  St.  Patrick  was 
invoked  upon  each  bishop  of  the  twenty-five,"  here  appointed, 
that  no  Easter  might  ever  pass  over  them  without  their  conse- 
crating and  blessing  the  sacred  oil :   "  And  many  other  good  stat- 

-■^    Twenty-five.     Couutiiig  the  primattá,  the  uumber  would  be  twenty-six. 


THE   niSTORY   OF   IRELAND.  601 

utes  were  decreed  at  this  holy  synod  -wliich,  for  the  sake  of 
brevity,  are  omitted  here."" 

And  the  benediction  of  the  Comarba  of  St.  Peter,  and  of  his 
legate  Gilla-esbog,  bishop  of  Luimncch;  and  the  blessing  of 
Gilla-Kellaigh,**  Comarba  of  St.  Patrick,  that  is,  the  Primate  of 
Ireland ;  and  that  of  Mael-Isa  O'h-Anmiri-'  Archbishop  of  Cashel, 
and  of  all  the  laymen  and  clergymen  who  attended  that  synod 
of  Rath  Bresail,  was  pronounced  upon  all  who  would  cany  out 
its  ordinances,  and  their  malediction  was  given  to  all  who  would 
rebel  against  the  same. 

It  is  read  in  the  Chronicle  of  Hacluith  that,  whilst  Murkertach 
O'Briain  held  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland,  ambassadors  were  sent 
to  him  by  the  people  of  the  Isles,^'^  requesting  him  to  depute 
some  man  of  the  royal  blood  to  rule  over  their  territories  during 
the  minority  of  Amlaeibh,  or  Aulang,  son  of  Gofraidh,  who  was 
the  person  whose  right  it  was  to  reign  over  their  people.  In  com- 
pliance with  their  request,  we  are  told  that  Murkertach  sent  them 
a  nobleman  of  his  own  family,  named  Domnall,  son  of  Tadg 
O'Briain,  who  governed  them  for  three  years,  at  the  end  of  Avhich, 
the  islanders  banished  him  back  to  Ireland,  because  he  had  be- 
gun to  practice  tyranny  towards  them. 

We  also  read  in  the  same  author,  that  Magnus,"  son  of  Am- 
laeibh, son  of  Aralt,  who  was  then  King  of  Norwegia,  sent  a  cer- 
tain embassy  to  ^Murkertach  O'Briain,  commanding  the  latter 
prince,  to  j^lace  upon  his  shoulders  the  shoes  of  the  said  ]\Iagnus, 
which  tlicy  had  brought  with  them  for  that  purpose :  and,  when 
the  embassadors  had  come  into  the  presence  of  Murkertach,  and 
had  explained  their  mission  to  him,  he  tells  us,  that  the  Irish 
monarch  quietly  took  those  shoes,  and  did  place  them  upon  his 

-'  Et  multa  alia  bona  statuta  sunt  in  date  alone  proves  that  it  must  have 

hac  sancta  syuodo  quaj  hie  non  scrip-  been  made  during  the  lifetime  of  his 

simus  propter  brevitatcm.  father,  Tordclbach.     The  prince  sent 

"*  GiVa-Kellaigh.     This  name  must  to  govern  these  islands  is   called,  in 

be  a  mistake,  or  by  it  we  must  under-  their  chronicles,  Dofnald,  son  of  Tade. 

stand  Kellach,  son  of  Aedh.  "  Magnus.     This  was  the  powerful 

"  Mael-Isa  O'k-Anmiri  died  at  Lis-  Norwegian  King  Magnus,  ruler  over 
mor  of  St.  Mochuda,  in  the  88th  year  Norway,  the  Hebrides,  and  the  Isle  of 
of  his  age,  in  the  year  1135.  He  is  Man.  The  Scandinavian,  as  well  as 
styled  Bishop  of  Port  Largi  and  chief  the  Irish  authorities,  show  that  he  en- 
senior  of  Ireland  in  the  Irish  annals,  tertaiued  the  project  of  adding  Ireland 
but  not  Archbishop  of  Cashel,  as  to  his  other  conquests.  Tlie  marriage 
here.  of  his  son  Sigurd  with  the  daughter  of 

"^  The  people  of  the  Isles.     The  peo-  JNIurkertach  formed  part  of  his  plan, 

pie  of  the  Isle  of  Man  are  meant.    The  He  invaded   Ireland  in  A.  I).  1098, 

Chronicles   of  Man   state,   under  the  and,   having   landed    at   Dublin,   was 

year  1075,  that  this  application  had  there  met  by  a  large  force  of  the  Irish, 

.been  made  to  Murkertach  O'Briain,  However,  no  battle  took  place  then, 

but,  as  our  histories  justly  remark,  the  for  a  peace  was  concluded,  in  conso- 


602 


THE   HISTORY   Oí^   IRELAND. 


shoulders :"  and  tliat,  when  the  nobles  in  attendance  were  filled 
with  indignation  at  having  witnessed  his  act,  and  had  begun  to 
rebuke  hnn  for  what  he  had  done,  Murkertach  made  answer  to 
them  by  saying,  "  I  prefer  that  this  thing  should  now  be  done 
by  me  than  that  Magnus  should  devastate  even  one  single  prov- 
ince of  Ireland." 

Nevertheless,  Magnus,  soon  after,  equipped  a  large  fleet,  with 
which  he  made  an  expedition  to  Ireland,  with  the  intention  of 
causing  ruin  and  desolation  therein;  but,  when  he  had  come  near 
to  the  Irish  shore,  such  was  his  eagerness  to  begin  hostilities,  that 
both  himself  and  his  wife  immediately  left  the  fleet  and  made  a 
landing :  and  then,  after  his  landing,  the  inhabitants  of  the 
country  laid  an  ambuscade  for  hira,  in  which  he  fell,  together 
with  the  band  that  had  followed  him  upon  tliat  inroad.  There- 
upon, when  the  forces,  which  he  had  left  after  him  on  board  the 


qucnce  of -nhich  the  Irish  kiiii^  bcsiow- 
ed  his  daughter's  hand  u])oii  Sigurd, 
whom  his  I'atlier  had  made  King  of 
Isles.  Notwithstanding  this,  Magnus 
invaded  the  country  again  in  the  fol- 
lowing year,  when  he  was  cut  off  as 
above  stated.  The  chronicler  of  Man 
states  that  this  invader  was  buried  in 
the  church  of  St.  Patrick,  in  Down. — 
See  Moore. 

^  Placed  the  shoes  upon  his  shoulders. 
Our  native  chroniclers  say  nothing  of 
this  circumstance.  O'HalÍoran  denies  it 
upon  the  authority  of  the  Mac  Bruaidin 
chronicle,  lie  says  that "  this  valuable 
record  tells  us  that  a  Danish  prince  did 
send  such  a  message  to  ]\Iurkertach,  who 
ordered,  in  presence  of  his  court,  that 
the  ears  of  the  embassadors  should  be 
cut  off,  telling  them  to  inform  their  mas- 
ter that  such  was  his  answer  to  his  de- 
mand." He  further  tells  us  that  it 
waá  in  consequence  of  this  act  that 
Magnus  invaded  Ireland  as  above  re- 
lated. 

However,  the  chief  adversary  of  this 
prince,  was  not  a  foreigner  ;  it  was  the 
king  of  Ailech.  Domnall  O'Lochlainn, 
chief  of  the  O'Neills,  and  founder  of  the 
sept  of  O'Lfichlainn  or  Mac  I/iughlin, 
of  Ulster.  During  this  wiiolc  reign, 
though,  perhaps,  tJie  ablest  prince  that 
claimed  to  rule  over  Ireland  from  the 
days  of  Brian  to  the  Norman  invasion, 
Murkertach  found  a  man  nearly  every 
way  his  equal  in  this  northern  chieftain. 


In  A.  D.  1101,  O'Briain  did,  indeed, 
make  liis  famous  circuit  of  Ireland,  at 
the  head  of  the  men  of  Leiuster,  ^luu- 
ster,  Meath,  Osraide  and  Connaught, 
when  he  plundered  the  territories  of 
the  Kinel  Eogain  and  Kind  Conaill, 
and  destroyed  the  fortress  of  Ailech ; 
but  we  do  not  find  that  the  king  of 
these  northern  tribes  ever  made  sub- 
mission to  his  rule.  However,  the 
fortunes  of  O'Lochlainn  soon  after 
recovered  this  temporary  overthrow 
and,  towards  the  end  of  Murkertach's 
life,  he  was  certainly  more  powerful 
than  the  nominal  monarch.  The 
northerns  name  him  amongst  the  Irish 
monarchs,  and  assign  him  a  reign  of 
twenty -seven  years  cotemporaneous 
with  that  of  his  rival.  He  survived 
the  latter  for  two  years.  His  death  is 
thus  recorded.  "  A.  D.  1121.  Dom- 
nall,  son  of  Ardgar,  son  of  Lochlainn, 
the  most  distinguished  of  the  Irish  for 
personal  form,  I'amily,  sense,  prowess, 
prosperity,  and  happiness — for  the  be- 
stowing of  riches  and  i'ood  both  upon 
the  mighty  and  the  needy — died  at 
Doiri  Coluira  Killi  (Derry)  after  hav- 
ing been  twenty-seven  years  in  the 
sovereignty  of  Ireland  and  eight  in  the 
kingdom  of  Ailecli,  in  the  TM\  year  of 
his  age,  on  the  night  of  Wednesday, 
the  5tii  of  the  Ides  of  February, 
being  the  festival  of  St.  Machuarog."— 
Four  Masters. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


603 


fleet,  had  heard  that  their  chieftain  had  thus  fallen,  they  set  sail 
homewards  for  Norwegia. 

This  Murkcrtach  O'l^riain,  of  whom  we  have  been  treating,  at 
length  died^"  penitently  at  Ard  JMacha,  and  was  buried  at  Kill- 
da-luadh,  after  five  years'  suffering  from  a  languishing  disease.'" 


TOEDELBACH    MOR   O  CONCOBAIR,' 

Go  Fresabra. 


ARD-lilGII, 


A.  D.  1119." — Tordelbach  Mor,"  son  of  Euaidri  O'Concobair, 
of  the  line  of  Erimhon,  held   the  sovereignty  of  Ireland  for 


"  Murkertach  died.  "  A.  D.  1119, 
Murkertach  Ua  Briain,  king  of  Ire- 
land, prop  of  the  glory  and  magnifi- 
cence of  the  West  of  the  world,  died, 
after  the  victory  of  sovereignty  and 
penance,  on  the  festival  ofSt.  Mochae- 
mog  of  Liath,  on  the  4th  of  the  Ides 
of  March,  and  was  interred  in  the 
church  of  Kill-da-luadh  (Killaloe),  in 
the  sixth  year  of  his  illness." — Four 
Masters. 

^  A  languishing  disease.  "  In  the 
year  1114,  he  was  seized  with  an  at- 
tack of  illness  so  violent  as  to  incapaci- 
tate him  for  the  time  for  managing  the 
affairs  of  his  kingdom  ;  and  a  chance  of 
succession  was  thus  oflered  to  his  am- 
bitious brother,  Dermod  (Diarmaid), 
of  whom  that  prince  eagerly  took  ad- 
vantage. In  the  following  year,  how- 
ever, an  amicable  arrangement  appears 
to  have  been  entered  into  by  the  two 
brothers  ;  and  the  monarch,  finding  his 
malady  continue,  and  being  desirous  of 
passing  the  remainder  of  his  days  in  se- 
clusion and  devotion,  resigned  the  royal 
authority  into  Dermod's  hand,  and  took 
holy  orders  in  the  monastery  of  Lis- 
more  (Lis-mor)." — Moore. 

As  shall  be  seen,  Diarmaid  succeeded 
him  not  as  sovereign  of  Ireland,  but  as 
king  of  Muuster.  This  Diarmaid, 
younger  brother  of  Murkertach  Mor, 
was  the  founder  of  the  O'Briens,  princes 
of  Thomond.  Murkertach  himself  left 
three  sons,  namely,  Domnall  Gearr- 
lamhach,  or  the  short-handed,  a  distin- 
guished warrior,  who  was  appointed 
lord  of  the  foreigners  of  Dublin  during 
his  father's  reign  ;  having  resigned 
this  position  in  1118,  and  entered  holy 
orders,  he  died,  in  1135,  at  an  advanced 


age,  in  the  monastery  of  Lis-mor.  Of 
Mathghamhaiu  [Mahowin)  or  Mahon, 
ancestor  of  the  Mac  Mahons,  lords  of 
Corca  Baskinn,  in  the  south  of  the 
county  of  Clare,  whose  death  is  re- 
corded by  the  Four  Masters  under 
A.  D.  1129,  the  posterity  are  now 
the  sole  surviving  representatives  of 
Murkertach  Mor  O'Briain.  Of  his 
third  son,  Kenneidigh,  nothing  further 
than  the  name  is  known. 

"  O'Concobair  ;  usually  spelled 
O'Conchobhair  in  modern  Irish,  in 
which  it  is  pronounced  O'Connoghooir, 
and  often,  but  very  corruptly,  O'Crog- 
hooir.  It  has  been  anglicized  O'Connor. 

=«  A.  D.  1119.  Tordelbach  is  not 
considered  to  have  become  powerful 
enough  to  be  styled  nominal  monarch 
for  seventeen  years  after  the  death  of 
Murkertach  Mor,  and  for  fifteen  after 
that  of  Domnall  O'Lochlain.  Having 
recorded  the  death  of  the  latter,  O'Fla- 
herty  tells  us  that  the  supreme  I'egal 
seat  of  Ireland  lay  vacant  for  fifteen 
years,  and  that  the  true  date  of  Tor- 
del  bach's  accession  to  the  supreme 
jiower,  was  A.  D.  1126,  whence,  until 
his  death  in  A.  D.  1156,  there  elapsed 
twenty  years. 

^  Tordelbach  II.  During  the  fifteen 
years  of  interregnum  that  preceded  the 
accession  of  this  prince  to  supreme 
power  in  1136,  his  most  powerful  rival 
was  Concobar  O'Briain,  surnamed 
na  g-Catharach  {na  Gaharagh),  i.  e. 
of  the  fortresses,  who  succeeded  his 
father,  Diarmaid,  on  the  throne  of 
Munster,  in  A.  D.  1120.  Twice,  in 
the  course  of  two  successsve  years 
(1132  and  1133),  this  brave  and  able 
prince  carried  the  war  into  the  heart 


604 


THE    HISTORY   OF   IRELAND, 


tAventy  years.     It  was  in  bis  reign  tliat  the  following  deeds  were 
done. 

It  was  lie  that  erected  three  great  bridges"*  in  Connanght, 
namely,  the  bridges  of  Ath-luain  and  Ath-crochta,  on  the  Sina- 
inu ;  and  the  bridge  of  Dun  Leogha,  on  the  Suca. 
.  This  Tordclbach  made  a  hostiug  into  Munster,"  where  he  pil- 
laged Cashel  and  Ard-Finain  ;  but  ^\■hen  he  was  marching  to  pil- 
lage the  latter  place,  a  body  of  the  ^lunstermen  attacked  his 
army  on  the  rear  and  slew  Aedh  0'h-p]idin,  King  of  Ui  Fiacrach 
Aidni,  Muredach  O'Flathbertaigh,^^  King  of  lar-Connacht,  and 
many  other  nobles  who  arc  not  enumerated  here.  After  thi^ 
Tordelbach  proceeded  to  Corcach  Muinhan"  whither  he  brought 
a  numerous  force,  both  by  sea  and  land,  and  there  he  divided 
Munster  into  two  equal  parts.     The  more  southern  of  these  he 


of  Connaugfht,  and  defeated  Tordel- 
bach upon  his  own  ground.  Having 
defeated  tlie  king  of  Leinster  and  the 
Danes  of  Dublin,  he  led  his  forces  into 
Connaught  a  third  time,  determined  to 
bring  tlie  struggle  for  supremacy  to  a 
final  issue,  when  the  clergy  interfered 
to  prevent  bloodshed,  and,  under  the 
auspices  of  the  Archbishop  of  Tuam, 
a  peace  was  concluded  between  the 
rival  princes.  This  peace  was  event- 
ually followed  by  a  great  preponderance 
of  power  on  the  side  of  the  king  of 
Connaught,  who,  "  availing  himself  of 
the  hereditary  jealousy  of  the  Euge- 
nians  (Eloganachta)  respecting  their 
right  of  alternate  succession  to  the 
Munster  throne,  .separated  this  gallant 
tribe  from  the  Dalcassians,  and  even 
introduced  for  a  time  desertion  amongst 
the  l^rave  Dal  g-Cais  themselves." — See 
Moore. 

^  Three  bridges.  "A.  D.  1120.— 
The  bridge  of  Ath-luain,  the  bridge 
of  Ath-croich,  on  the  Sinainn.  and  the 
bridge  of  Dun-Leodha,  on  the  Suca, 
were  made  l)y  Tordelbach  O'Concobar, 
king  of  Connouglit." — Four  Corners. 
Ath-luain  is  now  known  as  Athlone ; 
Ath-croich,  or  Ath-crochta,  lies  near 
Shannon  Harbor ;  and  the  bridge  of 
Dun-Ijcodlia,  or  ])m\-l/  oglia  (Doon- 
Loc),  cro.ssed  the  river  Suck  opposite 
Dunlo  street,  in  the  present  town  of 
Ballinasloe.— O'D. 

The  royal  fair  of  Talti  was  this 
■year  celebrated   by  Tordelljach,  who 


thereby  indicated  his  claim  to  the  sove- 
reignty of  Ireland. 

=^  Hosting  into  Munster.  A.D.  11 21. 
An  army  was  led  by  Tordelbach  O'Con- 
coljair  and  the  men  of  Connaught,  into 
Desmond,  when  they  plundered  the  ter- 
ritories of  both  laymen  and  ecclesiast- 
ics, from  Magh  Femhinu  (South  Tippe- 
rary)  to  Traigh-Li  (Tralee) .  lie  also 
made  another  predatory  excursion,  until 
he  reached  the  termon  lands  of  Lis-mor, 
and  obtained  countless  cattle  spoils  ; 
but  he  lost,  on  that  occasion,  Muredach 
O'Flathertaigh,  lord  of  AVest  Con- 
naught, Aedh  O'h-Eidin,  lord  of  Ui 
Fiacrach  Aidni,  ^luirgheas  O'Lorcaiu, 
and  many  others." — Four  blasters. 

="  O'Flathbertaigh;  in  English,  0'- 
Flaherty.  The  tribe  name  of  the 
O'Flaherties  was  Muinter  Murcadlia, 
and  they  were,  originally,  chieftains  of 
Magh  Seola,  now  the  barony  of  Clare, 
in  the  county  of  Galway.  'J'hey  were 
of  the  royal  race  of  Comiaught,  being 
descended  from  Duacli  Tengumha.  son 
of  Fersrus,  son  of  Muredach  ^1  ael-Iethan, 
king  of  Connaught,  about  A.  D.  ()20, 
by  his  son  Fergus,  whilst  the  O'Con- 
nors, kings  of  Connaught,  are  descend- 
ed from  a  brother  of  the  same  Duacb 
Tengumha. 

'^  Corcach  Mumlian  ;  i.  c,  Cork,  of 
Munster.  -'A.  D.  1127.  An  army  • 
wa.s  led  by  Tonldbach  ()'Concol)air, 
by  sea  and  land,  until  he  reached  Cor- 
cach .Mor,  in  MunsU'r  ;  and  he  drove 
Cormac  [Mac  Carthaigh],  king  of  Dea- 


THE    HISTORY   OF    IRELAND. 


605 


gave  to  Donncadh  Mac  Carthaigh,''  and  the  more  iiortlicrn  to 
Concobar  O'Briain ;  and  from  them  both  he  carried  off  tliirty 
hostages. 

It  was  about  this  time  the  Temple  of  Cormac"  was  consecrated 
at  Cashel,  in  presence  of  a  great  assemblage  of  the  nobles  and  the 
clergymen  of  Munster,who  attended  thereat.  This  took  ]>lace  in  , 
the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  one  hundred  and  thiity-four. 
Soon  after,  Cormac  Mac  Carthaigh,  King  of  Munster,  was  treach- 
erousl}-  murdered"  by  Concobar  (correctly  by  Tordclbach) 
O'Briain,  who  was  his  own  son-in-law  and  gossip.     Some  time 


mond  into  Lis-mor,  and  divided  Mun- 
ster into  three  parts,  and  carried  off 
thirty  hostages  from  that  country." — 
Fmir  Masters. 

^  Donncadh  Mac  Carthaigh.  He 
was  the  younger  brother  of  Cormac, 
mentioned  in  the  last  note.  He  had 
traitorously  joined  Tordelbach  with  a 
large  body  of  Eogauachta,  and  was  re- 
warded for  deserting  his  chieftain  by 
the  deposition  of  his  brother,  who  was 
then  compelled  by  the  invader  to  enter 
the  monastery  of  Lismore.  Donncadh 
was,  however,  expelled  into  Connaught, 
with  two  thousand  of  his  adherents, 
almost  immediately  after. 

Then  Cormac,  by  the  aid  of  Con- 
cobar O'Briain,  resumed  the  sovereign- 
ty of  Desmond.  After  this,  there  was 
a  naval  engagement  between  the  men 
of  Connaught  and  Munster,  in  which 
the  latter  were  again  defeated.  Tor- 
delbach had  previously  made  another 
naval  expedition  to  Desmond,  in  A.  D. 
1124,  when  he  seized  upon  the  fleet  of 
South  Munster.  In  the  same  year 
(1224),  we  read  of  his  having  put  to 
death  the  hostages  of  Cormac  Mac 
Carthaigh,  among  whom  was  that 
prince's  son.  In  A.  D.  1126,  the  king 
of  Connaught,  having  succeeded  in 
making  his  son  king  of  Leiuster  and 
Dublin,  had  again  attacked  and  defeat- 
ed the  king  of  Desmond,  at  Slabh-an- 
Caidhligh,  in  Kerry.  On  this  occa- 
sion, having  continued  encamped  in 
Ormond  from  Lammas  to  the  iestival 
of  St.  Brighitt  (i?/-eí>)//í/t),  he  plundered 
Munster  as  far  as  Glenn  Maghair,  near 
Cork,  and  the  south  of  Osraide.  "  A 
great  storm  of  war,"  say  our  annalists, 
*'  then  raged  throughout  all  Ireland,  so 


that  Kellach,  Comarba  of  St.  Patrick, 
had  to  be  a  year  and  one  month  from 
Ard  Macha,  establishing  peace  among 
the  men  of  Ireland,  and  promulgating 
good  rules  and  customs  amongst  the 
clergy." — See  Four  Masters. 

''■'  The  Temple  of  Cormac.  Some 
suppose  this  temple  to  be  what  is  now 
called  King  Cormac's  Chapel,  on  the 
Eock  of  Cashel,  while  many  persons, 
Avith,  perhaps,  equal  reason,  suppose  it 
to  have  been  some  other  edifice,  on 
whose  site  the  present  ruined  Cathedral 
stands.  The  erection  is  thus  recorded  : 
"  A.  D.  11.34.  A  church,  vrhich  was 
erected  by  Cormac,  grandson  of  Cart- 
hach,  king  of  Cashel,  was  consecrated 
by  a  synod  of  the  clergy,  assembled  in 
one  place." — Four  Masttrs. 

^°  Cormac  murdered.  A  great' mis- 
take has  been  here  committed,  eitlier 
by  Keating  or  his  transcribers,  in  nam- 
ing Concobar  O'Briain  as  the  insti- 
gator of  the  murder  of  the  pious  and 
munificent  Cormac.  He  was  slain  at 
the  instigation  of  Tordell^ach  O'Briain, 
the  brother  of  Concobar,  as  is  seen  by 
the  following  entry:  "A.  D.  1138. 
Cormac,  son  of  Muredach,  son  of  Cart- 
hach,  king  of  Desmond,  bishop  of  the 
kings  of  Ireland  for  the  bestowal  of 
jewels  and  wealth  upon  the  clergy  and 
the  churches,  an  improver  of  territories, 
was  treacherously  killed  in  his  own 
house  by  Tordelbach,  son  of  Diarmaid 
O'Briain,  and  by  the  two  sons  of  O'Cou- 
cobair  -  Kiarraide."  —  Four  Masters. 
Some  doubt  the  fact  of  Cormac's  hav- 
ing been  really  a  bishop  as  well  as  a 
king.  He  may,  nevertheless,  have  actu- 
ally entered  holy  orders  Avhen  driven 
into  the  monastery  of  Lis-mor  in  1127, 


606 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


after  this,  í^raelmaGdog,'"  called  Malachias.  who  was  Archbishop 
both  of  Eri  and  Alba,  died. 

Tordelbach  O'Concobair  a  second  time  invaded  Munster  with 
a  large  army,  composed  of  the  strength  of  Counaught,  Lcinster, 
]\Ieath,  Tebtha  and  O'Ruairc's  country.  With  this  he  traversed 
Munster  in  a  hostile  manner,  until  he  aiTÍved  at  Glenn  Maghair/' 
where  he  was  met  by  Tordelbach  O'Briain,  King  of  Munster,  and 
the  sou  of  Concobar  O'Briain  and  the  men  of  Munster.  Three 
battalions'*'  was  the  strength  of  their  host.  Thereupon,  the  battle 
of  Moin  Mor"  was  contended  between  them  f  and  the  Dal  g-Cais 


by  Torbclbach  O'Concobair,  and  after 
the  birth  of  his  children.  He  is  the 
ancestor  of  all  the  septs  of  the  Mac 
Carthies,  kings  of  Desmond. 

"  Maelmacdog.  The  family  name 
of  this  distinguished  ecclesiastic  was 
O'ilorgair.  He  succeeded  to  the  suc- 
cessorship  of  St.  Patrick  in  A.  D.  1 132, 
and  his  eminent  sanctity  and  Christian 
zeal  have  been  rewarded  by  his  canon- 
ization under  the  baptismal  name  of 
Malachias.  He  died  in  A.  D.  1148,  in 
the  54th  year  of  his  age,  and  in  the 
14th  year  of  his  primacy,  during  which 
he  had  been  twice  appointed  as  Legate 
of  the  Pope  to  the  Irish  church. 

"  Glenn  Maghair ;  now  Glanmire, 
near  Cork.  The  king  of  Ireland  was 
here  joined  by  Diarmaid,  son  of  Cor- 
mac  Mac  ("urthaigh,  now  king  of  Des- 
mond, and  a  large  portion  of  the  Eoga- 
uachta,  at  whose  solicitation  he  is  said 
to  have  made  this  invasion  of  Munster. 
It  would  appear  that  a  portion  of  the 
Dal  g-Cais  was  also  in  the  monarch's 
army  under  Tadg  Ule  O'Briain,  a  pre- 
tender to  the  throne  of  Thomond,  who 
had  fled  for  protection  to  Connaught. 

"  Battalions,  'i'hc  Irish  cath  {aih) 
•  )r  battalion,  consisted  of  3,000  men. 
'I'hcre  were  then  9,000  of  the  Dal  g- 
Cais  engaged  in  this  fight. 

"  Moin  Mor;  i.  e.,  the  Large  Bog. 
There  arc  several  places  of  this  name 
in  Munster,  but  that  where  this  batr 
lie  was  fought  would  seem  to  be 
Moanmore,  in  the  parish  of  Kmly  and 
■  ounly  of  Tiperary. — O'D. 

''  The  battle  fought  upon  this  occar 
sion  in  which  the  Muiistfrmen  Kuflercd 
ihc  greatest  overthrow  they  iiiul  receiv- 
ed since  the  battle  of  Bclach  Mughna, 


where  Cormac^  son  of  Culinnan,  fell,  in 
A.  D.  903,  is  thus  recorded  :  "  A.  D. 
1151.  An  army  was  led  by  Tordel- 
bach Ua  Concobair  into  Munster,  and 
Diarmaid  Mac  ^lurcadha,  king  of 
Leinsler,  went  to  join  him  with  the 
I^instermen.  They  plundered  Mun- 
ster before  them,  until  they  reached 
Moin  Mor.  The  Dal  g-Cais,  the  men 
of  West  Munster,  and  the  Sil  Briain, 
had  set  out  on  a  predatory  excursion 
into  Desmond  under  Tordelbach  Ua 
Briain,  king  of  Munster  ;  and,  on  their 
return  from  the  south,  they  fell  in  with 
the  men  of  Connaught,  Leinster,  and 
Meath.  A  battle  was  then  fought,  in 
which  the  men  of  ^lunster  were  defeat- 
ed and  slaughtered.  Seven  thousand 
was  the  luunber  of  the  Munstermen 
that  fell  in  this  battle  of  Moin  Mor. 
According  to  the  Book  of  Lacan,  the 
following  are  the  chieftains  who  were 
there  slain  :  j\Iurkertach,  sou  of  Con- 
cobar O'Briain,  lord  of  Thomond,  the 
second  best  man  of  the  Dal  g-Cais; 
Lugaidh,  son  of  Domnall  O'Briain ; 
Mac  Conmara,  lord  of  Ui  Casin  ;  2 
of  the  Ui  Kennadigh  (O'Kenncdics)  ; 
8  of  the  Ui  Degadh  (O'Deas),  with 
Flathbertach  Ua  Degadh  ;  9  of  the  Ui 
Senchain  (O'Sliannahans)  ;  5  of  the  Ui 
Cuinn  (O'Qiiins)  ;  5  of  the  Ui  Crada 
(O'Cradies),  with  Ancslis  Ua  Grada; 
24  of  the  Ui  Ogain  (O'Hogans)  ;  4  of 
the  Ui  Aichir  (O'llehirs  or  Hares);  the 
gi-andson  of  Eocaidh  OTjoinirsigh 
O'Lynch)  ;  4  of  the  Ui  Neill-Buidhc 
the  O'Neills  of  Tradraide,  in  the  coun- 
ty of  Clare)  ;  and  5  of  the  Ui  Kchtig- 
hcrna  (O'Aherns)  ;  with  numbers  of 
good  mei'.  besides  them  ;  and  there  sur- 
vived but  one  shattered  battalion  of 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  607 

and  the  men  of  Munster  were  vanquished  therein,  and  the  numbers 
of  their  people  that  were  slain  went  beyond  reckoning.  Tordel- 
bach  (O'Briain)  was  then  exiled  to  Tir  Eogain,"  and  Tordelbach 
O'Concobair  made  a  partition  of  Munster  between  Tadg  O'Briain 
and  Diarmaid,  son  of  Cormac  Mac  Carthaigh. 

It  was  very  soon  after  this  victory  when  Tordelbach  O'Conco- 
bair, King  of  the  greater  part  of  Ireland,  died,*'  in  his  sixty-eighth 
year,  and  he  was  buried  beside  the  great  altar  of  St.  Kiaran, 
at  Cluain-mic-Nois. 

Great,  indeed,  were  the  legacies  which  this  prince  left  to  tlie 
clergy  for  the  repose  of  his  soul,  namely,  four  hundred  and  forty 
ounces  of  gold,  and  forty  marks  of  silver,  and  all  the  other  valu- 
able treasures  he  possessed,  both  cups  and  precious  stones,  both 
steeds  and  cattle  and  robes,  chess-boards,  bows,  quivers,  arrows, 
equipments,  weapons,  armor  and  utensils.  And  he  himself 
pointed  out  the  manner  in  which  its  particular  portion  thereof 
should  be  distributed  to  each  church,  according  to  its  rank  and 
order. 

It  was  about  this  time  that  Tadg  O'Lonnargain,*'  Bishop  of 
Kill-da-luadh,  died. 

MURKERTACH   O'lOCHLAINN,*'  ARD-RIGH, 

Go  Fresabra. 
A.  D.  1156.^" — Murkertach,  sonof  Niall  Mac  Lochlainn,  of  the 

the  three  that  had  come  to  that  place.  Kiaran,  having  made  his  will  and  dis- 

On  the  side  of  Connaught  were  slain,  tributed  gold,  silver,  cows,  and  horses 

Tadg,  son  of  Liathach  O'Concobair ;  among  the  clergy  and  churches  of  Ire- 

Murkertach   Ua    Cathalain,   chief  of  land  in  general." — Fcur  Masters. 
Clan  Fogartaigh  ;    and  Maelrnanaidh        This   prince  had  been  inaugurated 

O'Follamhain,  chief  of  Clann  Uadach  ;  chieftain   of   his   own   tribe,   the   Sil 

4  of  the  Liughni  ;  and  many  others.  Muredaigh,  in  A.  I).  1106,  so  that  he 

Chief  sway  over  Munster  was  assumed  had,  at  the  time  of  his  death,  been  in 

by  Tordelbach  Ua   Concobair,   upon  the  enjoyment  of  regal  power,  either  as 

this  occasion,  and  Tordelbach  Ua  Bri-  chief  of  his  tribe,  king  of  Connaught, 

ain  was  banished.'' — Sec  Four  Masters,  or  monarch  of  the  greater  part  of  Ire- 

^°   Tir  Eogain.    Through  the  rising  laud  for  full  half  a  century.     He  was 

power    of    Murkertach    O'Lochlainn,  the  first  of  the  Connaught  branch  of 

prince  of  this  country,  the  exiled  king  the  line  of  Erimhon  that  had  received 

of  Munster  was  restored  to  his  domin-  the  title  of  Ard-righ,  or  monarch  of 

ions  in  1154.  Ireland  ;  Eocaidh  Muigh-medon,  king 

^'   Tordelbach  died.     "  A.  D.  1156.—  of  Ireland,  A.  D.  358-365,  being  the 

Tordelbach  O'Concobair,  king  of  Con-  last  of  his  direct  ancestors  who  had 

naught,  Meath,  Brefni,  and  Munster,  been  saluted  sovereign.     From  Brian, 

and   of  all   Ireland   with    opposition,  son  of  this  EocaiiUi,  Tordelbach  O'Con- 

ilood  of  the  glory  and  grandeur  of  Ire-  cobair  was  the  23rd  descendant  in  the 

laud,  a  man  full  of  charity,  mercy,  hos-  male  Hue  — See  Pedigree  cf  O'Ccnnor 

pitality,  and  chivalry,  died,  after  the  Roe, Part  III. 

68th  year  of  his  age,  and  was  interred        ^^  Tadg    O'Lonnargain  ;    otherwise 

at  Cluain-mic-Nois,  beside  the  altar  of  O'Longargain.    He  died  in  A.  D.  1161, 


608 


THE   HTSrORT   OF   IRELAND. 


line  of  Erimhon,"  held  the  sovereignty  of  Leth  Cuinn,  and  of 
the  greater  part  of  Ireland,  for  eighteen  years;"  at  the  end  of  which, 
he  was  slain  bv  the  men  of  Fernmagh  and  the  Ui  Briuin  (of 
Brefni). 

It  ^vas  in  the  seventh  year  of  the  reign  of  this  man,  that  an 
assembly  and  general  council  of  the  Irish  chnrch  was  convened 
at  Kenannus,"  of  Meath,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand 
one  liundred  and  fifty-two,  for  the  purpose  of  laying  down  the 
Catholic  Faith,  and  of  purifying  and  correcting  the  customs  of 
the  people ;  moreover,  for  the  purpose  of  consecrating  four  Arch- 
bishops, and  of  presenting  each  of  them  with  a  pallium,'^  for, 
before  then,  there  were  but  two  Archbishops  in  Ireland,  namely, 
the  Primate  of  Ard  Macha  and  the  Archbishop  of  Cashel.  Gilla- 
Criost  O'Conari,  Bishop  of  Lis-mor,  head  of  the  monks  of  Ireland 
and  Apostolic  Legate,  together  with  a  cardinal,  named  Johannes 
PapiroD,"  were  the  superiors  appointed  by  the  Pope  to  preside 
at  that  council,  which  was  commissioned  to  make  regulations  for 
the  government  of  the  Church  of  Ireland,  and  to  reform  its  disci- 
pline, and  also  to  do  a  thing  which  Ireland  took  more  to  heart 
than  these,  namely,  to  distribute  the  four  Pallia;  for  Ireland 


four  years  after  the  monarch  in  whose 
reigu  he  is  here  improperly  entered. 

""  O'Lochlainn.  The  sept  descended 
from  this  prince  now  more  generally 
style  themselves  Mac  Loughlin,  and 
are  still  numerous  in  Ulster.  They 
arc  of  the  same  tribe  as  the  O'Xeilis 
of  Tyrone,  of  which  sept  they  are  the 
elder  branch.  They  must  be  distinguish- 
ed from  the  O'Lochlainns  or  O'Longh- 
lins,  of  Burren,  in  the  county  of  dure, 
who  are  of  a  totally  different  stock. 

'^  A.  D.  1156.  '"  The  first  year  of 
Murkertach  O'Lochlainn  over  Ireland." 
— Four  Masters. 

"  Murkertach  III.  Keating's  ac- 
count would  throw  this  king'3  reign 
several  years  behind  its  real  time.  Tlie 
date  here  given  has  been  ascertained 
and  received  as  the  correct  one  by  our 
other  historic  authorities. — See  O'Fla- 
fi£rtij,  (yHalloran,  Moore,  !fc. 

"  Eighteen  years.  He  reigned  for 
only  ten  years,  but  during  this  brief, 
though  eventful  period,  he  succeeded  in 
having  himself  acknowledged  king  of 
Ireland  gfi/i  fresnhrndh,  i.  c.,  without 
oppo.sition  :  for,  in  the  year  1101,  Diar- 
maid  Mac  Murcadha,  king  of  Lcinster, 
paid  him  homage  for  his  kingdom ; 
Roaidri  O'Concobair  gave  him  host- 


ages from  Ui  Briain,  Conmacni,  Meath, 
and  the  half  of  Munster.  On  this  oc- 
casion, O'Concobair  accepted  the  king- 
dom of  Connaught,  and  the  lialf  of 
that  of  ^Meath  at  his  hands  ;  the  other 
half  of  Meath  O'Lochlainn  conferred 
upon  Diarniaid  O'Maolsi'clilainn  (O'- 
Melaghlin),  its  rightful  king.  At  the 
same  time,  he  confirmed  Diarniaid  Mac 
Murcadha  as  king  of  Lcinster.  With- 
in the  same  year,  he  again  met  "  the 
men  of  Ireland,  both  laity  and  clergy, 
at  Ath-na-I)airbrighe  (now  Dcroor,  in 
Meath),  where  ho  obtained  all  their 
hostages.  Murkertach  O'Lochlainn 
was,  therefore,  monarch  of  Ireland, 
without  opposition." — Four  Makers. 

'■^  Kcnannns.  According  to  the 
Four  Masters,  it  was  at  Droichet-Atha 
or  Drogheda,  that  this  council  was 
held.  It  met,  not  in  the  seventh  year 
of  Murkertach  O'Lochlainn.  but  four 
years  loefore  the  death  of  his  predeces- 
sor as  nominal  monarch  of  Ireland. 

"  Pallium,  i.  c,  the  robe  of  state 
of  an  archbishop.     Its  plural  is  pallia. 

"  Jolinnncs  Papiron ;  otiicrwise  Jo- 
hannes Pajiaro.  This  cardinal  had  ar- 
rived in  Ireland  during  the  year  l)cfore 
tliat  in  which  w;isheld  thesynod  of  Kells, 
as  is  seen  by  the  following  eu  try  :  "A.D. 


THE  HISTORY   OF  IRELAND.  609 

thought  it  enough'''''  to  have  one  pallium  at  Ard  Macha  and 
another  at  Casliel :  it  was  more  especially"  by  the  churches  of 
Ard  Macha  and  of  Dun-da-leth-glas  that  it  was  considered  an  in- 
fringement upon  privilege  to  have  pallia  granted  to  any  other 
sees  besides  those  of  Ard  Macha  and  Cashel ;  for  it  is  thus  we 
are  informed  by  the  ancient  record  of  the  church  of  Cluain  Aid- 
nech,  in  which  the  substance  of  what  was  transacted  at  this  coun- 
cil has  been  set  down.     When,  indeed,  the  members  of  the  coun- 
cil were  met  in  session,  they  instituted  certain  laudable  customs 
and  ordinances  at  the  granting  of  the  four  pallia.     Here  follow 
the  words  of  the  old  book  of  history,  which  was  written  at  Cluain 
Aidnech,  of  St.  Fintann,  in  Laeighis:   "  In  the  year  of  our  Lord 
one  thousand  one  hundred  and  fifty-two,  from  the  incarnation  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  being  a  bissextile  year,  a  famous  council 
was  held  at  Kenannus,  in  the  season  of  spring,  presiding  over 
which,  Johannes,  Lord  Cardinal  and  a  priest  of  the  blessed  St. 
Lawrence  in  Damaso,  assisted  by  twenty-two  bishops,  five  elect, 
with  very  many  abbots  and  priors,  on  the  part  of  the  holy  apostles, 
Peter  and  Paul,  and  of  the  Apostolic  Lord,  Eagenius,  extirpated 
and  condemned  simony  and  usury  by  every  means,  and  com- 
manded by  apostolic  authority  that  tythes  should  be  paid.  He  pre- 
sented four  pallia  to  the  four  Archbishops  of  Ireland,  namely,  to 
those  of  Dublin,  Tuam,  Cashel,  and  Armagh.     He,  moreover, 
ordained  the  Archbishop  of  Armagh  as  primate  over  the  others 
as  was  meet ;  and  then,  immediately  after  the  council  was  dis- 
missed, Cardinal  Johannes  commenced  his  voyage  on  the  ninth 
of  the  Kalends  of  April  and  went  across  the  Seas.     The  follow- 
ing were  the  bishops  who  assisted  at  that  council  namely,  Gilla- 

1151.  A  cardinal  of  the  Comarba  of  apud  Ceananmis  celebratum  fuit;  in 
St.  Peter,  namely,  Johannes  Papiron,  quo  presidens  domiuus  Johannes,  cardi- 
arrived  in  Ireland  to  establish  rules  nalis,  presbyter  beati  Laurentii  in  Da- 
aud  good  morals,  and  to  correct  all  maso,  inter  viginti  duos  episcopos  et 
from  their  faults.  He  remained  a  quinque  electos,  et  inter  tot  abbates  et 
week  in  the  house  of  the  Comarba  of  priores,  ex  parte  beatorum  Petri  et 
St.  Patrick,  and  imparted  his  bless-  Pauli  et  domini  apostolici  Eugenii,  su- 
ing."— Four  Masters.  moniam  et  usuras  omnibus  modis  extir- 

^  For  Ireland  thoiigJd  it  enough,  &c.  pavit  et  damnavit,  et  decimas  dandaa 

Oir  ba  Icor  le  h-EirinnTJa/ZzMTO  in  Ard  apostolica  authoritate  praicepit.     Qua- 

Macha  aguspa//iu;>i  i  g-Caiseal. — Orig-  tuor  pallia  quatuor  archiepiscopis  Hi- 

inal  Gaelic.  bernia?,  Dublinieusi,  Tuamensi,  Caise- 

^''  It  was  more  especially.     Agus  go  lensi,  et  Ardmachanso  tradidit.     Insu- 

h-airighthe,  is  tar  sarughadh  eaglaise  per  Ardmachanum  episcopum  in  pri- 

Arda  ]\Iacha  agus  Duin-da-leath-glas  matem  super  alios,  prout  decuit,  ordin- 

do  bhiadh  acht  pallium  in  Ard  Macha  avit.     Qui   etiam  cardinalis  Joannes, 

agus    pallium   i  g-Caiseal. — Original  protiuus  post  peractum  concilium,  iter 

Gaelic.  arripuit  et  nono  calendas  Aprilis  trans- 

^  MCLVn,  anno  ab  incarnatione  fretavit.     Hi  sunt  episcopi  qui  hoc  con- 

domini  nostri  Jesu  Christi,  bissextili,  cilio  supcrfuerunt." 

nobile  concilium  in  vernali  tempore  The  rest  of  this  quotation  from  the 
39 


610 


THE  HISTORY   OF  IRELAND, 


chriost  O'Conari,  Bishop  of  Lis-mor  and  Legate  of  the  Pope  in 
Ireland ;  Gilla-Macliag,  Comarba  of  St.  Patrick,  and  Primate  of 
Ireland  ;^^  Domnall  O'Lonnargain,  Arcld)ishop  of  Munstcr;  Aodli 
O'h-Oi.-^in,  Archbishop  of  Tuaim-da-Gualann  ;*°  Mac-Greni  (or 
Greri),  Bishop  of  Ath-cliath  Duibh-linni ;"  Tostius,  Bishojj  of 
Port  Largi ;"  Domnall  O'Fogartaigh,  Vicar  General  and  Bishop 
of  Osraide;  Finn  Mac  Gormain,  Bishop  of  Kill-dara;**  Donngal 


book  of  Cluain  Aiducch  (now  Clone- 
nagli  near  Mountrath,  in  the  Queen's 
County),  is  givgn  in  Gaelic  as  above 
rendered  into  f]nglish. 

'^  Gilla-Mac-Liag.  His  name  lias 
been  latinized  Gelasius.  He  presided 
over  the  primatial  see  from  1145  to 
1173,  during  which  time  he  occupies  a 
distinguished  place  in  the  history  of 
the  Irish  church. 

"  Aedh-0'h-Oissin.  This  name  is 
not  found  in  the  editor's  manuscript 
copies  of  Keating.  In  Dermod  O'Con- 
nor's translation,  it  is  given  as  "  Hugh 
O'Heyn,  Archbishop  of  Connacht,  that 
is  of  'J'uaim  Greni."  But  Tuaini  Gre- 
ni,  now  Tomgrany,  in  Clare,  was  not 
the  archiepiscopal  see  of  Connaught, 
it  wiis  Tuaim-da-Gualann,  now  called 
l\iam,  of  which  Aedh  O'h-Oissin,  in 
English,  Hugh  O'Hcssian,  died  bishop 
in  A.  D.  ilGl.  Aedh  Oh-Kidhin 
might,  it  is  true,  have  been  either  the 
predecessor  of  0"h-Oissin  as  Archbish- 
op of  Tuam,  or  he  might  have  been 
Bishop  of  Tuaim  Greni,  but  in  the  lat- 
ter case  he  could  not  have  been  styled 
Archbishop  of  Connaught.  For  these 
reasons  the  present  translator  has  in- 
sertetl  the  name  of  Aedh  O'h-Oissin,  in- 
stead of  Hugh  O'Heyn,  as  given  by  the 
translator  just  named. 

"'  Ath-cliath  Duihh-lmni,  i.  e.,  the 
Ford  of  Hurdles  of  the  Black  I'ool ; 
it  is  now  culled  Dublin,  a  word  derived 
from  the  latter  part  of  the  old  Irish 
name  of  the  part  of  ihc  river  Liff'ey, 
on  which  that  city  wa.s  built ;  that  is 
from  Dtihh  Linn,  in  English,  the  Black 
Pool.  The  real  name  of  its  bishop  at 
the  time  of  the  above-mentioned  synod 
was  Gregory  or  (Jreri,  who  was  appar- 
ently an  Irish  Dane. 

"  Tnstius,  otherwise  Tosti,  Bishop 
of  Port  Largi,  or  Waterford.  He  was 
also  of  Danish  origin. 


^  Fin7i  Mac  Gormain.  The  editor 
finds  the  surname  of  this  prelate  writ- 
ten both  IVfac  Cianain  and  Mac  Tigh- 
crmain.  This  he  deems  a  mistake  of 
the  transcribers,  for  he  finds  by  the 
Four  Masters,  that  Finn  Mac  Germain 
died  Bishop  of  Kill  Dara  or  Kildare. 
in  IIGO. 

"*  Torgesitis,  otherwise  Torgeis  and 
Torgelsi.  This  ecclesiastic,  who  was 
of  Danish  blood,  died  bishop  of  Limer- 
ick, in  A.  D.,11G7. 

With  the  exception  of  the  name  of 
Archbishop  of  Connaught  above  men- 
tioned, and  the  surname  of  the  Bishop 
of  Kill  Dara,  the  editor  has  ascertained 
from  the  Irish  Annals,  that  all  the 
others  did  really  preside  over  their  res- 
pective sees,  about  the  time  of  the 
synod  of  Kenanmis  or  Kells.  Sever- 
al of  them  are  here  entitled  from  the 
tribes  over  whose  territories  their  sees 
extended,  but  the  reader  may  easily  as- 
certain the  names  of  the  scat  ff  their 
episcopal  chin-chcs,  by  referring  to  the 
map,  and  to  the  notes  upon  the  chapter 
upon  the  Irish  bishops  prefixed  to  this 
history. 

"  Domnall  O'Lonnargain.  "A.  D., 
Domnall  Ua  Longargain,  Archbishop 
of  Case],  chief  senior  of  Munstcr,  a 
paragon  of  wisdom  and  charity,  died 
at  an  advanced  age." — Four  Ilaslera. 

'"'  Murkertach  son  of  Niall  died. — 
He  was  slain  in  A.  D.,  IIGG,  at  the 
battle  0Í  Lctir  Liuin,  fought  in  the  dis- 
trict called  the  Fews  in  the  county  of 
Armagh.  An  army  of  three  batta- 
lions, composed  of  the  men  of  Oirghial- 
la,  Ui  Briuin  Brcfni,  and  Ui  Conmac- 
ni  was  led  thither  against  him  ))y  Donn- 
cadh  O'Kerbaill,  King  of  Oirghialla; 
and  there,  say  our  annalists,  "  fell  Mur- 
kertach Ua  Lochlainn,  monarch  of  all 
Ireland,  chief  lamp  of  valor,  chivalry, 
hospitality,  and  prowess  of  the  west  of 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


611 


O'Caellaighc,  Bishop  of  Leitb-glinn ;  Gilla-an-Coirade  O'h-Ard 
maeil,  Bishop  of  Imlech-Iubair;  Gilla-Criosd  0'  Maidin,  Bishop 
of  Corcach;  Maclbrenainn  Mac  Konaia,  Comarba  of  St.  Bren- 
dan of  Ard-ferta,  or  Bishopof  Kiarraide;  Turgesius,"  Bishop  of 
Luimnech;  ]\[urkertach  O'Maeluidir,  Bishop  of  Cluain-mic- 
Nois ;  Maeil-Isa  O'Connachtain,  Bishop  of  East  Connanght ; 
Maolruadnaidh  O'Euaidin,  Bishop  of  Lnighni ;  Mac-Craith 
O'Mughroin,  Bishop  of  Conniacni;  Ethrnadh  O'Miadaehain, 
Bishop  of  Cluain  Iraird;  Tuathal  O'Connachtaigh,  Bisliop  of 
Ui  Briuin  (Brefni);  Mureduch  O'Cobthaigh,  Bishop  of  Kinel 
Eogain ;  Maelpatrick  O'Banain,  Bishop  of.Dal  Araide ;  and  Mael- 
Isa  Mac-an-Clerigh-cuir,  Bishop  of  Ulidia." 

This  synod  commenced  its  session  on  the  day  before  the  Nones 
of  March,  and  there  the  jurisdiction  of  the  archbishops  ^Yas  de- 
creed and  laid  down  after  the  following  manner :  The  archbishop 
of  Ard-Macha  presided  over  the  See  of  Coinniri,  Dun-da-leth- 
glas,  Lugh-magh,  Ard-acadh,  Eath-both,  Eath  Lurigh,  Daimh- 
liag,  and  Doiri.  The  Archbishop  of  Cashel's  jurisdiction  ex- 
tended over  the  Sees  of  Kill-da-luadh,  Luimnech,  Inis  Cathaigh, 
Kill  Finnabrach,  Imlech   lubair,  Eos  Ore,  Port  Largi,  Lis  Mor, 


the  world  in  his  time ;  a  man  who  had 
never  been  beaten  in  battle  or  conflict 
until  then,  and  who  had  won  many 
battles." — Four  Masters. 

Besides  that  of  Kells  or  Kenannus, 
which  was  really  held  during  the  reign 
of  Tordelbach  O'Concobair,  there  were 
three  synods  of  tlie  Irish  church  held 
during  the  ten  years  that  Murkertach 
reigned.  Of  these  the  first  was  held  at 
Droicliet  Atha,  or  rather  at  Mellifont, 
near  Droichet  Atha,  in  A.  D.  1157, 
which  was  presided  over  by  Gilla-Mac- 
liag.  Primate  and  Pope's  Legate  and  at- 
tended by  seventeen  bishops,  and  by  the 
monarch  himself,  together  with  Tigher- 
nan  O'Ruairc,  King  of  Brefni,  O'Ker- 
iiaill,  King  of  Oirghialla,  and  O'h- 
iOocadha,  King  of  Ulidia,  and  count- 
less numbers  of  every  other  degree.  It 
was  ou  this  occasion  that  the  church  of 
Mellifont  was  consecrated.  After  the 
ceremony,  Murkertach  presented  the 
church  with  forty  cows,  and  sixty 
ounces  of  gold  for  the  health  of  his 
soul ;  he  likewise  granted  them  the 
townland  of  Finnabair  na-n-Inghen,  op- 
posite the  mouth  of  the  Mattock,  in 
the  parish  of  Donore,  county  Meath. 
O'Kerbaill  gave  them  sixty  ounces  of 


gold  ;  and  the  wife  of  O'Ruairc,  and 
daughter  of  O'Maelsechlaiun,  gave  as 
much  more,  with  a  chalice  of  gold  for 
the  altar  of  St.  Mary,  and  clotli  for 
each  of  the  other  nine  altars  that  wore 
in  that  church.  Next  year  a  synod 
was  held  at  Bri-mic-Taidg,  near  Trim, 
which  was  attended  by  twenty-five 
bishops,  and  presided  over  by  the 
Pope's  Legate,  the  Primate  Gilla-Miv 
chag.  It  was  here  that  the  bishopric 
of  Derry  was  established,  or  as  the 
Four  Masters  record  it,  there  was  then 
ordered  "a  chair  like  that  of  every 
other  bishop  for  the  Comarba  of  Co- 
lumkille,  Flathbertach  Ua  Brolcain, 
and  the  Arch-abbacy  of  the  churcliea 
of  Ireland  in  general."  In  A.  D. 
1162,  Gilla-Mac-Liag  presided  over 
another  synod,  at  which  twenty-six 
bishops  and  many  abbots  attended,  and 
which  was  held  at  Ciaenadh  ( Clane) 
in  the  county  of  Kildarc.  Amongst 
other  decrees  passed  on  this  occasion, 
it  was  enacted  that  no  person  should 
be  a  professor  of  theology  in  any  church 
in  Ireland,  who  had  not  been  an  alum- 
nus or  student  of  the  university  of  Ard- 
Macha. 


612  THE    HISTORY   OF    IRELAND. 

Cluain  Uamha,  Corcach,  Ro>  Alithir,  and  Ard  Ferta.  The  Arch- 
bishop of  Ath-cliatli  Duibh-liuni  presided  over  the  Sees  of 
Glenn-da-loch,  Ferna,  Osraide,  Leith-glinn,  and  Kill  Dara.  The 
Archbishop  of  Tuaim-da-ghualann  presided  over  the  Sees  of 
Magh  Eo,  Kill  Alaidh,  Ros  Coniain,  Cluan  Ferta,  Acadh  Cona- 
ri,  Cluain-mic-Nois,  and  Kill-niic-Duach.  But,  however,  the 
M-hole  of  these  sees  do  not  exist  at  present,  for  several  of  them 
have  been  since  united  under  one  bishop. 

Soon  after  the  completion  of  this  council,  died  Domnall 
O'Lonuargain,"  who  had  been  archbishop  of  Munster;  and  it  was 
not  long  after,  when  Murkertach,  son  of  Niall,  who  had  been 
then  sovereign  ruler  over  Leth  Cuinn,  and  the  greater  part  of  Ire- 
land, died." 

RUDRAIDE    O'CONCOBAIR,  ARD-EIGII, 

Go  Fresabra. 

A.  D.  1166."  Ruaidri  (or  Rudraide),  son  of  Tordelbach,  son  of 
Rnaidri  O'Concobair,  of  the  line  of  Erimhon,  held  the  sovereignty 
of  Connought  and  part  of  Leth  Cuinn  for  eight  years.**  He  is 
also  stvled  monarch  of  all  Ireland  in  our  chronicles,  from  the 
fact  that  the  kings  of  Oirghialla,  Meath,  and  Brefni,  had  ac- 
knowledged him  as  their  sovereign.  He  was,  nevertheless,  but 
a  pretender  to  the  sovereignty  (Righ-go-fresabradh),  that  is,  a 

"^  J.  D.    The  editor's  MSS.  arc  not  were  those  of  his  greatest  power,     lie 

in  accord  as  to  the  date  of  this  kin,<r's  was  then  in  tlie  fiftieth  j'car  of  liis  age. 

accession,  one  has  11 C3,  while  Dermod  Kudraide    II.      Some    hold    that 

O'Connor   gives   it    11G8.      The   one  Ruaidri,  or   Ruaidhri,  the  usual  form 

above   given  is  the   true   date   of  the  in  which   this  princes  name  is  found 

death  of  his  predecessor,  immediately  spelled,  is  a   word   of  dilfereut  origin 

after  which,  as  we  read  in  the  Annals  from  the   ancient   (Gaelic  name,  Rud- 

of  the  Four  Masters,  "An  anny  was  raidc,  or   Rudhraidiu'    (Rooree).     The 

led   by   Ruaidri   O'Concobair   to  Es-  editor  does  not,  however,  see  any  rea- 

ruaidli.  and  he  took  the  hostages  of  son  to  deem  it  any  other  than  a  mere 

Kind    Conaill."       He    next  led    an  variation     of   the    latter ;    for,    even 

army  composed  of  the  men  of    Con-  though  the  supposition  that  Ruaidhri 

naught.   Meath  and  Tebtha,  to  Ath-  is  derived  from  the  proper  name  llode- 

cliath,  where  he  was  inaugurated  king  ric  be  correct,  it  is  likewise  possible 

"  as   honorably   as    any  king   of   the  that  Roedric,  Rudhraidhe,  may  in  re- 

Gaeidhil  was  ever  inaugurated."      He  mote  antiquity  have  been  composed  of 

next  received  the  hostages  of  the  king  the  same  ( lemcnts.    Therefore  docs  the 

of  Leinster  ;    and   having   afterwards  translator  enter  him  as  Rudraide  H., 

marched  into  Munster,  where  "  all  tlie  the  first   monarch  of  the  name  being 

kings  of  Lctli   Mogha  came  into  his  Rudraide  Mor,  who  died   monarch  of 

house  and   submitted  to  him,  he  di-  Ireland,  A.  M.,  4981. 

vidcd  Mimster  into  two  parts,  one  of  '^  Eifrlit  Years.    From  his  accession 

which  he  gave  to  the  Sil  Briain,  and  to  his  sulimission  to  Henry  H.,  there 

the  other  to  Diarmaid,  son  of  Cormac  were  but  seven  years.      He  had  ruled 

Mac   Carthaigh." — See  Four  Mdsters.  over  Connaught  from  his  father's  death 

11 GC  was  then  not  only  the  year  of  his  in  11.50,  and  did  not  die  <mtil  A.  D., 

accession,  but  that  and  the   following  1298. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


613 


king,  whom  very  many  of  the  nobles  of  Ireland  refused  to  ac- 
knowledge as  their  monarch. 

It  Avas  while  Kuaidri  held  this  questioned  sovereignty,  that 
the  wife  of  Tighernan  Cacch  O'Ruairc,  King  of  Brefni,  a  lady 
whose  name  was  DerborgailV  daughter  of  ISIurcadh,  son  of 
Flann,  King  of  Meath,  sent  a  private  message  to  Diarmaid  Mac 
Murcadha,  King  of  Leinster,  requesting  of  him  to  come  to  take 
hei"  away  from  Tighernan,  and  make  her  his  own  wife;  and  she 
instructed  her  messengers  to  tell  him  that  her  husband  was  about 
proceeding  on  a  pilgrimage  to  the  Cave  of  St.  Patrick's  Purga- 


°°  DerborgaiJl.  This  name  is  pro- 
nounced Dcrvorgill,  and  has  been  lat- 
inized Dervorgilla.  Her  elopement 
with  Mac  Murcadha,  did  not  take  place 
in  this  reign,  it  occurred  fourteen  years 
previously,  during  the  reign  ot"  Tor- 
delbach,  the  father  of  Ruaidri,  and 
not  after  the  manner  stated  by  Keat- 
ing, on  the  authority  of  the  Anglo- 
Norman  writers.  The  following  is  the 
simple  narration  of  the  event  as  given 
by  the  Irish  authorities. — "  A.D.  1152, 
An  army  was  led  by  Ua  Lochlainn  in- 
to Meath,  as  far  as  Kath  Kennaigh. 
Tordelbach  (then  monarch)  proceeded 
into  Meath  to  meet  Ua  Lochlainn  and 
Diarm.aid  MacMurcadha,  King  of  Lein- 
ster. On  this  occasion,  Meath  was  di- 
vided into  two  parts ;  from  Cluain 
Iraird  westward,  was  given  to  Mur- 
cadh  Ua  Maelsechlainu,  and  East 
Meath  to  his  son  Maelsechlainn.  From 
Tighernan  Ua  Ruairc,  whom  they  had 
defeated,  they  took  Conmacni,  and  they 
burned  the  town  of  Bun  Cuilinn,  (now 
Dangan,  in  Roscommon,)  and  gave  the 
chieftainship  to  the  son  of  Gilla-bradi 
O'Ruairc,  and  their  hostages  were 
given  up  to  Tordelbach  O'Goncobair. 
On  this  occasion,  Derbforgaill,  daugh- 
ter of  Murcadh  Ua  Maelsechlainn,  and 
wife  of  Tighernan  O'Ruairc,  was  car- 
ried off  with  her  cattle  and  furniture, 
by  Diarmaid,  King  of  Leinster,  who 
took  with  her,  according  to  the  advice 
of  her  brother,  Maelscchlaiu." — Four 
Masters. 

Deborgaill  was  next  year  taken  away 
from  her  lover  by  the  monarch  Tordel- 
bach, by  whom  she  was  delivered  up  to 
her  kinsfolk  in  Meath,  "  with  her  cut- 
tle and  furniture."    There  is  every  rea- 


son to  suppose  that  she  afterwards  re- 
pented of  her  transgression.  lu  1157, 
the  wife  of  O'Ruairc  is  found  vying 
with  kings  in  her  munificence  to  the 
monastery  of  Mellifont.  In  A.  D.  1167, 
the  year  after  Mac  Murcadha's  banish- 
ment, we  find  her  "  finishing  a  church 
for  nuns  at  Cluain-mic-Nois.  To  sup- 
pose a  renewal  of  her  criminal  intrigue 
with  jMac  Murdagh  in  any  part  of  the 
present  reign,  is  an  absurdity.  Mac 
Murcadha,  who  was  king  of  Leinster 
as  early  as  A.  D.  1135,  must  have  been 
theii  an  old  man,  and  she  was  then  cer- 
tamly  an  old  woman,  for  she  was  forty- 
four  at  the  time  of  her  first  elopement. 
Previous  to  her  marriage  with  O'- 
Ruairc, an  attachment  is  said  to  have 
existed  between  herself  and  Mac  Mur- 
cadgha,  which  may  account  in  some 
way  for  her  first  transgression  at  a 
rather  advanced  period  of  life,  but 
could  scarcely  for  a  second. 

'"  Banished  him  out  of  Ireland.  His 
own  oppressed  subjects  had  apparently 
as  much  to  do  with  the  banishment  of 
Diarmaid  as  either  the  justice  of  O'Gon- 
cobair, or  the  vengeance  of  O'Ruairc. 
The  following  entry  is  given  of  that 
event :  "  A.  I).  1106.  An  army  com- 
posed of  the  men  of  Brefni  and  j\Ieath, 
and  of  the  foreigners  of  Ath-cliath,  and 
the  Leinstermeu,  was  led  by  Tigher- 
nan Ua  Ruairc  into  Ui  Kennselaigh, 
and  Diarmaid  Mac  Murcadha  M^as 
banished  over  sea,  and  his  castle  at 
Ferna  was  demolished.  They  set  up 
as  king  (in  his  stead)  Murcadh,  the 
grandson  of  Murcadh,  he  giving  seven- 
teen hostages  to  Ruaidri  O'Concobar, 
to  be  sent  to  Tir  Fiacrach  Aidni." — 
Four  Masters. 


614  THE    HISTORY   OF    IRELAND. 

torv,  and  that  a  favorable  opportunity  for  taking  her  off  into 
Leinster  would  be  afforded  to  him  thereby.  There  had,  indeed, 
been  previously  a  criminal  intrigue  between  this  pair.  Therefore^, 
upon  receiving  her  message,  Diarmaid  went  to  meet  the  woman, 
attended  by  a  baud  of  armed  horsemen,  and  when  he  had  arrived, 
thus  accompanied,  at  the  place  where  Derborgaill  Avas  awaiting 
him,  he  commanded  her  to  be  placed  forcibly  on  horseback  be- 
hind one  of  his  attendants.  Thereupon,  the  woman  deceitfully 
cried  and  screamed  aloud,  in  order  to  make  people  think  that 
she  had  been  carried  off  by  violence.  Having  thus  succeeded  in 
his  object,  Diarmaid  returned  home  into  Leinster. 

Then,  when  Tighernan  returned  to  Brefni,  and  had  learned 
that  his  wife  had  been  carried  off  by  violence,  and  against  her 
consent,  he  went  to  make  a  complaint  of  the  outrage  both  to 
Ruaidri  O'Concobair,  and  to  his  own  friends  likewise.  Tliere- 
upon,  Ruaidri  O'Concobair  summoned  a  muster  of  the  men  of, 
Connaught,  Brefni,  Oirghialla  and  Mcath,  and  then  marched 
attended  by  a  numerous  army  to  lay  waste  the  territories  of 
Leinster,  and  thus  to  avenge  the  deed  which  Diarmaid  had  com- 
mitted. Now,  when  Diarmaid  had  heard  tliat  Ruaidri  was  march- 
ing to  devastate  his  coimtry,  he  likewise  summoned  a  general  as- 
semblage and  muster  of  the  nobles  of  Leinster  from  all  parts  of 
his  principalit3%  But  when^these  had  come  together  into  one 
place,  the  answer  which  they  gave  to  their  king  was,  that  they 
would  not  go  and  stand  up  in  defence  of  the  evil  deed  which  he 
had  committed ;  and  then  a  great  number  of  them  forsook  his 
standard,  and  })laced  themselves  under  the  protection  of  Ruaidri,  to 
whom  they  complained  of  the  many  acts  of  tyranny  and  injus- 
tice which  Dinrmaid  practiced  towards  them.  By  reason  of  this 
desertion,  the  King  of  Leinster  was  not  able  to  meet  his  adver- 
sary in  a  pitched  battle ;  whereupon  the  latter  commenced  laying 
waste  the  lands  of  tliose  of  the  Lciustermen  that  remained  faith- 
ful to  their  king,  and,  having  marched  to  Ferna,  he  threw  down 
the  palace  of  Diarmaid,  and  levelled  his  dun  ;  after  which,  he 
banished  him  out  of  Ireland  altoijethcr.'" 


Flirjldof  Mac  MuTcadha — his  intervieiv  with  Henry  II.  of  England^ 
— alliance  ivilh  the  Anrjlo- Norman  Lords,  and  secret  return  io 
Leinster.     A.D.  11G6-1167." 

Diarmaid  then  proceeded  to  the  second  Henry,  King  of  Sax- 

"  A.D.  1166-C7.      During  the  in-  Ruaidri,  accordiiiíí  to  our  Annals,  had 

terval  that  elapsed  between  the  cxpul-  succeodod  in  establishing  in  his  realm, 

5(ion  of  Diarmaid  in  the  former,  and  his  an  unusual  degree  of  peace  and  subor- 

retura  in  the  latter  of   these  years,  diuation  to  his  authority.    As  this  was 


THE   HISTORY    OF   IRELAND, 


615 


on-land,  wlio  was  then  in  France,  and  when  he  arrived  in  this 
king's  presence,  he  was  received  with  a  welcome,  and  with  a 
very  great  display  of  friendship.  And  when  he  had  explained 
the  object  of  his  visit  to  his  host,  the  latter  furnished  him  with 
kindly  letters  to  bring  with  him  to  the  land  of  the  Saxons.     In 


the  last  period  of  comparative  peace 
combiiied  with  national  independence, 
which  Ireland  was  to  see  for  ages  to 
come,  its  records  are  here  transcribed 
in  full  from  the  venerable  annalists  who 
have  been  so  often  quoted  in  these  notes. 

"The  Age  of  Christ,  1167.  Tor- 
gelsi,  bishop  of  LuLmnech,  Ua  Flan- 
nain,  bishop  of  Cluain  Uamha ;  Kin- 
aeth  O'Ketheruaigh,  priest  of  Inis 
Clothrann  ;  Mor,  daughter  of  Dom- 
nall  O'Concobair-Falghi,  Abbess  of 
Kill  Dara  ;  Maelmichael  Mac  Dothe- 
chain,  noble  priest,  chief  sage  and  pil- 
lar of  piety  of  the  community  of  Ard 
Macha  ;  and  Gailagori  Ua  Dubachain, 
comarba  of  Endi  of  Ara,  died. 

Tordelbach,  son  of  Diarmaid  Ua 
Briain,  King  of  Munster  and  of  Leth 
Mogha,  a  man  who  aimed  at  the  sov- 
ereignty of  all  Ireland,  the  best  man 
that  came  in  his  time  for  bestowing 
jewels  and  wealth  upon  the  poor  and 
the  indigent  of  God,  died. 

Murkertach,  son  of  Ladmann,  Lord 
of  Fordruim,  pillar  of  the  magnificence 
of  all  the  north  cf  Ireland,  was  treach- 
ously  slain  by  Donncadh  Ua  Dubdior- 
ma,  and  by  all  the  people  of  Bredach, 
in  the  middle  of  Magh  Bili,  and  two  of 
his  sons  were  slain  on  the  following 
day,  and  another  was  blinded.  Conn 
Ua  Maelmiadaigh,  chief  of  Muinter 
Eolais,  died. 

A  great  meeting  was  convened  by 
Kuaidri  Ua  Concobair,  and  the  chiefs 
of  Leth  Cuinn,  both  lay  and  ecclesias- 
tic, and  the  chiefs  of  the  foreigners 
(Danes)  at  Ath  Buidhe  Tlactga,  (now 
Athboy,  in  Meath).  To  it  came  the 
Comarba  of  Patrick  (Gilla-Mac-Liag) ; 
Cadla  Ua  Dubthaigh,  Archbishop  of 
Connaught ;  Lorcan  Ua  Tuathail, 
Archbishop  of  Leinster  ;  Tighernau  Ua 
Ruairc.  lord  of  Brefni  ;  Donncadh  Ua 
Kerbaill.  lord  of  Oirghialla  ;  Mac 
Donnslebi  Ua  h-Eocadha,  King  Uli- 
dia ;     Diarmaid     Ua    Maelsechlahin, 


King  of  Temhair  ;  Eaghnall,  son  of 
Raghnall,  lord  of  the  foreigners.  The 
whole  of  their  gathering  was  13,000 
horsemen,  of  which  6,000  were  Con- 
naughtmen,  4,000  with  Ua  Ruairc, 
2,000  with  Ua  Maelsechlainn.  4,000 
with  Ua  Kerbaill  and  Ua  h-Eocadha, 
2,000  with  Donncadh  Mac  Faelain, 
(chief  of  Ui  Faelain,  in  Kildare),  1,000 
with  the  Danes  of  Ath-cliath.  At  this 
meeting  they  passed  many  good  resolu- 
tions respecting  veneration  for  church- 
es and  clerics,  and  the  control  of  tribes 
and  territories,  so  that  women  used  to 
travel  Ireland  alone,  and  a  restoration 
of  his  prey  was  given  by  the  Ui  Fal- 
ghi  to  the  Comarba  of  Patrick,  at  the 
hands  of  these  kings  aforesaid.  They 
afterwards  separated  in  peace  and 
amity  without  battle  or  controversy, 
or  without  any  one  complaining  of 
another  at  that  meeting,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  prosperousness  of  the 
king  who  had  assembled  those  chief- 
tains with  their  forces  at  one  place. 

A  hosting  and  mustering  of  the  men 
of  Ireland,  with  their  chieftains,  was 
made  by  Ruaidri  Ua  Concobair.  Thith- 
er came  Diarmaid,  son  of  Cormac  (Mac 
Carthaigh),  lord  of  Desmond  ;  Mur- 
kertach Ua  Briain,  lord  of  Thomond  ; 
Diarmaid  Ua  Maelsechlainn,  king  of 
Meath ;  Donncadh  Ua  Kerbaill,  lord 
of  Oirghialla  ;  and  all  the  chieftains  of 
Leinster.  They  afterwards  arrived  in 
Tir  Eogain,  and  Ua  Concobair  divided 
that  territory  into  two  parts,  that  is, 
he  gave  that  part  of  Tir  Eogain,  north 
of  the  Callainu  Mountain,  to  Niall  Ua 
Lochlainn,  for  two  hostages,  namely, 
Ua  Cathain  of  Craebh,  and  Mac-an- 
Gaill  Ua  Brain  ;  and  that  part  of  the 
tribe-land,  south  of  the  mountain,  he 
gave  to  Aedh  Ua  Xeill  for  two  other 
hostages,  namely,  Ua  Maelaedha.  one  of 
the  Kinel  Aengusa,  and  Ua  h-Urthali, 
one  of  the  Ui  Turtri,  Ua  Neill's  own 
foster-brothers.     The  men  of  Ireland 


616 


THE  HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


tHesc  he  trave  him  permission  to  enlist  every  one  of  the  Saxons, 
who  miglit  be  Avilliug  to  go  with  liim  to  Ireland,  and  there  aid 
in  recovering  the  soverLÍgntv  of  his  own  country.  Upon  re- 
ceiving these,  Diarmaid  bid  farewell  to  that  king,  and  set  out  for 
the  country  of  the  Saxons.  When  arrived  there,  he  caused  the 
letters  of  Henry'-  to  be  publicly  read  at  Brisdol,  and  at  the  same 
time  made  a  proclamation  in  which  he  promised  large  rewards 
to  all  persons  who  would  aid  him  in  the  recovery  of  his  territ- 
ories. It  was  there  that  he  met  Eichard  Fitz-Gilbert,"  Earl  of 
Strigul,  with  whom   he  made  the  following   compact;  to  wit, 


returned  back  southwards,  over  Sliabli 
Fuaid,  through  Tir  Eogain  and  Tir 
Conaill,  to  meet  their  sea  fleet ;  and 
Ua  Concobair  escorted  the  lord  of  Des- 
mond, with  his  forces,  southwards, 
through  Thomond,  as  far  as  Cuoc  Ani, 
with  many  jewels  and  riches. 

Diarmaid  Mac  Murcadlia  returned 
with  a  force  of  Gauls,  and  he  seized  the 
kingdom  of  Ui  Kennselaigh  (his  own 
tribe).  Another  army  was  led  by 
Buaidri  Ua  Concobair  and  Tighernan 
Ua  Euairc  into  Ui  Kennselaigh  until 
they  reached  Kill  0.snadh.  A  battle 
was  fought  between  some  of  the  re- 
cruits and  cavalry  of  Connaught,  and 
the  cavalry  of  the  Ui  Kcimselaigh,  and 
six  of  the  Connaughtmen,  together 
with  Domnall,  son  of  Tadg.  son  of  Mael- 
ruanaidh,  were  slain  in  the  first  conflict ; 
twenty-five  of  the  Ui  Kennselaigh,  to- 
gether with  the  son  of  the  king  of  Brit- 
ain (i.e.,  of  Wales),  who  was  the  battle- 
prop  of  the  island  of  Britain,  who  had 
come  across  the  sea  in  tlie  army  of  Mac 
Murcadh  were  slain  in  the  second  con- 
flict by  Ua  Ruairc.  Diarmaid  Mac  Mur- 
cadha,  afterwards  came  to  Ua  Conco- 
bair ;  and  gave  him  seven  hostages  for 
ten  cantrods  of  his  own  native  territory, 
and  one  hundred  ounces  of  gold  were 
given  to  Ua  Ruairc,  as  an  atonement 
for  the  wrong  done  to  that  prince. 

Derbail,  daughter  of  Donncadh  Ua 
Maelsechlainn,  died  at  (Jluain-mic-Nois 
after  the  victory  of  will  and  confe.ssion. 
Uada  Ua  Conceanainn,  who  had  been 
at  first  Lord  of  Ui  Diarniada,  and  af- 
terwards in  religious  orders,  died  at 
Cluain-mic-Nois.  'J'he  church  of  the 
nuns  at  Cluain-mic-Nois  was  finished 
by  Derborgaill,  daughter  of  Murcadh 


Ua  Maelsechlainn,  (the  wife  of  Ua 
Ruairc,  and  the  Helen  of  Irish  ro- 
mance). Fobar  Fechini,  Ailiinn,  and 
Birra,  were  burned.  ]\[uredach,  the 
son  of  Mac  Cana,  was  slain  by  the  sons 
of  Ua  Lochlainn.  A  church  w'as  erect- 
ed at  Cluain-mic-Nois  in  place  of  the 
Derlhach,  by  Concobair  Ua  Kellaigh 
and  the  Ui  Mani." 

"'-  Letters  of  Hem-y.  Henry  H.  who 
was  then  in  Aquitaine,  and  too  busily 
occupied  both  in  reducing  some  of  his 
continental  vassals  to  obedience,  and  in 
maintaining  his  controversy  with  St. 
Thomas  a  Becket,  to  avail  himself  in 
person  of  the  opportunity  ofiered  by 
Diarmaid's  treason,  adopted  this  mode 
of  keeping  up  civil  strife  in  Ireland 
until  he  should  be  more  at  leisure  to 
turn  it  to  his  advantage.  His  letter 
was  of  the  following  purport :  "  Henry 
King  of  England,  Duke  of  Norman- 
dy and  Aquitaine,  and  Earl  of  Aujou, 
to  all  his  liegemen,  English,  Norman, 
Welsh  and  Scotch,  and  to  all  other 
nations  under  his  dominion,  sends  greet- 
ing. As  soon  as  the  present  letters 
shall  come  to  your  hands,  know  that 
Dcrmod,  prince  of  Leiuster,  has  been 
received  into  the  bosom  of  our  grace 
and  benevolence.  "Wherefore,  whoso- 
ever within  the  ample  extent  of  our 
territories,  shall  be  willing  to  lend 
aid  towards  the  restoration  of  this 
prince,  as  our  faithful  and  liege  subject, 
let  such  person  know  that  we  do  here- 
by grant  to  him,  for  said  purjjose,  our 
licen.se  and  favor." 

"  liirJinrd  Fiiz-Gilbcrt,  i.  e.,  Richard 
son  of  (iiilxTt  or  Gislebert.  His  real 
nam(!  was  liichard  de  Claire,  or  Clare, 
Earl  of  Fembrokc  and  Strigul,  and  he 


THE   HISTOEY   OF   IRELAND.  617 

Diarmaid  promised  to  give  his  own  daug-hter,  Aciii,  to  this  earl 
as  bis  wife,  and  with  her  he  promised  him  the  inheritance  of 
Leinster  after  his  own  death.  The  earl  bound  himself  upon  his 
part,  to  follow  the  exiled  prince  into  Ireland,  and  there  to  a.ssist 
him  in  reconquering  his  lost  principality. 

Having  completed  this  compact,  Uiarinaid  set  out  for  Britain 
(Wales)  to  visit  a  prince  named  Ralph  Griffin,'^  who  then  ruled 
over  that  country  under  the  sovereignty  of  King  Hemy.  To 
him,  likewise,  Diarmaid  explained  the  object  he  had  in  view.  At 
that  time  this  prince  happened  to  hold  in  j)rison  a  nobleman  of 
distinguished  valor,  whose  name  was  Robert  Fitz-Stephen,  who, 
having  rebelled  against  his  king,  saw  no  better  means  of  escaping 
punishment  than  engaging  to  go  to  the  aid  of  Mac  Murcadha  in 
Ireland.  Upon  this,  when  the  Bi.^hop  of  St.  David's  and  Maurice 
Fitz-Gerald  had  heard  that  Diarmaid  had  gone  to  the  prince  to 
solicit  the  enlargement  of  Robert  Fitz-Stephen  from  the  prison  in 
which  he  lay,  they  went  themselves  likewise,  to  petition  for  the 
liberty  of  that  nobleman,  and  to  beg  that  he  would  be  allowed 
to  proceed  to  Ireland  to  join  the  King  of  Leinster,  The  children 
of  one  mother, ^^  indeed,  were  that  Bishop,  Robert  Fitz-Stephen 
and  Maurice  Fitz-Gerald.  By  these  solicitations  the  prince  was 
induced  to  grant  his  liberty  to  Robert,  u])on  the  expressed  condi- 
tion that  he  should  follow  Mac  Murcadha  into  Ireland  in  the 
course  of  the  summer  then  ensuing.'"'  To  Robert  Diarmaid  he 
promised  to  grant  Loch  Garman  and  the  two  cantreds  of  land 
that  lay  next  thereto,  as  a  reward  for  his  agreeing  to  come  to  his 
assistance. 

bore  the  nickname  of   Strongbow,  a  two  (or  three)  sons,  and  the  second  of 

cognomen  which  his  father  had  borne  them  was  the  brave  adventurer,  Maur- 

befoi*e  him.     He  was  a  man  of  ruined  ice   Fitz-Gerald,   now  enlisted  in  the 

fortunes,  and  of  a  daring,  adventurous  service  of  the  Irish  king.     His  mother, 

and   unscrupulous   spirit.     From   him  Nesta,  having  been  carried  off  by  a 

the  early  Anglo-Norman  settlers  in  Ire-  Welsh  prince,  named  Caradoc,  became 

land  have  been  called  Strougbownians.  on  Gerald's  death,  the  mistress  of  the 

"  Ralph  Griffin.  His  real  name  constable  Stephen  de  Marisco,  and  by 
was  Ilees  Ap  Gryffyth.  He  had  de-  him  had  a  son,  Robert  Fitz-Stephen, 
taiucd  Fitz-Stephen  in  prison  for  three  the  same  who  engaged  at  this  time  in 
years.  It  was  probably  a  son  of  his  the  Irish  wars,  in  common  with  his 
that  is  styled  son  of  the  King  of  Bri-  half  brother,  Maurice  Fitz-Gerald. 
tain  (i.  e.,  Wales)  in  the  above  given  Like  the  Earl  of  Pembroke,  they  were 
extract  from  the  Four  Masters,  where  both  fitted  by  broken  fortunes  and  po- 
he  is  stated  have  fallen  fighting  for  litical  difficulties,  to  embark  in  any  en- 
Mac  Murcadha.  terprize,  however,  desperate,  which  held 

"   The  children  of  on»,  mother.     They  forth  a  prospect  of  speedy  relief  and 

were  the  sons  of  Nesta,  the  beautiful  change. — See  Moore's  History  of  Ireland. 

mistress  of  Henry  I.      This  lady,  after  '^  The  summer  then  ensuing.     Fitz- 

separating  from  her  royal  lover,  mar-  Stephen  did  not  arrive  in  Ireland  until 

ried   Gerald,  Governor  of  Pembroke,  the  beginning  of  the  second  next  sum- 

and  Lord  of  Carew,  by  whom  she  had  mer,  that  of  A.D.  11 G9. 


618  THE   HISTORY    OF   IRELAND, 

Then,  having  ratified  all  his  covenants  with  these  people, 
Diarmaid  sailed  homeward"  for  Ireland,  and  those  that  followed 
him  on  his  voyage,  were  but  few,  though  he  \vas  returning  to  a 
land  where  his  enemies  abounded,  and  his  friends  were  scarce. 
After  his  landing,  he  proceeded  secretly  to  Ferna  Mor  of  St. 
Maedog,  and  placed  himself  under  the  protection  of  the  clergy 
and  brotherhood  of  that  monastery,  and  there  he  dwelt  in  sad- 
ness and  obscurity  for  a  short  time,  until  the  summer  had  set 
in. 

First   landing  of  Anglo-Normans   under  Bohert  Fitz- Stephen,  in 
the  month  of  May,  A.  D.,  1169. 

In  due  time  Robert  Fitz-Stephen  arrived  in  Ireland,  in  fulfil- 
ment of  his  compact  with  Mac  ]\Iurcadlia.  The  number  of  the 
host  nnder  his  command  was  thirty  knights,  sixty  esquires, 
and  three  hundred  footmen.  And  the  place  where  they  made 
their  landing  was  at  Cuan-an-bainbh, "  {Cooan-an-vonniv\  on  the 
south  coast  of  Loch  Garman,  at  a  spot  which  is  called  Bag 
and  Bun.  This  took  place  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one 
thousand  one  hundred  and  seventy,"  in  the  seventh  year  of  the 
reign  of  Ruaidri  O'Concobair.  In  the  company  of  Robert  Fitz- 
Stephen,  there  was  also  on  that  expedition,  anotlier  Knight  of 
distinction  who  was  named  Hervé  de  Monte-Marisco,^"  a 
nobleman  of  the  house  of  the  Earl  of  Strigul,  whom  the 
latter  had  sent  to  Ireland  before  himself,  for  the  purpose  of 

"  Diarmaid  sailed  homeward.     Tliis  si.xtj'  men  at  arms,  and  three  Imndrcd 

account,  given  by  KeatiDs  of  the  few-  archers.     On  the  day  after  his  arrival, 

DCS3  of  his  followers  ou  his  homeward  he  was  joined  by  Maurice  de  Preiider- 

return,  is  exaggerated.     Though  prob-  gast,  a  gentleman  of  Wales,  who  then 

ably  none  of  the  Norman  men-at-arms  landed  with  a  force  consisting  of  ten 

then  accompanied  him,  he  must  have  knights  and  sixty  archers.      Previous 

been   accompanied   by  a  considerable  to  this,  we  read  of  the  arrival  of  a 

body  ofWelshmen,  under  that  son  of  the  fleet  of  the    Flemmings,  who  "came 

King  of  Britain  whose  death  is  record-  from   I'higland   in   the    army   of  Mac 

ed  by  the  Four  Masters.     If  he  was  at  Mnrcadlia,  to  contest  the  kingdom  of 

all  constrained   to  conceal   himself  at  Lcinster  for  him.     They  were  seventy, 

Ferna,  or  Ferns,  it  could  not  have  been  men  dressed  in  coats  of  mail.'" — Four 

for   many  weeks,  for   he  made   head  Masters. 

against  tlic   monarch  within  the  very        "  Seventy — Correctly:  sixty-nine, 
year   of  his  return,  was  then  strong        "  Jlervé  de  Monte-Marisco.     He  is 

enough  to  secure  the  peaceable  pos-  also  called  ITervey  of  Mount  Maurice, 

session  of  part  of  liis  former  territo-  and  was  the  paternal  uncle  of  Strong- 

ries  by  a  treaty  of  peace.  bow,  F>arl  of  Pembroke.   He  is  said  to 

'"  Cuan-dii-bainblL ;  i.  e.,  the  harbor  have  been  a  person  in  needy  circum- 

or  creek  of  the  Suclcing  Fig.      It  is  stances,  wlio,  without  arms  or  means, 

now  called  Bannow,  in  tlie  county  Wcx-  had  joined  in  this  expedition  as  the 

ford.    Fitz-Stephen  had  with  him  on  emissary  of  his  nephew, 
this  occasion  a  force  of  thirty  Knights, 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  619 

reconnoitering  and  forming  an  estimate  of  this  country.  Then, 
when  they  had  arrived  at  the  above-named  place,  Eobert  sent 
a  message  to  Diarmaid,  thereby  informing  the  latter  of  hisarrival 
in  Ireland.  Diarmaid  was  seized  Avith  joy  upon  receiving  the 
tidings  thereof,  and  he  marched  forth  immediately  followed  by 
five  hundred  warriors  to  meet  his  allies. 

Having  formed  a  junction  with  these,  both  he  and  his  confed- 
erates with  one  accord  determined  that  the  first  step  to  be  taken 
was  to  attack  and  gain  possession  of  Loch  Garman.^^  Thither 
they  accordingly  marched,  but,  as  they  were  approaching  the 
town,  the  burgesses  adopted  the  counsel  of  making  their  sub- 
mission to  Diarmaid  forthwith,  and  of  sending  four  of  the 
nobles  of  their  town  to  that  prince  as  hostages,  in  pledge  of  their 
peaceable  demeanor  towards  him,  and  of  their  paying  him  rent 
and  fines,  and  doing  him  homage  as  their  liege  lord.  It  was 
then  indeed  that  Diarmaid  fulfilled  his  promise  to  Robert  Fitz- 
Stephen.  by  granting  him  the  town  of  Loch  Garman,  together 
with  the  cantred  of  land  that  lay  next  thereto.  He  likewise 
gi'anted  the  two  cantreds  that  lay  next  to  this,"  to  Hervé  de 
Monte-Marisco,  thus  completing  the  engagements  which  he  had 
contracted  with  both  these  knights  in  Britain. 

Having  arranged  these  matters,  Diarmaid  next  summoned 
together  a  general  muster  both  of  his  own  partizans  and  of  the 
strangers,  and  when  they  had  come  into  place,  the  number  of 
the  entire  host  there  assembled  was  three  thousand  men  in  all, 
counting  both  the  Gauls  and  the  Gaels.  This  force  he  immedi- 
ately led  into  Osraide,  which  he  commenced  to  plunder  and  de- 
vastate therewith  ;  for  at  this  time  the  Ossorians  were  ruled  by 
Donncadh,  son  of  Domnall  Remhar,  who  had  been  his  inveterate 

*'  Loch- Garman ;  otherwise  called  by  so  brave  a  resistance  that  lie  was 
Loch  g-Carmann,  and  now  known  to  compelled  to  withdraw  his  troops  and 
the  English  as  the  town  of  Wexford,  content  himself  with  burning  the  ships 
This  place  was  then  one  of  the  mara-  then  lying  in  the  harbor.  Next  day, 
time  cities,  held  by  the  descendants  of  the  robber  chieftain  caused  masses  to  be 
the  Lochlannaigh,  or  Danes.  The  citi-  solemnly  said  in  his  camp,  and  was  pre- 
zens  did  not  submit  as  passively  as  the  paring  for  another  assault,  when  a 
above  given  account  would  imply.  For,  peace  was  made  between  the  citizens 
though  they  had  fled  back  in  disorder,  and  their  enemies,  through  the  medium 
when  first  they  had  been  called  out  to  of  two  bishops,  and  the  town  was 
meet  their  foes— frightened,  it  is  said,  at  thereupon  delivered  up  to  the  King  of 
the  armor  and  discipline  of  the  Nor-  Leinsteras  its  liege  lord. — See  Moore. 
mans,  but  perhaps  also  by  the  num-  ^"  The  tu-o  cantreds  next  to  this.  These 
bers  of  the  Irish  force  that  followed  are  now  comprised  within  the  baronies 
Mac  Murcadha—they  immediately  of  Forth  and  Bargy,  whose  present  in- 
adopted  the  resolution  of  burning  their  habitants  are  chiefly  descendants  of  the 
suburbs  ;  and  when  Fitz-Stephen  led  Flemmings,  then  planted  in  the  ancient 
his  men  to  scale  their  walls,  he  was  met  Fotharta  of  the  O'Larkins. 


620 


THE   HISTORY  OF  IRELAND. 


enemy/*  But,  as  he  was  thus  laying  waste  this  territory,  its 
chieftain,  finding  himself  unable  to  defend  it,  with  the  advice  of 
the  nobles  of  his  tribe,  adopted  the  resolve  of  sending  hostages 
to  Diarmaid  and  of  submitting  to  pay  him  chief-rent.  It 
was  thus  that  Donncadh  prevented  Diarmaid  from  devastating 
Osraide. 

But  now,  when  the  nobles  of  Ireland  had  heard"  of  tlie  ar- 
rival of  Diarmaid  and  the  Gauls,  and  had  been  informed  of  the 
success  of  their  united  forces,  they  proceeded  to  take  counsel 
with  Euaidri  O'Concobair,  who  at  that  time  had  taken  upon  him- 
self the  sovereignty  of  Ireland.  And  the  resolution,  which  they 
then  ado})ted  was  to  place  at  his  disposal  an  auxiliarj^  i^i'i^'^.y, 
collected  from  all  the  principalities  of  Ireland. 

A  force  so  composed  was  accordingly  brought  together, 
whereupon  Euaidri  marched  therewith  into  the  territory  of  Ui 
Kennselaigh,  Avith  the  intention  of  expelling  both  Diarmaid  and 
the  strangers  out  of  Ireland.  But  as  soon  as  the  monarch  had  in- 
vaded Leinster,  Diarmaid  and  the  Gauls  and  all  of  the  Leinster- 
men  that  followed  his  standard,  retreated  into  certain  dark  woods 
and  fastnesses  that  lay  near  Ferna  Mor  of  St.  ^Maedog,  in  order 


®  Hifi  inveterate  enemy.  He  had  been 
one  of  the  first  to  turn  against  Diar- 
maid. He  had  also,  during  the  prcvi- 
ons  year,  in  a  paroxysm  of  jealousy,  or- 
dered the  eyes  of  one  of  the  sons  of  tlie 
King  of  Ixiinstcr,  named  Enda,  to  be 
put  out.  "J'his  liarbarous  practice  was 
common  in  England  as  well  as  in  Ire- 
land at  that  time. — "  Henry  the  Second, 
in  his  excursion  into  Wales  iu  1164, 
having  received  as  hostages  the  child- 
ren of  the  noblest  families  of  that  coun- 
try, gave  orders  that  the  eyes  of  all  the 
males  should  be  rooted  out,  and  the 
ears  and  noses  of  the  females  amputated. 
In  the  reign  of  Henry  IV.,  it  was 
made  felony  (in  England)  '  to  cut  out 
any  person's  tongue,  or  to  put  out  his 
eyes ;  crimes,  which,'  the  act  says, 
'  were  very  frequent.'  " — Moore's  Histo- 
ry of  Ireland.  See  also,  Lingard,  Hume, 
ifc. 

"  IVlicn  the  nobles  of  Ireland  had 
heard,  f^c.  From  the  fact  that  Irish 
chieftanis  liad  been  accustomed  to  em- 
ploy foreign  mercenaries  in  their  domes- 
tic wars,  neither  they  nor  the  monarch 
Ruaidri  seem  to  have  been  conscious, 
neither  now,  nor  long  after  the  present 
time,  of  the  danger  that  threatened  their 


national  independence,from  the  Normau 
mercenaries  of  the  King  of  Leinster. — 
Amongst  the  various  entries  under  the 
year  1169,  Euaidri's  march  into  Lein- 
ster, and  the  peace  he  concluded  with 
Mac  ]\Iurcadlia,  is  thus  cursorily  set 
down  by  our  annalists  :  "  The  King  of 
Ireland  afterwards  proceeded  into 
Leinster ;  and  'IMghernan  Ua  Ruairc, 
lord  of  Brefni.  and  Diarmaid  O'Mael- 
sechlainn.  King  of  Temhair,  and  the 
foreigners  of  j\th-cliath,  went  to  meet 
the  men  of  Munster,  Leinster  and  Os- 
raide ;  and  they  set  nothing  hy  the 
Flcnnnings  ;  and  Diarmaid  Sfac  Mur- 
cadha  gave  his  son  as  a  liostage  to 
Ruaidri  Ua  Concobair." — Four  Mas- 
ters. 

In  the  previous  year,  Eri  had  seen  for 
the  last  time,  her  princes,  nobles  and  peo- 
ple assembled  for  the  last  time  at  the 
ancient  royal  fair  of  Talti,  which  "  was 
cck:brated  on  this  occasion  by  the 
King  of  Ireland,  and  the  men  of  Ixtb 
Cuinn,  and  their  horses  and  cavalry 
were  spread  out  from  Mullach  Ati  (now 
the  Hill  of  Loyd,  near  Kells)  to  Mul- 
lach Taltenn,"  (now  the  summit  of  Tell- 
town,  a  space  of  si.x  miles.) 


THE    HISTORY    OF   lEELAND.  621 

to  save  himself  from  the  numerous  army  led  by  Euaidri.  Here- 
upon, when  Euaidii  perceived  that  his  enemies  had  no  intention 
of  giving  him  battle,  he  sent  messengers  to  Eobert  Fitz-Stepheu, 
commanding  him  to  leave  the  countr}^,  on  the  grounds  that  he 
had  no  right  to  any  inheritance  therein.  But  to  these  messen- 
gers Fitz-Stephen  replied  that  he  would  never  forsake  the  lord 
with  whom  he  had  come  to  Ireland,  His  messengers  returned 
indue  time  to  Euaidri  with  this  answer;  and  then,  when  he 
found  that  neither  Mac  Murcadha,  nor  the  Gauls  w^ould  quit 
the  country  upon  any  condition,  he  prepared  to  fall  upon  them 
with  the  full  force  of  the  large  army  under  his  command,  and 
thus  to  crush  and  destroy  their  host.  However,  when  the  clergy 
of  Leinster  saw  that  the  country  was  in  danger  of  being  de- 
stroyed by  this  contest,  they  exerted  their  utmost  influence  to 
bring  about  a  peace  between  Euaidri  and  Diarmaid.  The  fol- 
lowing were  the  conditions  upon  which  that  peace  was  finally 
concluded ;  to  wit,  the  kingdom  of  Leinster  was  to  be  left  to 
Diarmaid,  as  it  was  his  by  right  of  inheritance,  upon  condition 
that  he  would  do  homage  for  the  same  to  Euaidri  as  his  liege 
lord,  and  submit  to  his  authority,  just  as  all  the  kings,  that  had 
ruled  Leinster  before  him,  had  been  wont  to  submit  to  all  the 
monarchs  of  Ireland,  who  had  preceded  Euaidri.  Then  as  a 
surety  for  his  observance  of  the  peace  thus  concluded,  Diarmaid 
gave  one  of  his  own  sons,  named  Art,"  to  Euaidri  as  his  host- 
age. Upon  his  part,  Euaidri  promised  to  give  his  own  sister 
in  marriage  to  Diarmaid.  Upon  the  completion  of  these  condi- 
tions, they  separated  from  one  another  in  peace.  But  before 
they  did  so,  Diarmaid  promised  Euaidri  that  he  would  bring 
over  no  more  Gauls  into  Ireland. 


Arrival   of  Maurice  Fitz-Oerald. 

It  was  not  long  after  the  conclusion  of  this  peace,  when  Maur- 
ice Fitz-Gerald  arrived  in  Ireland,  both  in  fulfilment  of  his  own 
compact  with  Mac  Murcadha,  and  in  order  to  receive  the  re- 
ward which,  during  the  past  harvest,  the  latter  had  promised  to 
bestow  upon  him,  and  upon  Eobert  Fitz-Stephen,  provided  they 
would  come  to  Ireland  to  aid  him  in  the  recovery  of  his  own 
territories.     The  force  that  followed  Maurice  upon  this  occasion, 

^  Named  Art.    According    to    the  his  country  to  implant  his  foreign  allies 

Faur  Masters,  the   name  of  this   sou  in  the  land,  by  the  subjugation  of  the 

would  appear  to  have  been  Concobar.  Danish  feudatories  of  the  kingdom  of 

After  this  unfortunate  treaty  was  con-  Leinster,  as  well  as  the  refractory  tribes 

eluded,   Euaidri    drew  off  his  army,  of  his  own  kindred, 
thus  allowing  the  treacherous  enemy  of 


622  THE   HISTORY  OF   IRELAND. 

consisted  of  ten  kniglits,  thirty  esquires,  and  one  hundred  foot- 
men. And  where  they  made  tlieir  first  landing  was  at  Loch 
Garman  ;  and  then,  no  sooner  did  Mac  I^furcadha  and  Eobert 
Fitz-Stcphen  hear  of  his  arrival,  tlian  they  came  to  this  place  to 
welcome  him. 

It  was  now  that  Mac  AEurcadha  called  to  mind  all  the  injuries 
that  the  inhabitants  of  Ath-cliath  had  committed  towards  both 
himself  and  his  fother  before  him  ;"'  and  for  this  reason  did  he 
gladly  enlist  this  host  in  order  to  lead  it  thither  at  once,  and  to 
sack  that  city  therewith ;  for  he  had  to  leave  Robert  Fitz-Steph- 
en  engaged  in  building  a  castle  at  a  place  which  is  now  called 
Carraigh,  and  which  lies  two  miles  outside  Loch  Garman.  Ac- 
cordingly Diarmaid  and  Maurice  Fitz-Gerald,  attended  by  the 
the  greater  part  of  the  Gauls,  marched  into  Fine  Gall."  So  that 
they  plundered  and  burned  up  the  greater  part  of  that  territory. 
Hereupon,  when  the  burgesses  of  Ath-cliath  saw  that  the  coun- 
try all  round  their  city  was  plundered  and  laid  waste,  they  took 
counsel  together,  and  the  measure  upon  which  they  determined 
Avas  to  send  very  many  objects  of  value  and  large  presents  of  gold 
and  silver  to  Mac  Murcadha,  in  order  to  procure  a  peaceable 
settlement  of  their  quarrel  with  that  prince.  And  in  addition  to 
these  treasures,  they  likewise  sent  out  hostages  to  him  over  the 
walls  of  their  city. 

Mac   Murcadha  aspires  to  the  sovereignÍTj  of  Ireland — His  lelier  to 
Sironghow — Arrival  of  Raymond  le  Gros,  A.D.  1170. 

"When  Mac '  ^[urcadha  now  found  that  he  was  succeeding  in 
all  his  undertakings,'*  he  recalled  to  his  mind  that  the  sovereign- 
ty of  all  Ireland  had  been  possessed  by  several  of  his  own  di- 
rect ancestors,   namely,  by  Concobar  Abradh-ruadh,  Cathaeir 

**  His  father  before  him.     This  was  lin,  and  still  retains  its  ancient  appellor 

Donncatlh  Ua  Macl-na-mbo,  King  of  tion  witli  r;1i,irlit  alteration  in  tho  an- 

Txiinsfcr,  who  was  slain  in  1115  by  the  {flicized  form,  Fingal. 

Irish  Danes  of  Dublin,  connnanded  by  "  Sxtcceeding  in  all  his  imdertnldvp^s. 

their  lord.  Doninall,  son  of  Murkcrtacli  His  success  Avas  as  yoi  confined  to  the 

Mor  O'Briain.  taking  of  Wexford,  the  submission  of 

"  Fine  Gall,  i.  c,  the  tribe,  or  rath-  Ossory  and  Did^lin.  and  the  acluicwl- 

er,   figuratively,  the  tribe-land   of  the  cdgcnient  of  his  authority  by  some  of 

Gauls  or  strangers.     The  first  part  of  theseptsof  his  own  tribe — events  that, 

this   name  has  no  relation   to  Finn  or  such  was  the  state  of  isolation  in  which 

Fionn  in  Finn-Gall,  i.  e.,  a  fair-haired  the  interest  of  the  various  tribes  that 

stranger,  the  Irish  name  for  a  Norweg-  composed  the  Gaelic  nation  then  stood 

ian.     It  h  fine,  pronounced  ^ínw/í,  a  with  regard  to  one  another,  were  of 

race,  tribe,  or  kindred.     T'.ie  territory  as  little  immediate  interest  to  the  rest 

of  tlie  strangers,  i.  e.,  the  Danes,  desig-  of  the  country  as   if  they  had   takca 

natcd  by  this  name,  lies  north  of  Dub-  place  in  a  foreign  land. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  623 

Mor,*'  Labraidh  Loingsecli,  Lacgari  Lore  and  lugani  Mor,  and 
all  the  other  kings  of  this  line  who  preceded  them  upon  the 
Irish  throne.  Therefore  did  he  saj  to  himself  that  no  king  of 
these  had  ever  possessed  any  greater  power  to  uphold  him  in 
the  sovereignty  of  Ireland,  than  what  he  had  then  at  his 
own  disposal.  For  this  reason  he  took  both  Maurice  Fitz-Gerald 
and  Eobcrt  Fitz-Stephen  into  a  private  place,  and  there  ac- 
quainted them  with  his  secret  desires  upon  this  subject,  and  he 
asked  their  advice  as  to  the  measures  to  be  taken  in  furtherance 
thereof  These  men  thereupon  answered  him  with  one  accord,  nnd 
assured  him  that  it  would  be  easy  for  him  to  accomplish  his  ob- 
ject, if  he  were  only  willing  to  send  to  Saxon -land  for  more  men. 
Mac  Murcadha  then  desired  them  to  send  messengers  thither 
immediately,  with  instructions  to  invite  over  all  their  kinsmen 
and  companions ;  and  he  added  that  he  would  give  his  own 
daughter  as  Avife  either  to  Maurice  Fitz-Gerald,  or  to  Robert 
Fitz-Stephens  ;  but  neither  of  them  would  consent  to  take  her, 
because  they  remembered  that  he  had  previously  promised  her 
to  the  Earl  of  Strigul,  with  the  kingdom  of  Leinster  for  her 
portion,  as  the  reward  of  that  Earl's  aiding  him  in  recovering 
the  sovereignty  of  his  own  country.  Both  these  knights  con- 
cluded by  advising  their  ally  to  write  to  the  said  earl  at  once, 
and  to  request  of  him  to  come  over  to  Ireland  and  fulfill  his 
promises;  "And  explain  to  him,"  said  they,  "that  thou  art 
prepared  to  fulfil  thy  part  of  the  engagement,  in  as  far  as  regards 
giving  him  thy  daughter  in  marriage,  and  with  her  the  king- 
dom of  Leinster  after  thy  own  day  ;  and  tell  him  moreover  thy 
prospects  of  subjecting  the  four  provinces  of  Ireland,  which 
thou  dost  not  yet  own,  to  thy  sovereignty  and  tribute. 

Mac  Murcadha  accordingly  despatched  a  letter  to  this  effect  to 
the  earl  of  Strigul.  And  when  the  bearer  thereof  had  reached 
him,  and  when  he  had  read  the  letter,  and  had  heard  of  the 
great  power,  which  Mac  Murcadha,  Eobert  Fitz-Stephen,  and 
Maurice  Fitz-Gerald  had  acquired  in  Ireland,  he  set  out  imme- 

^  Cothaeir  Mor,  ^'c.  Mr.  Moore  as-  more  admissible,  for  his  claim  to  the 
sumes,  in  one  of  the  notes  to  his  History  sovereignty  on  the  ground  of  his  des- 
of  Ireland,  that  it  was  in  right  of  his  cent  from  Cathaeir  Mor,  his  twenty- 
maternal  descent  from  Murkertach  Mor  second  ancestor,  was  just  as  legitimate 
O'Briain,  that  Diarmaid  then  laid  in  Brehon  law,  as  those  of  Brian  Bor- 
claim  to  the  Irish  monarchy.  But,  had  omlia,  or  of  Tordelbach,  the  father  of 
he  considered  the  usages  of  the  ancient  Ruaidri,  the  actual  king.  Mac  Mur- 
Irish,  he  would  have  understood  that  a  cadha  was  himself  aware  of  this,  and, 
claim  so  founded  would  not  be  acknowl-  ruthless  destroyer  as  he  was,  he  may  be 
cged  by  a  single  Ollamh,  Brethemh  or  supposed  to  have  known  his  country- 
Bard  of  the  Gaels,  however  plausible  men  well  enough  not  to  have  shocked 
it  might  seem  to  Mac  Murcadha"s  for-  their  hereditary  prejudices  by  wantonly 
eign  friends.    Keating's  account  is  then  advancing  any  other. 


624  '  THE   HI3T0KY    OF   IRELAND. 

diately  for  the  place  where  the  King  of  Saxon-land  was  then 
staying,  and  there  he  solicited  the  permission  of  that  monarch 
to  go  and  make  a  conquest  in  whatever  country  he  had  a  mind. 
But  when  the  king  comprehended  the  object  of  liis  request,  he 
did  not  grant  him  his  request  in  full,  neither  did  he  give  him  a 
direct  refusal.  The  earl,  nevertheless,  went  off  with  the  ambig- 
uous consent  -which  he  had  received,  and  forthwith  set  about 
equipping  himself  and  his  followers  for  the  intended  expedition. 
Then,  as  he  was  not  ready  to  set  out  immediately  upon  his  voy- 
age in  person,  he  sent  off  Kaymond  le  Gros,'"  son  of  William 
Fitz-Gerald,  the  elder  brother  of  Maurice,  with  a  band  of  armed 
followers  to  go  before  him  into  Ireland. 

Upon  arriving  in  this  country,  Kaymond  effected  a  landing 
at  Dun  Domnoinn,''  four  miles  outside  of  Port  Largi,  towards 
the  south.  According  to  Stanihurst,  the  number  of  the  people 
of  this  captain  was  ten  knights  and  three  score  footmen.  As 
soon  as  landed,  they  constructed  a  fortified  embankment  of 
stones  and  clay  in  that  place. 

When  the  news  of  the  arrival  of  these  Gauls  in  their  neigh- 
borhood, had  reached  the  citizens  of  Port  Largi  and  Maelsech- 
linn  OTaelain,  King  of  the  Desi,  they  were  seized  with  hatred 
and  alarm  at  their  approach,  and  they  came  together  to  take 
counsel  as  to  how  they  should  act  upon  the  emergency.  The 
result  of  their  consultation  was,  that  they  resolved  to  attack  the 
strangers  in  their  fortress,  and  thereto  slaughter  and  destroy  them. 
They  then  assembled  their  forces  together  in  one  place,  and  the 
number  they  led  against  the  foe  amounted  to  three  thousand 
men.  W^lien  Kaymond  saw  them  approaching,  he  sallied  out 
rashly  and  unthinkingly  to  meet  and  oppose  that  numerous 
host,  and  to  give  them  battle  with  the  small  band  under  his  com- 
mand.    But  when  he  found  that  he  was  not  strong  enough  to 

*■  Raymond  Ic  Grris ;  i.  c.  Raymond  llicy  purposed  to  await  the  arrival  of 

the  Big.     "  This  young  officer,  wliose  .Strongbow.     The  engagement  between 

name  was  Raymond  Fitz-William,  but  these  invaders  and  tiie  citizens  of  Wa- 

who  bore  the  cognomen   Le  Gros,  as  a  tcrford,   aided    by   OTaelain,   is   not 

personal  characteristic,  was  of  the  same  mentioned  by  the  Four  Masters.    It  is, 

noble   race  whence   sprung   so   many  no   doubt,    exaggerated     here.      Mr. 

others  of  the  leaders  of  this  Irish  ex-  Moore  tells  us  that  the  Irish  had  pur- 

pedition,  being  the  second  son  of  Wil-  sued  Raymond's  force  into  the  fort,  and 

liam  Fitz-Gerald,  and  nepliew  l)oth  to  that  it  was  when   tluis  pressed,  that 

Maurice  Fitz  Gtiraid,  and  Roljert  Fitz-  Raymond  turned  round  and  struck  the 

Stephen." — Moore.  foremost  of  those  who  were  within  the 

"'  Dun  Dimnainn,  now  called  Down-  gates  through  the  body,  and  then,  this 

donnell,  near  Watorford.      Ilervcy  do  example  having  animated  his  band  and 

Monte-Marisco,  and  some  otlier  knights  dismayed  his  assailants,  lie  sallied  out 

joined  him  soon  after  his  landing,  and  again  at  the  head  of  his  small  f<»ra%  when 

here  they  erected  a  small  fort,  where  the  whole  multitude  fled  in  dismay. 


THE   HISTORY  OF   IRELAND,  625 

engage  his  assailants  in  the  field,  he  began  to  retreat  with  his 
face  to  the  foe,  towards  the  entrenchment  which  he  had  previ- 
iously  constructed.  However,  upon  finding  his  enemies  press- 
ing upon  his  rear,  he  turned  upon  his  pursuers  with  hardihood, 
and  flinging  himself  upon  them,  he  made  an  incredible  slaught- 
er of  that  large  host  of  the  Gaels,  so  that,  besides  what  he  killed, 
he  maimed  and  wounded^^  five  hundred,  of  their  men  in  the  course 
of  that  one  hour. 

Arrival  of  Richard  dc  Clare,  Earl  of  Slrigul  and  Pemhrohe — com- 
monly called  Earl  jSironghow,  A.  D.  1170 

On  the  approach  of  the  feast  of  St.  Bartholemew,  the  Earl  of 
Strigul  arrived  in  Ireland  in  person  ;  and  the  number  of  his  fol- 
lowers was  two  hundred  Knights,  and  one  thousand  Esquires, 
archers,  and  soldiers  of  every  other  description.  And  the  place 
where  he  cast  anchor  was  in  the  harbor  of  Port  Largi. 

When,  indeed,  the  news  of  the  arrival  of  the  Earl  of  Strigul 
had  spread  throughout  Ireland,  Mac  Murcadha,  attended  by 
the  nobles  of  Leinster,  together  with  Robert  Fitz-Stephens, 
Maurice  Fitz-Gerald  and  Raymond  le  Gros  came  to  meet  him, 
full  of  joy  and  hope.  Next  day  they  marched  by  common  con- 
sent to  attack  and  capture  Port  Largi, ^'  and  when  they  had 
come  under  that  city,  they  set  themselves  determinately  about 
taking  it  by  a  simultaneous  assault.  And  then,  in  addition  to 
the  hardships  which  they  had  previously  inflicted  upon  the  in- 
habitants of  this  city,  having  taken  the  walls  by  storm,  they 

"  H"  maimed  and  wounded,  ^c.  Of  inhabitants  of  this  city  had  previously 
these,  seventy  of  the  principal  citizens  allowed  themselves  to  be  shamefully 
of  Port  Largi,  or  Waterford,  were  beaten  by  the  small  band  of  Raymond, 
taken  prisoners  in  the  rout.  For  their  and  had  allowed  him  to  remain  for  three 
ransom  large  sums  of  money  were  of-  months  unmolested  in  their  ueighbor- 
fered  by  their  fellow-citizens,  who  even  hood,  they  now  made  a  rather  vigorous 
proffered  to  surrender  their  city  itself  resistance  to  the  more  formidable  army 
to  the  strangers  as  the  price  of  their  of  Strongbow.  With  the  aid  of  OTae- 
friends'  liberation.  But  their  fate  was  lain,  prince  of  the  Desi,  they  twice  re- 
left  to  a  council  of  war,  where,  by  the  pulsed  their  assailants.  At  length 
persuasion  of  Hervé  de  Monte-Marisco,  Eaymond  le  Gros,  perceiving  a  small 
and  against  the  will  of  Eaymond,  it  house  projecting  on  timber  props  from 
was  determined  that  they  should  be  the  east  angle  of  the  wall,  ordered  some 
executed,  for  the  pnrpose  of  "  striking  of  his  knights  to  hew  down  these 
terror  into  the  Irish."  They  were  ac-  props,  so  that  the  house  fell,  and  with 
cordingly  borne  away  to  the  rocks,  and  it  part  of  the  wall.  A  breach  being 
there  most  cruelly  put  to  death,  by  first  thus  opened,  the  troops  poured  into  the 
breaking  their  limbs,  and  then  casting  city,  and  there  took  dreadful  revenge 
them  headlong  into  the  sea. — See  for  the  resistance  they  had  encountered 
Moore.  by  a  general  slaughter   of  all  whom 

"  Port  Largi  captured.  Though  the  they  met. — See  Moore. 
40 


626 


THE   HISTORY    OF   IRELAND. 


rushed  into  the  interior,  and  massacred  every  person  upon  whom 
they  could  lay  hands.  Nevertheless,  at  the  request  of  Mac 
Murcadha,  they  spared  the  Life  of  Maelsechlainn  O'E'a-.dain, 
King  of  the  Desi,  whom  they  had  there  captured. 

Mac  Murcadha  had  on  this  occasion  brought  with  him  liis 
daughter,  who  was  named  Aeifi,^*  to  meet  the  earl,  and  to  him 
she  was  immediately  married  at  this  place.  And  then,  as  soon 
as  that  alliance  was  duly  ratified  by  all  parties,  the  carl,  having 
left  a  strong  garrison  in  Port  Largi,''  immediately  led  forth  his 
army  against  Ath-cliath, 

Now,  there  was  not  upon  earth  any  man  whom  the  citizens 
of  Dublin  more  hated  to  see  approaching  them  than  Mac  Mur- 
cadha, thus  attended  by  those  Gauls;  and,  upon  his  side,  Mae 
Murca<lha  was  equally  full  of  hatred  and  enmity  towards  them, 
for  it  was  they  that  had  slain  his  fatlier,  whom  they  then  buried 
insultingly  and  ignobh",  by  placing  him  in  one  grave  with 
a  dead  dog,  as  a  mark  of  contempt.  Therefore  were  the  folk  of 
Ath-cliath  seized  with  terror  upon  the  approach  of  that  army  of  the 
Gauls,  and  of  the  full  strength  of  Leinster  now  marching  against 
them.  For  this  reason  they  deputed  the  Archbishop  of  Ath-cliath, 
namely,  Lorcan  O'Tuathail,*"  as  their  ambassador  to   solicit  a 


"*  Aeifi.  The  Normans  called  her 
Eva.  Mac  Murcadha  was  doubly  a 
traitor  in  granting  the  inheritance  of 
the  kingdom  of  Leinster  to  the  hus- 
liand  of  this  lady  ;  for  he  knew  that  not 
one  of  the  royal  tribes  in  Leinster,  who 
were  every  man  of  them  legitimately  as 
eligible  to  the  chieftancy  as  himself, 
would  acknowledge  such  a  title  one 
hour  longer  than  external  force  com- 
pelled them.  And  so  we  read  in  the 
subsequent  annals  of  Ireland,  of  several 
Kings  of  Leinster,  of  the  ancient  regal 
and  direct  line,  some  of  whom,  as  the 
brave  Art  Mac  Murcadha  O'Caemha- 
naigh,  forced  involuntary  homage  to 
their  regal  titles  even  from  the  Norman 
colonists,  but  we  do  not  find  one  man, 
styled  King  of  Leinster  by  either  Eng- 
lish or  Irish,  of  those  that  sprung  from 
Aeifi  and  Riclianl  de  (Jlarc. 

The  arrival  of  Strougbow  and  tak- 
ing of  Waterford,  is  thus  entered  by 
the  Four  Masters.  "  A.  D.  1170. 
Richard,  son  of  Gilbert,  i.  e.  Earl 
Strongbow,  came  from  Saxon-land  into 
Ireland  with  a  numerous  force,  and 
many  knights  and  archers,  in  the  ar- 


my of  Mac  Murcadha,  to  contest  Lein- 
ster for  him,  and  to  disturb  the  Gaels 
of  Ireland  in  general  ;  and  Mac  Mur- 
cadha gave  his  daughter  to  Earl  Strong- 
bow  for  coming  into  his  army.  He 
took  Loch  Garman,  and  entered  Port 
Largi  by  force  ;  and  they  took  prisoner 
Gilla-Mari,  the  oiScer  of  the  fortress, 
and  Ua  Faelain,  lord  of  the  Dusi,  and 
his  son,  and  they  killed  seven  hundred 
persons  tliere." 

^  A  slrong  garrison  at  Port  Larrji. 
Waterford  was  soon  after  retaken  by 
Mac  Carthaigh,  and  the  Eoganachta. 
Under  this  same  year,  we  are  told  ^^hat 
"  a  victory  was  gained  by  the  son  of 
Connac,  grandson  of  (Jarthacli,  and 
the  people  of  Desmond,  over  the 
kniglits  who  were  left  to  guard  Port 
Largi."— F.  M. 

■"  Lorcnn  (y  Tuathail.  He  is  bettor 
known  as  St.  Lawrence  O'Toole.  "  This 
great  and  good  man,"  says  Mr.  Moore. 
"  who  was  destined  to  act  a  distinguisli- 
cd  part  in  the  coming  crisis  of  his 
country's  fate,  po.ssessed  qualities  both 
of  mind  and  heart  which  would  have 
rendered  him  an  ornament  to  any  com- 


THE   HISTORY   OF  IRELAND. 


627 


peaceful  settlement  from  the  earl,  and  to  him  the  said  archbishop 
promised  large  presents  and  hostages  from  the  folk  of  the  city, 
provided  lie  would  grant  them  peace  and  protection.  However, 
whilst  they  were  arranging  the  terms  upon  which  they  requii-ed 
peace  was  to  have  been  ratified,  Raymond  le  Gros  accompanied 
by  Milo  de  Cogan,  and  a  number  of  other  young  knights,  who 
were  stationed  upon  the  other  side  of  the  city,  found  means  of 
effecting  a  breach  in  its  fortifications,  through  which  they  made 
an  entry  and,  rushing  upon  the  inhabitants,  slaughtered  every 
person  upon  whom  they  could  lay  hands  therein.  Having 
thus  gained  possession  of  Ath-cliath,*'  they  made  but  a  short 
stay  in  that  place.  However,  the  earl  left  Milo  de  Cogan,  and 
a  certain  number  of  his  armed  followers  to  hold  possession  of 
the  city  as  its  garrison. 

Then  Mac  Murcadha,  cherishing  vengeance  and  hatred  to- 
wards O'Ruairc,  King  of  Brefni,  led  the  united  armies  of  the 
Gauls  and  Gaels  into  the  country  of  that  prince,  and  he  soon 
succeeded  in  plundering  and  burning  the  territories  of  Brefni, 


o 


munity,  however  advanced  in  civiliza^ 
tion,  and  public  virtue."  Speaking  of 
the  present  taking  of  Dublin,  we  read 
that,  "  in  the  midst  of  the  slaughter 
and  massacre,  the  great  and  good  St. 
Lawrence  (Lorcan)  was  seen  expos- 
ing himself  to  every  danger,  and 
even,  as  his  biographer  describes  him, 
dragging  from  the  enemies'  hands  the 
palpitating  bodies  of  the  slain,  to 
have  them  decently  interred.  He  also 
succeeded  at  great  risk  in  prevailing 
on  the  new  authorities  to  retain  most 
of  the  clergy  in  their  situations,  and 
recovered  from  the  plunderers  the 
books  and  ornaments  belonging  to  the 
several  churches." — Moore. 

"  Ath-diath  taken.  The  state  of  dis- 
cord and  anarchy  that  ensued  after  the 
taking  of  Dublin,  may  be  estimated  by 
the  following  extracts  from  the  entries 
of  some  of  the  events  of  the  year  1170. 
By  them  may  be  seen  that  the  powerful 
toparchs  of  ]S[eath,  Oirghialla,  and 
Thomond,  had  then  thrown  off  their 
submission  to  the  Irish  monarch.  '•  An 
army  was  led  by  Ruaidri,  King  of  Ire- 
land ;  O'Ruairc,  lord  of  Brefni ;  and 
O'Kerbaill,  lord  of  Oirghialla,  against 
the  Leiusterraen  and  their  foreign  al- 
lies ;  and  there  was  a  challenge  of  bat- 


tle between  them  for  the  space  of  three 
days,  until  lightning  burned  Ath- 
cliath  ;  for  the  Danes  of  that  fortress 
had  deserted  from  the  Connaughtmen 
and  the  people  of  Leth  Cuiun.  A 
miracle  was  now  wrought  against  the 
Danes  of  Ath-cliath,  for  Mac  Murcad- 
ha and  the  Saxons  acted  treacherously 
towards  them,  and  made  a  slaughter  of 
them  in  the  middle  of  their  own  for- 
tress, and  carried  off  their  cattle  and 
their  goods,  in  consequence  of  the  vio- 
lation of  their  word  to  the  men  of  Ire- 
land. 

"  An  army  was  led  by  Mac  Murcadha 
and  his  knights  into  Meath  and  Bref- 
ni, and  they  plundered  Cluain-Iraird, 
and  burned  Kenannus,  Kill  Taltenn, 
Dubadh,  Slani,  Tuilen,  Kill  Sgiri,  and 
Disert  Kiarain  ;  and  they  afterwards 
made  a  predatory  incursion  into  Tir 
Briuin  (Brefni),  and  carried  off  many 
prisoners  and  cows  to  their  camp." 

The  hostages  of  Diarmaid  Mac  Mur- 
cadha, were  put  to  death  by  Ruaidri 
OConcobair,  King  of  Ireland,  at  Ath- 
Luain  ;  namely,  Concobar,  son  of  Diar- 
maid, and  Diarm.aid's  grandson,  the  son 
of  Domnall  Caemhanach ;  and  Ua 
O'Caellaighe,  the  son  of  his  foster- 
brother. 


628  THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 

and  in  gaining  great  advantages  both  over  O'Ruairc,  and  every 
other  Iiish  chieftain,  that  he  went  against. 

At  length,  when  Euaidri  O'Concobriir,  who  was  king  of  Con- 
uaught  and  the  greater  part  of  Irehnid,  saw  that  Mac  ^turca- 
dha  had  violated  the  peace  which  had  been  made  between 
them,  he  sent  ambassadors  to  that  prince  to  complain  of  his 
breach  of  the  conditions  upon  which  it  had  been  granted, 
and  to  reproach  him  with  having  brought  over  more  Gauls 
into  Ireland,  without  his  own  permission  or  advice.  And 
when  the  king's  ambassadors  had  come  in  the  presence  of 
Mac  Murcadha,  they  addressed  him  in  these  terms  :  "  We  now 
know  that  thou  hast  not  any  regard  either  for  thy  oaths  or  for 
the  safety  of  thy  son,  whom  thou  hast  delivered  up  on  thy  part 
as  a  hostage  for  the  maintenance  of  peace.  Therefore  does  Ru- 
aidri  O'Concobair,  King  of  Connaught,  declare  to  thee  that 
he  will  send  thee  thy  son's  head,  unless  thou  wilt  consent  to  put 
away  those  foreigners  from  thee,  and  that,  unless  this  be  done, 
he  will  not  then  be  satisfied  with  anything  less  than  driving 
thee  again  into  exile  to  Saxon-land."  Mac  ^lurcadha  replied  to 
this  message  by  saying  that  he  would  not  only  not  send  away 
the  foreigners  at  tlie  command  of  Euaidri,  but  that  he  would 
even  invite  over  others  besides  those  already  in  the  country. 
He  added,  moreover,  that  he  never  would  make  peace  with  any 
portion  of  the  Gaelic  nation,  until  he  had  gained  possession  of 
all  Ireland.  His  ambassadors  then  returned  to  Euaidri,  to 
whom  they  made  known  the  answer  which  they  had  received 
from  Mac  Murcadha,  whereat  he  was  seized  with  exceeding  great 
wrath.  Besides  this,  the  fame  of  the  valorous  deeds  of  the  Gal- 
lic invaders  had  now  so  spread  throughout  all  the  land,  that  the 
men  of  Ireland  Avere  filled  with  hatred  and  dismay  at  their  ap- 
proach. 

Domnall  Brcaghach  and  the  men  of  fleet  upon  the  Sliannon    to  plunder 

East  ^feath  turned  against  Ui  Ruairc  Munsf er.   7'he  Ui  Maui  made  a  preda- 

and  Ua  Concobair,  and  delivered  host-  tory  ÍDCiirsion  into  Orraond,  in  which 

ages  to  Mac  Murcadha.     ITie  hostages  they  plundered,  and  they  destroyed  the 

of  East  Meath  were  put  to  death  by  Ua  wooden   bridge  of  Kill-da-luadh.      A 

Ruairc.     Mac  Murcadha  led  an   army  pred:it(jry  incursion  was  made  by  the 

into  Brcfni,  where  a  party  of  his  peo-  peo])li'  ol'  West  Connaught  into  Tho- 

ple  were  defeated  by  the  soldiers  of  Ua  mond. 

Ruairc  ;  and  they  afterwards  made  an  A  predatory  incursion  was  made  by 

attack  upon  the  camp  in  which  he  him-  Tighcrnan    Ua   Ruairc   into   (Jalenga 

self  was  with  the  Ijcinstermcn,  Gauls,  and  Saitlini,  (in  Meath)  whence  he  car- 

and  the  men  of  Meath  and  Oirghialla  ried  off  many  cows.     A  jjrcdatory  in- 

about  him,  and  they  slew  numbers  of  cursion  was   made   by  the   Oirghialla 

them,  and  then  left  their  camp.  (now,  aj)parently,  the  allies  of  the  King 

Domnall  Ua  Briain  and  the  Dal  g-  of  Leinsterj  into  Tir  Briuin  (O'Ruairc'3 

Cais  turned  against  the  monarch.   Ru-  country). — Four  Masters. 
aidri  Ua  Concobair  brought  a  great 


THE   HISTORY   OF  IRELAND.  629 

In  the  meantime  accounts  from  the  earl  and  his  followers,  had 
reached  Saxoii-land;  and  when  the  king  of  that  country  had 
heard  the  rumoi-s  that  were  afloat  about  their  proceedings,  he 
made  proclamation  that  no  ship  or  bark  should  sail  to  Ire- 
land from  any  of  the  countries  that  belonged  to  himself,  and 
that  there  should  be  no  trade  or  communication  kept  up  with 
that  country  by  any  of  his  subjects.  He  likewise  made  procla- 
mation to  all  those  who  had  gone  from  Saxon-land  into  Ireland, 
to  return  forthwith  to  their  homes,  under  the  pcnalt}'-  of  for 
ever  losing  their  properties.  Upon  this,  when  the  earl  saw  that 
his  people  would  be  compelled  to  leave  him  by  the  proclama- 
tion of  the  king,  he  proceeded  to  take  counsel  with  them  as  to 
what  was  to  be  done  in  the  emergency.  Thereupon,  the  step 
that  seemed  most  advisable  to  them  was,  to  send  Kaymond  le 
Gros  to  the  King  of  Saxon-land,  with  instructions  to  explain  to 
that  monarch  that  it  was  with  his  own  consent  and  approbati<jn 
that  both  the  earl  himself  and  all  the  Gauls,  then  under  his  com- 
mand, had  passed  over  into  Ireland  for  the  purpose  of  aiding 
and  assisting  a  man  that  had  promised  to  pay  him  homage  and 
vassalage,  namely,  Diarmaid  Mac  Murcadha,  King  of  Leinster; 
and  they  told  him  to  assure  their  king,  that  it  was  subject  to  his 
will  that  they  wished  to  hold  whatever  conquests  they  had  made 
in  Ireland,  as  well  as  all  the  benefits  they  had  received  from 
Mac  Murcadha. 

Raymond  then  proceeded  with  this  expostulation  to  the  king 
of  Saxon-land  ;  and  Gascony  was  the  place  where  that  king  was 
then  staying ;  and  it  was  the  year  in  which  St.  Thomas,  Bishop 
of  Canterbury,  was  murdered  on  the  fifth  day  of  Christmas, 
in  the  year  of  our  Lord,  one  thousand  one  hundred  and  seventy- 
one. 

It  was  in  the  course  of  the  following  month  of  May,  tha,t 
Diarmaid  Mac  Murcadha,  King  of  Leinster,  died,^^  and  he  was 
buried  at  Ferna  Mor  of  St.  Maedog. 

^  Diarmaid   Mac   Murcadha    died,  will,    without    penance,   without    the 

"  A.  D.  1171,  Diarmaid  Mac  Murcadha,  Body  of  Christ,  without  unction,  as  his 

King  of  Leinster,  a  man  by  whom  a  evil  deeds  deserved."  — Jt/.      Diarmaid 

trembling  sod  was  made  of  all  Ireland,  is     thus     described     by    Cambrensis : 

after  having  brought  over  the  Saxons,  "  This   Dermicius  was  a   man  of  tall 

after  having  done  extensive  injuries  to  stature  and   large  frame,  warlike   and 

the  Irish,  after  plundering  and  burning  daring  among  his  nation,  and  of  hoarse 

many  churches,  as  Kenannus,    Cluain  voice,  by  reason  of  his  frequent  and  con- 

Iraird,  &c.,  died   of  an   unknown   dis-  tinuous  shouting  in  batie.   He  desired 

ease,  for  he  became  putrid  while  living  to  be  feared  rather  than  to  be  loved  ;  he 

through  the  miracle   of  God,  Colum-  oppressed  the   noble  and  elevated  the 

Kille  and  Finnen,  and  the  other  saints  lowly  ;  he  was  the  enemy  of  his  coun- 

of  Ireland,   whose   churches    he   had  trymeu  ;  he   was   hated   by  strangers, 

burned  and  profaned  ;  and  he  died   at  The  hand  of  all  men  was  against  him, 

Ferna  Mor  (Ferns)  without  making  a  and  his  hand  was  against  all." 


630  THE   HISTORY    OF    IRELAND. 

Arrival  of  Henry  IT.  in  Ireland.,  on  the  18lh  of  October.,  A.  D. 

1171. 

The  king  soon  after  returned  into  Saxon-land,  and,  when 
arrived  there,  lie  dispatched  one  of  his  people,  a  knight  named 
Hervt'  de  Moute-Marisco,  in  company  with  Raymond  le  Gi'os,  to 
Ireland,  with  a  letter  to  the  earl  of  Strigul,  wherein  he  com- 
manded him  to  return  into  Saxon-land  without  any  delay ;  and 
when  these  had  reached  Ireland,  and  Hervé  delivered  his  king'.s 
message  to  the  earl,  the  latter  immediately  returned  to  Saxon-land 
in  his  company ;  and,  when  arrived  there,  he  came  before  his  sove- 
reign, and  promised  that  he  would  deliver  up  Port  Largi,  Ath- 
cliath  and  the  seaport  towns  of  Leinster  to  him  and  to  his  heirs, 
forever,  provided  he  would  allow  the  province  of  Leinster  to  be 
possessed  b}'  him.self  and  his  posterity.  Then,  when  a  compact 
to  this  effect  had  been  conducted  between  them,  the  king  set  out 
for  Ireland  in  the  earl's  company,  attended  by  a  numerous  army, 
and  cast  anchor  in  the  harbor  of  Port  Largi,  in  the  year  of  our 
Lord,  one  thousand  one  hundred  and  one.  Five  hundred  knights, 
together  with  a  large  force  of  cavalry  and  infantry,  was  the 
strength  of  his  host."" 

At  Port  Largi  the  king  remained  for  some  time,  and  thither 
came  the  nobles  of  the  Gauls,  who  had  been  previously  in  Ire- 

^"  The  .itrenrrfh  of  his  host.    ''Henry  Ireland.     Many  were  slaughtered   on 

11.  landed  at  Crook,  in  the  county  of  both  sides — as  well  Saxon  knigiits  as 

Waterlbrd,  on  the  18th  of  Octol)or,  Danes  of  Ath-cliath.     Asgall,  son  of 

1171.    He  was  accompanied  by  Stronir-  Raíí-hnull.  fell  therein, and  Koan  (John), 

bow,  William  Fitz-Aldelm,  Humphrey  a  Dane  from  Inis  h-Orc  (Orkney  Isles), 

de  Bohun,  llughde  Lacy,  liobert  Fitz-  and  numbers  besides  them. 

Barnard,  and  many  other  lords.     His  An  army  was  led  by  Ruaidri   Ua 

whole  force,  which,  according  to  the  Concobair.  Tighernan  Ua  Rnairc,  and 

most  authentic  English  accounts,  was  Murcadh  Ua  Kerbaill  to  Ath-cliath.  to 

distributed  into  400  ships,  consisted  of  lay  siege  to  Earl  Strongbo^v  and  Milo 

500  knights  and  about  4,000  men  at  de  Cogan.     There  were  conflicts  and 

anns.'' — U'Donovan.  skirmishes  between  them  for  the  space 

I'revious  to  the  landing  of  Henry,  of  a  fortiiiglit.     After  this,  O'Conco- 

and  subsctiuent  to  the  death  of  Diar-  bair   went    against   the   Lcinstermen, 

maid,  the  Irish  annals  contain  the  fol-  with  the  cavah-y  of  the  men  of  Brefni 

lowing   brief  entries,  relative   to   the  and  Oirgliialla,  to  cut  down  and  burn 

events  in  which  the  foreign  mercenaries  the  corn  of  the  .Saxons.     The  earl  and 

of  tiie  Irish  traitor  were  concerned  :  Milo  de  Cogan  then  entered  the  camp 

'■A.   D.   1171,    Daimliag    Kianain  of  Letli  (hiinn,  and  slew  many  of  their 

(Duleek  of  8t.  Kianan)  was  plundered  commonalty,  and  carried  oif  their  pro- 

by  the  knights  of  Milo  de  Cogan,  some  visions,  armor,  and  honscs. 

of  whom  were  slain  on  the  following  A  victory  was  gained  by  the  sou  of 

day  by  the  Danes  of  Ath-cliath  in  re-  Cormac    Mac    Carthaigh    over     the 

veiige   of    (St.)  Kianan. — The   battle  Danes  of  Luimnech,  numbers  of  whom 

of  Ath-cliath  was  fought  between  Milo  were  slain  by   him;   and   he   burned 

dc  Cogan  and  Asgall,  who  had  been  their  market  and  half  their  fortress, 
some  lime  before  king  of  the  Danes  of 


THE   HISTORY  OF   IREI,AND. 


631 


land,  together  with  the  Igirgcsses  of  Loch  Garman,  to  present  him 
with  their  homage,  and  to  do  him  honor.  Thither,  also,  caine 
Diarmaid  Mac  Carthaigh,  king  of  Coreach,""'  who  there  made  act 
of  homage  and  vassalage  in  liis  presence.  The  knig  proceeded 
to  Cashel,  and  thither  Doranall  O'Briain  came  to  meet  him,  and 
to  make  act  of  homage  and  vassalage  similar  to  that  which  Mac 
Carthaigh  had  already  made.  Upon  this,  Henry  placed  a  garri- 
son of  his  own  men  in  Corcach,  and  Luimnech.  After  these, 
the  other  nobles  of  Munster  presented  him  with  like  acts  of 
homage  and  honor.  He  then  returned  to  Port  Largi,  where 
he  was  met  by  the  king  of  Osraide,  who  made  his  submission 
after  the  example  of  the  other  kings.  The  king  next  marched 
to  the  city  of  Ath-cliath,  whither  the  Gaels  of  Leinster  came  to 
pay  him  like  acts  of  homage,  and  to  do  him  honor. 

ISÍOW,  indeed,  when  Euaidri  O'Concobair,  king  of  Connaught 
and  of  the  greater  part  of  Ireland,  had  perceived  that  the  majori- 


An  array  was  led  by  Ua  Euairc, 
with  the  men  of  Brefni  Oirghialla,  a 
second  time,  to  Atli-cliath,  where  they 
made  battle  with  Mile  de  Cogan  and 
his  knights,  in  which  battle  the  men 
of  Brei'ni  and  Oirghialla  were  defeat- 
ed ;  and  Aedh,  sou  of  Tighernan  Ua 
Ruairc,  and  the  grandson  of  Diarmaid 
Ua  Cuinn,were  slain,  with  many  others. 

A  predatory  incursion  was  made  by 
the  son  of  the  earl,  and  he  plundered 
the  churches  of  Magh  Laighen,  and 
many  of  the  Ui  Faelaiu. — A  predatory 
incursion  was  made  by  the  son  of  the 
earl,  in  which  he  plundered  Cluain 
Conari,  Galinni,  and  Lathrach  Briuin. 

The  fleet  of  Connaught  upon  the 
Siuainn  and  upon  Locli  Deirg-deirc 
from  [the  season  of]  Samhain  to  Bel- 
tani. — A  peace  was  made  by  Domnall 
Breaghach  with  Ua  Euairc,  and  the 
people  of  East  ]\Ieath  came  into  his 
[Ua  Ruairc's]  house. 

The  King  of  England,  the  second 
Henry,  Duke  of  Normandy  and  Aqui- 
taine,  and  Earl  of  Andegavia,  and 
Lord  of  many  other  countries,  came  to 
Ireland  this  year.  Two  hundred  and 
forty  was  the  number  of  his  ships,  and 
he  put  in  at  Port  Largi."— F.  M. 

'""  King  of  Corcach,  i.  e.,  king  of 
Desmond,  of  which  Corcach  or  Cork 
was  the  most  important  city.  There 
can  be  no  doubt  but  that  Mac  Cart- 
haigh and  the  other  Irish  toparchs,  in 


making  their  submission  to  ilcnry,  did 
not  consider  that  they  were  thereby 
making  over  to  the  head  of  a  company 
of  monopolizing  land-jobbers  the  ter- 
ritorial property  of  the  several  tribes 
of  Saer  Clanna,  or  Free  Clans,  of  which 
they  were  but  the  temporary  guardi- 
ans. They  could  not  transmit  any 
such  exclusive  property  in  these  lands 
to  their  own  children,  and  very  proba- 
bly deemed  that,  in  doing  homage  to 
Henry,  they  but  yielded  to  a  tempor- 
ary emergency  in  performing  an  idle 
ceremony,  all  consequences  of  which 
would  pass  away,  as  soon  as  the  im- 
mediate political  pressure  should  be 
removed.  Such  submissions  were  cus- 
tomary amongst  their  own  nation — for 
example,  such  was  that  of  Maelsech- 
lainn  Mor  to  Brian  Boromha — and  such 
had  been  the  submissions  and  the  host- 
ages delivered  from  lime  immemorial 
by  the  weaker  to  the  more  powerful 
chieftains.  They  affected  these  chiefs 
themselves  personally,  but  rarely  dis- 
turbed [except  in  case  of  thorough 
conquest]  the  free  ownership  of  their 
kinsmen  in  the  common  inheritance  of 
the  lands  of  their  tribes.  The  event  has 
turned  out  otherwise  than  these  chiefs 
had  then  expected,  and  their  cowardly 
temporizing  has  been  punished  by  the 
almost  total  conversion  of  their  several 
descendants  into  the  class  of  Helots  in 
the  land  of  their  inheritance. 


632  THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 

ty  of  his  provincial  kings,  both  those  J:hat  paid  him  rent  and 
tributes,  us  well  as  tliose  to  whom  he  had  liimself  given  wages 
and  stipends,  had  placed  themselves  under  the  protection  of  the 
king  of  Saxon-land,  he  considered  in  his  own  mind  that  he 
would  be  less  disgraced,  by  offering  voluntary  homage,  than  by 
being  forced  to  submit  to  it  against  his  will.  Thereupon,  Henr}' 
sent  two  of  his  people  to  hold  an  interview  with  Euaidri  O'Con- 
cobair;  and  the  persons  so  deputed  were  Hugo  de  Lacy  and 
William  Fitz-Aldelm.  Euaidri  came  to  meet  these  as  far  as  the 
bank  of  the  Sinainn,  where  he  made  peace  and  friendship  with 
the  king  of  Saxondand,  to  whom  he  there  made  act  of  submis- 
sion and  homage.  Murcadh,  son  of  Flann,  king  of  Meath,  came 
likewise,  and  delivered  himself  up  to  Henry,  after  the  same  man- 
ner as  the  others.  Thus,  there  was  now  no  king  nor  chieftain,  nor 
lord  in  Ireland'  that  did  not,  at  that  time,  pay  homage  to  tlie  king 
of  Saxon-land,  and  acknowledge  his  supremacy  over  themselves. 
Afterwards,  when  the  winter  had  come  on,  the  weather  became 
so  excessively  cold  and  tempestuous  that  it  was  not  possible  for 
any  ship  or  bark  to  arrive  in  Ireland  from  the  country  of  the  Sax- 
ons with  news  to  its  king,  until  the  middle  month  of  the  spring 
had  set  in ;  but  then  some  Saxon  ships  arrived  in  Ireland,  which 
brought  that  king  certain  news  from  his  subjects,  which  he  was 
by  no  means  ghid  to  hear.  The  most  important  news  which 
they  had  brought  him  was,  that  the  Pope  had  sent  over  two 
cardinals  to  Saxondand,  for  the  purpose  of  inquiring  into  the 
murder  committed  upon  St.  Thomas,  Archbishop  of  Canterbury, 
and  that,  unless  the  king  would  come  in  person  and  make  satis- 
foction  to  them  for  that  murder,  they  threatened  to  lay  an  inter- 
dict upon  every  country  in  which  he  might  abide.  Though  these 
were  sad  tidings  for  Henry,  he  soon  received  others  from  his  son,' 
which  were  still  sadder.  These  v.-ere,  that  the  eldest  of  his  sons 
had  taken  possession  of  the  crown,  in  the  hojic  that  he  could  be 
able  to  keep  it  against  his  father's  consent.  An  indescribable 
gloom  came  upon  King  Henry  upon  hearing  these  evil  tidings. 
However,  lie  was;  more  affected  by  what  he  had  learned  regard- 
ing the  murder  of  St.  Thomas,  than  by  anything  that  be  had 
heard  about  either  his  son  or  his  subjects.  For  this  reason  he 
called  around  him  the  chiefs  of  his  people,  for  the  purpose  of  ex- 
plaining his  position  to  them,  and  of  consulting  them  upon  the 
dangers  that  hung  over  him.     The  plan  adopted  at  this  council, 

'  No  chipftain  nor  lord  in  Ireland,  the  scribes  of  the  foreign  spoilers,  and 

This  is  an  exaggeration,  and  not  true,  is  very  ])ro1)ably  of  the  same  nature 

in  fact.     The   chinft  of  tlie  nortliorn  witli  tlie  forged  till(!  which  was  made 

tribes  made  no  acts  of  sulimission  to  out    for    Henry,    that    first    of    the 

Henry.   The  submission  of  tiie  monarch  Irish     landlords    through     Donncadh 

Ruaidi-i,  rests  upon  the   authority  of  U'liriain. 


THE  HISTORY  OF   IRELAND.  683 

was  to  send  a  large  body  of  his  people  before  liim  into  his  king- 
dom, and  to  have  himself  follow  them  very  soon  after.  This  resolve 
was  then  put  into  execution ;  and  King  Henry  remained  behind  a 
little  longer,  engaged  in  placing  garrisons  and  wardens  of  his  own 
over  Ireland :  for,  when  it  was  time  for  himself  to  return  to  Saxon- 
land,  he  appointed  certain  persons  to  hold  possession  of  the  coun- 
try in  his  stead.  Thus,  he  left  Hugo  de  Lacy  in  Meath,  with  a 
force  consisting  of  twenty  knights,  and  he  likewise  granted  this 
territory^  as  a  perpetual  hef  to  Hugo,  and  his  posterit}^  More- 
over, he  left  the  city  of  Ath-cliath  under  the  wardenship  of  Robert 
Fitz-Stephen  and  Maurice  Fitz-Gerald,  under  whose  command 
he  left  twenty  knights  and  their  several  followers.  Loch  Gar- 
man,  also,  he' left  to  the  care  of  William  Fitz-Aldelm,  Philip  de 
Hastings,  and  Philip  de  Brus,  with  whom  he  likewise  left  twenty 
knights.  Port  Largi  he  left  in  charge  to  Humphrey  de  Bohun, 
Hugo  de  Gundeville,  and  Robert  Fitz-Barnard,  and  under  them 
he  left  forty  knights. 

From  this  last  place,  the  king  sailed  for  Saxon-land/  and  there, 
as  soon  as  he  came  into  the  presence  of  the  cardinals,  he  offered 
to  the  Pope  whatever  award  he  would  be  pleased  to  demand, 
both  as  an  eric  for  the  murder  of  St.  Thomas — though  he  had 
himself  had  no  secret  participation*  therein — and  as  a  means  of 
bringing  about  a  settlement  between  himself  and  the  king  of 
France,  for  Henry  was  then  at  war  with  that  monarch. 

^  Granted  this  territory. — That  is,  he,  ing  compassed  the  murder  of  this  great 

made  his  vassal,  De  Lacy,  feudal  land-  man  as  well  as  good  and  holy  prelate. 

lord  of  the  tribe-lands  of  the   Clann  Other  writers  have,  however,  proved 

Colmain  and  their  correlatives.     This  less  indulgent  to  his   royal  memory, 

was  one  of  the  first  consequences  of  the  and  he  now  stands  in  history  as  fully 

dastardly  homage  of  the  Irish  chiefs  to  convicted    of   having   instigated    the 

the  invader,  and  one  of  the  first  steps  martyrdom  of  St.  Thomas  of  Canter- 

towards  converting  the  Saer  Clanna  bury,  as  if  that  base  deed  had  been 

into   serfs  of  feudal  lords  of  foreign  done  in  his  presence,  and  at  his  express 

race,  and,  finally,  to  what  is  worse  than  command. 

the  serfs  of  any  feudal  lord — the  rack-  The  proceedings  of  King  Henry, 
rented  tenants  and  cotters  of  the  land-  during  his  seven  months'  stay  in  Ire- 
usurers,  whom  modern  civilization  and  land,  though  copiously  treated  of  by 
enlightened  legislation  has  introduced  English  and  foreign  writers,  have  been 
into  the  places  of  the  feudal  barons  of  passed  over  in  silence  by  most  of  our 
old.  native  chroniclers.     Under  the  year 

^   The  king  sailed  for  Saxon^lnnd.  1172,  they  relate  that  the  brave  Tigh- 

Henry  set  sail  from  Wexford  on  East-  ernan  Ua  Ruairc,  lord  of  Brefni,  was 

er  Monday,  being  the  17ih  of  J^pril,  treacherously  slain  at  Tlactga  by  Hugo 

1172,  and  arrived,  on  the  same  day,  at  de  Lacy  and  Domnall,  son  of  Annadh 

Portfinnan,  in  Wales.  Ua  Ruairc,  one  of  his  own  tribe ;  and 

*  No  secret  participation,  &c.     Dr.  that  he  was  then  beliiadod.  and  carried 

Keating,  in  the  superabundance  of  ignomoniously  to  Dublin,   where  his 

charity,  or  of  his  respect  for  royalty,  head  was  placed  over  the  town  gate, 

would  exonerate  Henry  H.  from  hav-  and  his  body  gibbetted,  with  the  feet 


634 


THE  HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


The  title  under  which  Henry  II.,  King  of  England,  claimed  the 
Sovereignty  of  Ireland. 

If  the  reader  will  liere  inquire,  why  it  was  that  Diarmaid  Mac 
Murcadha,  the  king  of  Leinster,  had  gone  to  the  king  of  Saxon- 
land,  who  was  then  in  France,  to  protest  and  complain  of  his 
own  expulsion  out  of  Ireland,  rather  than  to  the  king  of  France 
itself,  or  to  any  other  potentate,  he  must  learn  that  he  did  so  in 
consequence  of  an  act  done  by  Donncadh,  son  of  Brian  Boromha,* 


upwards,  on  the  north  side  of  the  city, 
"  a  woful  spectacle  to  the  Irish."  We 
are  next  told  that  Doninall  Ua  Fergail 
[O'Farrell] ,  chief  of  Coumacni,  was 
slain,  and  Anghali  [Anally]  phindered, 
by  the  people  of  the  king  of  Saxon-laud, 
and  the  son  of  Annadh  Ua  Ruairc  ; 
that  the  Kind  Eogain  were  defeated  in 
battle  by  Flathbertach  Ua  Maeldor- 
adh  and  the  Kinel  Conaill ;  that  the 
Primate,  Gilla-Macliag,  made  the 
fourth  visitation  of  Connaught ;  and 
that  a  general  synod  of  Ireland,  both 
of  the  clergy  and  the  chiefs  of  the 
laity  of  Ireland,  was  held  at  Tuam,  at 
which  Ruadri  O'Concobair,  monarch 
of  Ireland  and  Cadla  O'Dubthaig 
[O'Duffj-],  Archbishop  of  Connaught, 
presided  ;  that  three  churches  were 
there  consecrated  :  but  we  are  told 
nothing  of  the  acts  of  the  king  of  Sax- 
on-land himself,  though  pregnant  with 
future  evil  was  his  presence  upon  Irish 
soil. 

'  Donncadh,  son  of  Brian  Boromha. 
Though  this  prince's  name  is  inserted 
in  the  roll  of  Irish  monarchs  by  some 
Munstcr  shannachies,  we  have  already 
seen,  from  the  ancient  authorities 
quoted  in  these  notes,  and  even  from 
Keatings  own  narrative,  that  he  was 
never  acknowleged  monarch  of  Ireland 
during  the  whole  course  of  his  long 
life.  Even  Dr.  O'Brien,  the  panegyrist 
of  the  iJalcassiau  Kings,  does  not  claim 
for  him  the  sovereignty  of  all  Ireland. 
The  period  of  his  good  fortune,  oven  as 
king  of  Loth  .Mogha,  had  closed  some 
years  before  his  final  dethronement.  In 
A.  I).  l]r)S,  his  power  over  the  south 
of  Ireland  began  to  go  down  at  the 


battle  of  Sliabh  Grott,  under  that  of 
Diarmaid,  son  of  Donncadh  Mael-na-m- 
bo,  king  of  Leinster,  and  that  of  his 
own  nephew,  Tordelbach.  In  1159, 
he  became  the  vassal  of  Aedh  O'Con- 
cobair, king  of  Connaught.  In  1153 
the  hostages  of  all  Munster  were  de- 
livered up  to  Diarmaid,  son  of  Mael- 
na-m-bo,  who  thereby  became  king  of 
Leth  Mogha  in  his  stead.  At  the 
time  of  his  final  deposition  by  his 
nephew,  with  the  consent  of  Diarmaid, 
king  of  Leth  Mogha,  in  1164,  he  pos- 
sessed no  sovereign  rights,  even  over 
IMmistcr,  which  he  could  transfer  to 
either  pope  or  prince,  though  wc 
.should  admit  the  equity  of  such  trans- 
fer. It  is  clear,  then,  that,  not  being 
sovereign  of  Ireland,  he  could  never 
have  legally  transferred  it  to  another, 
even  were  the  elected  chief  of  the  kings 
of  this  country  invested  with  all  the 
prerogatives  of  a  feudal  sovereign.  But, 
were  he  actiuilly  the  chief  of  the  Irish 
kings,  he  could  not,  according  to  Irish 
law,  transfer  such  chieftainship  to 
another  ;  for,  as  such  chief  of  kings,  he 
was  but  the  nominee  of  the  association 
of  tribes  that  had  chosen  him,  and  thus 
even  his  very  children  had  no  more 
title  to  fill  that  place  after  him  than 
any  other  man  of  pure  Gaelic  blood; 
Nay,  he  could  not  transfer  the  chieftain- 
ship of  his  own  tribe,  the  Dal-g-Cais, 
to  a  foreigner  ;  nor  yet  could  he  that 
of  the  Ui  DIoid,  his  own  immediate 
sub-section  of  that  tribe  ;  for  there,  too, 
he  was  but  the  temporary  representa- 
tive of  the  whole  of  his  kindred,  and 
could  lei^alli/  transmit  no  special  in- 
heritance, cither   of  his  chieftainship 


THE   HISTORY   OF    IRELAND. 


6Í 


with  the  consent  of  the  true  nobles  of  Ireland  f  for  these,  having 
been  quarreling  among  one  another'  for  the  masterdorn  of  Ireland 


over  them,  or  of  the  proprietorship  of 
any  portion  of  the  tribe-land,  whieh 
was  the  common  property  of  the  said 
kindred,  to  any  other. 

"  With,  the  consent  of  the  true  nobles 
of  Ireland.  This  assertion  is  perfectly 
absurd.  Who  were  those  nobles,  who 
so  deputed  a  deposed  prince  to  deliver 
the  sovereignty  of  Ireland  to  a  foreign- 
er? It  was,  certainly,  not  his  van- 
quisher, Diarmaid,  son  of  Mael-ua-m- 
bo,  then  at  the  height  of  his  power,  and 
striving  for  the  Irish  monarchy ;  it 
was  not  Aedh  of  the  Broken  Spear, 
king  of  Connaught,  to  whom  Donn- 
cadh  had  made  his  personal  submission 
in  1059  ;  neither  was  it  Ardgar  Mac 
Lochlainn,  king  of  Ailech,  the  head 
of  the  Northern  Ui  Neiil,  who  had 
never  submitted,  either  to  Douncadh, 
or  Diarmaid,  son  of  Mael-na-m-bo, 
and  who  was  as  much  king  of  Ire- 
land as  either  of  them  in  the  half  of 
Ireland,  called  Leth  Cuinn ;  nor  yet 
can  we  suppose  that  his  nephew,  Tor- 
dolbach  O'Briain,  then  king  of  Mun- 
ster,  would  have  delegated  any  such 
commission  to  the  instigator  of  his 
father's  murder  and  to  his  own  personal 
enemy.  This  consent  must  then  be 
considered  as  a  clumsy  addendum  to 
the  original  fiction,  whereby  a  forged 
title  to  the  sovereign  proprietorship  of 
Ireland  was  made  out  for  the  murderer 
of  St.  Thomas. 

'  Quarreling  amongst  themselves. 
There  would  be  some  excuse  for  the 
fraudulent  robbery  of  the  Irish  people, 
then  commenced,  were  that  nation  a 
very  flagrant  exception  to  the  general 
state  of  things  in  other  European 
countries  at  that  epoch — it  might  have 
been  an  excuse,  were  the  deputed  paci- 
ficator otherwise  either  a  good  man,  or 
an  enlightened  legislator,  and  the  de- 
scendants of  the  rubbed  of  that  period 
might,  perhaps,  now  forget,  and  even 
be  thankful  for  the  wrong  then  perpe- 
trated upon  their  ancestors,  had  any 
better  state  of  social  existence  been 
introduced  amongst  the  mass  of  their 


people  u\j  to  the  present  day.  That 
the  latter  has  not  been  so,  one  need 
only  now  visit  the  wretched  homes  of 
the  down-trodden  peasantry  of  Ireland, 
the  purlieus  of  her  towns  and  cities, 
and  those  bastiles  for  the  starving  and 
the  helpless,  where  the  surplus  multi- 
tude— of  old  so  much  more  honorably 
cleared  off  upon  the  battle  field — are 
to-day  as  eifectually  dispatched  by 
a  lingering  and  ignoble  death.  That 
neither  the  contrast  between  the  social 
state  of  Ireland  and  the  rest  of  Eu- 
rope, nor  the  personal  character  of 
Henry,  could  then  have  aSbrded  any 
jDalliation  of  the  fraud  and  robbery 
committed  on  the  Irish,  the  following 
paragraph  from  a  recent  publication 
succintly  proves,  from  well  estaljlishcd 
facts  : — "  The  disunion  among  the  na- 
tive princes  of  Ireland  at  this  era,  does 
not  appear  to  have  been  more  wide- 
spread than  among  other  European 
nations.  Thus,  Sismondi  tells  us,  that 
about  the  same  period,  France  was  di- 
vided between  three  foreign  domina- 
tions. There  was,  on  the  west,  an 
English  France ;  on  the  east,  a  Ger- 
man ;  and,  on  the  south,  a  Spanish 
France.  For  instances  of  domestic 
dissensions,  we  have  to  travel  no  far- 
ther than  the  family  of  the  first  of  the 
Plantagenets,  whose  son  GeofFroy, 
count  of  Brittany,  when  supplicated, 
by  the  most  sacred  things,  to  spare 
the  effusion  of  blood,  and  relinquish 
the  crime  of  Absalom,  replied — "  11  est 
dans  la  destiuée  de  notre  famille  que 
nons  ne  nous  aimions  pas  I'un  Fautre. 
C'est  la  notre  heritage,  et  aucun  de 
nous  n'y  renoncera  Jamais"  [It  is  part 
of  the  destiny  of  our  family  not  to  lovz 
one  another.  That  is  our  birthright, 
and  not  one  of  us  iril/.  resign  our  right 
thereto.]  King  Henry  II.  died  cursing 
himself  and  his  rebellious  children. 
All  the  entreaties  of  the  bishops  and 
ecclesiastics,  by  whom  he  was  sur- 
rounded on  his  death  bed,  could  not 
induce  him  to  revoke  his  fearful  male- 
dictions.   "  Honte,"  s'ecriait-il, "  honte 


636  THE    HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 

from  the  time  of  Brian  to  that  of  Donncadh,  had,  in  the  year  of 
our  Lord  one  thousand  and  ninety-two,  delivered  up  the  possession 
of  Ireland  into  the  hands  of  Urbanus,  the  second  Poi)e  of  that 
name ;'  and,  from  that  time,  the  possession  of  the  authority  and 
sovereignty  of  Irehmd  was  held  by  the  Pope  of  Rome  until 
Adrianus,  the  fourth  Pope  of  that  name,  had  assumed  the  suc- 
cessorship  of  St.  Peter,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand 
one  hundred  and  lifty-four.  The  latter  Pope  was  a  Saxon  by 
birth,  and  his  baptismal  name  was  Nicholas  Breakspear;  and, 
according  to  the  chronicle  of  Stow,  it  was  he  that  made  over  the 
kingdom  of  Ireland  to  the  second  Henry,  King  of  Saxon-land,  in 
the  first  year  of  the  reign  of  the  latter,  and  in  the  year  of  our  Lord 
one  thousand  one  hundred  and  fifty- five.  And  the  same  author 
informs  us  that  the  Pope  then  made  that  grant  of  Ireland  to  the 
King  of  Saxon-land  upon  the  following  special  conditions,  to  wit: 
that  he  should  re-establish  the  Faith  which  was  prostrate  in  that 
country;  that  he  should  reform  the  habits  of  its  people;  that  he 
should  maintain  and  protect  every  privilege  and  all  the  termon- 
lands  which  the  Irish  church  then  possessed ;  and  that  the  said 
king  should  pay  yearly  the  Penny  of  St.  Peter  to  the  Pope  for 
every  house  that  might  be  in  Ireland. 

After  receiving  this  grant,  Henry  II.  deputed  John,  Bishop 
of  Salisbury,  to  Ireland,  with  the  authorit}^  which  the  Pope 
had  bestowed  upon  him.  This  bishop  soon  landed  at  Port 
Largi ;  and,  when  the  clergy  of  Ireland  had  heard  that  he  had 
come  to  the  country  Avith  the  authorization  of  the  Pope,  they 
thronged  thither  to  meet  him  from  all  quarters  of  the  lana. 
Then,  when  they  were  assembled  together  in  one  j)lace,  the  bishop 

a  un  roi  vaincu  !     Mandit  soit  Ic  jour  the  Irisli  crown  and  rei^alia  to  Pope 

ou  je   suis   né,   et   maudits   de  Dicu  Urban,  or  to  any  other  Pope,  is  eqnal- 

soient  les  fils que  je  laisse ! "  ["Sham","  ly  well  founded.     It  does  not  appear 

cried  he,  '•  shame  to  a  vanqukhi^d  king  !  that  any  such  trappings  were  attached 

Accursed  be  tJie  day  on  which  I  was  to  the  office  of  Ard-righ,  and,  if  any 

born,  and  accursd   be  t!te  sons  that  1  such   ever   had   existence,  they   must 

/eat)?  after  me  !  "]  have   remained   in  the  possession  of 

*  Urbanus,  thf.  second  Pope  of  titat  either  the  Northern. or  the  .Southern  Ui 

name.     Urban  II.  did    not  become  Neil!.  ITad  the  chieftains  of  these  tribes 

Sovereign  Pontifl"  until  the  year  1088,  relinquished  such  important  insignia  to 

just  twenty-four  years  after  the  death  Brian  on  his  accession,  our  annalists 

of  Donncadh,  son  of  Brian.     He  was  would   surely   have   mentioned   it.  as 

succeeded  in  the  pontificate  by   Pas-  they  did  the  taking  of  the  collar  of  To- 

chal  II.,  in  the  year  1099.     As  Pope,  mar  and  the  sword  of  Carlus  from  the 

he  was   then   cotemporary   with  the  Danes  of  Dubli-i.     There  were  then, 

early  part  of  the  reigns  of  the  able  proljaljly,   no   regalia  to  give  away, 

competitors   for  the   Irish  monarchy,  unless  he  had  got  them  manufactured 

Murkertach  Mor  O'Biiain  and  Dom-  for  the  occasion,  whilát  he  was  staying 

nail  O'ljochlainn.    The  story  of  the  in  Kome. 
deposed  king  of  Munster's  presenting 


THE  HISTORY   OF   IRELAND.  637 

(this  John,  already  mentioned)  read  to  them  the  charter  by 
which  the  Pope  had  granted  Ireland  to  the  second  Henry  and 
to  his  jiosterity,  subject  to  the  several  conditions  which  that 
document  specified.  Then,  when  the  clergy  had  considered 
over  these  conditions,  they  all  not  only  assented  thereto,  but 
they  gave  their  several  written  signatures*  to  that  same  John  in 
testimony  thereof.  With  these,  John  returned  to  Saxon-land  to  his 
king,  who  sent  him  oif  forthwith  to  the  Pope  with  his  news. 
Thereupon,  the  Pope,  upon  seeing  the  consent  of  the  Irish  clergy, 
sent  a  ring  to  the  second  Henry  as  a  token  of  the  latter's  right  to 
own  Ireland. 

Bellarmine  agrees  with  the  account  just  given,  where  he 
speaks  as  follows :  "  Pope  Adrianus  the  Fourth,  an  English- 
man by  his  nation,  a  wise  and  pious  man,  granted  the  island  of 
Hibernia  to  Henricus  the  Second,  king  of  the  Angli,  upon  the 
express  condition  that  he  should  implant  virtue  in  that  island, 
and  eradicate  the  vices  thereof;  that  he  should  preserve  inviolate 
all  its  ecclesiastical  privileges,  and  should  take  care  that  one  dena- 
rius were  paid  to  St.  Peter  every  year  out  of  every  house  therein. 
This  diploma  is  extant  in  the  twelfth  volume  of  the  Annals  of 
Cardinal  Baronius."" 

Stanihurst  confirms  the  same  fict  in  his  Chronicle,  where  he 
relates  that  Henry  the  Second  had  procured  from  the  Pope, 
Adrianus,  a  bull,  in  which  the  clergy  and  nobility  of  Ireland 
were  commanded,  under  pain  of  excommunication,"  to   give 

'  Affi:ced    their    signatures    thereto.  "   Under  pain  of  excommunication. 

This   was  doue  at  the  synod  of  the  "  Some  have  attempted  to  cast  doubts 

Irish  clergy,  or,  rather,  of  part  of  the  upon  the  authenticity  of  the  two  bulls 

Irish  clergy,  held  at  Cashel  during  the  procured  by  the  artifices  and  agents 

stay  of  Henry  II.  in  Ireland.  As  told  in  of  Henry,  but  they  produce  no  argu- 

the  text,  the  story  conveys  an  imputa-  ments  in  support  of  their  view,  which 

tion  upon  the  Irish  clergy,  which  they  is  simply  and  sufficiently  refuted  by 

did  not  merit.     It  is  true  that  many  O'Halloran  in  his  history  of  Ireland, 

of  them,  as  well  as  of  the  lay  chieftains,  when  he  says,  '  We  have  every  reason 

meanly  complied  with  the  requisitions  to  think  them  genuine.     They  were 

of  their  country's  invader,  and  yielded  published  in  the  lifetime  of  Alexander 

to  superior  force,  at  Cashel ;  but  they  by  Cambreusis  (an  ecclesiastic),  who, 

were  not  guilty  of  plotting,  beforehand,  though  in  most  instances  as  devoid  of 

with  foreigners,  for  their  nation's  ruin,  truth  and  candor  as  any  one  that  ever 

'"  Adrianus  Quartus,  Papa,  natione  took  up  the  pen,  yet  would  not  pre^ 

Anglus,  vir  sapiens  et  pius,  Hiberniae  sume,  on  the  present  occasion,  to  pub- 

insulam,  Henrico  Secundo  regi  Anglo-  lish  a  bull  as  AJoxander's,  if  he  were 

rum   concessit   ea   conditione,  ut    in  not  well  authorized  so  to  do  ;  and  the 

ea   insula  virtutes  plantaret  et   vitia  authenticity  of  this  confirms  that  of 

eradicaret  et  jura  ecclesiastica  illibata  the  other.'    Of  the  effect  produced  in 

servaret  et  a  singulis  domibus  quotan-  aid   of  the   Norman  arms  by  those 

fiis  denarium  sancto  Petro  pendi  cura-  bulls,  we  find  the  following  testimony 

ret.    Extat  diploma  Tom.  XII.  Car-  in  the  well-known  letter  of  O'Niall,  in 

dinalis  Baronii.  1330,  Ko  Pope  John,  asking  his  help 


638  THE   HISTORY    OF   IRELAND. 

homage  and  submission  to  Henrj  the  Second,  king  of  Saxon- 
land,  under  the  pretext  of  purifying  the  faith  of  their  nation,  and 
of  reforming  the  habits  of  their  people.  And  he  informs  us, 
moreover,  that  this  bull  had  been  sent  into  Ireland  by  Henry, 
and  there  read  in  a  general  convention  of  the  nobles  and  clergy 
of  Ireland,  which  was  held  at  Cashel. 

We  read,  also,  in  the  same  author,  that  Alexander,  the  third 
Pope  of  that  name,  had  deputed  to  Ireland  a  cardinal  named 
Vivianus,*'  who  was  commissioned  to  make  known  to  the  Irish 
the  grant  of  their  country,  which  both  himself  and  his  predeces- 
sor had  bestowed  upon  the  king  of  Saxon-laud  and  to  his  lieirs, 
subject  to  the  condition  that  both  he  and  every  Pope  that  came 
after  him  should  receive  the  Penny  of  St.  Peter  every  year  from 
every  household  that  existed  in  Ireland. 

The  reader  can  now  form  an  estimate  of  the  reason  why  Diar- 
maid  Mac  Murcadha  had  gone  to  France  to  make  his  complaint 
to  the  king  of  Saxon  land  rather  than  to  the  king  of  any  other 
country. 

The  Irish  Defended  from  the  charge  of  irreligion,  set  forth  against 
them  in  Pope  Adrian's  Bull. 

I  must  here  express  my  wonder  at  one  of  the  covenants"  con- 
tained in  the  above-mentioned  papal  bull,  wherein  Adrianus 
made  a  grant  of  Ireland  to  the  second  Henry.  The  following  is 
the  purport  of  this  covenant,  according  to  Stow's  chronicle;  to 
wit,  that  it  was  obligatory  upon  the  said  second  Henry  to  reibrm 
and  establish  the  Faith,  which  had  at  that  time  fdlen  into  decay 
in  Ireland.  I  feel  astonished  thereat,  because  it  is  not  probable 
that  the  Pope  would  have  inserted  any  such  covenant  in  his 
bull,  were  it  not  that  some  persons  had  given  him  to  understand 
that  the  religion  of  that  country  had  then  actually  become  cor- 
rupted.    But  those  persons,  whoever  they  were,  that  vended  any 

a,Q,-aini3t  the  oppression  of  tlie  English  :  remarked,  tliat  Dr.  Keating  docs  not 

'  During  the  course  of  so  many  ages,  seem   to  question  either   the  perfect 

our  sovereigas  preserved  tlie  indcpend-  equity  of  the  grant  made  by  Pope 

ence  of  their  country  ;  attacked  more  Adrian  to  the  English  king,  or  that 

than   once  by  foreign    powers,  they  Pope's  right  to  make  it.     He  merely 

wanted  neither  force  nor  courage  to  defends    the    Irisli    nation    from   the 

expel   the   bold   invaders  ;    but,  that  charges  made  therein,  which  he  attrib- 

wliich  they  dared  to  do  against  force,  utes  to  the  Pontiíí's  having  been  do- 

they  could  not  against  the  simple  de-  ceived — na  if  the  granting  of  tlie  bull 

cree  of  your  predecessors.' " — Invasion  itself,  as  he  represented   it  (if  bull  it 

of  Ireland  bij  the  An{jlo-Normans,  by  were),  and  the  use  made  thereof,  were 

Gerald  Supple.  not  a  more  irreligious  and    nelhrious 

"  Vivianus.     He  did  not  arrive  in  crime  than   any  ever  committed   by 

Ireland  until  A.  D.  1177.  the  worst  amongst  the  people  against 

**  One  of  the  covetiantá.    It  is  to  be  whom  it  had  been  directed. 


THE   HISTORY   OF  IRELAND.  639 

sucli  information  to  the  Pope,  had  asserted  Avhnt  was  false,  in 
fact;  for  it  is  evident  that  the  religion,  which  St.  Patrick  formerly- 
introduced  into  Ireland  had  never  itdlen  into  decay  down  to 
that  time.  Of  the  truth  of  this,  many  trustworthy  authors,  be- 
longing to  foreign  nations,  have  borne  testimon}^  from  age  to 
age ;  for,  notwithstanding  that  Bede  relates,  in  his  History  of  the 
Saxons,  that  there  had  been  a  schism  amongst  the  Saxon  clergy 
relative  to  the  celebration  of  Easter,  and  that  some  of  the  Irish 
clergy  were  once  defiled  bj  the  heresy  of  Pelagius,  it  is,  never- 
theless, proved  that  the  majority  of  the  Irish  church  was  free 
from  both  these  stains.  And  then,  in  as  far  as  regards  the  con- 
dition of  the  Faith  during  the  period  that  elapsed  from  the  days 
of  Brian  Boromha  to  the  Anglo-Norman  invasion,  it  is  clearly- 
manifest  that  the  Christian  religion  was  then  full  of  life  and 
vigor  in  Ireland.  It  was,  therefore,  not  true  for  those,  w^ho  had 
pei'suaded  the  Pope  that  religion  was  prostrate  in  Ireland,  at  the 
time  when  he  granted  it  to  Henry  the  Second.  In  testimony  of 
the  truth  of  what  I  have  just  asserted,  I  shall  here  cite  the  fol- 
lowing examples. 

In  the  first  place,  it  is  evident  that  the  Faith  was  then  full  of 
life  in  this  country,  from  the  fact  that,  jDrevious  to  the  invasion, 
numbers  of  the  highest  of  the  Irish  nobles  were,  from  time  to 
time,  in  the  habit  of  entering  some  of  the  principal  churches  of 
Ireland,  towards  the  close  of  their  lives,  and  of  ending  their  days 
therein  in  penitence  and  prayer.  Amongst  these  was  Flathber- 
tach  O'Neill,  wdio  is  called  Flathbertach  of  the  Pilgrim's  Staff, 
who,  having  first  commenced  a  course  of  penitence,  went  on  a 
pilgrimage  to  Rome,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  and 
twenty;  and  Donncadh,  son  of  Brian  Boromha,  went  likewise  on 
a  pilgrimage  to  Rome,  and  there  ended  his  life  penitently  in  the 
monastery  of  St.  Stephen;  and  Tadg  O'Lorcain,  king  of  Ui 
Kennselaigh,  w^ho  closed  his  life  in  penitence  in  the  church  of 
St.  Caeimghin,  at  Glenn-da-loch ;  and  Cathal,  son  of  Ruaiclri, 
king  of  West  Connaught,  who  spent  the  latter  years  of  his  life 
penitently  at  Ard  Macha ;  and  Murkertach  O'Briain,  king  of 
Leth  Mogha  and  of  the  greater  part  of  Ireland,  "svho  spent  five 
years  in  penitence  at  Ard  Macha,  until  finally  he  died  there. 
And  so  it  was  with  a  great  many  others  of  the  true  nobility  of 
Irdand,  -who  died  penitently,  and  like  devout  Catholics,  all 
along  from  the  time  of  Brian  doAvn  to  the  Anglo-Norman  inva- 
sion. Hence,  it  is  manifest  that  those  persons  who  persuaded 
Pope  Adrianus  the  Fourth  that  the  Catholic  Faith  was  not  kept 
up  in  Ireland  previous  to  the  landing  of  Gauls  therein,  had  told 
him  a  direct  falsehood. 


640  THE   HISTORY  OF   IRELAND. 

was  well  maintained  in  Ireland  before  the  arrival  of  the  Gauls 
therein,  is  the  fact  of  the  number  of  monasteries  that  had  been 
built  therein  immediately  ])revious  to  their  invasion,  and  these 
monasteries  were  all  erected  by  the  nobles  of  the  Gaels.     In  the 
first  place,  Maelsechlainn,  King  of  Meath  and  of  all  Ireland, 
founded  the  monastery  of  St,  Mary's,  in  the  city  of  Ath-cliath, 
about  the  year  of  our  Lord  one   thousand  and  twenty-two ; 
Donncadh  O'Kerbaill,  King  of  Oirghialla,  founded  the  monastery 
of  Mellifont,  in  the  county  of  Louth,  at  the  suggestion  of  St. 
Malachias,  Bishop  of  Dun-da-leth-glas,  in  the  3'ear  of  our  Lord 
one  thousand  one  hundred  and  forty-two;  St.  Malachias,  Bishop 
of  Dun-da-lcth-glas,  built  the  monastery  of  lubar-kinn-tragha, 
in  the  county  of  Down,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand 
one   hundred  and  forty-four;  Monaster-na-Buili"  waá  founded 
in  the  year  one  thousand  one  hundred  and  sixty-one ;  Diarmaid 
Mac  ;Murcadha,  King  of  Leiustcr,  founded  Monaster-an-Belaigh, 
otherwise  the  Abbey  of  Baltinglas,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one 
thousand  one  hundred  and  fifty-one;  the  posterity  of  Maelsech- 
lainn, King  of  Meath,  founded  the  monastery  of  Bectif,  other- 
wise called  De  Beatitudine,  in  Meath,  in  the  year  one  thousand 
one  hundred  and  fiftj^-one;    the  year  of  our  Lord   in  which 
Monaster-na-Maighe  was  founded,  in  the  county  of  Luimnech, 
was    one    thousand    one    hundred    and    fifty-one;    Monaster- 
0-Torna,"   in  the  county  of  Kiarraide,  was  likewise  built  in 
the  year  one  tliousand  one  hundred  and  fifty-one;  the  monastery 
of  the  Holy  Cross,  in  the  county  of  Tibraid  Arann,  Avas  founded 
by  Domnall  O'Briain,  King  of  Luimnech,  in  the  year  of  our 
Lord  one  thousand  one  hundred  and  sixty-nine ;  the  year  of  our 
Lord,  Avhen   the  monastery  of  Fcra  Maighe'*  was  built,  in  the 
county  of  Corcach,  was  one  thousand  one  hundred  and  seventy. 
Many  other  temples  and  monasteries  were  constructed  about 
the  same  period,  but  we  shall  not  name  them  here,  for  we  have 
mentioned  enough  to  prove  that  the  Catholic  Faith  was  alive  in 
Ireland  immediately  before  the  arrival  of  the  Gauls. 

The  third  proof  which  I  shall  cite  that  the  faith  was  then  in  a 
flourishing  condition,  is  the  fact  that  we  read  in  the  ancient  an- 
nals of  Ireland,  that  tliree  general  councils  had  been  organised 
in  tliis  country  l)y  the  prelates  and  the  nobles  during  the  time 
that  intervened  between  the  reign  of  Donncadh,  son  of  Bnan 
Boromha,  and  the  Anglo  Norman  invasion,  and  that  in  these 
councils,  the  laws  and  the  rights  of  both  the  laity  and  the  clergy 
of  Ireland  had  been  duly  examined  and  sanctioned. 

'■*  Mona-itT-na-Buile.    Now  Boyle,    dornoy,  in  the  county  of  Kerry, 
in  the  county  of  Roscommon.  "  Ftra  Maiqhp.     Now  Fermoy,  in 

^  Monaster-O-Toma.  Now  Abbey-    the  county  of  Cork. 


THE   HISTORY  OF  IRELAND.  641 

Of  these,  the  first  council  was  that  held  in  the  first  year  of 
the  reign  of  Murkertach,  son  of  Brian,  and  in  the  year  of  our 
Lord  one  thousand  one  hundred  and  five,"  at  Fiadh-mic-Aengusa, 
where  laws  and  regulations  were  instituted,  and  Avhere  the  state 
of  religion  was  amended.  Another  general  council  was  held  in 
the  fifth  year**  of  the  same  Murkertach,  on  which  occasion  both  the 
nobles  and  the  ecclesiastics  of  Ireland  assembled  at  Rath  Bresail, 
in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  one  hundred  and  ten  :  it 
was  here  that  the  extent  of  the  Irish  dioceses  was  laid  down  and 
their  several  boundaries  pointed  out ;  it  was  here,  likewise,  as 
we  have  already  stated,  that  a  fixed  limit  was  put  to  the  number 
of  the  Irish  bishops. 

The  third  general  council  held  by  the  clergy  and  nobility  of 
Ireland,  was  that  of  Kenannus,  in  Meath,  at  which  presided  Chris- 
tianus,  that  is,  Gilla-Criost  O'Conari,  Bishop  of  Lis  Mor,  and 
Papal  Legate  in  Ireland  at  that  time,  together  with  the  Cardinal, 
whose  name  was  Johannes  Papiron.  This  was  the  council  con- 
vened for  the  purpose  of  presenting  the  four  pallia^  that  is,  for 
instituting  four  archbishops  over  Ireland,  and  also  for  condemn- 
ing simony  and  usury;  for  enforcing  the  payment  of  tithes,  and 
for  putting  down  robbery,  and  violence,  and  lust,  and  bad 
morals,  and  every  other  evil  thenceforth. 

Consequences  of  the  Invasion — The  missionary  lohors  of  the  Anglo- 
Normans. 

It  is  manifest  from  the  above  cited  facts,  that  the  Catholic 
Faith  was  still  alive  amongst  the  Irish,  immediately  before  the 
invasion  of  their  country  by  the  Anglo-Normans  ;  and,  what- 
ever may  be  said  of  the  evil  habits  of  the  Gaels  previous  to  the 
landing  of  these  foreigners  on  their  shores,  it  is  equally  manifest 
that  there  arrived  with  that  invasion,  five  men  amongst  its  chief- 
tains, A\ho  committed  more  evil  deeds,  than  all  the  Gaels  that  had 
lived  from  the  days  of  Brian  Boromha  to  their  own — I  mean,  in 
as  for  as  regards  the  plundering  of  churches  and  ecclesiastics,  the 
commission  of  base  acts  of  treachery  and  blood,  and  the  exercise 
of  outrageous  tyranny.  The  following  are  the  names  of  those 
five :     The  Earl  of  Strigul  (called   Strongbow),    Robert   Fitz- 

"  Oil"  hundrrd  and  five,  &c.     It  was         "   The  fifth  year,  7.  c,  perhaps  five 

held  in  the  year  1111,  as  before  shown  years  after  the  former,  being  the  21st 

in  these  notes.     Neither  this  nor  the  year  of  said  reign,  or  in  1Í15-1116, 

year  mentioned  above  was  tlie  first  of  when  Murkertach  partially  recovered 

the  reign  of  Murkertach.     This  synod  from  his  ilhicss,  and,  having  made  his 

was  held  in  tlie  13th  year  of  his  reign,  brother   Diarmaid    prisoner,   resumed 

assaidreigniscomputcdbyO'Flaherty.  his  kingdom  for  a  short  time. 
41 


642  THE   HISTORY    OF   IRELAND. 

Stephen,  Hugo  de  Lacy,  John  de  Courcy  and  William  Fitz- 
Aldelm.  It  is  easy  to  íearn  the  truth  of  what  I  shall  hereafter 
state  respecting  the  acts  of  these  men,  for  they  are  found  in  the 
chronicle  of  Stanihnrst,  and  also  from  the  foct  that  the  posterity 
of  the  greater  part  of  them  became  extinct'^  on  account  of  their 
evil  acts,  and  they  left  no  son  to  possess  their  inheritance.  The 
Earl  of  Strigul,  Kobert  Fitz-Stcphen,  John  de  Courcy  and  some 
others  of  the  captains  that  came  over  in  the  beginning  of  the 
Anglo-Norman  invasion,  but  whom  I  shall  not  mention  here, 
are  examples  of  what  I  have  asserted. 

In  as  far  as  relates  to  Eichard  Strongbow,  Earl  of  Strigul,  we 
find  by  the  chronicle  of  Stanihurst,  that  he  died  in  Ath-Cliath, 
in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  one  hundred  and  seventy- 
seven,  that  is  seven  years  after  his  landing  in  Ireland,  having, 
up  to  that  time  committed  numberless  plunderings  and  rob- 
beries, both  of  the  clergy  and  the  laity  ;  and  that  he  had  no 
more  offspring  by  Aeiii,  daughter  of  Diarmaid,  than  one  daughter, 
who  was  named  Isabella.  This  daughter  was  in  time  married  to 
William  Mareschall,-"  to  whom  she  bore  five  sons  and  five  daugh- 
ters, but  all  the  sons  died  one  after  the  other,  and  no  offspring 
or  inheritors  remained  after  any  of  them.  The  daughters  were 
married  to  some  of  the  nobles  of  Saxon-land,  amongst  whom,  the 
estates  inherited  from  the  earl  were  partitioned  in  the  year  of 
our  Lord  one  thousand  two  hundred  and  thirty.  It  is  from  these 
daughters  that  the  Mortimers,  Bruces  and  others  have  sprung. 

Now,  with  respect  to  Hugo  de  Lacy,"^  we  learn  that  he  had  no 
sooner  received  the  rulership  of  Meath,  from  Henry  II.,  than  he 
began  to  massacre  and  behead  all  of  the  nobles  of  the  Clann 
Colmain,"  and  of  the  other  septs  of  that  territory  whom  he  could 

"  Became  extinct.  Our  autlior  has  ■"  William  Mareschall,  otherwise 
beenraistaken  in  this  assertion.  Thede-  William  Marshall,  Earl  of  Pembroke, 
scendants  of  Strongbow  have,  it  is  true,  called  Prince  of  Leinstcr  by  some  En- 
become  extinct  in  the  male  line,  but  glish  authors,  in  right  of  his  wife, 
of  William  Fitz-Aldclm,  called,  also,  '^'  Hus:o  de  Lacy. — lie  was  for  many 
vViliiam  de  Burgo,  the  posterity  rivals  years  Chief  (Jovernor  of  Ireland  under 
in  numbers  that  of  many  of  the  Gaelic  Henry  II. — an  able  and  politic  man,  say 
tribes,  lie  is  the  founder  of  the  nu-  the  English  writers,  which  means  a 
mcrous  septs  of  the  name  of  Burke,  successful  spoiler.  He  was  created 
De  Courcy's  descendant  still  holds  the  Lord  Palatine  of  Meath  by  his  master, 
oldest  title  in  the  Anglo-Iri.sh  peerage,  of  which  country  he  was  the  conqueror 
and,  though  no  numerous  tribe  claim  and  the  scourge.  He  is  described  by 
him  a.s  ancestor,  his  name  is  not  yet  Canibrensis  as  a  mau  of  dark  and  deep 
extinct  among  the  Irish  people — nor  set  eyes,  small  size,  rei)ulsivo  features, 
has  that  of  FitzRtephen,  now  usually  short  mck  and  deformed  shaiic,  care- 
called  Stephens.  The  celebrated  rebel,  ful  of  his  jjrivate  interests,  of  Gallic 
Pierce  Og  I^acy,  of  Bruree  and  BrufT,  sobriety,  avaricious,  ambitious  and 
who  flourished  in  the  reign  of  Elizabeth,  lustful, 
was  the  18th  in  descent  from  Hugo.  "  Clann    Colmoin.  —  This  was  the 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


64Í 


get  into  his  clutches.     But,  as  he  was  building  a  fortress  at  Dur- 
Magh  (Durrow),  of  Meath,  a  young  nobleman-'  of  that  country 


head  branch  of  the  southern  Ui  Neill, 
i.  e.,  the  rulinfi  i)eople  of  ]\Ieatli.  The 
family  of  O'Melag-blin,  in  Irish  O'Mael- 
scchlainn,  were  its  chiefs.  This  noble 
race,  which  had  twice  delivered  Ireland 
from  the  Northmen — first  under  Mael- 
secldainn  I.,  (from  whom  the  family 
name),  and  again  under  ilael.scchlaimi 
II. — and  who  under  the  latter  king  had 
completed  the  final  overthrow  given  to 
the  laea-kiugsby  Brian  at  CluainTarlih, 
was  now  one  of  the  first  to  succumb 
under  the  power  of  the  Anglo-Norman 
robber  De  Lacy.  ]\Iaelsechlainn,  pre- 
vious to  his  resignation  of  the  Irish 
throne  to  Brian,  had  in  A.  I).  1002, 
ofiered  to  deliver  it  to  Aedh  O'Neill, 
chief  of  a  kindred  tribe,  in  order 
to  preserve  it  in  the  race  of  Niall, 
but  revoked  his  offer  upon  Aedh's  de- 
manding on  the  part  of  Kinel  Eogain,  as 
the  price  of  their  aid,  the  property  and 
inheritance  of  a  portion  of  the  tribe 
lands  of  the  Clann  Colmain — a  very 
difierent  thing  amongst  the  Irish  from 
the  receiving  of  homage  and  hostages. 
He  preferred  to  deliver  hostages  and 
make  act  of  homage  to  the  Dalcassian, 
who  did  not  purpose  to  encroach  upon 
the  inheritance  of  the  southern  Ui 
NelU.  Similar  act  of  homage  was 
made  to  Henry  II.  by  one  of  Maelsech- 
lainn's  successors,  as  chief  of  Clann 
Colmain,  but  with  a  far  different  result ; 
for  the  latter  king,  not  satisfied  with 
homage  and  hostages,  took  the  right  of 
treacherously  granting  to  his  minion, 
De  Lacy,  the  proprietorship  of  the 
lands  of  Meath,  to  the  disposal  of 
which  the  said  chieftain  had  no  trans- 
ferable or  transmissible  right,  more 
than  that  possessed  by  every  other 
man  of  his  tribe.  Such,  it  is  to  be 
inferred,  were  the  submissions  made 
to  the  stranger  by  the  other  chiefs 
of  the  clans  of  this  counti'y,  and  equally 
treacherous  was  the  advantage  taken 
thereof. 

"^  A  Young  Nobleman. — In  the  ori- 
ginal the  terra  used  is,  "  duine  uasal 
og"  [dynnoosal  ague)  and  there  is 
meant  thereby,  a  young  man  who  was 


a  member  of  a  noble  tribe,  or  family. 
The  editor  has  used  the  words,  noble  and 
nobleman,  to  translate  the  Gaelic,  uasal 
and  duÍ7W  uasal,  throughout  this  work, 
in  preference  to  the  term  gentleman, 
which  is  now  applied  in  a  very  indeflnite 
and  vague  sense  amongst  English-speak- 
ing peoples.  Dermod  O'Connor  having 
rendered  "  duine  uasal  og  "  in  this  in- 
stance by  young  gentleman,  Mr.  Moore 
has  thereupon  taken  an  opportunity  of 
casting  at  the  venerable  I)r.  Keating  a 
sneer  that  is  as  ungenerous  as  it  is  un- 
founded. That  Avriter  states  in  his 
History  of  Ireland  that  "  De  Lacy  met 
his  death  by  a  hand  so  obscure,  that 
not  even  a  name  remains  associated 
with  the  deed,"  to  which  he  appends 
the  following  note  :  "  Several  names 
have  been  assigned  to  the  perpetrator 
of  this  act,  but  all  differing  so  much 
from  each  other,  as  to  show  that  the 
real  name  was  unknown.  Geoffrey 
Keating,  with  that  love  of  dull  inven- 
tion which  distinguished  him,  describes 
the  assassin  as  a  young  gentleman  in 
disguise." 

Now,  in  the  first  place,  the  editor, 
who  has  also  felt  the  dulness  and  seni- 
lity of  many  of  the  tales  which  his 
author  has  emljodied  in  his  work,  de- 
nies that  the  reverend  doctor  has  drawn 
upon  his  own  invention  for  any  one  of 
them.  Keating  has  stated  such  tales 
just  as  he  found  them,  with  little  judge- 
ment, perhaps,  and  often  to  the  exclusion 
of  authentic  historic  matter,  but  always 
in  perfect  candor  and  good  faith.  In 
the  present  instance,  as  in  all  others, 
he  has  told  the  fact  as  he  had  read  it, 
without,  however,  naming  the  meritori- 
ous young  man,  who  avenged  the  ruin 
of  his  kindred  upon  the  tyrant  Do 
Lacy,  and  without  describing  the  dash- 
ing and  daring  manner,  in  which  his 
noble  deed  was  accomplished.  Dr. 
Keating  has  been  to  blame  in  this  ; 
for  that  youth's  name  ought  to  be 
written  in  letters  of  light  on  the  page 
of  Irish  history,  so  that  Ireland,  when 
her  bards  shall  yet  "  hail  lior  free," 
may  not  forget  to  raise  his  pillar  stone 


644 


THE    HISTORY    OF    IRELAND. 


approached  him  under  the  semblance  of  a  clown,  as  if  for  the 
purpose  of  soliciting  employment,  and  thus  succeeded  in  slaying 
Hugo.  Stanihurst  tells  us  in  his  chronicle  that  this  Hugo  was 
a  very  lustful  as  well  as  a  very  avaricious  man.  He  says,  also, 
that  his  son  Hugo,  the  younger,  and  JohndeCourcy  commenced 
to  commit  numerous  acts  of  plunder,  massacre  and  wrath  upon 
the  people  of  Meath  in  vengeance  for  his  death, 

and  inscribe  it  with  his  ogumis,  when 
she  shall  raise  a  monument  to  that 
other  more  recent  youthful  hero,  whose 
epitaph  is  yet  unwritten,  thou:Th  his 
name  and  virtues  are  imprinted  upon  all 
true  Irish  hearts. — However,  notwith- 
standiug  Kcating"s  omission,  the  name 
of  the  youth  who  struck  down  that 
tyi'ant  in  the  height  of  his  power  is  not 
lo3t  to  memory,  nor  has  his  example 
been  entirely  lost  to  Ireland.  The  bards 
and  shannachies  of  Eri  might  blush  for 
shame  were  his  name  f.)rgotten.  Our 
annalists  tell  us  that  he  was  called 
Gil!a-gan-inathar  O'.Miadhaigh  (Guilla- 
gonn  mna'iar  O'Mceai).  His  surname 
is  now  anglicized  O'.Meycy,  and  accord- 
ing to  Dr.  O'Donovan,  is  still  frequent 
in  Westmeath,  and  in  the  parish  of 
MagherosS  in  the  county  of  Monaghan. 
Neither  is  Mr.  Moore  warran'cd  in 
saying  there  is  any  discrepancy  as  to 
his  name  amongst  Irish  authors,  as  the 
following  extracts  will  prove  : — "A.  D. 
118G.  Hugo  de  Lacy,  the  profaner  and 
destroyer  of  many  churches,  L)rd  of 
th.3  English  of  .Mjalli,  Brefni  an  1  Olrg- 
hia!la ;  he  who  had  conquered  the 
greater  part  of  Irelan  1  for  the  English, 
and  of  whose  Englis!i  castles,  a!l  Meath, 
from  the  Sinainn  to  the  sea,  was  full ; 
after  having  finished  the  cast'.e  of  Dar- 
Magii,  set  out  accompanied  by  three 
Englislimen  to  view  it.  One  of  the 
men  of  Tebtha,  a  youth  named  Gilla- 
gan-inathar  O'Miad  laigh,  approached 
him  and  drawing  out  an  axe,  which  he 
had  kept  concealed,  he,  with  one  blow, 
severe  1  his  head  from  his  body  ;  and 
trunk  and  head  fell  into  the  ditch  of 
the  castle.  This  was  in  revenge  of 
Colura  Killi.  Giila-gan-inathar  then 
fled,  and  by  his  fleetn  -.ss  of  loot  made 
his  escape  from  the  English  and  lrÍ!»h 
to  Coill-an-Clair  (i.  e.  the  wood  of  Kiil- 
clare).  Jle  afterwards  went  to  the 
SmiiucJi   (the  Fox)  and  to  O'Bracin, 


at  whose  instigation  he  had  done  the 
deed." — Four  Masters. 

"A.  D.  1186.  Hugo  de  Lacy,  the 
profaner  and  destroyer  of  the  churches 
and  sanctuaries  of  Ireland,  was  killed 
in  revenge  of  Colum  Killi,  while 
building  a  castle  at  Der-magh.  He 
was  slain  by  O'Miadhaigh  of  Tebtha." 
Annals  cf  Ulster. 

''A.  D.  1186.  Hugo  de  Lacy  went 
to  Dur-magh  of  St.  Colum  Killi  to 
make  a  casile  there,  having  a  countless 
number  of  English  with  him.  For  he 
was  king  of  Meath,  Brefni  aud  Oirghi- 
alla,  and  it  was  to  him  the  tribute  of 
Connaught  was  paid.  Meath  from  the 
Sinainn  to  the  sea  was  full  of  liis  castles 
aud  English  followers.  After  the  com- 
pletion of  this  work  by  him,  he  came 
out  to  look  at  the  castle,  having  the 
Englishmen  along  with  him.  There 
came  then  one  youth  of  the  men  of 
Meath  up  to  him,  having  his  batile  axe 
concealed,  namely,  Gilla-gan-inathar 
O'Miadhaigh,  the  foster  sou  of  the  S:n- 
nach  himsell',  and  he  gave  him  one  blow, 
so  that  he  cut  off  his  head  and  he  fell 
both  head  and  body  into  the  ditch  of 
the  caitle." — Annuls  of  K  Ironan. 

"  Now  it  is  quite  clear,"  says  Dr. 
O'Donovan,  from  whose  edition  of  the 
Four  Masters  these  extracts  are  taken, 
"  that  Mr.  Moore  is  wrong  in  charging 
Keating  with  inaccuracy  for  having 
written  that  the  murderer  (?)  of  De 
Lacy  was  a  young  gentleman  in  dis- 
guise. He  should  have  remembered 
that  Keating  had  many  documents, 
which  he,  Mr.  Moore,  could  niit  under- 
stand, and  which  are  probably  now 
lost.  As  to  calling  O'Meyey  a  genlle- 
maii,  we  must  acknowledge  that  the 
term  could  then  be  properly  enough 
applied  to  a  youth,  who  had  been  fos- 
tered by  an  Irish  prince  of  va.sl  terri- 
torial possessions,  till  he  had  been  de- 
prived of  them  by  De  Lacy." 


THE  HISTORY  OF   IRELAND. 


645 


The  same  chronicler  informs  us  that  William  Fltz-Aldclm  ^vas 
a  "  deceitful,  treacherous,  and  evil-minded  man  ; "  and  he  sets 
forth  the  insidious  and  fidse-hearted  manner  in  which  he  became 
possessed  of  a  manor,  that  was  their  rightful  estate,  from  the 
sons  of  Maurice  Fitz-Gerald ;  and  we  are  further  told  by  the 
saxne  chronicler,  that  he  cherished  an  inveterate  envy  towards 
the  same  Maurice,  and  towards  his  children.  We  read,  more- 
over, in  the  ancient  annals  of  Ireland,  that  whilst  this  William 
Fitz-Aldelm  was  governor  of  Luimncch,  under  the  king  of 
Saxon-land,  there  arose  a  contest  for  the  sovereignty  of  Con- 
naught,  between  two  brothers"  of  the  fiimily  of  O'Concobair, 


The  family  name  O'Miadhaigli  is  not 
a  name  likely  to  be  given  to  the  de- 
scendant of  a  clown,  for  "  Miadh  " 
{Meca'i),  signifies  honor  or  respect ;  and 
"  Miadhach "  (Meeagh),  whence  O'- 
Miadhaigh,  an  honorable  or  estimable 
man.  We  see  also  by  the  above  quo- 
tations that  O'Miadhaigli  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  noble  tribe  of  Tobtha  (  T<-ffa) 
in  Westraeath,  a  tribe  descended  from 
Mani,  son  of  the  Irish  monarch.  Niall 
of  the  Nine  Hostages,  of  which  O'Cat- 
harnaigli  {O'Caharmj)  styled  the  Sin- 
nach,  i.e.,  the  Fox,  was  then  chief. 
O'Braein  [O'Erem),  was  also  chief  of 
a  branch  of  the  same  tribe,  which  was 
seated  in  Breagh-mani,  now  Brawney 
in  the  same  county.  Keating  then  was 
not  wrong  in  calling  Gilla-gan-inathar 
duin-^  vasal  .  g — for  he  was  probably  as 
noble  as  his  chieftain,  the  Fox — though 
the  brave  youth  might  not  indeed  be 
styled  a  young  gentleman,  if  he  present- 
ed himself  with  his  battle  axe  in  the  mod- 
ern arisiocratic  Saons  of  Europe,  and 
not,  perhaps,  even  in  those  of  the  hour- 
geoiyi  — he  certainly  would  not  have 
been  styled  such  in  an  English  Court  of 
law.  He  was  nevertheless  as  much  hamc' 
nob  lis  as  Mucins  Scaevola,  and  the  deed 
which  the  Gaelic  noble  wrought,  was 
full  as  glorious  and  great  as  that  which 
the  young  patrician  of  ancient  Rome 
essayed  to  execute.  Had,  indeed,  that 
Irish  sapling  of  NialFs  stock — so  sure 
of  hand  and  fleet  of  foot — been  either  a 
young  gentleman,  or  a  genteel  young 
man,  as  the  terms  are  now  understood, 
he  would  not  have  dared  to  strike  down 
the  destroyer  of  his  kinsfolk  in  the 
midst   of   his   myrmidons — or,   if   his 


heart  prompted  him  to  the  deed  his 
hand  would  have  failed  him,  and  the 
act  would  either  have  remained  unac- 
complished, or  would  not  have  been 
done  half  so  well. — Ireland,  to-day, 
produces  too  few  daeiné  ua:slé  oga  like 
Gilla-gan-inathar,  she  has  by  fjir  too 
many  genteel  young  men ;  wherefore 
are  her  sons  still  ruthlessly  hecatombed 
on  mammon's  altar  by  those  baser 
tyrants,  who  have  succeeded  the  san- 
guinary De  Lacies  of  A.nglo-Norman 
times  ;  wherefore  doth  the  genus  Hay- 
warden,  and  HcuUy,  and  Lorton,  and 
Co.  abound  and  flourish  ;  wherefore  is 
the  produce  of  her  green  and  fertile  fields 
consumed  by  strange  land  merchants, 
who  commit  ruthless  though  insidious 
havoc  upon  the  wretched  remnants  of 
her  Free  Clans. 

Dur-magh  Coluhn  KiUi ;  i.  e.  Oak- 
field  of  St.  Columkille,  now  known  as 
Burrow,  where  De  Lacy  was  slain,  had 
been  formerly  granted  to  St.  Co'um- 
kille  by  Brendan,  Prince  of  Tebtha, 
an  ancestor  of  the  Fox,  and  probably 
of  O'Miadhaigh.  In  recent  times  a 
somewhat  similar  event  took  place  at 
Burrow.  Its  proprietor,  the  Earl  of 
Norbury  was  slain  by  an  unke.own 
hand,  after  having  built  a  castle  on  the 
site  of  that  erected  by  Be  Lacy,  and 
perha])S,  after  having  outraged  St. 
Columkille  by  preventing  the  families 
under  that  saint's  patronage  from  bury- 
ing their  dead  in  the  ancient  cemetery 
of  Burrow. 

'"  Brothers.  Cathal  Crobh-derg  was 
the  youngest  brother  of  King  Ruaidri, 
and  con.sequently  the  grand-uucle  of 
Cathal  Carrach. 


64:6  THE    HISTORY   OF    IKELAXD. 

namely,  between  Cathal  Carrach  and  Catlial  Crobh-derg ;  and 
that  John  de  Courcy  took  part  ^vith  Cathal  Crobh-derg,  while 
"William  took  part  with  his  adversary  Cathal  Carrach.  The 
hostilities  between  these  brothers  were  fostered  and  kept  alive, 
on  the  one  side  by  John  de  Courc}^,  and  on  the  other  by  William 
Fitz-Aldelm,  until  the  whole  of  their  territories  had  been  plun- 
dered and  devastated  between  them,  and  until  a  great  number 
of  the  nobles  of  Connaught  had  been  beheaded,  in  consequence 
of  this  intestine  quarrel.  At  length  a  pitched  battle  came  off 
between  the  two  Cathals,  each  aided  by  foi-eign  allies— for  there 
were  Gauls  fighting  on  both  sides.  In  this  battle,  Cathal  Car- 
rach and  his  allies  were  defeated,  and  he  lost  his  own  life  in  the 
conflict.  After  this,  William  Fitz-Aldelm  erected  a  castle  at 
Milec-Ui-Madagain,"  in  which  he  left  a  strong  garrison,  and  then 
returned  to  Luimnech.  Thereupon  Cathal  Crobh-derg  came  to 
lay  siege  to  this  fortress,  but  the  garrison  stole  out  of  it  hj  night 
and  followed  William  to  Luimnech ;  and  Cathal  Crobh-derg 
razed  the  castle  of  Milec  to  the  ground.  In  consequence  of  this, 
William  Fitz-Aldelm  mustered  an  army,  with  which  he  invaded 
Connaught,  where  he  plundered  and  destroyed  both  the 
churches  and  the  territories  and  the  laymen,  and  made  a  dreadful 
massacre  of  all  the  inhabitants  that  he  could  find.  For  these 
atrocities,  the  clergy  of  Connaught  gave  him  their  malediction, 
as  we  read  in  those  ancient  annals  of  Ireland,  which  were  written 
down  about  three  hundred  and  thirty  years  since,  in  that  chief 
book  of  history,  Avhich  is  called  the  Lebar  Brec  of  Mac  Aedgain. 
In  the  same  record  we  read  that  God  miraculously  sent  down  a 
foul  and  incurable  disease  u])on  tliis  man,  as  a  punishment  for 
his  evil  deeds,'^  and  that  he  finally  suffered  a  loathsome  death  in 
consequence  thereof  He  received  neither  penance  nor  extreme 
unction,  nor  was  his  body  laid  in  any  consecrated  ground,  but 
he  was  buried  on  a  desolate  farm. 

■^  Milec  Ui  Madagam ;  i.  e.  Meelick  The  statements  of  the  Irisli  authors 

of  O'-Madilen.     It  is  situated  on  the  niay,howevcr,  be  somewhat  overdrawn, 

brink  of  the  Shannon,  in  the  soutli  of  anil   (!ambrcnsis,  who  was  liis  enemy, 

county  of  (ialway  and  liarony  of  I^ong-  may  have  belied  him,  as  he  has  belied 

ford,  anciently  called   Sil  Anmcadha,  tlie  Irish.     De  Burgo  was  perhaps  nci- 

the  county  of  O'Madden.  th(!r  a  worse  nor  a  better  man  tlian  the 

^  His  evil  deeds.      "William    Fitz-  rest  of  his  companions.     He  is  said  to 

Adelm  de  Burgo  is  called  ^V'iIliam  the  have    been    descended    from    Charlo- 

CoiK|neror  by  the   Irish,   because   he  magne.     Ilis  death  is  thus  recorded  l)y 

.subdued  the  greater  part  of  ('onnaught.  the  Four  Masters  under  tiie  year  1 204. 

He  is  the  ancestor  of  all  the  De  I3ur-  "  AVilliani  T?urke  plundered  Connaught, 

gos,  or  Burkes  of  Ireland.     He  is  rc]>-  both  ehurrhes  and  territories,  but  (jod 

resented  as  a  very  bad  man,  as  well  and  the  Saints  took  vengeance  upon 

by  his  countr}Tnan  Cambrensis  as  by  him  therefor  ;  for  he  died  of  a  singular 

the  Irish  authorities  of  his  own  times,  disease,  too  loathsome  to  mention." 


THE  HISTORY  OF   IRELAND.  647 

Hostilities  broke  out,  after  some  time,  between  John  de 
Courcy  and  Hugo  de  Lacy  the  younger.  In  consequence  of 
their  quarrel,  the  territories  of  Ulidia  and  Meath  were  plundered 
and  laid  desolate,  whilst  numbers  of  the  Ulidians  and  the  men 
of  Meath  fell  upon  either  side.  This  contention  finally  resulted 
in  the  treacherous  capture  of  De  Courcy  by  Hugo,  who,  having 
made  a  charge  of  treason  against  his  captive,  delivered  him  into 
the  hands  of  the  people  of  the  king.  By  the  latter  he  was  sent 
as  prisoner  to  Saxon-land,  where  he  remained  for  some  time  in 
captivity.  However,  the  king  finally  granted  him  his  pardon, 
with  permission  to  return  to  Ireland.  He  thereupon  set  out 
upon  the  sea,  with  the  intention  of  going  back  to  that  country, 
but  there  immediately  arose  a  violent  storm,  by  which  he  was 
driven  back  to  land.  This  was  the  result  of  fourteen  successive 
attempts,  each  of  which  ended  in  his  being  thrown  back  upon 
Saxon-land  by  the  violence  of  the  wind.  At  length,  as  we  are 
told  in  the  chronicle  of  Stanihurst,  upon  making  his  fifteenth 
attempt,  he  was  driven  by  the  storm  to  the  coast  of  France,  in 
which  country  he  died  soon  after. 

We  also  read  in  the  chronicle  last-mentioned,  that  a  young 
nobleman  of  the  family  of  John  de  Courcy,  who  was  then  abiding 
in  Ireland,  had  been  slain  by  Hugo  de  Lacy  the  younger,  and 
by  his  brother  Walter  de  Lacy,  and  that,  in  consequence  thereof, 
many  quarrels  and  conflicts  had  arisen  between  the  friends  of 
this  young  nobleman  and  those  sons  of  Hugo  de  Lacy.  By 
these  events,  King  John  was  forced  to  march  into  Meath  with  a 
large  army,  composed  of  Gauls  and  Gaels,  for  the  purpose  of 
punishing  the  two  sons  of  De  Lacy.  But,  when  the  latter  heard 
that  the  king  was  approaching,  they  retreated  to  Carraig  Fergusa, 
and,  upon  his  pursuing  them  thither,  they  took  shipping  and 
fled  over  to  France.  Here  they  disguised  themselves  as  laborers, 
and  went  to  work  in  the  garden  of  a  certain  abbey  in  Normandy, 
and  there  they  remained  for  some  time  in  that  humiliating  and 
counterfeited  position.  However,  after  some  time,  they  made 
their  secret  known  to  the  abbot,  whom  they  besought  to  solicit 
the  king  of  Saxon-land  to  grant  them  his  peace  and  pardon. 
This  the  abbot  procured  for  them,  and  they  then  returned  to 
Ireland,  where  the  king  had  them  restored  to  their  blood  and 
their  estates.  Then  King  John  died,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord 
one  thousand  two  hundred  and  sixteen. 

After  this,  in  the  time  of  the  third  Henry,  there  arose  a  great 
war  between  Hugo  de  Lacy  the  younger  and  William  Mare- 
schall ;  so  that  the  whole  of  Meath  was  destroyed  between  them, 
and  that  great  numbers  of  the  Gaels,  some  of  whom  fought  on 
each  side,  were  slaiu  in  their  conflicts. 


648  THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 

There  also  arose  a  great  war  between  Meyler  Fitz-IIenry," 
GcoiFrey  Mares,"*  and  William  Marcschall ;  and  on  each  side 
multitudes  of  the  men  of  Leiustcr  and  Munster  were  destroyed 
between  them.  Ilanmer  informs  us  that  the  above-named  Mey- 
ler was  maledicted  by  the  Bishoj:)  of  Ferna,  for  having  robbed 
that  prelate  of  a  manor  which  he  had  owned,  and  that  he  even- 
tually died  excommunicated  in  Saxon-land.  Then,  as  his 
children  would  not  restore  the  property  which  their  father  had 
acquired  by  his  robbery,  the  Avhole  live  of  his  sons  died,  one 
after  the  other,  so  that  no  one  was  left  to  inherit  his  estates. 
This  Meyler  had  also  once  made  an  excursion  to  Cluain-mic- 
Nois,  attended  by  a  numerous  army,  and,  having  encamped 
there  for  twelve  nights,  he  not  only  plundered  the  town  of  cattle 
and  food,  but  he  moreover  robbed  its  temple  and  monastery 
likewise. 

When,  indeed,  the  Gaels  perceived  the  robberies  and  sacrileges 
of  those  men,  whom  I  have  mentioned,  they  at  length  thought 
of  delivering  themselves  from  the  oppressions  of  such  tyrants. 
For,  according  to  Stanihurst's  Clironicle,  Lis  Mor,  with  its  ter- 
mon  lands,  had  been  robbed  by  Hervé  de  Monté-Mariseo  and 
Raymond  le  Gros,"  although  we  are  told  that  the  same  Hervé'" 
afterwards  assumed  the  habit  of  a  monk,  and  had  built  the 
monastery  of  Dun  Broith"  in  the  county  of  Loch  Garman,  as  an 
atonement  for  the  crimes  he  had  committed  in  Ireland,  in  the 
year  of  our  Loi'd  one  thousand  two  hundred  and  seventy-nine. 
In  like  manner,  tlie  Church  of  Inis  Cathaigh,  with  its  termon 
lands,  was  plundered  by  AVilliam  Fitz  Aldelni.  And  again,  in 
the  excess  of  pride  and  iiaughtiness,  that  had  sprung  up  amongst 
them,  these  same  Gaids  had  given  themselves  up  to  fomenting 
quarrels  amongst  themselves,  and  to  the  wasting  and  destroying 
of  the  Gaels,  who  took  part  in  their  several  contentions. 

The  Irish  Essay  to  combine  against  their  despoilers. — Apology  for 
the  rebellious  nature  of  the  Gaels. 

The  Gaels  likewise  found  out  that  the  new-comers  had  no  in- 

■''  Meyler  Fitz-Hcnry.     He  was  the  the  An^Io-Normans,  is  the  ancestor  of 

natural  son  of  Kinj^  Henry  I.  of  Knf^-  tlie  Irish  family  of  Grace;.     He  was  the 

land,  by  Nesta,  who  was  also  the  mo-  Ronof  William  Fitz-Gerald,  the  brother 

ther  of  Maurice  Fitz-Gerald.     Ho  was  of  Maurice, 

made  T^ord  Justice  of  Ireland  in  1199.  **  Jkrvi.  de  Monte-Mar isco.     He  is 

'■*   Geoffrey   3Inres.      He   is   called  also  called  Hervey  of  Mount-^Iaurice. 

Geoflrey  de  Marisco  and  De  Mariscis  He  was   of  the  race  of  the   French 

by  English   writers.      He   was   made  Montmnrcncics.    His  Irish  descendants 

Governor  of  Ireland  in  1210,  and  Lord  have,  it  is  said,  taken  the  names  of 

Justice  in  1220.    The  war  above  men-  Montnioreney  and  Morris. 

tinned  liroke  out  in  1207.  "   Dan  Jiioith.     Now  the  ruii;ed  ab- 

■*  R(iij7iwnd  le  Gro^.     This  warrior,  bey  of   Dunbrody,  in   the  county  of 

one  of  the  most  dariiii;  of  the  chiefs  of  We.xford. 


THE   HISTORY   OF  IRELAND.  649 

tention  of  cither  correcting  the  religious  discipline,  or  of  im- 
proving the  moral  habits  of  the  Irish  nation.  For  these  reasons 
did  they  strive  to  rid  themselves  of  their  stranger  tyrants.  Con- 
sequently, a  number  of  the  Gaelic  nobles  came  to  the  residence 
of  Concobar  of  Maen-magh,"  who  was  then  abiding  at  Dun 
Leogha"  in  Ui  Mani,  for  the  purpose  of  appointing  him  their 
sovereign.  First  of  all,  there  came  thither  Domuall  O'Briain, 
King  of  Luimnech ;  and  Ruaidri  Mac  Donnslebi,  King  of  Ulidia; 
and  Domnall  Mac  Carthaigh,  King  of  Desmond;  and  ]\Iael- 
seehlainn  Beg  O'Maelscehlainn,  King  of  Meath;  and  O'Euaire, 
King  of  Ui  Briuin  and  Ui  Conmacui.  But  the  measures  there 
determined  upon  were  never  put  into  execution,  whatever  they 
might  have  been  ;  for,  before  they  were  finally  arranged,  Con- 
cobar, of  Maen-magh,  was  accidentally  slain. 

It  is  evident,  from  the  facts  which  we  have  just  stated,  that 
the  great  amount  of  disobedience  and  resistance  which  the  Gaels 
have  since  displayed  under  the  rulership  of  the  Anglo-Normans, 
has  resulted  irom  the  tj^ranny,  and  wrong,  and  disregard  of 
their  own  laws,  of  which  their  foreign  governors  were  themselves 
guilty.  For  I  do  not  think  that  there  is  any  race  in  Europe 
that  Avould  obey  these  laws  more  than  the  Irish,  if  even-handed 
justice  were  dealt  out  to  them.  The  following  is  the  testimony 
which  John  Davis  has  borne  to  their  character  in  the  last  page 
of  the  first  book  of  the  work  which  he  wrote  upon  Ireland  : 

"There  is  no  nation  of  people  under  the  sun  that  doth  love 
equal  and  indifferent  justice  more  than  the  Iiish,  or  will  rest 
better  satisfied  with  the  execution  thereof,  although  it  be  against 
themselves,  so  as  they  may  have  the  protection  of  the  laws  when 
upon  just  occasion  they  require  it." 

From  the  testimony  of  this  author,  it  must  be  understood  that 
it  is  through  no  natural  defect  in  their  character'*  that  the  Irish 

"*  Concobar  of  Maenrmagh.  This  Donncadh  O'Briain's  surrender  of  the 
prince  had  succeeded  to  the  kingdom  sovereignty  of  Ireland  to  the  Pope 
of  Connaught,  upon  the  deposition  of  Urliauus,  whose  cotemporary  he  was 
his  father  liuadri.  He  was  slain  by  not,  had  been  an  established  fact  of  his- 
members  of  his  own  tribe,  and  appar-  tory,  and  that  such  surrender  was 
ently  by  design.  He  was  an  able  perfectly  legal,  equitable  and  proper  in 
prince,  and  the  temporary  union  of  the  itself,  and  also  deeming  the  assignment 
Irish  chiefs  under  his  sway  took  place  of  that  sovereignty  to  Henry  and  his 
in  A.  D.  1189. — See  extract  from  the  heirs  by  the  Popus,  Adrian  and  Alex- 
Four  Miisteis  quoted  at  the  end.  ander,  to  have  been  equally  reasonable 

'^  Bun  Lengha.     This  fort  was  situ-  and  equitable  transactions,  has  thought 

ated  at  Ballinasloe,  in  the  county  of  it  right  to  close  his  historic  narrative 

Galway.  by  apologising  for  the  want  of  grati- 

='  No  natural  defect  in  their  character,  tude  shown  liy  his  countrymen  for  such 

Dr.  Keating,  good  man  that  he  was,  kind  and  paternal  consideration.    'I'hat 

seemingly  taking  it  for  granted  that  he  has  made  out  a  strong  case  to  justify 


650 


THE   HISTORY   OP   IRELAND, 


have  so  often  shown  a  want  of  submission  to  the  laws,  but 
through  the  fault  of  their  rulers,  who  did  not  administer  these 
Jaws  amongst  them  with  even-handed  justice. 


The  Irish  Septs  descended  from  the  Sen- Ghmll,^^  or  Anglo-Normans. 

Besides  those  five  men  whom  we  have  mentioned  already, 
there  arrived  in  Ireland  in  the  beginning  of  the  Anglo-Norman 
invasion,  several  other  chieftains,  who  did  not  commit  any  deeds 


the  Irish  rebellions  in  the  eyes  of  the 
legal  and  constitutional  supporters  of 
the  fait  accompli,  there  can  be  little 
doubt,  fur,  allowing  the  said  transac- 
tions to  have  been  perfectly  right  and 
just  in  themselves,  the  provisions  of 
the  said  grants  had  been  violated 
almost  immediately  after  by  the  jjarties 
to  whom  tlu-y  had  been  made,  and 
the  Poiie  has  had  just  cause  to  revoke 
them  any  time  within  the  last  GOO  years 
and  more.  Uut  to  those  who  hold 
with  tlie  majority  of  the  Irish  people, 
that  those  grants  were  perfectly  frau- 
dulent, unjust  and  nefarious,  no  such 
apology  is  needed.  Apology  is  rather 
wanted'  for  those  of  the  Irish  chiefs 
who  tamely  made  their  submissions  to 
Henry  upon  his  arrival  amongst  them. 
All  that  can  be  said  in  favor  of  the 
temporizing  of  these  men  is,  that  they 
had  no  conception  cither  of  the  con- 
struction that  would  be  put  upon  their 
several  acts  of  homage,  or  of  the  dread- 
ful national  consequences  that  were 
about  to  result  therefrom.  They  might 
have  considered  that  their  submissions 
to  the  stranger  king  were  of  like  mean- 
ing and  import  with  those  which  they 
had  been  wont  to  make  to  one  another, 
and  which  consisted  in  making  act  of 
homage,  and  delivering  up  hostages  as 
securities  for  the  maintenance  of  their 
several  treaties,  but  which  did  not  con- 
fer upon  the  liege-lord  any  right  to  the 
arbitrary  disi)osal  of  the  landed  prop- 
erty f)f  whatever  tribe  the  liegoman 
was  then  chief.  When  indeed  those 
Irish  chieftains  found  that  such  right 
to  disjioic  of  the  common  inhcritani'ii 
both  of  themselves  and  their  kindred 
was  a-ssunvd  by  the  enliiihteners  that 
had  been  sent  to  them,  then  did  they 
commence  that  endless  series  of  wars 


which  continued  almost  unceasingly 
for  more  than  400  years  ;  and  which, 
with  occasional  interruption,  has  con- 
timied  down  to  the  present  day.  These 
wars  have  been  called  rebellions  by  the 
spoilers  and  the  scribes  of  the  spoilers, 
and  this  word  sounded  as  harshly  in  the 
ears  of  Dr.  Keating  as  it  does  in  those 
of  some  good  souls  of  our  own  times. 
Therefore  does  he  excuse  and  palliate 
so  glaring  a  national  defect.  But  it 
is  to  be  hoped  that  that  rebellious 
characteristic,  which  is  now  apparently 
as  inherent  in  Irish  nature  as  it  was  iu 
the  days  of  Concobar  O'Concobair  of 
Maen-magh,  will  ever  remain  the  pre- 
dominant trait  of  every  true  Irishman, 
until  the  Irish  people,  whether  of 
Saxon  or  Norman  or  (iaelic  or  Belgic 
stock,  shall  again  own  the  Irish  soil ; 
and  until  neither  money-broker  nor 
landlord  shall  have  power  to  spread 
desolation  and  famine  and  woe  through 
her  homes  and  her  fields.  The  Irish 
people  should  never  forget  that  those 
fertile  fields  belonged  to  their  own 
forefathers,  and  that  those,  who  now 
call  them  theirs,  have  no  more  right 
thereto  than  the  roljber  has  to  the 
purse  of  his  victin).  Home,  it  is  true, 
have  bought  out  the  robber's  titles 
with  the  fruits  of,  perhaps,  honest  indus- 
try ;  l)ut  though  men  are  also  found 
who  buy  their  prey  from  the  sons  of 
the  highway,  it  does  not  thence  follow 
that  they  acquire  thereby  any  just  right 
to  goods  so  ac(|uired. 

=^  rii"  Sen-Ghoill ;  i.e.  the  old  Gauls 
or  strangers.  Many  other  noble  fami- 
lies, besides  those  here  mentioned  by 
Keating,  arc  descended  from  the  Sen- 
(Jhoill.  'I'lie  majority  of  the  leaders 
weri!  Norman-French,  and  most  of 
them  had  sprung  from  Welsh  mothers. 


THE   niSTOIiY   OF   IRELAND. 


651 


of  base  treachery  similar  to  tliose  of  wliich  the  said  five  had  been 
guihj.  Oil  the' contrary,  the  chieftains  to  whom  I  now  allude, 
conferred  many  benefits  upon  Ireland,  inasmuch  as  they  built 
chuiches  and  monasteries,  and  performed  many  good  works 
besides.  Therefore,  in  reward  thereof,  has  God  granted  them 
the  blessing  of  a  numerous  progeny,  in  the  many  noble  septs 
who  now  represent  them  in  Ireland,  such  as  the  Fitz-Geralds 
and  Burkes,  the  Butlers  and  Barries,  the  De  Courcies  and 
Kuehes,  the  Powers  and  Graces,  the  Prendergasts  and  Flem- 
mings,  the  Purcells  and  Prestons,  the  Nugents  and  Walshes,  the 
Tobins  and  Shortalls,  the  Blanches  and  Morrisscs,  the  Everards 
and  Mandevilles,  the  Birminghams  and  Barretts,  the  Ilacketts 


A  large  portion  of  their  followers  were 
altogether  Welshmen — a  race  of  kin- 
dred origin,  customs  and  language 
with  the  Gaels.  This  no  doubt  facil- 
italed  their  amalgamation  with  the 
former  natives,  with  whom  they  freely 
intermarried,  and  their  children  be- 
came, in  a  century  or  two,  more  Irish 
than  the  Gaels  themselves.  Of  this 
race  sprung  some  of  the  truest  and  no- 
blest Irishmen  of  her  subsequent  his- 
tory, and  some  of  the  most  rebellious. 
— The  editor's  copies  do  not  agree  in 
all  the  names  in  the  list  which  is  given 
above,  and  he  has  inserted  one  or  two 
of  them  from  Dermod  O'Connor's 
translation  of  Keating,  but  of  those 
found  in  the  latter  work  he  has  only 
inserted  those,  for  whose  early  Norman 
origin  he  has  had  corroborative  au- 
thority. Dr.  Keating  evidently  did 
not  intend  to  give  a  complete  list  of 
the  septs  descended  from  those  ancient 
colonists.  However,  those  he  has  omit- 
ted will  be  found  in  the  explanation  of 
the  map.  The  families  of  Plunkett, 
Wise,  Betagh,  and  even  some  of  those 
above  given,  are  supposed  to  be  of 
Scandinavian  origin,  and  anterior  to 
the  invasion. 

The  editor  here  transcribes  the  fol- 
lowing extracts  from  the  Annals  of  the 
Four  Masters,  giving  the  Irish  account 
of  the  several  transactions  between  the 
Gaels  and  their  invaders  down  to  the 
death  of  Euaidri,  the  last  Ard-righ  of 
Ireland.  By  them  it  may  be  seen  that, 
outside  of  certain  parts  of  Leinster  and 
Meath,  the  early  invaders  occupied  the 
position  rather  of  mercenaries  than  of 
conquerors. 


A.  D.  1174. 

"  The  Earl  Strongbow  led  an  army 
to  plunder  Munster.  King  Ruaidri 
led  another  army  to  defend  it  against 
him.  When  the  strangers  had  heard 
of  the  arrival  of  lluaidri  in  Munster, 
for  the  purpose  of  giving  them  battle, 
they  solicited  to  their  assistance  the 
Ostmen  of  Ath-cliath,  and  then  made 
no  delay  until  they  reached  Durlas 
(Thurles.)  Thither  came  Domnall  Ua 
Briain  and  the  Dal  g-Cais,  the  bat- 
talion of  West  Connaught  and  the 
great  battalion  of  Sil  Muredaigh  (the 
O'Connors),  besides  numerous  other 
good  troops  left  there  by  the  King 
Ruaidri.  At  this  place  a  brave  battle 
was  fought  between  the  p]nglish  and 
the  Irish,  and  in  it  the  English  were 
finally  defeated  by  dint  of  fighting. 
Seventeen  hundred  of  the  strangers 
were  slain  in  this  engagement,  and 
only  a  few  of  them  survived  with  the 
Earl,  who  proceeded  in  sorrow  to  his 
house  at  Port  Largi.  Ua  Briain  re- 
turned home  in  triumph. 

Magnus  Ua  Maelsechlainn,  lord  of 
East  Meath,  was  hanged  by  the  Eng- 
lish, after  they  had  acted  treacherously 
towards  him  at  Ath-Truim  (now  Trim.) 

Ruaidri  Ua  Concobair,  King  of  Ire- 
land, marched  an  army  into  Munster ; 
he  expelled  Dorauall  Ua  Briain  from 
Thomond,  and  much  wasted  that  coun- 
try. 

A.  D.  1176. 

Fobar  and  Kcnannus  (now  Fore  and 
Kells)  were  laid  waste  by  the  English 
and  the  Ui  Briuin  of  Brefni. 

Louth  was  laid  waste  by  the  Saxons. 

The  English  were  driven  from  Luim- 


'652 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


and  ^iocklers,  the  Arthurs  and  Whites,  the  Condons  and  Cant- 
wells,  the  Kices  and  Ilowleys,  the  Stritchcs  and  Creaghs,  the 
Longs  and  the  Foxes,  the  Bruces  and  D'Arcies,  the  Goolds  and 
Galways,  the  Ten-ies  and  Skiddies,  the  Fannings  and  De  Verdons, 
the  Browns  and  Sherlock?,  the  Walls  and  Cummerfords,  the  Dil- 
lons and  Nagles,  the  Keatings  and  Bagots,  the  Corbcts,  Staunions, 
Supj)les,  Daltons,  Bigots,  iSavadgcs,  Stapletons,  Fitz-l\ustaces, 
Fitz-Gibbons,  Fitz-j\laurices,  the  Rokidicc^  and  many  other 
noble  septs  of  the  Sen-Glioill,  descended  from  the  chieftains  of 
the  Anglo  Kormans,  but  which  we  shall  not  mention  in  this  place. 


nech  (now  Limerick)  by  Domnall  Ua 
Bn'ain,  by  laying  siege  to  them. 

An  Eiiglisii  castle  was  in  progress 
of  erection  at  Kenannus. 

The  English  Earl  (Strongbow)  died 
in  Ath-cliath,  of  an  ulcer  which  had 
broken  out  in  his  foot,  through  the 
miracles  of  Saints  IJrighii  t  and  Colura- 
kille,  and  of  all  the  other  saints  whose 
churches  had  been  destroyed  by  him. 
He  saw,  as  he  thought,  Saint  Brighitt 
in  the  act  of  killing  him. 

The  castle  of  SUini  (Slane)  in  which 
was  llichard  Flemniing  with  his  forces, 
and  from  which  he  used  to  ravage 
Oirghiulla,  Ui  Briuin  and  Meath,  was 
plundered  by  Maelsechlainn,  son  of 
Mac  Lochlainn,  Lord  of  the  Kind 
Eogain,  with  the  Kinel  Eogain  them 
selves  and  the  men  of  Oirgiiialla.  They 
killed  500  or  more  of  the  English, 
besides  women,  children  and  horses, 
and  not  one  individual  escaped  with 
his  life  from  the  castle.  Three  castles 
were  leli  desolate  in  Meath  the  follow- 
ing day,  through  fear  of  the  Kinel  Eo- 
gain, namely,  the  castles  ol'  Kenainms, 
Caitruini,  and  Doiri  Phadraig  (now 
Kelis,  Ualtrim  and  Derrvpatrick.) 
A.  D.  1177. 
Cardinal  Yivianus  arrived  in  Ireland. 
A  synod  of  the  clergy  of  Ireland,  both 
of  bishops  and  abbots  was  convened  liy 
this  cardinal  on  the  1st  Sunday  in  Iji'nt, 
and  they  enacted  many  ordinances  not 
now  observed. 

An  ;irmy  was  led  by  John  Dc  Cour- 
cy  and  tiic  knijrhts  into  Dal  Araide  and 
to  Dmi-da-leth-Lrlas;  they  slew  Domnall, 
the  granilson  of  Catha.sach,  Lord  of  Dal 
Araide.  Dun-da-leth-irlns  vvasplunder- 
cil  and  dijstroyed  by  John  De  Courcy 


and  tho  knights  who  came  in  his  army. 
A  castle  was  tliere  built  by  them,  and 
out  of  it  they  defeated  tlie  Ulidiaiis 
twice,  and  the  Kinel  Eogain  and  Oir- 
ghialla  once,  and  slew  Concobar 
O'Carellain,  chief  of  Clann  Diarmoda, 
Gilla-Mac-Liag  O'Dongali  (now  O'Don- 
nelly)  chief  of  Ferdroma  ;  and  Dumnall 
O'Fiathbertaigh  (now  O'Laverty)  was 
so  wounded  by  arrows,  that  he  dietl  of 
his  wounds  in  the  church  of  St.  Paul, 
at  Ard  Macha,  after  having  received 
the  Body  and  Blood  of  Clirist,  and 
after  Extreme  Unction  and  Penance. 
Many  other  chiefs  were  there  slain  be- 
sides these.  During  the  same  expedi- 
tion De  Courcy  marched  his  forces  to 
Ui  Tuirtri  and  Fir  Li ;  however,  be- 
fore his  arrival,  Cu-Midhe  Ua  Fiainn 
{Coowcc  O'Lijiin  or  O'Flynn)  had  set 
Ather-Maigho  (now  Armoy)  on  iire 
Cul  llathain  (now  Coleraine)  and  many 
other  churches  were  burned  on  this  ex- 
pedition. 

Murcadh,  son  of  Ruaidri  O'Conco- 
bair,  bronglit  Milo  de  Cogan  and  his 
knights  with  him  to  llos  Coniain,  to 
ravage  ('oiniaught  and  to  annoy  his 
father,  lluaidri.  The  Connaught  men 
immediately  burned  Tuuim-da-gualann 
and  other  cluirches  to  prevent  the  Eng- 
lish from  quartering  therein.  They 
afterwards  deviated  the  English,  and 
forcibly  drove  them  out  of  Connaught, 
and  lluaidri  put  out  the  eyes  of  his  son 
in  revenge  for  this  expedition. 
A.  D.  1178. 
John  de  Cimrcy  with  his  foreigners 
repaired  to  Machari  Coiialli  (in  Louth), 
and  cdnuiiitted  depredations  there. 
'I'hey  encamped  for  a  night  in  Glenn 
liighe,    where    Murcadh    O'Kerbaill 


THE  HISTORY  OF  IRELAND. 


653 


(now  O'Oarroll),  Lord  of  Oirgbialla, 
and  Cu-Uladh  Mac  Donslebi  (now  Mac 
Donlevy),  King  of  Ulidia,  niiide  hostile 
attack  upon  them,  in  which  they 
drowned  and  otherwise  killed  450  of 
them.  100  of  the  Gaols,  together  with 
Ua  h-Anbith  (now  O'ilanvey)  Lord  of 
Ui  Meith-Macha,  fell  in  the  "heat  of  the 
battle. 

De  Courcy  soon  after  went  to  plun- 
der Dal  Araide  and  Ui  Tuirtri,  and 
Cu-Midhe  OFlaiim,  Lord  of  Ui  Tuirtri 
and  Fir  Li,  gave  battle  to  him  and  his 
foreigners,  and  defeated  them  with 
great  slaughter,  through  the  miracles 
of  Saints  Patrick,  Columkille  and 
Brendan,  and  John  himself,  being 
severely  wounded,  escaped  with  diffi- 
culty and  fled  to  Ath-cliath. 

The  Constable  of  the  King  of  Eng- 
land in  Ath-cliath  and  East  Meath 
marched  with  his  forces  to  Cluain- 
mic-Nois,  and  plundered  all  the  town 
except  the  churches  and  the  bishop's 
houses.  God  and  St.  Kiaran  wrought 
a  manifest  miracle  against  them,  for 
they  were  unable  to  rest  or  sleep  until 
they  had  secretly  absconded  from  Cuirr 
Cluana  next  day. 

A  victory  was  gained  by  Art  Ua 
Maolsechlainn,  the  men  of  Ui  Falghi 
and  the  English  over  the  people  of 
Delbna  Ethra,  Maelsechlainn  Beg  and 
a  party  of  the  men  of  Tebtha;  in 
this  battle  Muredach,  son  of  the  Sin- 
uach  (i.  e.  the  Fox)  was  slain. 

"  Corcach  was  plundered  by  the 
grandson  of  Doranall  Mac  Carthaigh 
and  the  Green  Gauls.  Corcach  was 
besieged  by  Milo  de  Cogan  and  Fitz- 
Stephen.  A  party  of  their  people 
made  an  excursion  to  Acadh-da-eo 
(Aghadoe),  where  they  remained  two 
day  and  two  nights,  and  then  returned 
to  Corcach.  After  this  they  marched 
towards  Waterford,  but  the  Gaels 
gathered  against  them  at  the  hill  of 
Lis  Mor  (now  Lismore)  and  killed  near- 
ly them  all.  —Annals  of  Innisfallen. 

Our  Annals  are  silent  as  to  the  pro- 
ceedings of  the  invaders  during  A.  D. 

1179.  They  record  the  death  of  St. 
Lawrence,  or  Lorcan  O'Tuathail,  under 

1180.  In  the  latter  year  was  fought 
the  battle  called  the  Battle  of  the  Con- 
cobars,  between  Coucobar  of  Macn- 


magh,  son  of  the  Monarch  Ruaidri, 
and  Coucobar  O'Kellaigh,  Lord  of  Ui 
Mani.  Next  year  they  record  a  great 
battle,  in  which  Flathbertach  Ua  Mael- 
doraidh.  Prince  of  Kiniil  Conaill,  de- 
feated the  sons  of  Ruaidri  O't.'uncobair, 
and  in  which  there  fell  16  ol"  the  sons  of 
the  principal  lords  and  chiefs  of  Con- 
naught.  "  And  many  others  fell,  both 
of  the  nobles  and  the  plebeians.  The 
Kinel  Eogaiu  held  the  Connaughtmen 
in  subjection  for  a  long  time  alter  this 
battle."— F.  M. 

A.  D.  1182. 

"  Domnall,  son  of  Aedh  O'Lochlainn, 
marched  with  an  army  to  Dun-bo, 
where  he  gave  battle  to  the  English  ; 
but  the  Kinel  Eogain  were  there  de- 
feated, and  Baghnall  Ua  Breslein,  with 
Gilla-Criosd  Ua  Cathain  and  many 
others  were  slain."  [In  this  year,  ac- 
cording to  the  Annals  of  Kilnonan, 
Milo  de  Cogan  was  killed  by  Mac  Tiri, 
Prince  of  Ui  Mac  Calli  (Imokilly)  ; 
and  in  it  died  Raymond  le  Gros  and 
the  two  sons  of  Fitz  Stephen.  No 
important  event  is  recorded  under 
A.  D.  1183.] 

A.  D. 1184. 

Art  O'Maelsechlainn,  Lord  of  West 
Meath,  was  treacherously  slain  by 
Diarmaid,  son  of  Tordclbach  O'Bri- 
ain,  at  the  instigation  of  the  ling- 
lish,  whereupon  Maelsechlainn  Beg 
(O'Maelsechlainn)  assumed  hia  place, 
and  in  three  days  afterwards  defeated 
the  same  Diarmaid  in  a  conflict  where- 
in many  were  slain,  amongst  whom 
was  the  son  of  Mathgamaiu  O'Briain. 

A  castle  was  erected  by  the  English 
at  Kill  Air  (in  Meath).  Another  cas- 
tle was  plundered  by  Maelsechlainn 
and  Concobar  O'Concobair  of  Maen- 
Magh,  in  which  many  of  the  English 
were  slain.  Thirty  of  the  best  houses 
of  Ard  Macha  were  plundered  by  the 
English  of  Meath. 

A.  D.  118.5. 

Philip  of  AVorcester  (Lord  Justice) 
remained  at  Ard  Macha  with  his  Eng- 
lishmen during  six  days,  in  the  middle 
of  Lent. 

The  son  of  the  king  of  England, 
that  is,  John,  son  of  Henry  II.,  came 
to  Ireland  with  a  fleet  of  GO  ships,  to 
assume  the  government  of  the  king- 


654 


THE   HISTORY    OF    IRELAND. 


dom.  He  took  possession  of  Ath- 
cliuth  and  Leinstor,  and  erected  castles 
at  Tibraid  Factna  (now  Tibrovmhney) 
and  Ard  Finain,  out  of  which  he 
plundered  Munster ;  but  his  people 
were  defeated  with  great  slauirhtcr  by 
Domnall  O'Briain.  John  then  re- 
turned to  England  to  com])lain  to  his 
father  of  Hugo  de  Lacy,  who  was  the 
King's  deputy  in  Ireland  on  his  arrival, 
and  who  had  prevented  the  Irish  Kings 
from  sending  him  (John)  either  tribute 
or  hostages. 

A  general  war  broke  out  in  Con- 
nanght,  among  the  rijyal  heirs,  namely, 
Ruaidri  O'Concobair  and  his  son 
Concobar  of  Maen-Magh  ;  Ooncobar 
O'Diarmada  ;  Cathal  Carrach,  son  of* 
Concobar  of  ]\Iaen-Magh  ;  and  Cathal 
Crobh-derg,  son  of  Tordelbach.  In 
the  contests  between  them  many  per- 
sons were  slain,  after  which  Ruaidri 
and  his  son  made  peace  with  the  other 
chiefs. 

Tlie  West  of  Connaught  was  burned, 
as  well  churches  as  houses,  by  Domnall 
O'Briain  and  the  English. 

Cathal  Carrach,  the  son  of  Concobar 
of  Maen-Magh,  son  of  Ruaidri,  burned 
Kill-da-luadh,  as  well  churches  as 
houses,  and  carried  off  all  the  jewels 
and  riches  of  the  inhaVtitants.  Tho- 
mond  was  destroyed  and  jilundcred  by 
Concobar  of  Maen-Magh  and  the  Eng- 
lish. The  English  came  as  far  as 
Ros  Comain  MÚth  the  son  of  Ruaidri, 
who  gave  them  3,000  cows  as  wages. 

Diarmaid  Mac  Carthaigh,  Lord  of 
Desmond,  was  slain  by  the  English  of 
Corcach. 

A.  D.  1186. 

Ruaidri  O'Concobair  was  banished 
into  Munster  by  his  own  son,  Concobar 
of  Maen-Magh.  In  the  contest  between 
them  both,  the  Connaught  men  were 
destroyed.  However,  by  the  advice  of 
the  Sil-Muredaigh  (Sfieel  3Iurrni/e), 
Ruaidri  was  recalled,  and  a  cantred 
of  land  was  given  to  him.  [Hugo  de 
Lacy  slain — Sec  extract  already  quoted.] 
A.  I).  1187. 

The  castle  of  Kill  Air,  which  Wivs  in 
possession  of  tlic  English,  was  burned 
and  demolished  by  Concobar  O'i^onco- 
bair  of  Maemnagh,  and  Maelsechlainn 


Beg,  and  not  one  of  the  English  escaped 
thence,  liut  all  were  sufft)cated  or  other- 
wise killed.  Thoy  carried  away  their 
shields,  arms,  accoutrements,  coats  of 
mail  and  horses,  and  slew  two  knights. 

And  Drum-cliabh.  (now  Druniclilf.)  in 
Sligo.  was  plundered  by  the  son  of  Mael- 
secldainn  O'Ruairc,  Lord  of  Ui  Briuin 
and  Conmacni,  and  by  the  son  of  Cathal 
O'Ruairc,  accompanied  by  the  English 
of  Meath.  But  God  and  St.  Columkille 
wrought  a  remarkable  miracle  in  this 
instance,  for  the  son  of  Maelsechlainn 
O'Ruairc  was  killed  in  Conmacni  a 
fortnight  afterwards,  and  the  eyes  of 
the  son  of  Cathal  O'Ruairc  were  put 
out  by  O'Maekloraidh,  in  vengeance 
for  St.  Columkille;  and,  also  120  of 
the  followers  of  the  son  of  Maelsech- 
lainn were  killed  throughont  Conmacni, 
through  the  miracles  of  that  saint. 
A.  D.  1188. 

The  English  of  the  castle  of  ^lagh 
Coba,  in  Down,  and  a  party  of  the  Ui 
Eathach  (the  peojde  of  Iveagh)  made 
a  predatory  into  Tir  Eogain.  and  came 
to  Leim-mic-Neill,  where  they  seized 
upon  some  cattle  ;  but  Domnaill  0'- 
Lochlainn  pursued  them  with  his  re- 
tainers, and  came  up  with  them  at 
Caban-na-g-crann-ard,  where  a  battle 
was  fought  between  them,  and  the  Eng- 
lish were  routed  with  great  slaughter. 
But  Domnall,  son  of  Aedh  O'Lochlainn, 
Lord  of  Ailech,  and  meet  heir  to  the 
throne  of  Ireland,  by  reason  of  his  sym- 
metry of  form,  intellect  and  wisdom, 
alone  received  a  thrust  from  an  English 
spear,  and  fell  in  the  heat  of  the  con- 
flict. His  body  was  carried  to  Ard 
Macha  on  the  same  day,  and  there  in- 
terred with  great  honor  and  solemnity. 

John  de  (,'onrcy  and  the  English  ot 
Ireland  made  an  incursion  into  Con- 
naught, accompanied  by  (.'Oncobar  O'- 
Diarmada, whereupon  Concobar  of 
Maen-magh,  King  of  Connaught,  as- 
seml)led  all  the  chiefs  of  his  country, 
who  were  joined  by  Domnall  O'Brian 
and  some  of  the  men  of  Munster.  The 
English  set  fire  to  .some  of  the  churches 
of  the  country  as  they  passed  along, 
but  they  made  no  delay  until  they 
reached  Es-dara  (now  Ballysadare], 
with  the  intention  of  going  into  Tir 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


655 


Conaill,  for  the  Connaughtmen  would 
not  suffer  them  to  tarry  any  longer 
in  their  cduntry.  But  as  soon  as  Flulh- 
bertach  O'jNIaeldoraidli  heard  of  tlieir 
approach,  he  mustered  the  Kincl  Con- 
aill, and  marched  to  Drum-cliabh  to 
oppose  them.  Upon  hearing  of  this 
movement,  the  English  burned  the 
whole  of  Es-dara,  and  retreated.  As 
they  passed  by  the  Coirr-Sliabh  (the 
(.'urlew  Mountains,)  they  were  set  upon 
by  the  men  of  Munster  and  Connaught, 
by  whom  gi-eat  numbers  of  them  were 
slain.  The  survivors  escaped  with 
difficulty  from  the  country,  in  which 
they  had  committed  no  trifling  destruc- 
tion upon  this  occasion. 
A.  D.  1189. 

Domnall,  son  of  Murkertach  Mac 
Lochlainn,  was  slain  by  the  English  of 
Dal  Araide  while  he  was  staying 
amongst  them. 

Mac-na-h-oidhché  {Mac-nia-heehie,  i. 
e..  Son  of  Night)  O'Maelruanaidh,  lord 
of  Fera  Manach ,  was  driven  from  his 
lordship,  and  fled  to  O'Kerbaill.  Soon 
after  an  English  army  arrived  in  that 
country,  to  whom  O'Kerbaill  and  O'- 
Maelruanaidh (O'Carroll  and  O'Mul- 
rony)  gave  battle  ;  but  O'Kerbaill  was 
defeated  therein  and  O'Maelruanaidh 
killed. 

Concobar  of  Maen-magh,  the  son  of 
Ruaidri,  King  of  Connaught,  both 
English  and  Irish,  was  killed  %  a  party 
of  his  own  people  and  tribe  ;  namely, 
by  Magnus,  son  of  Flann  O'Finachta, 
called  the  Crosach  Doun  ;  Aedh,  son 
of  Brian  of  Brefni,  son  of  Tordelbach 
O'Concobair  ;  Murkertach,  sonof  Diar- 
maid,  son  of  Cathal,  son  of  Tadg  ;  and 
Gilla-na-naemh,  son  of  Gilla-Comain, 
son  of  Muredach  Ban  O'Maelmichil  of 
the  Tuatha.  Alas  for  the  party  that 
plotted  this  conspiracy  against  the  life 
of  the  heir  presumptive  of  the  throne 
of  Ireland  !  To  him  the  greater  part 
of  Lcth  Mogha  had  submitted  as  king. 
Domnall  O'Briain,  King  of  Munster, 
had  gone  to  his  house  at  Dun  Leodha 
{Doon-Lo),  where  he  was  entertained 
for  a  week,  and  to  him  O'Concobair 
gave  sixty  cows  out  of  every  cantred 
in  Connaught,  and  ten  articles  of  price, 
ornamented  with  gold ;  but  O'Briain 


did  not  accept  any  of  these,  save  one 
goblet,  which  his  own  grandfather, 
Diarmaid  O'Briain,  had  once  owned. 
Euaidri  MacDonslel)i,  King  of  Ulidia, 
had  come  into  his  house.  MacCarthaigh, 
King  of  Desmond,  was  in  his  house, 
and  to  him  O'Concobair  gave  a  great 
stipend,  namely,  five  horses  out  of  every 
cantred  in  Connaught.  Maelsechlainn 
Beg,  King  of  Temhair,  was  in  his  house 
likewise,  and  took  away  thence  a  large 
stipend  ;  and  O'Ruairc,  King  of  Brefni, 
had  also  come  into  his  house,  whence 
he  also  carried  off  a  large  stipend. 

When  Concobar  of  Maen-magh  had 
been  slain,  the  Sil  Muredaigh,  (his  own 
tribe,)  sent  messengers  to  Ruaidri  O'- 
Concobair, the  former  King  of  Ireland, 
to  tell  him  of  the  death  of  his  son, 
and  to  ofier  him  the  kingdom  ;  and  as 
soon  as  Ruaidri  had  reached  Magh 
Naei,  he  took  the  hostages  of  the  Sil 
Muredaigh,  and  all  Connaught,  for  at 
that  time  the  hostages  that  had  been 
delivered  up  to  Concobar  of  Maen- 
magh  were  then  on  Inis  Clothrann,  an 
island  in  Loch  Ribh. 

Concobar,  grandson  of  Diarmaid, 
was  slain  by  Cathal  Carrach,  son  of 
Concobar  of  Maen-magh,  in  revenge  for 
his  father. 

Richard  I.  was  crowned  King  of 
England  on  the  1st  of  July. 

Flathbertach  O'Maekloraidh  march- 
ed his  forces  against  the  men  of  Con- 
naught, and  pitched  his  camp  in  Cor- 
ran.  All  the  Connaughtmen,  both 
English  and  Irish,  came  to  oppose  him. 
However,  they  were  not  able  to  injure 
him,  and  both  parties  departed  without 
coming  to  a  battle. 

A.  D.  1190. 

A  meeting  was  held  at  Cluain  Ferta 
of  St.  Brendan,  to  conclude  a  peace 
between  Cathal  of  the  Red  Hand  and 
Cathal  Carrach.  All  the  Sil  Mure- 
daigh came  to  this  meeting,  together 
with  Concobar  MacDiarmoda,  Co- 
marba  of  St.  Patrick  and  Arechtach 
O'Roduibh  ;  but  they  were  not  able  to 
effect  a  reconciliation  on  this  occasion. 
A.  D. 1191. 

Ruaidri  O'Concobair  set  out  from 
Connaught,  and  came  to  Flathbertach 
O'Maeldoraidh,  in  Tir  Conaill,  and  he 


656 


THE  HISTORY   OF  IRELAND. 


passed  thence  into  Tir  Eogaiu,  to  re- 
quest forces  i'rom  the  north  of  Ireland 
to  enable  him  to  recover  his  kingdom 
of  Connauglit  ;  but  the  men  of  Ulster 
refusing  to  aid  hiui  in  procuring  lands 
from  the  men  of  Connaught,  he  repaired 
to  the  English  of  Meath,  and  these  hav- 
ing also  refused  to  go  with  him,  he 
passed  into  Munster,  whither  the  Sil 
Muredaigh  sent  fur  him,  and  gave  him 
lands,  namely,  Tir  Fiacrach  and  Kiuel 
Aeda  of  Ectighe. 

A.  D.  1192. 

The  English  were  defeated  at  the 
weir  of  Echaradli  {Aughera),  by  the 
Muinter  Maeil-t-tíinna,  (i.  e.,  the  sept 
of  MacCarron  of  Meath,  called  in  Irish 
MacCargamna.) 

The  English  of  Leinstcr  committed 
gi'eat  depredations  against  Domnall 
O'Briain.  They  passed  over  the  plain 
of  Kill-tla-hiadli  until  they  reached 
Magh  Ua  Thoirdhelbhaigh  (3'Ioij-O- 
Hurrayltg),  near  (he  Shannon,  where 
they  were  met  by  the  Dal  g-Cais,  who 
slew  great  numbers  of  their  host. 

Domnall  O'Briain  defeated  and  made 
a  great  slaughter  of  the  English  of  Os- 
raide. 

A.  D.  1193. 

Derborgaill,  wife  of  Tighernan  O'- 
Ruairc,  and  daughter  of  Murcadh  0'- 
Maelsechlainn,  died  in  the  monastery  of 
Droiched  xVtlia  (Mellifont),  iu  the  85th 
year  of  her  age. 

Aedh  O'Maelbrenain,  (now  O'Mul- 
renin,)  chief  of  (!lann  Concobair,  was 
slain  by  the  Engli.sh  of  Ath-cliath. 

O'Kerbaill  (O'Carroll),  Lord  of 
Oirghialla,  was  captured  by  the  Eng- 
lish, who  first  put  out  his  eyes  and  then 
hanged  him. 

A.  D.  1194. 

Domnall,  son  of  Tordelbach  O'Briain, 
King  of  Minister,  a  beaming  lamp  in 
peace  and  war,  and  tlie  brilliant  star  of 
the  hospitality  and  valor  of  the  men  of 
Munsier  and  of  all  Leth  Mogha,  died, 
and  Murkertach,  his  son,  assumed  his 
place. 

The  English  landed  upon  Inis-'O. 
Fintain,  but  were  forcibly  driven  out 
of  it. 

Cu-^iidhe  O'FIairm  {Comvce  0'- 
Flynn,  the  hero  who  had  defeated  De 


Courcy,)  was  slain  by  the  English. 
Gilbert  MacCostello  marched  witli  an 
English  army  to  Es-ruadh.  but  was 
compelled  to  return  without  gaining 
any  advantage  by  his  incursion.  [The 
English  name  of  MacCostello  was  De 
Nangle.  He  was  of  English  parentage.] 
A.  D.  1195. 

Cathal  O'Concobair  of  the  Red 
Hand  and  MacCostello,  with  some  of 
the  English  and  Irish  of  Meath,  march- 
ed into  Munster,  and  arrived  at  Cashel 
and  Imlech  luljair.  There  they  burned 
four  large  castles  and  some  small  ones. 
Cathal  MacDiarnrada  marched  from 
Munster  into  Connaught,  and  passed 
victoriously  through  that  province  until 
he  reached  Loch  Mesg  and  Inis  Rodba, 
where  he  seized  upon  all  the  vessels  of 
Cathal  of  the  Red  Hand,  and  brought 
them  away  to  Caislean-na-Caillighe 
(now  Hags  Castle),  whence  he  com- 
menced to  commit  great  ravages  in  all 
directions,  until  Cathal  of  the  Red 
Hand  came,  accompanied  by  a  party 
of  English,  and  made  peace  with  him. 
A.  D.  1196. 

Murkertach,  sou  of  Murkertach  0'- 
Lochlainn,  Lord  of  Kinel  Eogain,  pre- 
sumptive heir  to  the  throne  of  Ireland, 
tower  of  the  valor  and  achievements  of 
Leth  Cuinn,  destroyer  of  the  cities  and 
castles  of  the  English,  founder  of 
churches  and  fair  sancluarics,  was  slain 
by  Donncadh,  son  of  Blosgadh  O'Cat- 
hain.  His  body  was  carried  to  Doiri 
of  St.  Colunikille,  and  there  buried 
with  great  honor  and  respect. 

Ruaidri  MacDonslebi,  with  the  Eng- 
lish and  the  sons  of  the  cliief  of  Con- 
naught,  marched  against  the  Kinel 
Eogain  and  the  Airthertha  (the  men 
of  Orior).  The  latter  marched  against 
them  to  the  plain  of  Ard  Macha,  and 
there  gave  them  battle.  MacDonslebi 
was  dcfl-atcd  with  great  s!auglit^>r,  and 
twelve  of  the  sons  of  the  chiefs  of  Con- 
naught,  with  many  of  an  inferior  degi'§e, 
were  slain. 

Domnall,  son  of  Diarmaid  MacCart- 
haigh  (lelealed  the  ]inglish  of  J^imcrick 
and  Munster  with  dreadful  slaughter, 
and  then  drove  them  out  of  Limerick. 
He  also  defeated  them  iu  two  other 
battles  within  this  year. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   IRELAND. 


657 


Mathgamain,  (or  Mahon,)  son  of  Con- 
cobar  of  Maen-magh,  heir  apparent  to 
the  throne  of  Connaught,  was  slain  by 
Domnall  O'Morda  and  the  men  of 
Laeighis,  who  prevented  him  from 
bearing  off  spoil,  which  he  had  taken 
from  the  English  ;  but  O'Morda  was 
slain  by  Cathal  Carrach,  in  revenge  of 
his  brother. 

A.  D.  1197. 

John  de  Courcy  and  the  English  of 
Ulidia,  marched  Avith  an  army  to  Es- 
Oraeibi  {Ass-Crecva,  now  Salmon  Leap, 
on  the  River  Bann),  and  built  the  castle 
of  Kill  Sanctain,  and  wasted  and  deso- 
lated the  territory  of  Kiannachta.  He 
left  Rotsel  Pituu  with  a  large  body  of 
forces  in  the  castle,  out  of  which  they 
set  about  plundering  and  ravaging  the 
churches  and  the  lands  of  the  laity. 
Rotsell  Pitun  thence  made  a  predatory 
excursion  to  the  harbor  of  Doiri 
(Derry),  and  plundered  the  churches  of 
Cluain-I,  Enach  and  Derg-bruach  ;  but 
Flathbertach  O'Maeldoraidh,  Lord  of 
Kinel  Eogain  and  Kinel  Conaill,  over- 
took him  with  a  small  party  of  the 
the  Northern  Ui  Neill.  A  battle  was 
fought  between  them  on  Traigh  Ua 
Congbala  (now  the  Strand  of  Fau- 
ghavale),  in  which  the  English  and  the 
son  of  Ardgal  MacLochlainn  were 
slaughtered,  through  the  miracles  of  St. 
Columkille,  Canice  and  Brecan,  whose 
churches  they  had  plundered. 

Flathbertach  O'Maeldoraigh,  Lord 
of  Kinel  Eogain,  Kinel  Conaill  and 
Oirghialla,  contender  for  Temhair,  heir 
to  the  monarchy  of  all  Ireland,  a  Con- 


aill in  heroism,  a  Cuchulainn  in  valor, 
a  Guairi  in  hospitality,  a  MacLughach 
in  feats  of  arms,  died  at  Inis  Saimer, 
on  the  second  day  of  February,  after 
long  and  patient  suffering,  in  the  30th 
year  of  his' reign  and  59th  of  his  age, 
and  was  interred  at  Drum  Tuama,  [now 
Drumhome,]  with  due  honor. 

Echmarcach  O'Dochartaigh  (O'Do- 
herty)  immediately  assumed  the  chief- 
tainship of  Kinel  Conaill.  In  a  fort- 
night after,  John  de  Courcy  crossed 
Tuaim  into  Tir  Eogain  with  a  nume- 
rous army.  Hence  he  proceeded  to  Ard 
Stratha  (now  Ardstraw),  and  marched 
round  to  Doiri  of  St.  Columkille,  where 
he  and  his  troops  remained  for  five 
nights.  They  then  set  out  for  Cnoc 
Nascain,  to  be  conveyed  across  it ;  but 
the  Kinel  Conaill  had  come  against 
them,  and  a  battle  was  fought  between 
them,  in  which  many  fell  on  both  sides. 
The  Kinel  Conaill  were  much  slaugh- 
tered, for  200  of  them  were  slain, 
amongst  whom  Echmarcach  himself, 
and  many  other  nobles.  The  English 
then  plundered  Inis  Eogain,  whence  they 
carried  off  a  great  number  of  cows, 
and  then  returned. 

A.  D.  1198. 

ruaidri  o'concobair,  king  of 
Connaught  and  all  op  Ireland,  both 
THE  Irish  and  the  English,  died, 
among  the  canons  at  Conga,  after  ex- 
emplary penance,  victorious  over  the 
world  and  the  devil.  His  body  was 
conveyed  to  Cluain-mic-Nois,  and 
buried  at  the  north  side  of  the  altar 
of  the  great  church. 


42 


I^^HT  III. 

OF  THE  BRANCHINGS  OF  THE  CHILDREN  OF  MILEDH,  DOWN  HERE. 

Some  of  our  liistoriaus  maintaÍB  tliat  tliere  are  in  Ireland 
twelve  tribes  of  tbe  Saer  Clanna,  or  genuine  nobles  of  the  race 
of  Gaedal ;  to  wit,  six  tribes  in  Lcth.  Moglia,  and  six  others  in 
Leth  Cuiun.  The  following  are  the  tribes  which  tliey  assign  to 
Leth  Mogha,  namely,  the  Dal  Eogain  {Daul-Oioin\  Dal  Fiacach 
{Bend-  Veeghagh),  Dal  Barrinni,  Dal  Darini,  Dal  Kein/  and  Dal 
Cais.  The  following  are  the  tribes  assigned  to  Leth  Cuinu, 
namely,  the  Dal  Cuinn,  Dal  Kein,  Dal  Araide,  Dal  Fiathach,  and 
Dal  ]SIiadh  Cuirb.  Ilowever,  this  is  not  the  arrangement"  which 
I  shall  adopt  in  tracing  up  the  branchings  of  the  children  of 
Miledh ;  but  I  shall  follow  up,  successively,  the  posterity  of 
each  of  the  three  sons  of  Miledh  of  Esbain,  who  left  offspring 
after  them  in  Ireland ;  namely,  the  posterity  of  Eber,  that  of 
Ir,  and  that  of  Erimhon,  together  with  the  posterity  of  Lugaidh, 
son  of  Ith,  who  was  the  son  of  a  brother  of  the  father  of 
Miledh. 

The  reader  must  here  imderstand  that  there  are  also  in  Ire- 
land six  races  of  Athach-Tuatha  {Ahagh  Tooha),  or  Daer-Clanna, 
that  is  of  enslaved  clans,  or  plebeians,  whose  history  it  is  not 
proper  to  trace,  notwithstanding  the  fact,  that  some  of  them  are 
of  the  Gaelic  nation.  The  first  race  of  these  is  composed  of  the 
remains  of  the  Fer-Bolgs,  and  Tuatha  De  Danann ;  the  second 
is  composed  of  persons  who  had  left  their  own  territories,  and, 
though  sprung  from  Saer  Clamia,  had  subjected  themselves  to 
pay  servile  rent  to  the  peojile  of  another  tribe ;  the  third  race 
consists  of  a  portion  of  the  Saer  Clanna,  whose  territory  has 
been  converted  into  sworddand,  and  who  have  remained  in 
serfdom  therein  under  the  rule  of  their  enemies  ;  the  fourth  race 
consists  of  a  certain  portion  of  the  Saer  Clanna,  who  have  been 
condemned  to  a  servile  condition,  by  reason  of  their  evil  deeds, 

'  Dal   Kein. — This   tciTii  is  vvrittoii  O'Afcaphers,  and  tlieir  corrdativcs,  did 

Dal  g-Ceide  in  two  of  the  editor's  MS.  actually  form  one  of  the  great  trilw- 

copies.    It  is  also  so  written  in  Dcrniod  firoiqis  of  Ixith  Mof^ha,  as  well  as  of 

O'Connor's  translation.  'I'hcabovijrcad-  Jvcth  Cuinn,  while  liie  name  of  Dal  g- 

ing  has  been  adopted  on  the  authority  of  Ceide.  is  unknown  to  the  editor, 
one  MH.,  because  the  ]hd  Kein,  or  des-        ■'    Tk"    arrangement,    etc. — Kcatiuj? 

cendants  of  Kian,  son  of  Olild  Olum,  rejects  the  territoiial  arrang-emcnt,  us 

comprising  the  O'Carrolls,  of  Kli,  the  leading  to  confusion,  for  tribes  descended 

[668] 


THE    HISTORY    OF    IRELAND.  659 

and  who  have  lost  tlieir  blood  and  their  estates  according  to  law ; 
the  fifth  race  are  the  folk  that  are  descended  from  foreign  sol- 
diers, that  is,  from  hired  warriors  from  other  lands,  who  left 
progeny  after  them  in  Ireland ;  the  sixth  race  is  composed  of 
the  descendants  of  those  slaves  that  came  into  Ireland  with 
the  children  of  Miledh. 

But  one  thing  at  which  many  persons  are  surprised,'  is,  how 
it  could  have  been  possible  that  no  portion  of  the  descendants 
of  the  Daer  Clanna  or  plebeians,  who  came  into  Ireland  with 
the  children  of  Miledh,  have  survived  to  the  present  time.  My 
answer  to  these  persons  is,  that  Tuathal  Tectmar  had  made  a 
dreadful  massacre  of  descendants  of  these  plebeians,  as  soon  as 
he  acquired  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland,  in  vengeance  for  the 
treason  which  they  had  previously  perpetrated  towards  the  Saer 
Clanna,  as  has  been  related  in  the  body  of  this  history.  He 
then  vanquished  them  in  twenty-five  battles  in  each  of  the  pro- 
vinces of  Ireland,  and  if  after  him,  any  remnant  of  them  has  still 
remained  alive  in  the  country,  it  is  not  lawful,  and  moreover, 
it  not  possible,  for  any  historian  either  to  trace  their  ramifi- 
cations, or  to  follow  up  their  pedigrees.  Neither  can  any  his- 
torian trace  the  genealogies  of  any  of  the  other  five  races,  of 
which  we  have  spoken  ;  and  if  any  ollamh  of  history  would  at- 
tempt to  trace  out  their  branchings,  it  is  unlawful  to  give  the 
respect  due  to  history  to  anything  that  he  may  assert  on  the 
subject. 

The  reader  must  now  learn  that  we  are  about  giving  down 
the  principal  historic  branches  of  the  real  nobility  of  the 
Gaels,  and  in  doing  so,  we  shall  give  precedence  to  the  posterity 
of  Eber  Finn,  because  that  is  the  senior*  branch ;  but  it  must  be 

of  the  same  stock,  were  sometimes  lo-  becomingthe  wives  or  concubines  of  the 
cated  most  widely  apart  from  each  other,  Gaels.  It  is  also  to  be  supposed  that 
as  the  Kiarraide,  or  O'Connors  of  Tver-  many  of  them  became  amalgamated 
ry,  and  the  Dal  Araide  of  Down  and  with  the  early  Danish  and  English 
Antrim,  the  Milesian  Ernaans  of  ^lun-  settlers,  whose  laws  of  inheritance  were 
ster,  and  the  Dal  Riada,  of  the  North  in  one  particular,  less  exclusive  than 
of  Ireland,  and  of  Alba.  those  of  the  Irish,  and  who  did  not 
'  Many  are  surprised,  etc — Many  much  regard  paternal  descent.  These 
causes  conduced  to  their  disappearance,  very  possibly  took  English  or  Danish 
The  first,  and  perhaps  the  greatest,  was  names,  and  finally  became  confounded 
the  fact  that  they  could  have  no  inheri-  with  the  other  serfs  of  the  lords  of  Nor- 
tance  in  any  of  the  Gaelic  tribe-lands,  man  pale,  and  the  inhabitants  of  the 
the  entire  right  to  which  was  vested  in  various  seaports  and  principal  towns, 
the  male  descendants  of  the  conquering  ■*  Right  o/sen/orí7í/,cíc.  — Giving  pre- 
cast. The  next  consists  in  the  fact  of  cedence  to  seniority  In  arranging  of  pri- 
ils  being  unlawful  to  trace  their  pedi-  mary  divisions  of  the  Gaelic  nation, 
grees,  and  perhaps  another,  which  is  he  sets  the  most  distinguished,  rather 
not  very  improbable,  may  have  been,  than  the  eldest  of  its  tribes  at  the  head  of 
in   the  greater  part  of    their  females  each  division  of  these.     For  instance  the 


660  THE  HISTORY  OF  IRELAND. 

understood  that  we  shall  bring  into  the  direct  lines  certain 
branches  that  occupy  the  first  places  therein,  not  in  right  of  the 
seniority  of  their  immediate  founder,  but  in  right  of  the  great 
deeds  in  which  their  ancestors  excelled  those  of  the  seniors  by 
right  of  priority  of  birth. 

The  following  examples  will  suffice  to  show  how  much  more 
often  the  sovereignty  both  of  Ireland  and  its  principalities  was 
possessed  b}^  the  younger  than  by  the  elder  branches.  For  it  is, 
indeed,  evident  that  there  were  more  monarchs  of  Ireland  of  the 
hne  of  Erimhon,  who  was  a  younger  son  of  Miledh,  than  of 
that  of  Eber  Finn,  who  was  his  elder  brother ;  and  that  there 
were  more  monarchs  of  Ireland  of  the  posterity  of  Cobthach 
Gael  Breagh,  who  was  the  younger  son  of  lugani  Mor,  than  of 
that  of  his  elder  brother,  Laegari  Lore,  and  that  there  were 
more  kings  of  Ireland,  of  the  race  of  Niall  of  the  Nine  Hos- 
tages, who  was  the  youngest  son  of  Eocaidh  Muigh-medon,  than 
of  those  of  his  four  elder  brothers ;  and,  again,  that  there  were 
more  of  the  kings  of  Connaught  of  the  posterity  of  Duach  Galach, 
who  was  the  youngest  of  the  children  of  Brian,  son  of  Eocaidh 
Muigh-medon,  than  tliat  of  any  of  the  twenty-three  brothers 
who  were  his  seniors  by  birth ;  and  that  there  were  more  kings 
over  Leinster,  who  were  sprung  from  Fiacaidh  Bacheda,  the 
youngest  son  of  Cathaeir  Mor,  than  from  any  of  his  nine 
brothers  elder  brothers,  who  left  a  progeny  after  tliem.  Thus 
we  see,  that  it  was  not  in  right  of  priority  of  birth,  that  men 
succeeded  to  the  sovereignty,  either  of  the  nation,  or  of  the  pen- 
tarchates,  but  in  right  of  the  greatness  and  glory  of  their  own 
acts.  And  for  this  reason  we  desire  to  set  down  the  several 
branches  of  relationship  and  boughs  of  consanguinity  of  each 
group,  near  those  of  their  kindred  tribes,  and  to  deduce  each 
offshoot  from  its  own  particular  place  on  each  branch. 

family  of  O'Donovan,  not  MacCarthy,  of  Cormac  Caa,  nor  O'Neill,  of  the  Ui 

represents  the  eldest  branch  of  the  line  Neill.  This  is  the  peculiarity  of  nearly 

of  Kber  or  Heber,  neither  is  the  sept  of  all    the    Irish  tribes,  down  to  their 

0'13riain,  the  eldest  branch  of  the  line  smallest  sub-septs. 


CHAPTER     I. 

THE   GENEALOGY  OF  THE   POSTERITY  OF   EBER   FINN,   DOWN 

HERE. 


We  shall  commence  with  the  line  of  Eogan  Mor  (Owen  More),  6on  of  Olild 
Olum.  This  Olild  Olum  had  but  three  sons  who  left  offspring  after  them, 
namely,  Eogan  Mor,  Cormac  Cas,  and  Kian  ;  and  there  now  survives  no  more 
of  the  race  of  Eber  Finn  than  what  has  sprung  from  the  descendants  of  these 
three. 

[Note. — K.  M.  stands  for  King  of  Munster  ;  R.  H.  for  Rex  Hibemiae,  &c., 
or  Monarch  of  all  Ireland.  The  comments  in  italics  are  not  in  the  original. 
All  the  rest  is.     Ed.] 

THE    PEDIGKEE    OF    MAC  CARTHY   MORE,   HERE. 


1.  Doranall,  the  first  earl.*     [He  was 

created  earl  of  Clancare,  m  Irish 
clann  Carthatgh,  in  A.  D.  1.5G5. 
Ed.]  son  of 

2.  Domnall  an  Drumainn,  son  of 

3.  Cormac  Ladhrach,  son  of 

4.  Tadg  Liath,  son  of 

5.  Domnall  an  Dana,  son  of 

6.  Tadg  Manistrcch.    [He  had  this  sur- 

name from  having  built  the  Mon- 
astery of  irriallach,  on  Loch 
Lein,  noic  the  Lake  of  Kdlarneij], 
son  of 

7.  Domnall.      [This    Domnall  had  a 

brother  who  was  called  Diarmaid 
Mor  Musgraide,  i.  e.  Diarmaid  the 
Great  of  Muskerij  :  Eogan,  or 
(Jw  n,  of  Bord  Mangi,  was  also  a 
brother  of  his  ;  as  was  also  Donn- 
cadh,  from  whom  descend  the 
families  of  Ard  Canachta  and 
Cnoc  Ornachta]  son  of 

8.  Cormac.  son  of 

9.  Domnall  Og,  son  of 

10.  Domnall  Ruadh.  [From  him  des- 
cend the  Claim  Domnaill  Ruaidh, 
/.  e.  the  Mac  Cartlues  of  Clandonill- 
Roe ;  and  from  his  brother  Diar- 
maid of  Traigh  Li  (new  called 
Tralee)  descends  the  sept  of  Mac- 
Finghin,  in  Enp^lish  MacFinnen, 
of  Kethrinn,  in  Kerry]  son  of 

11.  Cormac  Finn.  [Of  the  race  of 
this  Cormac  Finn  arc  the  Mac- 
Carthies  of  the  territory  of  Ella, 

[fi61] 


now  called  Buhallow,  and  also  the 
kings  of  Desmond.  The  Mac- 
Carthies  of  Carbery,  that  is,  the 
sept  of  MacCarthai frh  Riabhach, 
i.  e.  MacCarthy  the  Grey,  called  in 
English  MacCarthy  Reagh,  and 
all  the  branches  sprung  from  it, 
are  descended  from  a  brother  of 
this  Cormac,  namely  from  Dom- 
nall Gott.]  son  of 

12.  Domnall  Mor  na  Curra,  son  of 

13.  Diarmaid  of  Kill  Baghani.    [From 

Diarmaid  of  Kill  Baghani  has 
sprung  the  sept  of  the  Mac  Carthies 
called  Clann  Taidg  Ruaidh  na 
Sgarti]  son  of 

14.  Cormac  of  MaghTamnaigh.    [This 

Cormac  liad  a  brother  named 
Tadg,  from  whom  sprung  the  sept 
of  MacAmlaeibh,  i.  e.  the  MacAu- 
liffes  of  the  county  of  Cork]  son  of 

15.  Muredach.     [He  was  the  first  of 

this  line  who  was  called  Mac- 
CaHhaigh,  being  the  Mac  or  son 
of  Carthach.  In  Gaelic  the  name 
of  the  latter  chief  is  pronounced 
Caurhagh,  and  the  family  name  of 
his  descendants  MacCaurha.  It  is 
now  known  in  English  as  Mac- 
Carthy.— Ed.]  son  of 

16.  Carthach  [from  whom  all  the 
Sil  Carthaigh,  i.  e.  the  offspring  of 
Carthach,  have  derived  their  name] 
son  of 


662 


GENEALOGY. 


17 


,  Saerbrethach.  [This  Saorbrethach 
had  a  brother,  named  Murcadh, 
from  whom  sprung  the  Bcpt  of 
O'Callaghan,  ?n  Irish  O'Kellach- 
a  in]  son  of 

.  Donncadh,  son  of 
Kellachan  of  Cashel.  K.  M.,  son    35. 
of  36, 

,  Buadachan,  son  of 
Lactna,  son  of 
Artgal,  son  of 

Snedgus.     [This   Snodgus  had  a 
brother,  named  Fogartach,  from 
whose  son,  Finguiui,  have  sprung 
the  Muintcr  Finguini]  son  of 
Donngal,  son  of 
Faelgns,  son  of 
Nadfraech,  son  of 
Colsran,  son  of 

Faibi  Fiann,  K.  M.     [This  Falbi    37. 
Flann  had  a  brother,  named  Fing- 
hin,  from  whom  has  sprung  the  sept    38. 
of  O'Sullivan  ;    and  the  Book  of 
Munster  tells  us  that  Finghin  was 
the  elder  brother  of  Falbi  Flann, 
and  in  testimony  thereof  a  certain    39. 
bard  composed  the  following  verse    40. 
when   Falbi    Fhinn   succeeded  to 
Finghin  as  sovereign  of  Munster  : 

"  Dire  Is  our  loss,  Finzliln  Is  pone, 
And  Calsel  now  has  cause  of  woe: 
Sliefeelsasifhfrertofall, 
Though  Falbi  Flann  is  now  her  king." 
Fa/67   ru'ed  Munster  from  A.  D.    41. 
622  tn  633]  son  of  42. 

Aedh  Dubh,  son  of  43. 

Crimthann,  son  of 
Feidlimidh,  son  of 
Aengus,  K.  M.   [This  Aengushada 
son,  named   Kocaidh    Finn,  from 
whom    is  descended    the   sept   of 
O'Kcefft! :  from  another  son  of  his. 
named   Enna,  sprung  that  of  O'- 
Dalaigh,  in  English  O'Dnleij,  of 
Munster.  Amguswnstfie  first  king    44. 
of  Munster  who  became  Christian.     4.5. 
He  wns  slnin  in  A.  I).  984]  son  of    46. 
Nadfraech,  K.  M.,  sfm  of  47. 

Core,  K.  M.  I  This  (!orc  had  a  son,  48. 
named  Cas  Mac  ('uirc,  from  whom 
have  sprung  the  following  septs,  49. 
namely,  O'Donoghoo  More,  from 
which  branched  O'Donoghoo  of  fJO. 
the  Glen;  and  O'.Mahony  Finn,  T)!. 
O'Mahony  Roe,  O'Mahony  of  Ui  r)2. 
Floinn  Tjaei,  and  O'Mahony  of  f).']. 
Curbery  ;  and  also  O'Miillane,  and     54. 


O'Cronin.  From  Carbri  Luachra, 
otherwise  Carbri  the  Pict,  son  q/ 
Core,  father  of  Nadfraech,  have 
descended  the  O'Moriarties;  aijd 
from  Enna,  son  of  Nadfraech,  have 
descended  the  O'Garvans]  son  of 
Lugaidh,  son  of 

Olild  Flann  Beg,  K.  M.  [This 
Olild  Flann  Beg  had  a  son,  named 
Dari  Kerb,  from  whom  has  des- 
cended the  sept  of  O'Donovan 
and  tliat  of  O'Coilleain,  or  Collins, 
of  Carbery  ;  and  again  this  Dari 
Kerb  had  a  son  called  Fiacaidh 
Fidghenti,  from  whom  have 
sprung  the  septs  O'Miadhachain, 
noiv  &MeeJian,  O'hAithchir,  now 
O'Hehir,  and  the  clan  of  Mac 
David  in  Thomond]    son  of 

Fiacaidh  Macil-lethan,  K.  M., 
son  of 

Eogan  Mor.  [From  this  Eogan  or 
Owen,  all  the  septs  of  the  Eoga- 
nachta  or  Eugenians  of  Munster 
have  been  named]  son  of 

Olild  Olum,  K.  M.,  son  of 

Mogh  Nuadath,  K.  M.  [He  is 
also  styled  Eogan  Mor  of  Magh 
Lena,  and  Eogan  Taighlech,  or 
Owen  the  Splendid.  It  was  he 
that  founded  the  kingdom  of  Leth 
Mogha.]  son  of 

Mogh  Niad,  son  of 

Derg,  son  of 

Dergthini.  [He  is  also  called  Corb 
Olum.  He  was  one  of  the  three 
heirs  of  the  royal  houses  of  Ireland 
that  were  saved  from  the  massacre 
of  the  Irish  nobility,  by  the  subject 
tribes  at  Magh  Cro,  about  A.  D.  10. 
He  was  cotcmporary  with  Fcradach 
the  lust,  monarch  of  Ireland.]  son 
of 

Enna  Muncaein,  son  of 

Ijoch  Mor,  son  of 

M  ogh  Fcbis,  son  of 

Muredach  Muchna,  son  of 

Eocaidh  (iarbh.  [He  is  also  styled 
Encaidh  Fcr  Ani.]  son  of 

Duach  Dalta  Degadh.  B.  II.  [He 
is  also  styled  Duach  Donn.]  son  of 

(Carbri  Losg-lethan,  son  of 

Lugaidh  Luaighni,  son  of 

Jnnadniar,  R.  11.,  son  of 

Niixdli  Segamhain,  \l.  H.,  son  of 

Adamar  FoUcaeiii,  R.  II.,  son  of 


GENEALOGY. 


663 


65.  Fer-Corb,  R.  H.,  sou  of 

56.  Mogh  Corb,  R.  H.,  son  of 

57.  Cobthuch  Cacmh,  son  of 

58.  Recta  Rigli-derii,  R.  11.,  son  of         88. 

59.  LugaiJli  Laighdi,  R.  H.,  son  of         89. 

60.  Eocaidh,  R.  H.,  son  of 

61.  Olild  Finn,  R.  H.,  son  of 

62.  Art,  R.  II.,  son  of 

63.  Lugaidh  Lamh-derg,  R.  H.,  son  of 

64.  Eocaidh  Uarchcas,  R.  H.,  son  of 
65^  Lugaidh  lar-donn,  R.  H.,  son  of 

66.  Euna  Derg,  R.  H.,  son  of 

67.  Duacli  Finn,  R.  H.,  son  of 

68.  Sedna  lunaraigli,  R.  H.,  son  of         90. 

69.  Bres-righ,  R.  H.,  son  of 

70.  Art  Imlcch,  R.  H.,  son  of 

71.  Elim,  R.  H.,  son  of 

72.  Rothectach,  R.  H.,  son  of 

73.  Roan  Righ-galach,  son  of  91. 

74.  Falbi  Il-crothach,  son  of 

75.  Cas  Ked-caingnech,  son  of 

76.  Afdergoid,  R.  H.,  son  of  92. 

77.  Munemhon,  R.  H.,  son  of 

78.  Cas  Clothach,  son  of  93. 

79.  Eirereo  Ard.     [He    ?s   also   called    94. 

Fer-Ard,  or  Fer-Arda.]  son  of 

80.  Rothectach,  son  of  95. 

81.  Rosa,  or  Ross,  son  of  96. 

82.  Glas,  son  of 

83.  Nuadha    Degh-lamh.       [Nudhatt,     97. 

pronounced  Nooath,  is  aha  a  form 

of  this  na7ne.]  son  0Í  98. 

84.  Eocaidli  Faebar-glas,  R.  H.  son  of 

85.  Conmael,  R.  H.,  son  of  99. 

86.  Eber  Finn,  R.  H.     [His  name  is 
usually  written  Heber  in  English 
booh.       The  more  modern   Irish 
write    it   Eibhear,   and   Eimhear, 
which   they  pronounce  Aivsr ;  the    100 
more  ancient  write   it  Eber  and     101. 
Emer.     He  is  the  founder  of  tite     102. 
Eberian,  or  Heber ian  races  of  Ire-     103 
land.      The  surname  Finn,  signi-    104. 
Jies,  Fair.]  son  of 

87.  MiLEDH  OF  EsBAiN.     [From  this 
chief  the   Irish  are  called    Clanna 
Mdidh,  i.  e.,  the  clans  of  Milcdh. 
His  name  has  been  not  very  happily 
rendered  into  Latin  and   English 
by  Mdesius,  and   that  of  his  pos- 
terity  by  Milesii  and  Milesians.     105 
Tlie  Irish  words  Miledh  h-Esbaui, 
mean  the  Warrior  of  Spain,  i.e.,     106 
Miles  Hispaniae.     Galamh,  which     107 
seems  to  be  a  synonymefoi'  Miledh, 

as  it   apparently  comes  from  the 


Gaelic  word  Gal,  i.e.,  battle,  is 
said  to  have  been  his  real  name.] 
son  of 

Bili,  King  in  Spain,  son  of 
Breogan,  King  in  Spain.  [His 
name  is  written  in  modern  Irish, 
Breoghan,  and  pronounced  Brcoan. 
From  him  the  Brigantes  are  said  to 
take  their  name.  The  territory  of 
Breagh  or  Bregia  in  Ireland  teas 
called  from  a  branch  of  his  descend- 
ants, that  adopted  the  appellation  of 
Clanna  Breoghain,']  son  of 
Bratha.  [He  was  the  leader  of  the 
Clanna  Gaedhail,  or  Gaels,  that 
emigrated  from  Gaethluighe,  whicli 
has  been  called  Gothia  by  Keating, 
into  Spain.]  son  of 
Degatha,  {King  in  Gaethluighe: 
his  name  is  also  written  Degh-f ha- 
tha,) son  of 

Arcadh,  King  in  Gaethluighe,  son 
of 

Allod,  King  in  Gaethluighe,  son  of 
Nuadha,  King  in  Gaethluighe,  son 
of 

NinualljíTmg-  in  Gaethluighe,  son  of 
Febric  Glass,  King  in  Gaethluighe. 
[His  name  is  also  written  Ebric.) 
Adnamhon  Finn,  King  in  Gaeth- 
luighe, son  of 

Eber  Glun-Finn,  King  in  Gaeth- 
luighe, son  of 

Lamh-finn.    [It  was  he  that,  accord- 
ing to  our  shannachies,  led  the  Clan- 
na  Gaedail,  from  a  country  they 
have  called  Scythia,  to  Gaethluighe,) 
son  of 
.  Adaoin,  son  of 
.  Tath,  son  of 
,  Eogarahan,  son  of 
.  Beogamhan,  sou  of 
,  Eber  Scot.     [It  is  he  that  is  said 
to  have  led  the  wandering  children- 
of  Gaedal  from  the  island  of  Creta 
to  the  Scythia  of  Irish  legend.  From 
Eber  Scot,  are  possibly  called  the 
Cine  Scuit,  one  of  the  names  by 
which  thelrish  call  themselves.)  son 
of 

,  Sru.  (The  leader  of  the  emigra- 
tion from  Egypt  to  Creta,)  son  of 
.  Esru,  son  of 

.  Gaedal  Glas,  from  ■whom  the 
Gaeidiiil  {Gayil)  that  is,  the 
Gaels,  have  been  named,  son  of 


664: 


GENEALOGY. 


108.  Niul,  who  first  settled  in  Egypt, 
son  of 

109.  Fe.vics  Farsaidh.  (From  him 
his  posterity  are  called  Feni,  ac- 
cording to  the  following  ancient 
verse  : 

"Feni,  o  Fenius  adbertha, — 

Brigb  gan  dochta : 
Gaeidhil,  o  Gaeddal  Ghlas  gartha ; 

BcniT  o  Sgota." 

In  English — 

I'eni/rom  Fenius  they  are  named 
Not  forced  the  meaning ; 

From  Gaedal  Ghlan  we  call  th^m  Gaels  ; 
And  Scots  from  Scota." — Ed. 

110.  Baath,  son  of.  {Neither  this  nor 
the  succeeding  names  seem  to  have 
been  handed  down  through  the  me- 
dium of  t/ie  Gaelic  tongue.  Their 
forms,  with  perliaps,  tlie  exception 
of  Naei,  i.  e.  Noah,  and  Adamh 
(Auve)  i.  e.  Adam,  are  foi'eign  to 
that  idiom.) 

111.  Magog,  son  of 

112.  Japhett,  son  of 

113.  Naei,  son  of 

114.  Lamech,  son  of 

115.  Mathusalem,  son  of 

116.  Enoch,  son  of 

117.  Jared,  son  of 

118.  Mahaleleol,  son  of 

119.  Cainan,  son  of 

120.  Enos,  son  of 

121.  Seth,  son  of 

122.  Adamii. 

Comment  by  Eogan  O'Caeimh. 

*  Domnall  the  first  earl. — This  Dom- 
nall  (Donall)  had  but  one  legitimate 
child,  who  was  named  Eibhliu  Inghin 
Mhic  Carthaigh  (Eveleen  or  Ellen 
daughter  of  MacCarthy) .  This  daughter 
was  married  to  the  son  of  MacCarthy 
Reagh,  namely,  to  Finghin  {called 
Florence  by  the  English),  son  of  Donn- 
cadh,  son  of  Domnall,  son  of  Finghin, 
son  of  Diarmaid  an  Duna,  who  came 
into  DeHmoad,  and  assumed  the  position 
and  rights  of  MacCarthy  More;  and  it  is 
from  iiim  that  the  MacCarthy  More  of 
the  present  time,  A.  I).  1724,  is  sprung, 
namely,  Raghnali  (Randall),  son  of 
Cormac  Ruadh.  The  above-named 
Finghin  was  afterwards  taken  prisoner 


by  the  ordci-s  of  Queen  Elizabeth,  and 
he  was  kept  confined  in  the  Tower  of 
London  until  he  died.  \Eogan 
O'Caeimh,  in  English  Owen  O'Kcefe, 
was  a  celebrated  Irish  scholar,  bard,  and 
scribe  of  the  beginning  of  the  laM  cen- 
tury.— Ed.] 


THE     PEDIGREE     OF     O'SULLIVAN     MORE, 
HERE. 

1.  Domnall — May  God  protect  him  ! 

son  of 

2.  Eogan  Ruadh.  [This  Eogan  died 
in  Dublin  A.  D.  1C87  ;  and  all 
Leth  Mogha  was  filled  with  the 
glory  and  greatness  of  his  be- 
nevolence, honor,  generosity,  and 
poesy,  and  his  every  other  noble 
and  laudable  quality.]  son  of 

3.  Domnall,  son  of 

4.  Eogan,  son  of 

5.  Domnall,  son  of 

6.  Eogan,  son  of 

7.  Domnall,  son  of 

8.  Domnall,  son  of 

9.  Domnall  na  Sgrednighe,  son  of 

10.  Domnall,  sun  of 

11.  Ruaidri.  [This  Ruaidri  had  a 
brother  named  MacCraith,  from 
whom  is  descended  the  race  of 
MacCraith  of  Kep-na-Coisi — that 
is,  the  branch  of  the  0' Sullivans, 
so  called]  son  of 

12.  Dunlaing,  son  of 

13.  Buadach,  son  of 

14.  Bernard,  son  of 

15.  Murkertach  Mor,  son  of 

16.  Dunlaing,  son  of 

17.  Gilla-Mochuda,  from  whom  has 
sprung  the  sept  of  Maciiillacuddy 
and  the  branches  thereof,  son  of 

18.  Domnall  Mor  of  Carraig  Finn- 
maighe,  son  of 

19.  MacCraith,  son  of 

20.  Buadach,  son  of 

21.  Cathal,  son  of 

22.  Aedh,  son  of 

23.  Buadach  of  Ath-Cro,  [being  the 
grandson  of  0' Sullivan,  he  was  the 
first  of  the  0' Sullivans.] 

24.  Loorean,  son  of 

25.  Sun.UDAN,  from  whom  all  the  Sil 

Suillibhain  {Shecl  Sooillivauin) 
i.  e.  the  offspring  of  Suillibau, 
have  taken  their  name,  son  of 


GENEALOGY. 


665 


26.  Maelura,  son  of 

27.  Echtigherna,  son  of 

28.  Murcadh,  son  of 

29.  Dubinnrccht,  son  of 

30.  Flann  Roba,  son  of 

31.  Fiachra  an  Gaisgi,  son  of 

32.  Sechnasach,  or  Sereach,  son  of 

33.  FiNGHix,  K.  31.,  son  of 

34.  Aedh  Diibli.    See  No.  29,  pedigree 
of  MacCarthy  More. 


THE     PEDIGREE   OF    THE     RACE    OF    MAC- 
CRAITH,    HERE. 

1.  Diarmaid,  son  of 

2.  Eogan,  son  of 

3.  Concobar,  son  of 

4.  Diarmaid,  son  of 

5.  Buadach,  son  of 

6.  Eogan,  son  of 

7.  Concobar,  son  of 

8.  Doranall,  sou  of 

9.  Mac-Craith.     [The  branch  of  the 

O  Sullivans  called  by  this  name 
must  not  be  confounded  with  the 
Dalcassian  sept  of  MacCrath,  or 
Magrath  of  Thomond.]  son  of 

10.  Duulaing  O'Sullivan.     See  No.  12, 

Pedigree  of  O'Sullivan  More. 


9. 
10. 
11. 
12. 
13, 
14. 


PEDIGREE  OF  0  SULLIVAN  BEARRA, 
HERE. 

Doranall,  son  of 

Philip,  son  of 

Eogan,  son  of 

Eogan,  son  of 

Domnall,  son  of 

Diarmaid  an  Phudair,  son  of 

Domnall  Cron,  son  of 

Diarmaid,  son  of 

Tadg,  son  of 

Amlaeibh,  son  of 

Ana,  son  of 

Philip,  son  of 

Gilla-na-b-Flann,  son  of 

Domnall   Mor  of  Carraig    Finu- 

maighe.^&e  No.  18,  Pedigree  of 

O'Sullivan  More. 


THE    PEDIGREE     OF     O  SCLLIVAX      MAEL 

MEG  FiXGHiN  DUBH,  {Mac  Finccn 

Duff.)  HERE. 

Diarmaid,  son  of  Eogan,  son  of  Fix- 
GHix,  &c.     ( The  editor's  copy  docs 


not  show  whose  son  this  Finghin 
was.  But  it  is  most  likely  that  he 
was  son  of  the  Domnall  marked  No. 
1  in  the  pedigree  of  O'Sullivan 
Bearra  ;  for  that  would  bring  the 
line  of  Bearra  down  to  within  one 
of  that  of  O'Sullivan  More. 

VI. 

THE  PEDIGREE  OF  MAC  GILLICUDDY, 
HERE. 

1.  Donncadh,  son  of 

2.  Concobar,  son  of 

3.  Donncadh,  son  of 

4.  Concobar,  son  of 

5.  Donncadh,  son  of 

6.  Concobar,  son  of 

7.  Concobar,  son  of 

8.  Gilla-Mochuda,  son  of 

9.  Concobar,  sou  of 

10.  Gilla-cuda,  son  of 

11.  Duulaing  Mac  Gilla  Mochuda,  in 
English,  Mac  Gillicuddu,  son  of 

GiLLA-MocHUDA  :  the  word  from  which 
this  surname  is  derived,  means  fol- 
lower of  St.  Mochuda,  otherwise 
called  St.  Carthach. — See  No.  17, 
pedigree  of  O'Sullivan  More. 

VII. 
THE  PEDIGREE  OF  THE  CLANN  LABHRAIS, 
OR  CLAX  LAWREXCE,  HERE. 

1.  Concobar,  son  of 

2.  Donnall,  son  of 

3.  Donncadh  Dubh,  son  of 

4.  Donuall,  son  of 

5.  Eogan,  son  of 

6.  Donnall,  son  of 

7.  Labhras,  ( T/iis  name  is  pronounced 

Lowrausse.  It  is  the  Irish  version 
of  the  name  Lawrence. 

8.  Gilla-na-bh-Flann.— &e  No.  13,  ped- 

igree of  O'  Sullivan  Bear  re. 


THE  PEDIGREE  OF  O'maHOXY  FIXX,  HERE. 

Now  this  O'Mahouy  was  king  of 
Rathlenn,  noio  the  Hdl  or  Skea  of  the 
River  Bandon,  by  unquestioned  right ; 
and  it  was  his  privilege  to  occupy  the 
seat  of  the  king  of  Cashel,  when  no 
king  sat  thereon  ;  and  he  owed  no  fur- 
ther duty  to  the  said  king  of  Cashel, 
when  not  king  himself,  than  to  bow 
the  head  in  his  presence. 
1.  Concobar,  or  Connor,  son  of 


666 


GENEALOGY. 


2.  Domnall,  son  of 

3.  Couobai-  Fiun,  son  of 

4.  Couobar,  na'  g-Cros,  son  of 

5.  Conobar  Finn,  na  n-Ech,  son  of 

6.  Conobar  Cabach,  sou  of 

7.  Diarmaid  Ilautach,  son  of 

8.  Finghin.    [One  .  of  tlie  brothers  of 

this  Finghin  was  named  Domnall ; 
another  was  Diarmaid  Mor,  called 
also  Diarmaid  Og,  O'Mahouy. 
Of  the  posterity  of  Domnall,  is  the 
family  of  Kill-uargluairi  {K/lna- 
glom-y)  in  Barrett's  Country  ;  and 
of  the  ofE-pring  of  Diarmaid  is  the 
race  called  Meirgeach  in  Desmond, 
[/.  e.  of  tlie  Siandurd]  and  also  the 
sept  of  Concobar  Dubh  in  Barry's 
Country.  Sy  Desmond  must  be  here 
understood  no  more  than  the  terri- 
tory of  Mac  Carthy  More  in  the 
We.it  of  Cork  and  Kerrj.}  son  of 
9.  Diarmaid  Mor,  son  of 

10.  Donucadh  of  Eath  Dreoain,  son  of 

11.  Tadg,  sun  of 

12.  Diarmaid  Mor  Eli,  [He  is  also  sur- 

namcd  na  n-Ech  mais,  i.  e.  of  the 
Fine  Steeds.] 

13.  Donncadh   na  h-Imircc    Timchill, 

[He  was  king  of  the  Eoganacht 
of  Rathlenn  on  the  arrival  of  the 
English.  His  surname  signifies, 
of  the  cltanging  about,  which  he 
might  have  got  from  the  fad  that, 
leaving  been  for  a  time  expelled 
from  his  territory  and  chieftaincy  by 
Cathal  0' Donoghoo,  aided  by  the 
English,  he  succeeded  ir,  recovering 
them  again  with  the  aid  of  his  sover- 
eign, MacCarthy  Kmg  (f  Desmond. 
tie  was  killed  fighting  against  the 
English  in  A.  D.  12Í2.]  son  of 

14.  Kian,  son  of 

15.  Donncadh  Donn,  son  of 

16.  Cumara  O'Mahony.  [Cumara  0'- 
Mathghamhna,  i.  e.  grandson  of 
Mathghamain,  pronounced  in  Irish 
O'Mahowna,  aiid  called  in  English 
O'Mahony,  was  the  first  of  this  line 
tluit  bore  way  the  first  the  family 
name.  He  defeated  the  Desi  in  A. 
D.  1072.]  son  of 

17.  Brodcu,  son  of 

18.  Mathgamain.  [Pronounced  Ma- 
howtn,  and  called  in  English  Ma- 
hon,  from  whom  the  Ui  Math- 
ghamhna  are  named.]  son  of 


19, 


Kian.  [He  was  King  of  Desmond, 
and  commanded  the  Eugenians  of 
Munster  at  Clontarf  A.  D.  1214] 
son  of 

Maelmuaidh,  K.  M.,  son  of 

Brann, son  of 

Kian,  son  of 

Sbellan,  son  of 

Cathniadh,  son  of 

Concobar,  son  of 

Cucongelt,  son  of 

Olild  Brugha,  son  of 

Conna,  son  of 

Artgal,  son  of 

Fcrdalethi,  son  of 

Beki,  from  whom  are  named  the 
Kinel  ra-Beki,  [Kinalmeakey,)  son 
of 

Fergus,  son  of 

Fiedlimedh,  K.  M..  son  of 

Tighernach,  son  of 

Aedh  Nar-garbh,  {From  him  the 
Kinel  Aedha  of  the  territory  now 
called  Kinalea  in  the  county  of  Cork 
are  called.  From  Lacgari,  brother 
of  this  Aedh,  descend  the  O'Don- 
oghoos.]  son  of 

Crimthann,  son  of 

Eocaidh,/yom  wimm the  Ui Eachach 

are  colled,  son  of 

Cas,  the  founder  of  the  race,  son  of 

Core,  K.  M. — See  No.  34,  pedigree 
of  MacCarthy  More. 


THE  PEDIGREK    OF  0  MAIIOXY  OF  UI 

FLOINN  LAEI,  HERE. 

1.  Donncadh,  son  of 

2.  Concobar  an  Crochair,  sou  of 

3.  Diarmaid,  sou  of 

4.  Scaghan,  or  John,  son  of 
.5.  Diarmaid,  sou  of 

G.  Donncadh,  sou  of 

7.  Diarmaid  Buidhe,  son  of 

8.  Finghin,  son  of 

9.  Tauo  an  Oir,  son  of 

10.  Donncadh  of  Hath  Dreoain,  &c. — 

See  No.  10,  pedigree  of  O'Mahomj 
Finn. 


X. 

THE    PEDIGREE    OP  O'MAHONY    OF    CAR- 
BERY,  HERE. 

1.  Mathganiain,  or  Mahon,  son  of 

2.  Kian,  son  of 

3.  Maelmuaidh,  son  of 


GENEALOGY. 


667 


4.  FinghÍD,  son  of 

5.  Finghin,  son  of 

6.  Diarmaid  Spainech,  son  of 

7.  Tadg  Buidlie,  son  of 

8.  Carbri,  son  of 

9.  Donncadh  Mael,  son  of 

10.  IMagnus.  son  of 

11.  Kian,  sou  of 

12.  Acdh,  son  of 

13.  CoxcoBAR,  son  of 

14.  Donucadli  na  h-Imirce  Timchill. — 

See  No.  13,  Pedigree  of  O'Mahony 
Finn. 


PEDIGREE  OF  0  MAHONY  OF    CLAN  0  CON- 
NOR, HERE. 

1.  Donncadh,  son  of 

2.  Concobar,  son  of 

3.  Finghin  Og,  son  of 

4.  Finghin,  son  of 

5.  Donncadh,  son  of 

6.  Mathgamain,  or  Mahon,  son  of 

7.  Donncadh,  son  of 

8.  Concobar,  from  whom  they  are  cal- 

led Clann  Concobair,  or  in  English 
Clann  Connor,  son  of 

9.  Mathgamain,  son  of 

10.  Kian. — See  No.   11,  pedigree  of 

O'Mahonij  of  Carbery. 
Note. — The  editor's  copies  of  Keat- 
ing, contain  pedigrees  of  no  other  of  the 
Clans  descended  from  Eogan  Mor  than 
those  above  given.  Those  that  follow, 
which  show  the  descent  of  some  impor- 
tant branches  of  that  stock,  are  given 
on  the  authority  of  their  pedigrees,  as 
published  by  Dr.  O'Donovan  in  the  Bat- 
tle of  Magh  Eath. 

ADDENDA  TO  CHAPTER  I 
THE  PEDIGREE  OF  O'dONOVAN,  REPRESEN- 
TATIVE OF  THE  ELDEST  BRANCH  OF  THE 
CHILDREN  OF  MILEDH. 

1.  Doranall,  inaugurated  chief  of  Clan 

Cahill  in  1584,  son  of 

2.  Domnall  na  g-Croikenn, 

3.  Tadg,  son  of 

4.  Diarmaid,  son  of 

5.  Concobar,  son  of 

6.  Murcadh,  son  of 

7.  Tadg,  son  of 

8.  Catlial,  from  whom  Clann  Cathail, 

or  Clan-Cahill  is  named. 

9.  Crom,  driven   from   the  county  of 

Limerick,  by  the  2d  Baron  of  Oph- 
aly,  and  was  slain  in  1254.   Son  of 


10. 
11. 
12. 
13. 
14. 

15. 


16. 
17. 

18, 
19. 
20. 
21. 
22. 
23. 
24. 
25. 
26. 
27. 
28. 
29. 
30. 


31. 


32 


33, 


34, 


Mah'oni  or  Maelrnanaidh,  son  of 

Eaghnall,  son  of 

Aueslis,  son  of 

Amlaeibh  O'Donovan. 

Cathal,  who  fought  at  Clontarf, 
son  of 

Do.xNOBAN,  from  whom  the  name 
O'Donnobhain,  in  English,  O'Don- 
ovan is  derived,  son  of 

Cathal,  son  of 

Uainighe,  son  of 
Cathal,  son  of 

Kennfaeladh,  sou  of 

Dnbdaboirenn,  son  of 

Aedh  Roiu,  son  of 

Eogan,  son  of 

Crunmael,  son  of 

Aedh,  son  of 

Aengus,  son  of 

Lapi,  son  of 

Olild  Kenn-fada,  son  of 

Kennfaeladh,  son  of 

Ere,  son  of 

Carbri  Aedba.  [From  him  TJi  Car- 
bri has  its  name.  MacEneiry  is 
descended  from  his  fourth  son.] 
son  of 

Brian,  [from  Conall,  son  of  Fiu- 
tait,  son  of  Dari,  son  of  this  Brian, 
ancestor  of  O'Collins  and  O'Kin- 
nealy,  the  territory  of  Ui  Conaill 
Gabhra  has  its  name.] 

Fiacaidh  Fidghenti.  [The  elder 
brother  of  Fiacaidh  was  Fidach, 
father  of  Crimthami  Mor,  one  of 
the  most  illustrious  of  the  mon- 
archs  of  Ireland,  who  reigned  A.  D. 
366-378.  He  was  the  senior  re- 
presentative of  all  the  INIilesian 
race  ;  but  as  he  died  without  issue, 
the  eldest  representative  of  Miledh 
must  now  exist  somewhere  amongst 
the  Ui  Fidghenti,  the  widely  scat- 
tered progeny  of  his  second  brother 
Fiacaidh.]  son  of 

Dari  Kerb.  [From  Eocaidh  Liath- 
anach,  one  of  the  sons  of  this  Dari, 
are  descended  O'Liathain,  in  Eng- 
lish,0'Lyons,  and  0  h-Anmcadha.] 
son  of 

Olild  Flann  Beg,  K.  'SL—See  No. 
3G,  pedigree  of  MacCarthij  More. 


PEDIGREE   OF    O  KEEFE. 

1.  Domnall,  who  went  to  France  in  the 


66S 


GENEALOGY. 


sixteenth  year  of  his  age  at  the 
head  of  his  father's  regiment  of 
foot,  son  of 

2.  Domnall  Og,  slain  at  Aughrim  in 

1691. 

3.  Domnall  the  Heroic,  son  of 

4.  Magnus,  son  of 

5.  Art,  sou  of 
G.  Art,  son  of 

7.  Domnall,  son  of 

8.  Art,  son  of 

9.  Magnus,  sou  of 

10.  Domnall,  sou  of 

11.  Art,  sou  of 

12.  Domnall,  son  of 

13.  Art,  son  of 

14.  Concobar,  son  of 

15.  Eogan  Finn,  son  of 

16.  Magnus,  son  of 

17.  Finguiui,  son  of 

18.  Aedh,  sou  of 

19.  Finguiui,  son  of 

20.  Doniuall,  son  of 

21.  Aedh,  son  of 

22.  Douucadh  O'KeefiFe,  the  first  of  the 

name,  son  of 

23.  Cathal,  son  of 

24.  Caemh,  from  whom  is  named 
O'Caeimh,  in  English,  O'Keefle, 
son  of 

25.  Finguini,  K.  M.,  son  of 

26.  Gorman,  son  of 

27.  Artri,  K.  M.,  son  of 

28.  Cathal,  K.  M.,  son  of 

29.  Finguini,  K.  M.,  son  of 

30.  Cu-gau-mathair,  K.  M.,  son  of 

31.  Cathal,  K.  M.,  son  of 

32.  Aedh  Flanu-cuthrach,  son  of 

33.  Carbri  Crom,  K.  M.,  son  of 

35.  Crumthaun  Srebh.  K.  M.,  son  of 

36.  EocAiDH,  K.  M.,  died  A.  D.  523, 

son  of 

37.  Aengus,  K.  U.—See  No.  32,  pedi- 
gree of  MacCart/ty  More. 

Note. — Previous  to  the  reign  of 
Kellachan  of  Cashel,  in  which  lived 
Doiiucadli  O'Caeimh,  the  first  that  bore 
the  family  name,  this  line  gave  more 
kings  to  all  Munster,  than  that  of  any 
other  of  the  offspring  of  Eber. 

III. 

PEDIGREE     OF     O'dONOOIIOO,    OTHERWISE 
SI'EI.LF.D  o'DOXOIIOIO. 

1.  GclTry  of  Gleutiesk,  eon  of 

2.  Tadg,  sou  of 


3.  Geffry,  son  of 

4.  Tadg,  son  of 

5.  Domnall,  son  of 

6.  Ruaidri,  son  of 

7.  Geffry,  son  of 

8.  Domnall,  son  of 

9.  Concobar,  sou  of 

10.  Jeffry,  son  of 

11.  Aedh,  son  of 

12.  Concobar,  son  of 

13.  Amlaeibh  Mor  na  Cuimsenna,  son 

of 

14.  Aengus,  son  of 

14.  Donncadh   O'Donncadha,  in  Eng- 

lish, O'Donoghoo,  the  first  of  the 
name,  son  of 

15.  Cathal,  son  of 

16.  Donncadh,  from  whom  O'Donn- 

cadha is  called,  son  of 

17.  Domnall,  who  held  joint  command 
of  Eugenians  with  Kian,  son  of 
Maelmuaidh,at  Clontarf,A.D.1014. 

18.  Dubdaboireun,  K.  M.,  son  of 

19.  Aengus,  son  of 

20.  Flathniadh,  son  of 

21.  Anblethi,  son  of 

22.  Duulaing,  son  of 

23.  Ealathi,  son  of 

24.  Solbach,  son  of 

25.  Clarinach,  son  of 

26.  Carbri  Riastrim,  son  of 

27.  Aedh  Kisrigh,  son  of 

28.  Laegari,  son  of 

29.  Crimthann,  &c. — See  No.  36,  pedi- 
gree of  O'Ma/iony  Firm. 

TV. 

pedigree  of  mac  carthy  earl  of  musk- 

ERY,  FROM  DERMOD  O'CONNOR's  TRANS- 
LATION OF  KEATING. 

1 .  Robert,  Lord  Muskery,  son  of 

2.  Domicadh,  Earl  of  Clancarthy,  exiled 

with  James  II.  of  England,  son  of 

3.  Kclhichan,  or  Callaghan,  son  of 

4.  Donncadh,     General     in     Munster 

against  Cromwell,  A.  D.  1652, 
sou  of 

5.  Cormac  Og,  son  of 

6.  Cormac.     [From  him  sprung  Tiidg, 

ancestor  of  the  MacCartiiies  of 
Aglish,  and  Domnall,  ancestor  of 
the  MacCarthies  of  Carrignavar.] 
son  of 

7.  Diarmaid,  ancestor  of  the  Mac  Car- 

tliics  of  Inshirahell,  son  of 

8.  Tadg,  ancestor  of  the  Mac  Carthics 


GENEALOGY. 


669 


of  Cuairt  Brec,  and  of  Oormac,  or 
Charles,  Mac  Carthy  of  Ballea, 
Castlemore  and  Clonghroe,  son  of 

9.  Cormac  Ladir  Og,  son  of 

10.  Cormac  Ladir, 

11 .  Tadg,  from  whom  sprung  the  Mac 

Carthies  of  Drishane,  son  of 

12.  Cormac,  son  of 

13.  DiARMAiD  MoR,  of  Musgraidc  or 

Muskery,  slain  by  the  O'Álahonies 
in  A.  D.  1367,  son  of 

14.  Cormac. — See  No.  8,  Pedigree  of 
Mac  Carthy  More. 


Pedigree  of  the  Counts  O'Mahony 
OF  France,  from  a  copy  thereof, 
lodged  in  Bibliotheque  Royal  of 
Paris  in  1788,  and  still  extant. 

1.  Barthelemy,  Count  O'Mahony, 
Knight  of  the  Cross  of  St.  Louis 
and  Malta,  Colonel  Commandant 
of  the  regiment  of  Berwick  in  the 
service  of  France,  born  in  the 
County  of  Kerry  in  1748,  and  af- 
terwards married  to  Mile,  de  Gouy. 
[His  descendants  still  exist  in 
France,  and  are  now  represented  by 
the  present  Count  O'Mahony.]  son 
of 

2.  Michael  of  Cnocan-na-h-Eglaisi,  in 

Kerry,  son  of 

3.  Eogan  or  Eugene,  son  of 

4.  Tadg  or  Thadeus,  son  of 

5.  Domitius,  son  of 

6.  Domnall  or  Daniel,  son  of 

7.  Demetrius,  sonol 

8.  Finghin  or  Florence,  son  of 

9.  Tadg  Meirgech.     [He  had  a  son 

named  Domnall,  who  settled  at 
Tibraid  or  Tubrid,  in  the  County 
of    Cork,  where  his  descendants 


were  known  as  Sliocht  Domnaill 
of  Tubrid :  of  this  branch  has 
sprung  the  Count  O'Mahony  of 
Spain,  formerly  Lieutenant  Oene- 
ral  in  the  army  of  Spain,  and  am- 
bassador plenipotentiary  of  his 
Catholic  Majesty  at  the  court  of 
Vienna.]  son  of 

10.  Concobar,  sou  of 

11.  Diarmaid,  son  of 

12.  Seaghan,  or  John,  son  of 

13.  Diarmaid  Og.  [He  emigrated  into 
Kerry  in  1355,  where  he  was  made 
Seneschall  of  Desmond  by  Mac 
Carthy  Mor,  king  of  that  country, 
from  whom  he  recieved  a  terri- 
tory sufficient  to  uphold  that  ofiSce. 
This  dignity  continued  in  his 
family  until  1565,  when  Domnall 
Mac  Carthy  Mor,  having  ex- 
changed his  title  of  king  of  the 
then  extremely  narrowed  domains 
of  Desmond,  for  that  of  Earl  of 
Clancare,  Finghin  O'Mahony  was 
by  letters  patent,  created  Sheriff 
of  the  County  of  Kerry,  in  ex- 
change for  his  ofiBce  of  Seneschall.] 
son  of 

14.  Diarmaid  Rantach. — See  No.  8, 
Pedigree  of  O'Mahony  Finn. 

Note. — The  editor  would  wish  to 
have  given  the  pedigrees  of  several 
others  of  the  septs  sprung  from  Eogan 
Mor,  with  those  above  given,  such  as 
MacCarthy  Reagh,  O'Moriarty,  O'Cal- 
lahan  and  others,  but  he  has  been  unable 
to  procure  authorities  from  which  to 
transcribe  them.  In  a  future  edition, 
more  ample  details  may  be  possibly 
given  of  the  septs,  both  of  this  and 
other  tribes,  hereafter  to  be  mentioned. 


CH  APTEK    II. 


THE  GENEALOGY  OF  THE  RACE  OF  CORMAC  CAS,  THE  SECOND 
SON  OF  OLILD  OLUM,  DOWN  HERE. 


PEDIGREE  OF  O  BRIEN  OF  THOMOND  HERE. 

1.  Henry,  7th  Earl  of  Thomond,  son  of 

2.  Brian,  son  of, 

3.  Dormcadh.    [This  Donncadh,  called 

in  English  Donough,  had  two  sons,     4. 
namely,  Henry  and  Brian :  of  these, 
Henry  was  the  elder,  but  he  died 


without  leaving  any  male  issue. 
However,his  daughter  was  married 
to  the  son  of  Brian,  namely,  to 
that  Henry  with  whom  we  begin 
the  pedigree.]  sou  of 
Concobar.  [Tadg  of  Dromore  and 
Sir  Domnall  of  Carricahowlig, 
were  sons  of  this  Concobar.]  son  of 


670 


GENEALOGY. 


5.  Donnchad.  [This  Donnchad  had  for 
brothers,  Pomnall  Murkertuch, 
Tadg  an  Choniadh  and  Tordel- 
bach  O'Brien. J  son  of 

6.  Concobar.  [This  Coucobar  had  for 
brother  Murcadh,  who  was  the  fir.-t 
Earl  of  Thomond  and  firpt  Eurou 
of  Inchiquin. — From  Donncadh, 
or  Donog/i,  second  son  of  the  said 
Murcadh,  Sir  Lucius  and  hishoth- 
er,  William  Smith  O'Brien,  are 
ninth  in  descent.]  son  of 

7.  Tordelbach,  son  of 

8.  Tadg,  son  of 

9.  Tordelbach,  son  of 

10.  Brian    Catha    an   Acnaigh,    i.  c. 

Brian  of  the  Battle  of  Nenagh.  (Of 
the  posterity  of  this  Brian  of  the 
Battle  of  Nenagh  is  the  sept  of 
O'Briain  Cumarach,  i.  e.  O'Brien 
of  the  Cummeraghs  in  the  county 
of  Watcrford. — It  was  this  Brian 
that  won  the  Battle  of  Nenagh 
against  the  Earl  of  Desmond, 
namely,  against  Garret,  son  of 
Maurice,  son  of  Thomas,  on  which 
occasion  he  captured  that  Earl ; 
and  it  was  from  this  victory  that 
he  was  called  Brian  of  the  Battle 
of  Nenagh.)     son  of 

11.  Matliganiain  of  Maen-magh.   (This 

Mathgamain,  or  Mahon,  had  a  son 
named  Concobar,  from  whom  has 
descended  the  sept  of  O'Brien  of 
Carraig  o  g-Coinnell,  now  culled 
Castleconnell.)     son  of 

12.  Murkertach,  son  of 

13.  Tordclhach,  (Son  of  this  Tordel- 
bach was  Donncadh,  who  granted 
the  lordship  of  Thomoiid  for  three 
years  to  the  Poor  Friars  for  the 
purpose  of  aiding  them  in  building 
the  Monastery  of  Ennis.  lie  was 
afterwards  treacherously  murdered 
in  A.  D.  1311,  by  Murcadh  Maim- 
chiu,  sou  of  Matligamain  O'Brien, 
in  Glenn  Caein,)  son  of 

14.  Tadg  Caeluisgi.     (This  Tadg  Ca- 

eluisgi  had  a  brother  named  J3rian 
Ituadli,  from  whom  sprang  the  0'- 
Brian  of  Ara,)  son  of 

15.  Concobar  na  Siudaini.  (It  was 
from  having  been  killed  on  the 
Siudaiu  that  he  has  been  uamcd 
Concobar  na  Siudaini,)  son  of 

16.  Donncadh  Curbrcach.  (This  Donn- 


cadh Carbreach,  was  the  first  per- 
son that  was  ever  styled  tiie 
O'BRIEN'  ;  and  it  was  also  he  that 
bestowed  the  Alonastery  of  Donn 
cadh  Carbreach,  outside  Limerick, 
to  Cod  for  his  soul's  welfare  ;  and 
the  reason  why  he  was  called  Donn- 
cadh Carbreach,  ?.  e.  Doimcadh  of 
Carbri,  was  because  he  had  been 
fostered  in  Ui  Carbri  Acdba.) 
son  of 

17.  Domnall  Mor,  K.  M.,  A.  D.  1163- 
1194.  [This  Domnall  wa?  the  last 
King  of  Cashel,  ;.  e.  of  Munster, 
and  of  Limerick,  From  him  have 
sprang  the  Muinter  Consadin,  i.  e. 
the  family  of  Consadine  and  Mac 
Gitla-Iasachta,  nou'  called  Lysaght.'] 

IS.  Tordelbach,  K.  M. 

19.  Diurmaid,  K.  INI.  The  elder  brother 

of  this  Diarmaid  was  Murker- 
tach Mor,  Monarch  of  Ireand  A. 
D.  1094-1119,  and  from  him,  ;ic- 
cording  to  one  of  the  Ollamhs  of 
the  Dal-g-Cais  themselves,  has 
sprung  the  clan  of  MacMahon  of 
Thomond.     Here  is  what  he  says  : 

"  Clann  Thoirdlielbiiigh,  na  tlielb  trold, 
Muiichcrtach  Mor  is  ÍJiarmaid ; 
Barr  crainn  clilcclitacli  da  g-claen  flodb ; 
Muirchcrtach  s»er,  a  seinser. 

Clann  don  ti  is  oifrc  aco, 

Siol  m-Briain  i  n-diaish  Dhlarinaid; 

Fa  clann  natli-chalnia  olechtach. 

Clann  Mhathgliamlina  o  Mbuirchcrtach." 

jf?!  English  : 

•Tordclbach"s  sons,  wbofliunncd  not  war, 
Were  Diarmaid  and  Murkertacli  Mor — 
Tall  trees  to  wlioni  a  forest  bowed  I — 
Murkertacb  was  tbe  elder  son. 

From  tbe  yonnprcr  cbleftain  sprang 
O'Brien,  lord  of  Diarmaid"»  line: 
MaeMahon's  clan,  tbe  brave  in  battle, 
Claims  noble  Miirkirtacli  for  sire." 

The  above  named  Diarmaid  has  another 
son  named  Concobar  nag-Cathrach 
2.  e.  of  the  Fortrcescs,  who  is  also 
Slapar-salach  i.  e.  of  the  Spattered 
Kobe,  lie  was  the  eldest  son  of 
Diarmaid  to  whom  he  succeeded 
as  King  of  Munster,  in  which  posi- 
tion he  proved  himself  a  warlike 
and  able  prince.  From  him  sprung 
the  line  (if  Tadg  Gle  O'Briain,  chief- 
tains of  Ui  Bloid  and  princes  in 
Ormond.]     son  of 

20.  Tordelbach  O'Briain,  R.  H.    [Ue 


GENEALOGY. 


671 


was  the  first  that  bore  the  sur- 
name, Ua  Briain,  or  O'Briain,  in 
English  O'Brien,  he  being  the  0 
or  Ua,  i.  e.,  the  grandson,  of  Brian, 
R.  H.]  son  of 

21.  Tadg.  [From  Donncadh,  R.  H.  an 
elder  brother  of  this  Tadg,  have 
sprung  the  MacO'Brien  of  Cooa- 
agh  and  the  MacO'Brien  of  Ahar- 
low.]  sou  of 

22.  Brian  Boromiia,  R.  H.  slain  at 

Clontarf  A.  D.  1014.  [Brian  had 
six  sous  ;  namely,  Murcadh,  Tadg', 
Donncadh,  Doranall,  Concobar, 
and  Flann.  Of  these  we  have  not 
found  that  any  left  issue  but  the 
following  two  ;  namely,  Tadg,  from 
whom  this  branch  of  Thomond  de- 
rives its  origin ;  and  Donncadh,  R. 
H.,  from  whom  descend  the  Mac 
O'Brien  of  Aharlow  already  men- 
tioned.] son  of 

23.  Kenneidigh.  (Kenneidigh  had 
twelve  sous  ;  but  the  posterity  of  no 
more  than  pjur  of  these  has  surviv- 
ed ;  namely,  Brian,  Donncuan,  Ech- 
tigherna  and  Mathgamhaiu  or  Ma- 
hon.  From  Brian  descend  the  Sil 
Bhriain  [S'lcel  Vreein)  or  O'Briens. 
Donncuan  had  six  sons  ;  to  wit,  two 
named  Kenneidigh,  and  Riagan. 
Lonnargau,  Kelichar,  and  Couga- 
lach ;  from  one  of  those  named 
Kenneidigh,  has  descended  the  sept 
O'Conaing,  in  English,  Gunning  ; 
from  the  other  Kenneidigh  has 
descended  that  of  0' Kenneidigh, 
in  English  O' Kennedy ;  from  Ria- 
gan have  sprung  the  O'Riagaius 
or  0' Regans  of  Munster ;  from 
Lonnargan,  the  O'Lonnergans ;  and 
from  Kelichar,  the  O'Kelehers. — 
From  Mathgamain  or  Mahon,  K. 
M.  san  of  Kenneidigh,  have  de- 
scended the  following  septs  ;  name- 
ly, O'Beolain,  O'.Sbe'llain,  O'h-Ann- 
rachain,  Maclnneirigh,  O'Oonga- 
laigh  and  O'Tuama,  in  English,  0' 
Bolan,  O'Spilfnne,  O'Sheehan,  0'- 
Hanraghan,  MacEneiry,^  0' Con- 
nelly" of  North  Mamter,  and  0'- 
Toomy.  From  Echtigherna  [Ag- 
heerna),  son  of  Kenneidigh,  the 
sept  of  Magrath  or  MacGrath, 
Brehous  of  Thomond ;  and  that  of 
O'Aliera  or   O'Hearn.      Note — 


1 .  The  sept  of  MacEneiry,  mention- 
ed above,  is  not  of  the  Dalcassian 
race.  It  belongs  to  the  Ui  Fid- 
ghenti  of  Eugenian  origin.  2. 
These  Dalcassian  0' ConneUies  must 
not  be  confounded  luitli  the  O'Con- 
galaigh  or  O' ConneUies  of  Leth 
Cuinn,  who  are  of  a  different  stock. 
Congalach,  son  of  Kenneidigh,  left 
no  issue. — Ed.)  son  of 

24.  Lorcan,  K.  M.  (The  following 
ai"e  the  surnames  of  the  clans 
descended  from  Lorcan  ;  to  wit : 
from  Cosgarach,  son  of  Lorcan, 
have  sprung  the  Muinter  Senac- 
hain.  or  O'S'iannagkans ;  the  Muin- 
ter Cnaimhin  or  MacKnevins  ;  the 
Muinter  Ogain  or  O'Hogans,  the 
Muincer  Allathaigh,  or  0' Hollies  ; 
the  Muinter  Uallachain  or  0'- 
Hoolaghans ;  Muinter  Maelrua- 
naidh  or  O'Midronies ;  the  Muinter 
Glodhairn,  Muinter  Angedha  and 
Muinter  Maui. 

It  is  also  from  this  Lorcan  that 
the  race  of  Brian  Finn  in  Dubh-thir 
[Duffeer)  of  Leinster  are  descended. 

Note. —  The  word  "  3Iuinter,'' 
signifies  household  family,  people, 
and  sometimes  posterity,  tms 
"  Muinter  Ogain "  means  the  pos- 
terity of  Ogan,  and  here  means  Hie 
same  thing  as  Uih-Ogain.)  son  of 

25.  Lactna,  son  of 

26.  Core,  son  of 

27.  Anluan,  son  of 

28.  Mathgamain,  or  Mahon,  son  of 

29.  Tordelbach.   (This  Tordelbach  had 

a  son  named  Algenan,  from  whom 
sprang  the  sept  of  O'Meadhra,  in 
English  O'Mara.)  son  of 

30.  Cathal.  (This  Cathal  had  a  brother 
named  Congal,  from  whom  des- 
cended O'Neill — that  is,  the  Mun- 
ster sept  of  that  dcno7nination,  but 
not  the  great  O'Neill  of  Ulster — and 
O'n-Eoghan :  They  are  both 
sprung  from  Niall,  the  ancestor  of 
the  race  of  ]\laclnnrachtaigh,  in 
English  MacEnright.)  son  of 

31.  Aedh  Caemh,  K."M.  (It  was  this 
Aedh  Caemh,  that  seized  upon 
Cashel  in  spite  of  the  race  of  Eo- 
gan  Mor.  He  reigned  from  A.  D. 
571  to  A.  7).  GOl.)  son  of 

32.  ConalI,sonof 


672 


GENEALOGY. 


33.  Eocaidh  Baklerg.    [This  Eocaidh 

Bal-derg  had  a  brother  named 
Fergal,  from  whom  sprung  the 
Muinter  Ikedha,  i.  e.,  the  clan  of 
O'H/ckey — the  physician  sept  of 
the  Dal  g-Cais.  He  had  another 
brother  named  Aengus,  from  whom 
are  descended  the  clans  of  the  fol- 
lowing surnames,namely,thc  Muin- 
ter Loingsigh  Tuath-Mumhan, 
in  English  0' Lynch,  of  Tliomond  ; 
the  Muinter  Uithnidhe  or  Uaith- 
nin,  sometimes  translated  by  Green, 
and  sometimes  by  Jloneen  and  Han- 
non  ;  the  Mumter  Brenain,  in 
English  O'Brenan  ;  the  Muinter 
Sechtnain,  pronounced  Sliaghtnaw- 
in  in  Irish,  but  translated  into 
English  by  Sexton;  the  Muinter 
Riada,  in  English  0' Ready  ;  the 
Muinter  Cormacaiu,  or  Cormaic,  in 
English  O'Cormacan  and  MacCor- 
mick  ;  the  Muinter  Brechra  ;  the 
Muinter  Samradh.  Tiie  modern 
names  of  the  two  clans  last  named 
are  unknown  to  the  Editor.^  son  of 

34.  Carthann  Finn,  son  of 

35.  Blod.  (This  Blod  had  a  brother 
named  Caisiii  {Casheen)  from 
whom  sprang  the  Sil  Aedha  {Sheel 
Aych),  that  is,  the  clan  of  Mac- 
Coimiara,  in  English  Mncnamara, 
and  from  this  clan  branched  the 
sept  of  MacFlannchadha,  in  Eng- 
lish MacClanchy  and  C lance y,  who 
were  the  Brehon  sept  of  Tliomond. 
This  Blod  had  also  a  son  called 
Brenann  Ban,  from  whom  descend- 
ed the  A[uinter  Urthali,  in  English 
O' Hurley;  the  Muinter  Maeldomna, 
in  English  O'Mnlowny ;  the  Mu- 
inter Grada,  in  English  0' Grady  ; 
and  the  Muinter  Caisin,  in  Eng- 
lish O'Casliin)  son  of 

36.  Gas,  from  whom  the  Dal   g-Gais 

[Daulgash]  are  named.  [This 
Gas  (Cass)  had  twelve  sons,  name- 
ly, Blod,  Gaisin,  Lugaidh,  Sedna, 
Aengus  Keim-Athrach,  Gormac, 
Carthann,  Kcimeich,  Aengus 
Kenn-atinn.  Aedh,  Losgenn  and 
Delbaeth.  From  Blod  sprang  the 
stock  of  this  branch ;  from  Aengus 
Kenn-Athrach  sprang  O'Dea  of 
Kind  Fermaic,  the  Ivinol  m-Iiaci 
and  the  Kind  g-Guallachta :  from 


Aengus  Kenn-atinn  sprang  the 
Muinter  Ifernain  and  the  Muinter 
Nechtain,  in  English  O'Naugh- 
tan,  but  commordy  called  Norton, 
and  the  Muinter  Artagain,  in 
English  O'Hartagan  ;  from  Aedh, 
son  of  Gas,  sprang  the  Muinter 
Aedha,  in  English  O'llay  or 
O'Hca  and  Hayes,  that  is,  the 
Thomond  sept  so  called,  for  there 
are  several  families  of  the  name 
who  belong  to  distinct  tribes ;  from 
Delbaeth  sprang  MacCochlain,  in 
English  SlacGoughlan,  and  the 
other  septs  of  the  tribe  of  the  Delb- 
na — a  tribe  whichhad  its  name  from 
this  Delbaeth ;  from  Lugaidh  son  of 
Gas  sprang  the  Muinter  Dobhar- 
chon,  tn  English  O'Davoran  ;  the 
Muinter  Kearnaigh,  in  English 
0' Kearney ;  the  Muinter  Gonraei, 
in  English  MacConroy,  but  some- 
times barbarized  to  King ;  the  Mu- 
inter Aengusa,  in  English  O'Hen- 
essy ;  the  Muinter  Dubhthigh,  in 
English  O'Duhig.  Of  the  Dal  g- 
Gais,  or  tribe  descended  from  this 
Cos,  are  also  sprung  MacDemi, 
MacAsiodha,  Mac  an  Fiiairchini, 
in  English  MacAnerny ;  O'h-Aiun- 
li,  in  English  O'Hanly,  and  O'Hcafy 
of  the  county  of  Limerick. — Of 
the  Dalcassian  septs,  thos^  of  Mac 
Bruaidin  or  MacBruodin,  and  Mac 
Curtain  held  high  rank  as  hereditary 
bards  and  historians  of  the  tribe. 
From  Ca<i  were  also  descended  the 
clans  of  O'Slattery,  O'Nunan, 
O'Liddy  and  O'Caseif,  —  that  is, 
OCathasaigh  of  the  toillli  Mnbi- 
necha,  in  the  south  of  the  county  of 
Limerick,  for  there  was  another 
O'Cathasaigh  or  O' Casey,  who  was 
of  the  line  of  Kian,  son  of  Olild 
Olum,  and  wliose  territory  lay  in 
the  Kiannachta  Breagha  in  East 
3Ieath.]  son  of 

37.  Gonall  Ech-luath,  K.  M.  ("  Ech- 
luath,"  pronounced  Agh-looah,  sig- 
nifies of  tlie  Fleet  Steeds.  He  was 
King  ofMunster,  A.D.  3GG.)  son  of 

38.  Lugaidh  Menn,  K.  M.  (It  was 
this  Lugaidh  Menn  that  carried  off 
hostages  from  all  parts  of  Ireland, 
so  that  they  were  forced  to  promise 
to  pay  him  tribute.)  son  of 


GENEALOGY. 


673 


39.  Aengus  Tirech,  K.  M.,  son  of 

40.  Fer-Corb,  son  of 

41.  Mogh-Corb,  K.  M.,  son  of 

42.  CoKJiAC  Cas,  K.  M.,  son  of 

43.  Olild  Olum,  K.  M.— See  No.  39, 
pedigree  of  MacCarthy  More. 

Note.  —  Donncadh  and  Concobar, 
marked  Nos.  5  and  6  in  this  pedigree 
of  O'Brien,  were  the  cotemporarics  of 
Domnall,  1st  Earl  of  Clancare,  with 
whom  the  pedigree  of  MacCarthj'  More 
commences.  The  jireseut  one  has  then 
been  begun  four  or  five  generations 
later  than  that  of  MacCarthy,  so  that 
the  number  43  of  the  Dalcassiau  line, 
corresponds  closely  with  the  number  39 
of  the  Eugenian. — The  numbers  jjre- 
fixed  to  the  several  names  are  given 
merely  to  facilitate  reference,  and  by  no 
means  intended  to  establish  any  parallel- 
ism in  time,  which  could  not  be  done 
after  that  manner,  for  several  pedigrees 
commence  many  generations  later  than 
others. 

II. 

THE  GENEALOGY  OF  O'bRIEN    OF  CASTLE- 
CONNELL,    HERE. 

Mathgaraain,  or  Mnhon.,  of  Maen- 
magh,  son  of  Murkertach,  son  of  Tor- 
delbach,  son  of  Tadg  [Teiguc)  Cael- 
uisgi,  son  of  Concobar  na  Siudaui,  two 
sons  had  he,  namely,  Brian  of  the  Bat- 
tle of  Ncnagh,  from  whom  descends  the 
O'Brien  of  Thomond ;  and  Concobar, 
or  Connor,  from  whom  has  sprung  the 
O'Brien  of  Carraig-0-Coinnell,  called 
Castleconnell  in  English.  The  year  of 
our  Lord  when  the  said  Concobar  came 
to  settle  at  Carraig-O-Coinnell  was 
1449. 

Two  sous  had  this  Concobar,  namely, 
Diarmaid  and  Brian  Dubh.  Diarmaid 
died  without  issue. 

Brian  Dubh  had  one  son,  namely, 
Donncadh  MacBriain  Duibh. 

This  Donncadh  had  eleven  sons,  but 
they  all  died  without  issue,  with  the 
exception  of  Mahon  or  Mathgamain 
MacDonncadha. 

The  children  of  Mahon  were  Donn- 
cadh and  Murkertach. 

Murkertach  had  but  one  son,  namely, 
Tadg ;  but  Donncadh  had  a  numerous 
offspring,  namely,  Brian  Dubh,  Domnall, 
*  *  *  *  *  Mathgamain,  Tordel- 
bach,  Kenneidigh  called  the  Gillii 
43 


Dubh,  i.  c.  tiie  Black  Chiel,  Concobar 
Cuauach,  Murkertach,  Diarmaid  and 
Donncadh.  Sucli  was  the  progeny  of 
Mathgamain  of  Maen-magh,  son  of  Mur- 
kertach, son  of  Tordclbach,  son  of  Tadg 
Cael-uisgi,  for  so  far. 

Concobar,  son  of  Mathgamain  Maen- 
magh,  from  whom  have  sprung  the 
O'Briens  of  Carraig-O-Coinncll  and 
Pobal  Briain,  [now  called  Castleconnell 
and  Pobblebrien  in  the  county  of  Lim- 
erick), was  for  eight  years  'J'he  O'Brien 
of  Thomond.  Pobal  Briain  was  por- 
tioned among  the  eleven  sons  of  Brian 
after  the  following  manner.'  *  *  * 
But,  to  return  to  those  eleven  sons  of 
Donncadh,  son  of  Brian,  to  whom  we 
have  brought  down  this  line,  they  all 
died  without  leaving  any  jiosterity  but 
females,  with  the  exception  of  his  fourth 
son,  namely,  Mathgamain,  son  of  Donn- 
cadh,,.sou  of  Brian  Dubh.  These  are 
the  children  of  the  said  Mathgamain, 
namely,  Domnall,  Concobar  Jilael,  Brian 
Dubh,  Tadg,  Diarmaid  and  Mathga- 
main. 

These  are  the  children  of  Domnall, 
son  of  Donncadh,  namely,  Donncadh 
and  Murkertach.  Concobar  Mae),  son 
of  Donncadh,  had  one  son,  namely,  Tor- 
delbach.  Brian  Dubh,  son  of  Donn- 
cadh, had  one  son,  namely,  Donncadh. 
Tadg,  son  of  Donncadh,  son  of  Mathga- 
main, had  a  numerous  oííspring',  name- 
ly, Concobar  Mael,  who  went  to  Spain  ; 
Domnall,  Diarmaid,  Tordelbach  and 
Murcadh. 

THE  PEDIGREE  OF  THE  ABOVE-NAMED 
DONNCADH,  SON  OF  BRIAN  DUBH  OF 
CAERAIG-0-COINNELL,    HERE. 

1.  Donncadh,   Brian,    Murcadh,    and 

Domnall,  sons  of 

2.  Domnall,  son  of 

3.  Donncadh,  son  of 

4.  Domnall,  son  of 

5.  Donncadh,  son  of 
G.  Brian  Dubh,  sou  of 

7.  Donncadh,  son  of 

8.  Mathgamain,  son  of 

10.  Donncadh,  son  of 

11.  Brian  Dubh,  son  of 

12.  Concobar,  who  was  The  O'Briau 
of  Thomond  for  eight  years,  from 
A.  D.  1406  to  A.  D.  1414,  when 
he  resigned  the  chieftaincy  to  his 
nephew,  Tadg,  sou  of  Brian,  and 


674 


GENEALOGY. 


■who  settled  at  Carraig-0-ConnelI 

in  A  D.  14-19r  sou  of 

13.  Mathgamain  of  Maen-magli,  «Src—  18. 

See  No.  11,  Pedigree  of  O'Brien  19. 

of  Thomond. 

20. 
XoTE  1. — Here  follows  a  list  euuine-  21. 
rating  of  the  several  jwrtions  of  those  22. 
eleven  sons,  with  their  several  sub-de-  23. 
nominations,  which  the  editor  omits, 
both  on  account  of  the  prolixity  of  the  24. 
list  itself,  and  because  he  has  by  him  at  25. 
present  no  means  of  discovering  their 
present  names  and  pointing  their  sev- 
eral situations. — Ed.  26. 
Note  2. — Dr.  O'Brian  in  his   Law  27. 
of  Tanistry,  published  in  Yallancey's  28. 
Collectanea,  thinks  that  it  was  Brian,  29. 
the  son  of  Concobar,  that  settled  in  30. 
Castleconuell  in  this  year. — Ed.  31. 

32. 

ADDENDA. 

The  following  Dalcassiau  pedigrees 
are  taken  from  those  arranged  by  Dr.      33. 
0 'Donovan,  and  published  with  the 
Battle  of  Magh  Rath. 


derived  the.surname  Mac  Conmar 
ra  or  I\Iacnamara,  son  of 
Domnall,  son  of 

Menma,  who  fought   at  Clontarf, 
A.  D.  1014,  son  of 
Aedh,  sou  of 
Euda,  son  of 
Essida,  son  of 

Sida  a  Eich   Buidhe,  i.  e.  of  the 
Yellow  Steed,  son  of 
Maelcluthi,  son  of 
Coilcan,  from    whom    the    tribe- 
name,  Clann  Coilein,  is  derived, 
son  of 

Artgal,  son  of 
Dongal,  son  of 
Eogan,  son  of 
Acluan,  sou  of 
Fergal,  son  of 
Carthenn, son  of 

Caisin,  from  whom  is  derived 
the  tribe-name,  Ui  Caisin,  {Ui 
Cashcen,)  son  of 

Cas,  from  whom  the  Dal  g-Cais 
are  called. — See  No.  36,  Pedigree 
of  O'Brien  of  Thomond. 


TnE  PEDIGREE  OF  MACXAMARA,  CHIEF 
UI  CAISIX,  OR  CLANN  COILEIN. 

1.  Cumedha,  hanged  in  A.  D.  1587, 

son  of 

2.  John.    [From   Donncadh,   brother 

of  this  John,  descended  John  Mac- 
namara  Finn,  alive  in  A.  D.  1714. 
He  was  son  of  Francis,  son  of 
John,  son  of  John,  son  of  Tadg, 
son  of  the  said  Donncadh.]  son  of 

3.  Tadg,  who  died  in  A.  D.  1571,  son  of 

4.  Cumedha,  son  of 

5.  Cuniara,  son  of 

G.  Seaghan,  or  John,  son  of 

7.  Mac-con,  son  of 

8.  Sida  Cam,  son  of 

9.  Mac-con,  son  of 

10.  Cumedha,  son  of 

11.  Mao-con,  son  of 

12.  Lochlaiun,  son  of 

13.  Cumedha  Mor,  son  of 

14.  Niall,  son  of 

15.  Cumara,  son  of 

16.  Domnall  Mac  Conmara.  ['J'he  first 
that  bore  the  family  name,  which 
has  been  rendered  into  English  by 
Macnamara.]  son  of 

17.  CuMAKA,  from  whom    has  been 


THE   PEDIGREE    OF    O  DEA    OF    KINEL 
FERMAIC. 

1.  John,  son  of 

2.  Lochlainn,  son  of 

3.  Concobar,  who  slew  De  Clare   in 

A.  D.  1318,  son  of 

4.  Domnall,  son  of 

5.  Donncadh,  son  of 

6.  Euaidri,  son  of 

7.  Gilla-Padraig,  son  of 

8.  Flathbertach,  son  of 

9.  Lochlainn,  son  of 

10.  Flathbertach,  son  of 

11.  Muredach,  son  of 

12.  Gilla-Coiri,  son  of 

13.  Aicher  O'Deghadh,  the  first  that 

bore  the  family  name,  which  is 
rendered  into  English  by  O'Dea 
and  Dee,  son  of 

14.  Donncadh,  son  of 

15.  Deííaidii,  from  whom  the  surname 

is  derived,  son  of 

1 6.  Donniall,  son  of 
1  7.  Donn,  son  of 

18.  Dubsalach,  son  of 

19.  Flanncadh,  son  of 

20.  Flann  Scribail,  son  of 

21.  Ferkingclt,  son  of 


GENEALOGY. 


675 


22.  Fermac,  from  whom  is  dorivcd  tin; 
tribe-name,  Kiuel  Formaic,  son  of 
23    Cu-allta,  son  of 

24.  Slebin,  son  of 

25.  Dima,  son  of 

26.  Senacli,  son  of 

27.  Kethi,  son  of 

28.  Aengus  Kk.vn-atiirach,  sou  of 

29.  Cas,  &c.—Sec  No.  30,  Pedigree  of 

O'Brien  of  Thomond. 

III. 

THK    PEDIGREE   OF    o'QUI.V   OF    CLANX 
IFERNAIN. 

1 .  Ooncobar,  son  of 

2.  ])omuall,  sou  of 

3.  Domuall,  son  of 

4.  Thomas,  sou  of 

5.  Domnall,  sou  of 

6.  Donncadh,  son  of 

7.  Gilla-Senain,  son  of 

8.  Donncadh,  sou  of 

9.  ilurcadh,  son  of 

10.  Core,  the  tutor  of  Murkertach, 
prince  of  Thomond,  A.  D.  1142, 
sou  of 

11.  Feidlecar  O'Cuinn,  first  of  the 
name,  son  of 

12.  Niall,  slain  at  Clontarf,  A.  D. 
1014,  son  of 

13.  Conn,  from  whom  is  derived  the 
surname,  O'Cuinn,  in  English, 
O'Quinn,  son  of 

14.  Donncadh,  son  of 

15.  Sida,  sou  of 

16.  Conligan,  son  of 

17.  Faelcadh,  son  of 

]  8.  Ifernau,  from  whom  the  tribe-name 
of  Clann  Ifernain,  son  of 

19.  Core,  son  of 

20.  Abartach,  son  of 

21.  Uiliu  or  Cuilin,  son  of 

22.  Gemdelach,  sou  of 

23.  Colman,  son  of 

24.  Conall,  sou  of 

25.  Aengus  Kexx-atinn,  sou  of 

26.  Cas,  kQ.—See  No.  36,  Pedigree  of 
O'Brien  of  Thomond. 

IV. 

PEDIGREE     OF   MAC   MAHON,    CHIEF    OF 
CORCA  RASKIN,  IN  THOMOND. 

1.  Tadg,  SOU  of 

2.  Murcadh,  son  of 

3.  Tordelbach,  sou  of 

4.  Tadg  Og,  son  of 


5.  'I'adg  Mor,  son  (JÍ' 

6.  Donncadh  na  Glaki,  sou  of 

7.  Ruaidri  Buidhe,  son  of 

8.  Diarmaid,  son  of 

9.  Donncadh  Carrach,  sou  of 

10.  ]Murcadh  na  u-lngnadh,  i.  c.  of 
the  Wonders.  [This  Murcadh  was 
carried  off  from  Corca  Jiaskiu. 
and  never  afterwards  heard  of. 
He  left  after  him  but  one  son. 
namely,  J)onncadh  Carrach,  an- 
cestor of  the  Mac  Mahons.]  sou  of 

11.  Murcadh  ]\Iac  ]\[athghauihna, 
];)ronouuced  Mac  Mahowna  by  the 
Irish,  but  called  Mac  Mahou  in 
the  tongue  of  the  stranger,  son  of 

12.  ]\lATirGAMAiN  0"Briain,   iu  Eng- 

lish, Mahou  O'Brien,  sou  of 

13.  Murkertach  Mor  O'Briain,  King 

of  Munster  and  ISIonarch  of  Ire- 
land, A.  D.  1094-1119,  from 
whose  younger  brother  Diarmaid 
sprang  the  O'Briens,  Kings  of 
Thomond,  son  of 

14.  Tordelbach  O'Briain,  monarch  of 
Ireland,  A.  D.  1072-1086.— See 
No.  20,  Pedigree  of  O'Brien  of 
Thomond. 

Note. — The  names  iu  the  foregoing 
pedigree  of  the  sept  of  Mac  Mahou,  are. 
with  the  exception  of  No.  13,  given 
on  the  authority  of  Dermod  O'Cou- 
uor's  translation  of  Keating.  No.  1? 
has  been  inserted  on  the  authority  of 
the  verses  heretofore  quoted  iu  the  ped- 
igree of  O'Brien,  and  of  the  uncon- 
tested traditions  of  the  Dalcassiau 
tribe. — See  Dr.  O'Brien's  Laws  of 
Tanistry,  Vol.  1  of  Vallancey's  Collec- 
tanea, and  O'Halloran's  History  of 
Ireland. 

v. 

PEDIGREE    OF  MACNAMARA,  OF  ROS    ROE, 

From  Dermod  O'Connor's  transla- 
tion of  Keating. 

1.  Donmall,    Donncadh,     and    Tadg, 

whom  that  translator  calls  Daniel. 
Donough,  and  Teigue,  sous  of 

2.  Sida  (Sheeda)  sou  of 

3.  Finghin  [Finneen.)  called  Florence, 

son  of 

4.  Finghin,  sou  of 

5.  Lochlainn,  son  of 

6.  Finghin,  son  of 

7.  Sida  Cam,  &c. — See  No.  8,  Pedigree 

of  Macnamara,  already  given. 


676 


GENEALOGY. 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE   GENEALOGY  OF  THE   POSTERITY   OF   KIAN,    THIRD  SON    OF 
OLILD    OLUM,    DOWN   HERE.  "^ 

Two  sons,  indeed,  had  Tadg,  son  of  Kian  [Tigue,  son  of  Kcean),  namely, 


1  mi 

1,  had 


Connlá  and  Cormac  Galcng-.  Connla,  ag:ain,  had  two  sods,  namely,  Imcad'h, 
from  whom  has  sprung  O'Carroll  of  Eli  O'Carroll,  and  Finnacta,  from  whom 
descends  O'Meagher.  From  Cormac  Galeng,  brother  of  Counla,  came  O'llara 
and  O'Gara. 

Note. — The  sept  O'Carroll,  (in  Gaelic,  O'Cerbhaill,  pronounced  O'Carrooil 
and  O'Cancill,)  lords  of  Eli,  has  been  confounded  with  that  of  O'Carroll,  lord  of 
Oirghialla,  which,  though  of  the  same  name,  was  of  a  totally  diifercnt  stock.  The 
latter  sept  sank  into  obscurity  soon  after  the  English  invasion,  and  gave  way  as 
chiefs  of  the  Oirghialla,  to  the  kindred  clans  of  ]\Iaguire  and  ]\[ac  Mahon.  Th.c 
0"Carrolls  of  Eli  maintained  their  position  as  chieftains  down  to  a  much  more  re- 
cent period,  as  did  also  the  clan  of  O'Meachair  (called  in  English  O'Meagher  and 
Maher),  lords  of  the  Ui  Cairin,  whose  tribe  lands  arc  now  known  as  Ikerrin,  in 
North  Tipperary.  The  other  clans  of  the  Kiannachta,  or  descendants  of  Kian,  arc 
those  of  O'Kellaigh  and  O'Cathasaigh,  lords  of  the  Kiannachta  of  Breagh,  in 
East  Meath,  or,  as  they  are  called  by  those  that  speak  the  foreign  idiom,  the 
O'Kellies  and  O'Casies.  These  clans  must  be  distinguished  from  the  O'Kellies 
of  Ui  Mani,  and  the  Dalcassian  O'Casies  of  Coillti  jiíabinecha,  in  the  barony  of 
Coshlea  and  county  of  Limerick.  Of  the  race  of  Kian  are  also  the  O'Connors 
of  Keenaught  in  Ulster. — Ed. 


PEDIGREE   OF    O  CAREOLL  OF   ELI,  HERE. 

1.  Seaghan,  son  of 

2.  Maelruanaidh.    (This  Maelnianaidh 

had  a  brother  named  Tadg,  son 
of  Tadg,  who  dwelt  at  Baile-an- 
Cnocain.)  son  of 

3.  Tadg.    (The  brothers  of  this  Tadg 

were  Sir  Maelruanaidh,  who  was 
The  O'Carroll  of  Uaithni,  and 
Uonncadh.)  son  of 

4.  Uiliiam  Odhar.     (This  Uilliam  Od- 

har  had  a  brother  named  Tadg 
Cacch,  who  was  The  O'Carroll 
(1.5.32-1554)  and  also  a  lord  baron, 
entitled  the  Baron  of  Bailé-an- 
bhrodta,  and  he  was  the  senior 
of  Uilliam  Odhar,  who  succeeded 
him  as  The  O'Carroll,  until  he  was 
slain  in  A.  I).  1581.)  son  of 

5.  Fer-gan-Aiimi.    The  brother  of  this 

Fer-gan-Ainm  was  Maelruanaidh 
Og,  who  was  the  eklcst  son  of 

6.  Maelruanaidh,  sou  of 

7.  Seaghan,    or  John.      (This    John 

was  married  to  the  daughter  of 
O'Kennedy  Finn,  so  that  his  son 
Maelruanaidh  had  the  same  mother 
with   Grani,  07-  Grace,  who  was 


the  wife  of  Mac  Uilliam  Uachtar, 
namely,  with  Ulic  of  the  Heads, 
whose  son  was  afterwards  created 
the  first  Earl  of  C'lanrickard,which 
Earl  was  called  Eickard  Sags- 
anach.)  son  of 

8.  Maelruanaidh,  (This  Maelruanaidh 

had  a  brother  named  Donncadli, 
from  whom  descend  the  family  of 
Magh  Dremni  and  Buaile-Brcc.) 
son  of 

9.  Seaghan.     (This  Seaghan  had  for 

brothers,  Uilliam,  from  whom 
sprang  the  family  of  Cninni-au- 
Cliabhain  ;  Tadg,  from  whom  arc 
descended  the  families  of  Calog, 
Cluain  O'g-Cionach  and  Uaithni 
Mor  an  Belaigh  ;  jMaelruanaidli 
Og  na  Tualrfch  ;  and  lluaidri  Car- 
rach,  from  whom  has  s])rung  the 
family  of  Cluain  Echail.)     son  of 

10.  Maelruanaidh  na  Fesoigi.  (This 
Maelruanaidh  had  a  brother  nam- 
ed Ponncadh,  I'rom  whom  sprang 
the  O'Carrolls  of  Birra,  or  Birr.) 
son  of 

11.  Tadg  of  Gaibhli  Maighi  Gloisi, 

('J'his  Tadg  had  for  brothers  Ruai- 
dri  Cacl,  from  whom  descended 
the  family  of  robal-an-Acnaigli, 


GENEALOGY. 


6 


I  I 


who  are  called  Sliocht  Ruaidri 

Cliaeil,  i.  c.  the  posterity  of  Ruaidri 
the  Slender,  and  Doniicadh,  from 
whom  descended  the  family  of  Kill 
Cuimrith.)  son  of 

12.  Tadg  of  Callaiu.    (Brothei*  to  the 

Tadg  of  Callain  was  Beaghau  or 
John,  from  whom  sprang  the 
Clan  Mac  Seaghaiu  O'Carrcll, 
who  have  been  recently  known  as 
the  family  of  Bailé  Nuadh  {Imlli/- 
noe)  ;  and  this  John  was  The  0'- 
Carroll  until  he  was  slain  by  the 
sous  of  ]\[athgamain,  or  Muhon 
O'JSecaiu,  at  Lis-buáili-cael.  This 
happened  in  A.  D.  1337.)  son  of 

1 3.  Ruaidri,  son  of 

14.  Maelruanaidh.  (Brother  of  this 
Maelruanaidh  was  Domnall,  from 
whom  spruno:  the  Sliocht  Dom- 
naill  Bailé-Edain,  i.  e.  the  pos- 
terity of  Domnall  of  Bailé-Edain  ; 
and  it  was  he  that  immediately 
before  the  conquest  was  The  0- 
Carroll  both  of  i^li  and  of  Oirg- 
hialla,  and  it  was  he  that  held  Cal- 
lan  and  most  of  the  country  around 
it,  according  to  what  some  of 
the  old  Anglo-Norman  clans  set 
down  in  their  own  chronicles ; 
and  Giraldus  Cambrensis  names 
this  Domnall  as  one  of  the  seven 
most  honored  and  renowned  chief- 
tains that  were  in  Ireland  upon 
the  arrival  of  Henry  the  Second 
therein.  These  are  the  names  of 
the  said  seven,  to  wit,  Diarmaid 
Mac  Carthy,  prince  of  Cork ; 
Domuall  O'Brian,  prince  of  Lime- 
rick ;  Maelsechlainn  O'Faelain, 
prince  of  the  Decies,  or  Desi,  and 
of  Waterford  ;  O'Neill  in  Ulster  ; 
Domnall  O'CarroU  of  Eli  and 
Oirghialla,  and  Ruaidri  Mor  O'- 
Connor, who  was  monarch  over 
them  all. 

Note.' — Our  author  has  been  en- 
tirely led  away  by  Cambrensia  in  this 
statement,  in  as  far  as  it  has  caused 
him  to  confound  the  chiefs  of  the  to- 
tally distinct  tribes,  the  Eli  and  the 
Oirghialla,  whose  territories  lay  widely 
apart,  and  which  no  one  chief  could 
then  rule,  unless  he  had  made  himself 
master  of  the  powerful  intervening 
tribes,  which  no  chieftains    of  either 


O'OarrolIs  ever  did.  Murcadh  O'Car- 
roU was  lord  of  Oirghialla  immediately 
previous  to  the  arrival  of  Henry  11.  ; 
for  we  find  him  leading  his  tribo  in  the 
army  of  King  Ruadri  O'Connor  at 
the  siege  of  Dublin.  The  slaying  of 
Ruadri  O'CarroU  is  recorded  in  our 
annals,  where  he  is  styled  Lord  of  Eli, 
as  having  happened  in  A.  D.  1174, 
three  years  after  the  departure  of 
Henry.  So  that  Domuall  O'CarroU 
had  but  little  time  to  extend  his  sway 
over  the  clans  of  Colla  in  Oirghialla  and 
the  clans  Kiau  in  Eli  during  the  in- 
tervening period.  It  being  now  noto- 
rious that  the  territories  as  well  as  the 
origin  of  north-eastern  and  the  cen- 
tral O'Carrolls  lay  widely  apart,  it 
Avere  idle  to  pursue  this  subject  fur- 
ther.— Ed.]  son  of 

15.  Tadg,  son  of 

16.  Finn.     [This  Finn  had  a  brother 

named    Donncadh,    from    whom 

came  the  Sliocht  Priora  Daighri 

and  the  Sliocht  Breuchner,  who 

are  called  Mic  Murcadha,  i.  e.  the 

sous  of  Murcadh. 

Note. — These  races  are  unknown 

to  the  editor.    The  latter  are  probably 

some  subsept  of  the  O'Carrolls,  who 

were  known  amongst  their  own  tribe 

as  the  Mac  Murroughs  or  Murphies.] 

son  of 

17.  Guill-bhelach,  otherwise  Goll  an 
Bhelaigh,  slain  in  A.  D.  1205.  son 
of 

18.  Donncadh.  [O'Connor,  the  trans- 
lator of  Keating,  has  appropri- 
ated to  this  chief  the  deeds  of 
another  Donncadh  O'CarroU,  or  as 
he  has  been  heretofore  called  by 
the  present  editor,  O'Kerbaill,  the 
illustrious  founder  of  ^lellifont 
and  chief  Oirghialla,  who  ruled 
his  tribe  from  A.  D.  1133  to  A.  I). 
1168,  during  which  time  the  death 
of  a  son  of  Finn,  lord  of  Eli,  is 
entered,  as  before  stated,  under  the 
year  1163. — Ed.]  sou  of 

19.  Maelruanaidh,  sou  of 

20.  Finn,  son  of 

21.  Domuall.     [Brother  to  this  Dom- 

nall was  Righ-bardan,  of  whose 
posterity  are  the  race  settled  at 
Call  na  bh-Fearnog,  Craeibhe, 
Cuil  na  g-CreI)har,  Ros  Cuana, 


o78 


GENEALOGY. 


Baile-na-cloiché   aud   Sen  Kath, 
and  of  that  race  there  now  sur- 
vives but  a  few,  besides  those  who 
have  spruiii;'  I'rora  Tadg.  son  of 
Douucadh  Jjanu. 
XoTE. — 'I'he  MS.  from  which  this 
16   taken   ends   here ;  what  foHows  is 
from   Dermod    O'Connor's    '•  English 
Keating." — Ed.]  son  of 

22.  Righbardan.  slain  in  A.  D.  1058. 

23.  Cucoiriii  0' Carroll,  or  O'Kcrbaill, 
son  of 

24.  Maenacli,  sou  of 

25.  Kekball.  [This  name  is  mostly 
written  Cerbhall  or  Cearbhall,  the 
letter  C  being  sounded  hard. 
From  tills  Kerball.  who  fought 
a,t  Clontarf  in  A.  D.  1014,  the 
surname  O'Cearbhail,  in  English 
O'CarroU,  is  derived.]  sou  of 

26.  Aedh,  son  of 

27.  Dublaer,  son  of 

28.  Cnaimhin,  son  of 

29.  Maeuach,  son  of 

30.  Sechnasach, son  of 

31.  Angidh,  son  of 

32.  Ultan,  son  of 

33.  Maelruanaidh,  son  of 

34.  Altiu,  son  of 

35.  Louann,  son  of 

36.  Indach, sou  of 

37.  Fiach,  son  of 

38.  Tal,  .sou  of 

39.  Meachar.  son  of 

40.  Amruidh.  son  of 

41.  Druidh,  sou  of 

42.  Eli  Rigli-derg,  from  whom  the 
tribe-name  Eli  is  derived,  son  of 

44.  Ere,  son  of 

45.  Sabarnach,  sou  of 

46.  Imgon,  fram  whose  brother  Tadg 
sprang  the  sept  of  O'Meagher,  son 
of 

48.  Connla,  son  of 

49.  Tadg.    [This   'I'adg   had   another 

sou  named  Corniac  (íaleug.  I'rom 
wjiom  s])rang  the  0"JIaras  and 
0'Gara.s,  an(l  also  one  of  tlie 
septs  named  UTIaimagan,  O'Dul- 
chonta,  in  English  Deliilmnhj,  the 
O'Corcoraus  of  this  tribe,  aud  the 
O'Casies  of  Breagh.]  son  of 

50.  KiAN,  the  founder  of  alt  the  tribes 

of  the  Kiunnachfn,  son  of 
.Í1.  Olild  Olum,  K.  M.—See  No.  39. 
Pedigree  of  Mac  Carthy  More. 


I'KDIGKEE    OK   SIR    DAXIEL   O  CARROLL, 

in  the  order  given  by  Uermod  O'Con- 
nor, in  his  "  Keating." 

1.  Daniel  and  Johu,  sons  of 

2.  Sir  Daniel,  kuight  of  St.  Jago,  in 

Spain,  son  of 

3.  John,  son  of 

4.  Daniel,  son  o*" 

5.  Donough,  sou  of 
G.  Kian,  son  of 

7.  Tadg,  sou  of 

8.  Donough,  son  of 

9.  Maelruanaidh,  &c.—See  No.  8,  Ped- 

igree of  O'CarroU  of  Eli. 


The  Pedigree  of  O'Gara,  taken 
from  the  Epistle  Dedicatory,  where- 
in Brother  Michael  O'Clery  in- 
scribes the  Annals  of  the  Four  Mas- 
ters to  Fergal  O'Gara,  chief  of 
that  sept,  A.  D.  1634. 
Having  referred  to  the  munifi- 
cence of  Ó"(íara,  who  had  enabled  him 
and  his  collaborators  to  collect  mate- 
rials for  their  great  work,  and  to 
bring  it  to  a  close,  that  last  of  Ire- 
laud's  Chief-Historians  says  : — "  For 
every  good  that  will  result  from  this 
book,  in  giving  light  to  all  iu  general, 
it  is  to  you  that  thanks  should  be 
given,  and  there  should  exist  no  m'ou- 
der  or  surprise,  jealousy  or  en\'y  at  any 
go<Kl  that  you  do,  for  you  are  of  the 
race  of  ]iber,  sou  of  ^Sliledh,  from 
whom  descended  thirty  of  the  kings  of 
Ireland,  and  sixty-one  saints ;  and  to 
Tadg,  sou  of  Kian,  son  of  Olild  Olum, 
from  whom  eighteen  of  these  saints  are 
sprung,  you  can  be  traced  generation 
by  generation.  The  descendants  of 
Tadg  branched  out  and  inhabited 
various  parts  throughout  Ireland, 
namely,  the  race  of  ('ormac  Galeug 
in  liuighui  Connaclit,  from  whom 
ye,  tiic  Muiuter  Gadhra  {Gara),  the 
two  Ui  h-1'^adhra  in  Couuaught,  aud 
O'h-Eadln-a  (O'Hara)  of  the  liuta, 
O'CarroU  of  Eli,  O'Mechair  iu  Ui  Cai- 
rin,  aud  the  Kianachta  of  Glen-Geim- 
liiu.  As  a  proof  of  your  coming  from 
this  noble  Ijlood  we  have  mentioned, 
here  is  yo>u-  pedigree,  0  Fergal  0'- 
Gadhra,  thou  son  of 


GENEALOGY. 


679 


Tadg,  son  of 
Olild,  son  of 
Diarmaid,  son  of 
Eogan,  son  of 
Diarmaid,  son  of 
Eogan,  son  of 
Tomaltach  Oi?,  son  of 
Tomaltach,son  of 
.  Diarmaid,  son  of 
.  Raighni,  son  of 

Congalacli,  son  of 

Donuslebi,  son  of 

Ruaidri,  son  of 

Donnslebi,  son  of 

Concobar,  son  of 

Ruarc,  son  of 

Gadhra,  from  whom  the  I^Iuintei 

Gadhra    (the    O'Garas)  are  sur- 

namcd,  son  of 

Glethnechan,  son  of 

Saergus,  sou  of 

Bee,  sou  of 

Flaithius,  son  of 

Taichleach,  son  of 

Kennfacladh,  son  of 

Diarmaid,  son  of 


26.  Finnbarr,  son  of 

27.  Brenann,  son  of 

28.  Nadfraech,  son  of 

29.  Fiden,  son  of 

30.  Fidchuir,  son  of 

31.  Art  Corb,  sou  of 

32.  Niadh  Corb,  son  of 

33.  Lui,  from  whom  the  Luighni  are 
named,  son  of 

34.  Tadg,  &c.—See  No.  49,  Pedigree 
of  0' Carroll  of  Eli. 

Note. — Some  generations  between 
Lui  and  Cormac  Galeng,  son  of  Tadg, 
have  been  omitted  or  skipped  over  iu 
this  pedigree.  It  would  appear  also 
that  some  extra  names  have  been  in- 
troduced by  Derraod  O'Connor,  or  some 
one  else,  into  the  pedigree  of  O'Carroll, 
in  order  to  make  out  Donncadh,  King 
Oirghialla,  one  of  the  ancestors  of  the 
chiefs  of  Eli.  O'Halloran  classe?  the 
septs  of  MacKeogh,  O'Riardon,  and 
O'Corcoran,  as  of  the  race  of  Kian. — 
Ed. 


CHAPTER    lY. 

THE     GENEALOGY   OF  THE   POSTERITY   OF    IR,    SON    OP    MILEDH 
OF   ESBAIN,    DOWN   HERE. 

Those  of  the  descendants  of  Ir  that  left  offspring  after  them  were  chiefly  two, 
namely,  Conall  Kearuach  and  Fergus  Mac  Roigh. 

From  Conall  Kearnach  came  Mac  Aengusa,  anglicised  Magennis,  and 
O'Morda,  Anglicisel  O'More  and  O'Moore,  with  their  correlatives. 

From  Fergus  sprang  the  O'Concobhair  Kiarraidhe,  anglicised  O'Connor 
Kerry,  the  O'Concobhair  Corcamruadh,  anglicised  O'Connor  Corcomroe,  and 
O'Fergail,  anglicised   O'Ferrall  and  O'Fearrall,  with  their  correlatives. 

I.  11.  Echmilcdh,  son  of 


PEDIGREE      OF     MAGENNIS,     OF     UI     EA- 
THACH    ULADH,    HERE. 

1 .  Art  Ruadh,  son  of 

2.  Aedh,  son  of 

3.  Domnall  Og,  son  of 

4.  Domnall  Mor,  son  of 

5.  Aedh,  son  of 

6.  Art,  son  of 

7.  Aedh.     [Tlie  3IS.  copies  begin  the 

series  with  Donncadh,  brother  of 
this  Aedh.  The  above  seven  names 
are  found  in  Dermod  O'Connor's 
translation. — Ed.]  son  of 

8.  Art  na  Madhmann,  son  of 

9.  Murkertach,  son  of 

10.  Riagan,  son  of 


12.  Ruaidri,  son  of 

13.  Gilla-Coluim,  son  of 

14.  Dubinnsi,  son  of 

15.  Aedh  Remhar,  son  of 

16.  Flathbertach,  son  of 

17.  Echmiledh,  son  of 

18.  Aengus  Og  Magennis,  in  Irish, 
MacAengusa,  The  first  of  this  sur- 
name, son  of 

19.  Aengus  Mor,  from  whom  is  the 

name  Magennis  derived,  son  of 

20.  Echmiledh,  son  of 

21.  Aedh,  son  of 

22.  Aengus,  son  of 

23.  Adita,  son  of 

24.  Laignenn,  son  of 


680 


GENEALOGY. 


25.  Blatbmac,  son  of 

26.  Doninall,  sou  of 

27.  Concobar,  sou  of 

28.  Bresal  15él-derg,  son  of 

29.  Fergus,  son  of 

30.  Aedan,  son  of 

31.  Mougan,  son  of 

32.  Sarau.  (Of  the  posterity  of  this 
is  Mac  Cartan.) 

Note. — According  to  Dr.  O'Dono- 
van,  tlie  Mac  Cartans,  of  Kinel  Fagh- 
artaigh,  now  Kiuelarty,  are  descended 
from  Caelbadli,  brother  of  Eocaidh 
Coba,  mentioned  further  on.  The  se- 
ries is  evidently  defective  in  this  place, 
for  either  this  is  not  the  tíaran,  King 
of  Uladh,  and  ancestor  of  Magennis, 
who  was  cotemporary  with  St.  Pa- 
trick, or  some  of  the  links  connecting 
him  with  Cronn  Badraei  have  been  left 
out  by  Keating  or  his  transcribers. 
The  name  Mongan  occurs  in  the  pedi- 
gree of  Congal  Claen,  King  of  Uladh, 
as  that  of  one  of  the  brothers  of  his 
father,  Sganulan  of  the  Broad  Shield. 
The  series  runs  thus  :  1,  Congal,  slain 
at  Magh  Kath,  A.  D.  C37  ;  2,  Sganu- 
lan, brother  of  ]\Iougau — the  latter 
was  slain  626  ;  3,  Fiachna  Lurgan,  or 
Fiachna  Finn  ;  4,  Baedan ;  5,  Eo- 
caidh, who  died  in  553 ;  6,  Connla  ; 
7,  Mani  ;  8,  Fothadh  ;  9,  Connla, 
cotemporary  with  St.  Patrick ;  10, 
Caelbadh  ;  11,  Cronn  Badraei.  The 
editor's  MSS.  malce  Saran  son  of  Cael- 
badh ;  O'Connor's  translation  gives 
the  names  marked  33,  34,  35.]  sons  of 

33.  Mani,  son  of 

34.  Fothadh,  son  of 

35.  Oonall,  son  of 

36.  Caelbadh,  king  of  Ulidia  for  fif- 
teen years,  and  monarch  of  Ire- 
land for  one,  slain  A.  D.  358,  son  of 

37.  Cronn  Badraei,  king  of  all  Uladh, 
sou  of 

38.  Eocaidh  Cobha,  from  whom  is 
derived  the  tribe-name,  Ui  Eath- 
hach  Coba,  son  of 

39.  Lugaidh,  son  of 

40.  Ross,  K.  U.,  son  of 

41.  Imcadh,  K.  U.,  son  of 

42.  Feidlimidh,  K.  U.,  son  of 

43.  Gas,  son  of 

44.  Fiacaidh    Araide,    K.   U.,    from 

whom  the  Dal  Araide,  or  Dalara- 
dians,  have  their  name,  son  of 


45.  Aengns  Gaibnen,  K.  U.,  son  of 

46.  Fergus  Foghhxs,  or  Galini,  son  of 

47.  Tibi-adi  Tirech,  K.  U.,  A.  D.  181, 
son  of 

48.  Bresal  Brec,  son  of 

49.  Ferb,  son  of 

50.  Mai,  K.  U.  for  thirty-five  years,  and 
monarch  of  Ireland  for  four,  sou  of 

51.  liochraide,  sou  of 

52.  Cathbadh,  son  of 

53.  Giallcadh,  son  of 

54.  Duucadh,  son  of 

55.  Finncadh,  son  of 

56.  Muredacli,  son  of 

57.  Fiacaidli  Fiuuaninais,  son  of 

58.  IrialGluiimar,  K.  U.  [The  brother 
of  this  Irial  was  Laeighsech  Keun- 
mor,  from  whom  the  O'Moores 
of  Leix  have  sprung.]  son  of 

59.  Conall  Kearnach,  Knight  of  the 
Red  Branch,  son  of 

60.  Amirghin,  son  of 

61.  Cas,  son  of 

62.  Fiacaidli  or  Factna,  son  of 

63.  Capi,  son  of 

64.  Giuga.  [Rosa  Ruadh,  the  father 
of  Fergus  Mac  Roigh,  was  the 
brother  of  this  Giuga.]  son  of 

65.  Rudraide  Mor,  ]\[onarch  of  Ire- 
laud,  from  whom  the  Clauua  Rud- 
raide have  their  name,  son  of 

66.  Sithrighe,  son  of 

67.  Dubh,  son  of 

68.  Fomhar,  son  of 

69.  Argedmar,  Monarch  of  Ireland, 

son  of 

70.  Siorlamh,  Monarch  of  Ireland, 
son  of 

71.  Finn,  j^ionarch  of  Ireland,  sou  of 

72.  Bratha,  sou  of 

73.  Labraidh,  son  of 

74.  Carbri,  son  of 

75.  Ollamii  Fodla,  Monarch  of  Ire- 
land, son  of 

76.  Fiacaidh  Finnsgothach,  Monarch 
of  Ireland,  sou  of 

77.  Sudna,  monarch  of  Ireland,  son  of 

78.  Artri,  son  of 

79.  Ebric,  son  of 

80.  Eber,  sou  of 

81.  Ir,  sou  of 

82.  Miledh  of  Esbain,  &c.—See  No. 
87,  Pedigree  of  Mac  Carlhij  Mor. 

Note. — Of  the  same  descent  with 
Mageuuis  were  also  the  O'Laverties, 


GENEALOGY. 


681 


O'Garveys,  Wards  or  Mac-an  Blairds, 
the  Mac  Gilla  Riabhaigh  (perhaps 
Mac  Gilroy,)  and  several  others. 

II. 

TflE     PEDIGREE     OF    O'CONXOR     KERRY, 
HERE. 

1.  Cathal  Ruadh,  who  went  to  France 
in  1G9'2,  when  the  nobles  of  Irelaud 
were  forced  to  flee  thither,  son  of 

2..  Concobar  Cam,  son  of 

3.  Concobar,  son  of 

4.  Douucadii  Mael.  (Instead  of  Donn- 

cadh  Mael,  another  copy  and 
O'Connor,  in  his  translation,  trace 
the  line  from  his  brother,  Concobar 
Finn,  through  Concobar  Bacuch, 
to  Seaghan  an  Fhiona,  or  John  of 
the  Wine.)  sou  of 

5.  Concobar,  sou  of 

6.  Seaghau, son  of 

7.  Concobar,  sou  of 

8.  Concobar,  son  of 
Concobar,  sou  of 

.  Diarmaid,  son  of 
.  Mathgaraain,  or  Mahon,  sou  of 
.  Diarmaid  Sluagach,  sou  of 
.  Concobar,  son  of 

Mathgamain,  son  of 

Core,  sou  of 

Mac-Betha,  O'Connor,  or  O'Con- 

cobair,  who  was  slain  at  Clontarf, 

A.  D.  1014,  son  of 

Muredach,  son  of 

Concobar,  from  whom  the  name 

is  derived,  son  of 

Cathal,  son  of 

Aedh,  sou  of 

Tadg, son  of 

Ruaidri,  son  of 

Culuachra,  son  of 

Diarmaid,  son  of 

Concobar,  son  of 

Fiun,  sou  of 

Maelsschlainn,  son  of 

Flann  Fearna,  son  of 

Colman,  sou  of 

Cobthach, sou  of 

Recta  Brath,  son  of 

Maeltuili,  sou  of 

Aedh  Logha,  son  of 

Durthacht,  son  of 

Seuasg,  sou  of 

Recta  or  Rechtach,  son  of 

Ferba,  sou  of 

Imcadh,  son  of 


9. 

10 

11 

12, 

13, 

14 

15 

16 


19. 

20. 

21. 
22. 
23. 
24. 
25. 
26. 
27. 
28. 
29. 
30. 
31. 
32. 
33. 
34 
35, 
36 
37 
38 
39 
40 


41.  Ebric,  son  of 

42.  Mochduini,  son  of 

43.  Umlaibh,  son  of 

44.  ilesincon,  son  of 

45.  Sabhal  or  Saul,  son  of 

46.  Mogh-Art,  son  of 

47.  Oirbsenmar,  or  Orb  Senmar,  son  of 

48.  Eocaidh,  sou  of 

49.  Artri,  son  of 

50.  p]ochamaiu,  or  Aghnamain,  son  of 

51.  Fiadmain,  son  of 

52.  Dclbnaei,  son  of 

53.  Enua,  son  of 

54.  Lamui,  (called  son  of  Ulsach,  son 

of  Tamhain  by  Dermod  O'Comior.) 
son  of 

55.  Astamaiu,  sou  of 

56.  Mogh-Taeth,  son  of 

57.  Kiar,  sou  of 

58.  Fergus  Mac  Roigh,  K.  U.  [He 
was  called  Mac  Roigh  from  his 
mother.]  sou  of 

59.  Rosa  Ruadh,  sou  of 

60.  Rudraide,  monarch  of  Ireland,  &c. 
— See  No.  66,  Pedigree  of  Magen- 
nls. 

From  Kiar   {Keear)   son  of   Fergus 
Mac  Roigh,  the  Kiarraidhe,  i.  e. 
the  race  of  Kiar,  have  their  uame. 
Hence  comes  the   modern  term, 
Kerry.  Son  of  Fergus,  son  of  Rosa 
Ruadh    was    Core,   from   whom 
sprang  O'Connor  of  Corcomroe, 
O'Lochliu    of    Burren,   aud    the 
Muiuter  Arga  and  Muiuter  Flath- 
bertaigh  of  North  Munster.  From 
Coumac,  sou  of  Core,  sprung  the 
Mac  Rauuells,  or  Reynolds,  and 
the   O'Farrells,  with    their   cor- 
relatives.    Of  the  race  of  Ir,  son 
of  Miledh,  are  also  the  Muiuter 
Maniun,  or  O'Mannings.the  Muiu- 
ter Eocadh,  or  Mac  Keoghs,  the 
Muinter  Kethiru,  or  Kearus,  and 
the  Clanu  Mic  an  Bhaird,  or  Mac 
Wards. 
ISToTE. — The  O'Duggans  and  O'Cos- 
grans  of  Fera  Maighe  Feni,  aud  the 
O'Cathails,  or  O'Cahils,  of  Kerry,  are 
of  the  same  stock  with  the  O'Connors 
Kerry.      Of   this  race  are  also    the 
O'Lalors  of  Laeighis,  of  the  same  race 
with  the  O'Mores.     In  this  territory 
there  were  seven  septs  of  the  descend- 
ants of  Laeighsech  Kenu-mor,  of  the 
line  of  Ir. — Ed. 


682 


GENEALOGY. 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE    GENEALOGY   OF  THE  POSTEKITY  OF  EKIMKON,  DOWN    HEKE. 

luGANi  MoK  is  the  source  wbeuce  sprang  all  that  lives  of  the  progeny  of 
Erimhon.  All  the  children  of  lugaui  passed  away  -without  leaving  any  off- 
spring with  the  exception  of  two.  namely  Laegari  Lore  and  Cobthach  Gael 
Breiigh.  The  race  of  Erimhon  settled  in  Leinster  is  descended  from  Laegari : 
and  the  race  of  Erimhon  in  Leth  Cuinn  from  Cobthach  Cael  Breagh. 


THE  I'EDIGREE  OF  O'.VEILL,  WITH  EVERT 
LIMB  THAT  BRANCHED  THEREFROM,  UR 
TO  XIALL,  DOWN    HERE. 

1.  Seaghan,  or  John,  son  of 

2.  Aedb,  or  Hugh,  son  of 

3.  Ferdorcha,  sou  of 

4.  Conn  Bacach,  sou  of 

5.  Henry,  son  of 

'!.  Eogan.  (At  this  Eogan  branches 
off  the  family  of  Feidlimidh  lluadh 
O'Xeill.)  son  of 

7.  Niall  Og,  son  of 

8.  Niall  Mor,  son  of 

9.  Aedh,  son  of 

10.  Domnall,  son  of 

11.  Brian  Catha  an  Duin,  ?'.  e.  Brian 
rifthe  Battle  of  Doivn,  son  of 

12.  Xiall  Ruadh,  sou  of 

1.3.  Aedh,  called  the  Macaemh  Toiu- 
Icsg,  son  of 

14.  Murkertach  of  Magh  Liui,  son  of 

15.  Tadg  Gliuni,  sou  of 

16.  Ooucobar  na  Fiodbaighe,  sou  of 

17.  Domnall,  i.  e.  the  Og-damh.  sou  of 

18.  Aedh  Athlamh.    (This  Aedh  Ath- 

lamh  had  a  son  named  Douuslebi. 
from  whom  sprang  the  sejit  of  Mae 
Suibni  Fanaitt,  in  English,  Mac 
Sweeney  of  Fanaid,  and  from  it 
sprang  Mac  Suibni  ua  d-Tuadh,  i.  c. 
Mac  Sweeney  of  the  Battle  Axes, 
and  Mac  Sweeney  Banagh.)  sou  of 

19.  Flathbcrtach  an  Trosdain,  son  of 

20.  Muredach  Midach,  son  of 

21.  Domnall  O'Neill  of  Ard  Macha, 

R.  H.  (This  Domnall  had  a 
brother  named  Aedh.  from  whom 
sprang  the  Clanu  Aedha  Buidhe, 
i.  e.  the  O'Neill  of  Claneboy. 
Domnall  was  the  first  of  the  race 
that  was  called  O'Neill,  i.  e.  the 
grandson  of  Niall  Glun-dubh.)  son 
of 

22.  Murkertach  na  g-Cochall  g-Croi- 

kenn,  i.  e.  Murkertach  of  the 
Leather  Cloaks,  son  of 


23. 


24. 
2f>. 
2G. 


28. 
29. 
30. 
31. 
32. 
33. 


34. 
35. 


36. 


Niall  Glcx-dubh,  R.  H,  from 
whom  the  O'Neills  have  taken 
their  name,  sou  of 

Aedh  Finn-liath,  E.  H.,  son  of 

Niall  Calli,  R.  H.,  son  of 

Aedh  Oirniglie,  R.  H.,  son  of 

Niall  Frasach,  R.  H.  (From  Con- 
cobar,  the  brother  of  this  Niall 
Frasach,  sprang  O'Cathain,  in 
English,  O'Kane.)  son  of 

Fergal,  son  of 

Maelduin,  son  of 

Madsithrigh,  son  of 

Aedh  Uariduach,  R.  H.,  sou  of 

Domnall  ll-chelgach,  R.  H.,  son  of 

Murkertach  Mor  Mac  Erca.  R.  H. 
(This  Murkertach  had  a  brother 
named  Mani,  from  whom  sprang 
0"Gormledha,  in  English,  O'- 
Gorraley.)  sou  of 

Muredach,  sou  of 

Eogan.  (This  Eogan,  or  Owen, 
had  five  sons  who  left  posterity 
after  them,  namely,  Muredach, 
Olild,  Fergus,  Feidlimidh  and 
Eocaidh  Binnicc.  Of  the  oifspring 
of  iNIuredach  is  the  stock  of  this 
branch,  i.  e.  the  Mac  Lochlins, 
O'Neills,  Mac  Sweeneys,  ODon- 
nellies  and  their  correlatives.  Of 
the  posterity  of  Olild.  son  of 
Eogan,  are  the  Muintcr  Kellaigh  ; 
of  the  posterity  of  Fergus,  sou  of 
Eogan,  is  O'Connor  of  Magh  Itha ; 
of  the  posterity  of  Feidlimidh,  son 
of  Eogan,  is  O'Duibhdiorma,  or 
O'Dooyirma,  and  O'Slevin;  of 
the  posterity  of  Eocaidh  Binnicc, 
son  of  Eogan.  are  the  Kinel  Bin- 
nic.  From  this  Eogan  the  names 
Tir  Eogain,  or  Land  of  Eogan,  in 
English,  Tyrone,  and  Kinel  Eog- 
ain, or  Tribe  of  Eogan,  are  deriv- 
ed. His  posterity  are  also  called 
the  Northern  Eugenians  by  some 
writers  m  foreign  tongues.)  son  of 

Niall  of  the  Nine  Hostages,  R.  H., 


GENEALOGY. 


683 


;5s. 

39. 
40. 
41. 
42. 
43. 

'i4. 
45. 
46. 

47. 

48. 
49. 
50. 


(Niall  of  the  Nine  Hostages  had 
eight  sons,  namely,  Laegari,  K.  H., 
Eogan,  Fiacaidh,  Enna,  Carbri, 
Maui,  Conall  Culban,  and  Conall 
Cremthaimi.  From  Laegari,  mo- 
narch of  Ireland,  on  S.t.  Fatrick's 
arrival  therein,  descends  O'Coiu- 
delbain,  called  in  Eiiglish,  O'Kin- 
delan  and  O'Quinlivan ;  from 
Eogan  sprang  the  stock  of  this 
branch  ;  of  the  posterity  of  Man! 
are  the  following  septs,  namely 
the  Sinnach,  i.  e.  the  Fox, 
\Yhose  family  name  was  origin- 
ally O'Catharuaigh,  O'Hagan, 
O'Ronan,  i.  e.  ORouan  of'the 
Ui  Neill  race,  but  not  0"Iiouan, 
or  O'Rouayne  of  Munster,  Mac 
Coiumedha,  or  Mac  Conway,  the 
Muiutir  Slamhaiu,  the  O'Duigen- 
an,  O'Mulconry,  O'Breen,  the 
Muinter  Coiblicain,  O'Siadail,  or 
O'Shiel,  O'Cahalau,  the  Muinter 
Muirghesa,  O'Carghamua,  now 
Mac  Carron,  and  Mac  Amhal- 
gaidh,  now  Mac  Awley  of  Cal- 
raide  ;  from  Conall  Gulban  sprung 
O'Dounell,  with  the  septs  of  that 
tribe,  as  we  shall  set  down  here- 
after ;  of  the  race  of  Conall  Crem- 
thaui  sprang  O'Maelsechlainn,  in 
English,  O'Melaghlin,  and  the 
branches  of  that  stock.  Of  the 
posterity  of  Carbri  and  Enna  we 
kuow  nothing-.)  son  of 
Eocaidh  Muigh-medon,  R.  H.,  sou 
of 

Muredach  Tirech,  R.  H.,  son  of 
Fiacaidh  Srabthini,  R.  H.,  sou  of 
Carbri  Lificar,  R.  H.,  sou  of 
Cormac  Ul-fada,  R.  H.,  sou  of 
Art  Aeinfer,  R.  H  ,  son  of 
Conu  of  the  Hundred  Battles,  R. 
H.,  sou  of 

Feidlimidh  Rectmar,  R.  H.,  son  of 
Tuathal  Tectmar,  R.  H.,  son  of 
Fiacaidh  Fiiuiolaidh,  R.  H.,  sou  of 
Feradach  Finn-fechtnach,  R.  H., 
son  of 

Grimthauu  Niadh  Nairi,  R.  H., 
son  of 

Lugaidh  Riabh-u-derg,  R.  H.,  sou 
of 

The  three  Finns  of  Emhain,  i.  e. 
"  Mac  na  d-Tri  bh-Fiun  Enihna.' 
— See  remarks   upon  tins  strange 


expression,  under  the  reign  of  the 
said  Lugaidh  and  Eocaidh  Feid- 
Icch.)  sou  of 

51.  Eocaidh  Feidlecli,  R.  IL,  son  of 

52.  Finn, sou  of 

53.  Finnlogha,  son  of 

54.  Roighucu  Ruadh,  son  of 

55.  Esamhain  of  Emhain,  son  of 

56.  Blathacta,  sou  of 

57.  Labraidh,  son  of 

58.  Enna  Aighnech,  R.  H.,  sou  of 

59.  Aengns  Tuirmech  of  Temhair,  R. 

H.,  sou  of 
GO.  Eocaidh  Folt-lethan,  R.H.,  son  of 

61.  Olild  Cas-Fiaclach,   R.  H..  son  of 

62.  Counla  Cruaidh-chelgach,  R.  H., 
son  of 

63.  larauu  Gleo-fathach,  R.  IL,  son  of 

64.  Melgi  Molbthach,  R.  H.,  son  of 

65.  Cobthach  Cael-Breagh,  sou  of 

66.  lugani  Mor,  R.  H..  sou  of 

67.  Eocaidh  Buadach,  sou  of 

68.  Duach  Laghrach,  R.  H.,  sou  of 

69.  Fiacaidh  Tolgrach,  R.  H.,  son  of 

70.  Muredach  Bolgrach,  sou  of 

71.  Simeon  Brec,  R.  H.,  sou  of 

72.  Aedgan  Glas,  son  of 

73.  Nuadha  Finn  Fail,  R.  H.,  son  of 

74.  Giallcaidh,  R.  H.,  son  of 

75.  Olild  Olcacin,  son  of 

76.  Siorua  Saeghalach,  R.  H.,  son  of 

77.  Dian,  sou  of 

78.  Rothectach,  R.  IL,  son  of 

79.  Maeu,  son  of 

80.  Aeugus  Ol-mucaidh,  R.  H.,  son  of 

81.  Fiacaidh  Labranni,  R.  H.,  sou  of 

82.  Srairgoll,  son  of 

83.  Enboth,  son  of 

84.  Tigherumas,  R.  H.,  son  of 

85.  Follamhan,  sou  of 

86.  Ethrial,  R.  H.,  son  of 

87.  Irial  the  Prophet,  R.  H.,  son  of 

88.  Erimhox,  R.  H.,  son  of 

89.  MHedh  of  Esbain,  ko.—See  No. 

87,  Pedigree  of  Mac  CaHhy  More. 

n. 

THE  PEDIGREE  OF    O'dOXNELL   OF  KINEL 
COXAILL,  HERE. 

1.  Aedh,  son  of 

2.  Ruaidri,  son  of 

3.  Aedh,  who  died  in  A.  D.  1600,  and 

whose  son,  Aedh  Ruadh,  fled  to 
Spain,  where  he  died,  A.  D.  1602 
son  of 

4.  Magnus,  son  of 


684 


GENEALOGY. 


5. 

6. 

7. 

8. 

9. 

10. 

11. 

12. 

13. 

14. 

1.5. 

16. 

17. 

18. 

19. 

20. 


25. 


30 


Aedh  Dubb,  son  of 

Aedh  Ruadh,  son  of 

Niall  Garbli,  son  of 

Tordclbach  an  Fhina,  son  of 

Niall  Garbh,  son  of 

,  Aedh,  son  of 

,  Domnall  Og,  son  of 

,  Domnall  Mor,  son  of 

,  Eignechan,  son  of 

,  Douncadh,  son  of 

,  Domnall,  son  of 
Aedh,  sou  of 

,  Tadg,  son  of 

,  Conn,  son  of 
Cathbar,  soa  of 

Gilla-Criost  O'Domnaill,  (in  Eng- 
lish, O'Donncll,  the  first  of  the 
race  that  bore  the  family  name, 
and  who  died  A.  D.  1038,)  son  of 
Cathbar,  son  of 

Domnall  IMor,  progenitor  of  the 
O'Donnells,  whose  name  is  spelled 
O'Domhuaill,  and  pronounced  0'- 
Donill  by  the  Irish,)  sou  of 
Eignechan, son  of 
Dalach,  (from  whom  the  tribe 
Sil  Dalaigh,  take  their  name,) 
son  of 

Murkertach,     (This     ilin-kertach 
had  two  brothers,  namely,  Mael- 
duin,  from   whom  has  descended 
O'Boyle,   and     Fianan,    corredli/ 
Fiaman,  from  whom   has  sprang 
O'Doherty.^  son  of 
Kennfaeladli,  son  of 
Garbh,  sou  of 
Ilonan,  son  of 

Lugaidh,    ancestor    of    the    Kind 
Luii^hdeclt,  the  tribe-name  of  this 
sept  of  the  Kinel  Conail. 
Fergus  (brother  of  Fergus,  son  of 
Sedua,  was  Anmiri,  K.  11.,  father 
of  Aedh,  son  of  Anmiri,   11.  11. 
from  whom    sprung    O'Muldory 
Mac  Gilla-Finncn  and  O'Gallagh- 
er.)  son  of 
Sedna, son  of 
Fergus  Kenn-fada,  son  of 

CONALL  GULBAN,  SOn  of 

Niall  of  the  Nine  Hostages,  R.  II. 
See  No.  36,  Pedigree  of  O'Neill 
of  Kinel  Eogain. 


THE  PEDIGREE   OF  O  GALLAGHER. 

1.  Aedh  Og,  who  was  living  in  the  lat- 

ter part  of  the  17th  century,  and 
was  the  senior  representative  of 
the  race  of  Conail  Gulban,  son  of 

2.  Art,  son  of 

3.  Aedh,  son  of 

4.  Eogau,  son  of 

5.  Art,  son  of 

6.  Eogan,  son  of 

7.  Edmond,  son  of 

8.  Tuathal,  son  of 

Í).  Donncadh,  sou  of 

10.  John,  son  of 

11.  Nichol,  son  of 

12.  Gilhx-Coimdhe,  son  of 

13.  Aedh,  son  of 

14.  Fergal,  son  of 

15.  Donncadh,  son  of 
10.  Nichol,  son  of 

17.  Maelruanaidh,  son  of 

18.  Aedh,  son  of 

19.  Diarmaid,  son  of 

20.  ])omnall,  son  of 

21.  Amlacibh,  son  of 

22.  Donncadh  0  Gallchobhair,  in  Eng- 
lish, O'Gallagher,  son  of 

23.  Magnus,  son  of 

24.  Galcobar,  from  whom  the  name  is 
derived,  son  of 

2.5.  Rurcan,  son  of 

26.  Ruaidri,  son  of 

27.  Donncadh,  son  of 

28.  Domnall,  sou  of 

29.  Keliach,  R.  H.  from  642  to  654, 
son  of 

30.  Maelcoba,  R.  H.  son  of 

31.  Aedh,  R.  H.  son  of 

32.  Anmiri,  R.  H.  son  of 

33.  Sedna,  R.  H.  son  of 

34.  Fergus  Kenn-fada,   &c.     See  No. 

32,  Pedigree  of  O'Donnell. 


THE  PEDIGREE   OF  O  DOHERTY. 

1.  Cathaeir,  otherwise  called  h?ir  Cahir 

O'Dohcrty,  slain  A.  D.  1608,  son 
of 

2.  Seaghan  Og,  son  of 

3.  Seaghan,  son  of 

4.  Feidlimiilh,  son  of 

5.  Concol)ar  (!arrach,  son  of 

6.  Brian  Dubh,  son  of 

7.  Domnall,  sou  of 


GENEALOGY. 


685 


9. 

10, 

11. 

12. 

13. 

14. 

15. 

16. 

17. 

18. 

19. 

20. 

21. 

22. 

23. 


Ooncobar  an  Einigh,  son  of 
Seaghan, son  of 
.  Domiiall,  son  of 

Aeudiles,  sou  of 

Concobar,  son  of  , 

Bomnall,  sou  of 

Euadri,  son  of 

Aengus, 

Murkertacli, 

Diarmaid, 

Concobar, 

Domuall  Finn, 

Donucadh  Doun, 

Donniall, 

Maengal, 

Douncadh  O'Dochartaigh  or  O'Do- 

herty,  the  first  that  bore  the  fami- 
ly name,  son  of 

Maengal. 

DocHARTACH,  ffom  whom  the  name 

O'Doherty  is  derived,  son  of 

Maengal,  son  of 

FiAMAX.  sou  of 

Kennlaeladh.— See  No.  26,  Pedi- 
gree of  O'Donnell. 


PEDIGREE  OP  O'bOTLE,  OF  BOYLAGH. 

1.  Tordelbach  Ruadh,  chief,  son  of 

2.  Tadg  Og,  son  of 

3.  Tadg,  son  of 

4.  Tordelbach,  son  of 
Niall,  son  of 
Tordelbach  Og,  son  of 
Tordelbach  Mor,  son  of 
Niall  Euadh,  son  of 
Menman,  son  of 

10.  Concobar,  son  of 

11.  Kellach,  son  of 

12.  Gilla-Brighdi,  son  ot 
Aendiles  0  Baighill,  in  English, 

O'Boyle,  son  of 
Garban,  sou  of 
15.  Baighel,  from  whom  the  name  is 
derived,  son  of 
Bradagax,  son  of 
Murkertach,    &c.      See    No.    25, 
Pedigree  of  O'Donnell. 


13. 
14. 


16. 
17. 


Note. — The  foregoing  three  pedi- 
grees are  arranged  from  those  pub- 


lished by  Dr.  O'Donovan  with  thL' 
battle  of  Magh  Ratb.  I'he  Ibilowing 
is  from  IJurmod  O'Connor's  Irausiatiou 
of  Keating. 


THE  pedigree  OF  MAGEOGHEGAN. 

1.  Concobar,  or  Connor,  and  Conula, 

sons  of 

2.  Calbhach,  son  of 

3.  Connla,  son  of 

4.  Couall,  son  of 

5.  Niall,  son  of 

6.  Rosa,  son  of 

7.  Connla,  sou  of 

8.  Coucobar,  son  of 

9.  Laighnech,  son  of 

10.  Conula,  sou  of 

11.  Aedh  Buidhe,  son  of 

12.  Diarmaid.  son  of 

13.  Douncadh,  sou  of 

14.  Murkertach,  son  of 

1 5.  Congalach,  son  of 

16.  Congalach,  son  of 

17.  Murkertach,  sou  of 

18.  Murkertach,  son  of 

19.  Cucalma,  son  of 

20.  Anluan,  son  of 

21.  Congalach,  son  of 

22.  Douncadh,  son  of 

23.  Murcadh,  sou  of 

24.  Amalgach,  son  of 

25.  Flauu,  son  of 

26.  Eocaidh,  son  of 

27.  Eocaidh,  son  of 

28.  Crimthaun,  sou  of 

29.  Gilla-Callaiu,  son  of 

30.  Amalgach,  son  of 

31.  Ruaidri,  son  of 

32.  lueirgi  Mac  Eochagain,  or  Ma- 
geoghegan, son  of 

33.  EocHAGHAN,  from  whom  the  family 
name  is  derived,  son  of 

34.  Cosgarach,  son  of 

35.  Amalgach,  son  of 

36.  Tuathal,  sou  of 

37.  FiACAiDH,  son  of 

38.  Niall  of  the  Nine  Hostages,  R.  H. 
«fee.  See  No.  36,  Pedigree  of 
O'Neill. 


686 


GENEALOGY. 


CHAPTEE   V. 

THE  GENEALOGY  OF  THE  POSTERITY  OF  BRIAN,  SON  OF  E0CAID1Í 
MUIGH-MEDON,    DOWN    HERE. 

EocAiDii  MciGH-MEDOx  had  five  sons,  namely,  Brian,  Fiacaidh  or  Fiachra, 
Olild  and  Fergus,  who  were  the  four  sons  of  Mongfinn,  daughter  of  Fidacii  ; 
and  the  fifth  sou  was  Xiall  of  the  Kine  Hostages,  wliose  mother  was  daughter 
of  the  king  of  Britain.  And  althougli  Niall  was  the  youngest  of  the  five,  we 
have  nevertheless  given  him  the  precedence  in  this  genealogy,  because  his  worth 
and  glory  were  the  greatest,  and  because  it  was  his  offspring  that  gave  the 
greatest  number  of  kings  to  Ireland.  There  are  two  of  the  sons  of  Eocaidh,  of 
whose  posterity  mx-  can  find  no  trace  ;  we  shall  then  give  down  here  the  pedi- 
gi-ees  of  those  two  who  left  a  progeny  after  them,  namely,  Brian  and  Fiacaidh 
or  Fiachra. 


THK  PEDIGKEE  OF    O  CONNOR    ROE,    INTO 
WHICH  WE  SH.\I.L  BRING    THE    WHOLE 


RACE    OF     BRIAN,     SON 
MUIGH-MEDON,  HERE. 


OF    EOCAIDH 


Cathal  Og,  son  of 
Aedh,  son  of 
Tordelbach,  son  of 
Tadg  Buidhe,  son  of 
Cathal  Ruadh,  son  of 
Tadg,  son  of 

7.  Tordelbach,  son  of 

8.  Aedh,  son  of 

9.  Feidlimidh.       [Brother    of     this 

Feidlimidh  was  Tordelbach  Bonn, 
from  whom  sprung  O'Connor 
Don.]  son  of 

10.  Aedh,  King  of  Connaught,  A.  D. 

1309. 

11.  Eogan,  K.  C,  in  1274,  son  of 

12.  Ruaidri,  son  of 

13.  Aedh,  K.  C,  in  1228. 

14.  Cathal  Crobh-derg,  i.  e.  the  Red- 
handed,  K.  C,  who  died  in  1224, 
son  of 

1.5.  Tordelbach  Mor,  R.  11.  [This 
Tordelbach  had  five  sons,  who 
Itave  left  a  posterity ;  namely, 
Cathal  the  Red-handed,  his 
ijoungest  son,  from  Mhom  sprang 
O'Connor  Roe  and  O'Connor 
Don  ;  Brian  Laighncch,  from 
whom  sprang  O'Connor  Sligo ; 
Aedh  Dall,  from  whom  sprung 
O'Gelbuidhe  {O'Gilvoi/)  ,•  Magnus, 
from  whom  sprung  .M'Manus  of 
Tir-Tuathail  ( Tirooil) ;  and  Con- 
cobar  na  Midhe,  ancestor  of  clan 
Con-Afni  ;  and  Ruaidri,  the  last 
Monarch  of  Ireland,  and  tlie  eldest 


of  the  sons  of  Tordelbach  Mor, 
wliose  race  is  extinct^  son  of 

16.  Ruaidri  na  Soighc  Buidhe,  i.  e.  of 
the  Yellow  J  found,  K.  C,  son  of 

17.  Aedh  an  Gai  Bearnaigh,  i.  c.  of 
the  Broken  Spear,  son  of 

18.  Tadg  an  Eich  Ghil.  i.  e.  of  the 
White  Steed,  K.  C.  [Tadg,  of 
the  White  Steed,  had  a  son 
named  Maelruauaidh,  from  M'hom 
sprung  MacDermott  of  Moylurg, 
and  from  j\IacUerniott  sprung 
MacDonough  of  Tircrril ;  and 
MacDermott  Roe,  from  whom 
sprung  the  two  O'Crowleys  iu 
Munster.]  son  of 

18.  Cathal,  son  of 

19.  Concobar.  [Brother  of  this  Con- 
cobar  was  Tadg,  from  whom 
the  Clann  Taidg  arc  descended.] 
son  of 

20.  Tadg  O'Concobair,  the  first  of  the 
name,  K.  C.  \It  is  he  that  is 
called  Tadg  of  the  Tower.']  son  of 

21 .  Cathal,  son  of 

22.  Concobar,  K.  C,  A.D.  8l9,fro7n 
whom  the  family  name  is  derived, 

23.  Tadg, son  of 

24.  ]\Iuirghcas,  K.  C.   [Brother  to  this 

Muirgheas  was  Diarmaid,  from 
whom  sprung  MacOircchtagh,  in 
English  MacGeraghtij.lj  son  of 

25.  Tomaltach.  [Brother  to  this  To- 
maltaoh  was  Diarmaid,  from 
whom  spr\nig  MacConcannon  and 
O'Fallon]  son  of 

26.  Inrachtacii,  K.  C.  [Of  tlic  poste- 
rity of  this  Inrachtach,  is  O'Beirne 
ff  Connaughf]  son  of 

27.  Muredach  Maeil-lcthan .     [Of  the 


GENEALOGY. 


U 


posterity  of  Cathal,  son  of  this 
Muredach,  are  the  septs  of  O'Fian- 
nagan of  Connaught;  O'jMuh-enin ; 
and  O'Maehnocheirghe,  in  English 
O'Mulmoghery  and  Early;  of  the 
race  of  Fergus,  son  of  Mured;\ch 
Mael-lethan,  is  ^MacSaiuhragain, 
1.  e.  Magauran — sometimes  trans- 
lated into  Somers.']  son  of 

28.  Fergus,  son  of 

29.  Raghallach,  K.  C. 

30.  Feradach,  K.  C. 

31.  ^edh,  K.  C.  [Of  the  posterity  of 
this  Aedh  is  O'Flyn  Lini.] 

32.  Bocaidh  Tirmcarna,  K.  C,  son  of 

33.  Fergus.  [Of  the  posterity  of  this 
Fergus,  arc  O'Ruairc  and  MacTier- 
man  ;  from  Fergus  likewise  sprung 
O'Reilly,  and  MacBrady,  and  Mac- 
Cosnamha,  now  translated  Forde  ; 
another  son  of  Fergus  was  Duach 
Teng-umha  (K.  C,  slain  A.  D. 
530),  from  whom  sprung  O'Flah- 
erty,  and  MacAedha,  now  translat- 
ed McHugh,  Hughes,  and  Hayes]. 

34.  Muredach'Mal,  K.  C,  son  of 

35.  Eogan  Sriabh,  K.  C,  son  of 

36.  Duach  Galach,  K.  C,  son  of 

37.  Briax,  K.  C.  [This  Brian  had 
a  son  named  Oirbsen,  from  whom 
sprung  O'Malley  ;  he  had  another 
son  named  Erca  Derg,  from  whom 
sprung  MacBranan,  MacKeogh, 
and  O'Hanly.  From  him  the 
O'Cannors,  O'Ruaircs,  O'Reillies, 
and  their  correlatives,  took  the 
generic  name  of  Ui  Briuin  or  Ui 
Briain]  son  of 

38.  Eocaidh  Muigh-medon,  R.  H.,  &c. 

See  No.  37,  Pedigree  of  O'Neill. 


ADDENDA. 

I. 

THE  PEDIGREE  OF  O'cONNOR  DON. 

1.  Cathal  or  Charles,  author  of  the 
Dissertation  on  the  History  of 
Ireland,  born  A.D.  1710,  sou  of 

2.  Donncadh  or  Denis,  sou  of 

3.  Cathal  Og,  son  of 


4.  Cathal,  son  of 

5.  Aedli,  son  of 

6.  Diarmaid,  son  of 

7.  Carbri,  son  of 

8.  Eogan  Oaech,  sou  of 

9.  Feidlimidh  Gencach,son  of 

10.  TOKDELBACII  DoNX,  SOU  Of 

11.  Aedli,  &c.     See  No.  10,  Pedigree 

of  O'Connor  Roe. 


TlIE  PEDIGREE  OP  O'fL.AHERTY,  OK  WEST 
CONNAUGHT. 

1.  Ruaidri  Og,  or  Roderic,  author  of 
the  Ogygia,  son  of 

2.  Aedh,  son  of 

3.  Ruaidri,  son  of 

4.  Murker tach,  sou  of 

5.  Aedh  Og,  son  of 

7.  Aedh,  son  of 

8.  Cilla-dubh,  son  of 

9.  Brian  na  Noiusech,  son  of 

10.  Domnall  na  g-Comthach,  son  of 

11.  Murkertach  an  Ghiberi,  son  of 

12.  Ruaidri,  sou  of 

13.  Aedh,  son  of 

14.  Ruaidri  of  Loch  Kimi,  son  of 

15.  Muredach   Mor  O'Flathbertaigh, 
in  English,  O'Flaherty,  son  of 

IG.  Maelculaird,  son  of 

17.  Flathbertach,   from   whom   the 
surname  is  derived,  son  of 

18.  Emhin,  sou  of 

19.  Murcadh,  son  of 

20.  Uromhan. 

21.  Maenach,  son  of 

22.  Flathniadh,  sou  of 

23.  Fiangalach,  son  of 

24.  Flan  Rodba,  son  of 

25.  Amalgaidh,  son  of 

26.  Kennfaeladh,  son  of 

27.  Colgan,  son  of 

28.  Aedh,  son  of 

29.  Senach, son  of 

30.  Duach  Teng-TJmha,  K.  C,  son  of 

31.  Fergus,  son  of 

32.  Muredach  Mael-lethan,  K.  C,  &c. 

See  No.  27,  Pedigree  of  O'Connor 
Reo. 


688 


GENEALOGY 


CHAPTEE    VII. 

THE   GENEALOGY  OF  THE  POSTERITY  OF   FIACHRA,    SON"    OF 
EOCAIDH    MUIGH-MEDON,  DOWN  HERE. 


THE 
1. 

2. 
o 

4. 
5. 


9. 
10. 
11. 
12. 
13. 


14. 
15. 

16. 
17. 
18. 
19. 
20. 
21. 
22. 
23. 
24. 
25. 
26. 
27. 
28. 
29. 
30 
31. 
32. 


33 


PEDIGREE  OF  O'SHAUOIINESSV,  HERE. 

Sir  Diarmaid,  son  of 

Eiiaidri,  son  of 

Diarmaid,  son  of 

Gilla-Dubh,  son  of 

Diarmaid.  son  of 

AVilliam,  sou  of 

Seagban  Buidlie,  son  of 

Eocan,  son  of 

AViliiam,  son  of 

Gilla-na-naemh,  son  of 

Iluaidri,  son  of 

Gilla-na-naemh,  son  of 

Kaghuall  O'Sechuasaigh,  in  Eng- 
lish 0'  Shaughnessy,  or  O'Shagh- 

nessy,  son  of 

Gelbuidhe,  son  of 

Sechxasacu,  from  whom  the  O'- 
Sechuasaigh is  derived,  son  of 

Douncadh, son  of 

Cumaighe,  son  of 

Fcrgal,  son  of 

Maelkiarain,  son  of 

Cas,  son  of 

Murgal,  son  of 

Macituili,  son  of 

Sithmani,  son  of 

Nochba,  or  Nobile,  son  of 

Egna,  son  of 

Nadsedna,  son  of 

Gabran,  or  Garban,  son  of 

Tobach,  or  Toban,  son  of 

Brauan, son  of 

Brann  Leth-dcrg,  son  of 

Murcadh,  son  of 

Aedh,  from  whom  the  Kinel 
Aedha,  ?.  e.,  the  tribe  to  which 
O'Shaughnessy  belonged,  are  called 
son  of 

Artgal,  [son  of  this  Artgal  was 
Ardgal,  from  whom  descends  0'- 
Heyne  and  O'Comhaltan  (Coul- 
ton),  O'Keady,  O'Cathmogha,  in 
Enirlish,  0' Coffey  [not  the  same 
O'CfJwhig  or  Cofl'ci/  of  the  west  of 
Cork),  and  Mac  Kilkelly.  From 
IMurcadh,  son  of  Aedh,  son  of 
Artgal,  are  descended  O'Branain  of 
Kind  Aedha  and  O'Clery,]  son  of 


34.  Guairi  the  Hospitable,  K.  C.,  son 
of 

35.  Colman,  son  of 

36.  Cobtliach,  son  of 

37.  Eogan  Aidni  [from  the  surname 
of  this  Eogan,  the  southern  Ui 
Fiachrach  were  called  Ui  Fiach- 
rach  Aidhnij ,  son  of 

38.  Goibneun,  son  of 

39.  Conall,  son  of 

40.  Eogan,  son  of 

41.  Eocaidh  Brec  [of  the  posterity  of 
this  Eocaidh  Brec  are  the  follow- 
ing septs,  namely,  O'Muldoon,  0'- 
MaelFhoghmhair,  O'Coman,  0'- 
Creghan,  O'Lenan,  O'Lahilly,  and 
O'Suanaigh.]  son  of 

42.  Dathi,  E.  H.  (of  the  posterity  of 
Dathi  is  O'Dowda),  son  of 

43.  FiACiiR.v  FoLT-SNATHACH,  from 
whom  the  Ui  Fiachrach  are  called, 
son  of 

44.  Eocaidh  Muigh-medon,  E.  H.,  &c. 
— See  No.  27,  pedigree  of  O'Neill. 

Note. — The  names  between  Aedh, 
the  ancestor  of  the  Kinel  Aedha, 
marked  32,  and  Cobthach,  marked  36, 
have  been  interpolated,  as  has  been 
shown  by  Dr.  O'Donovan,  in  his  notes 
to  the  tribes  and  customs  of  the  Ui 
Fiachrach.  Colman,  the  father  of 
Guairi  the  Hospitable,  was  the  brother 
of  Aedh,  the  ancestor  of  the  Kinel 
Aedlia,  and  Cobthach,  son  of  Goibuenn. 
was  their  common  father. — See  pedigree 
of  O'Heyiie,  hereafter  annexed — Ed. 


The  Pedigree  op  O'Hevíie,  m  Irish, 
Oh'Eidhin,  of  Ui  Fiachrach  Aidni. 
From  the  Tribes  and  Customs  of  the 
Ui  Fiachrach. 

1.  Eogan,  son  of 

2.  Aedh  Buidho,  son  of 

3.  Aedh  Buidhc,  chief  of  Ui  Fiach- 
rach, who  died  in  1594,  sou  of 

4.  Efigan  Mantach,  son  of 

5.  Edmond,  son  of 


GENEALOGY. 


689 


6. 

7. 

8. 

9. 
10. 
11. 
12. 
13. 
14. 
15. 
IG. 
17. 
18. 
19. 
20. 
21. 
22. 


23. 

24. 

25. 


26. 
27, 
28, 
29, 
30. 
31, 
32, 
33, 
34, 


Flann,  son  of 
CoDcobar,  son  of 
Brian,  son  of 
Acdh,  son  of 
Murkcrtach,  son  of 
Donncadh,  son  of 
Aedh,  son  of 
John,  sou  of 
Eogan,  son  of 
Gilla-na-naemh,  son  of 
Gilla-Kellaigh,  son  of 
Aedh,  sou  of 
Concobar,  son  of 
Fhxnn,  son  of 
Gilla-na-uaemh,  son  of 
Cugaela,  son  of 

Maelfabaill  Oh'Eidhiu,  in  English, 
O'Heyne  and  Hynes,  whose  bro- 
ther,  Maelruauaidh,  was  slain  at 
Clontarf,  A.  D.  1014,  son  of 
Flaun,  son  of 

Edin,  from  whom  the  family  natne 
is  derived,  son  of 

Cleirech,  from  whom  the  0' Clerics 
derive  their  name,  they  being  des- 
cended from  Iilaellabaill,  his  eldest 
son,  sou  of 
Kedadach,  son  of 
Cumasgach,  son  of 
Cathmogh,  son  of 
Torpa,  son  of 

Fergal  Aidni,  K.  C.  son  of 
Artgal,  son  of 
Guairi  Aidni,  K.  C,  son  of 
CoLMAN,  K.  C.,  son  of 
Cobthach,  &c. — See  No.  36,  Pedi- 
gree of  0' Shaughncssy. 


THE    PEDIGREE  OF    O  CLERY. 

This  was  once  a  chief  family  of  Ui 
Fiachrach  Aidni.  A  branch  of  it  af- 
terwards became  chief  historians  of  Tir 
Couaill.  Its  members  obtained  pos- 
sessions in  various  parts  of  Ireland, 
through  their  talents  as  historians  and 
bards. 

1.  Cu-coigcrichi,  or  Peregrine,  one  of 

the  compilers  of  the  Annals  of  the 
Four  Masters,  who  died  in  A.  D. 
1664,  and  whose  sixth  descendent 
is  now  living,  son  of 

2.  Lugaidh,  son  of 

3.  Mac-con,  son  of 

4.  Cu-coigcrichi,  son  of 


5.  Diarmaid,  son  of 

6.  Tadg,  son  of 

7.  Diarmaid  of  the  Three  Schools,  son 

of 

8.  Gilla-Riabhach,  son  of 

9.  Gilla-Brighdi,  son  of 

10.  Cormac,  who  settled  in  Tir  Con- 
aill,  A.  D.  1352,  son  of 

11.  Diarmaid,  son  of 

12.  John  Sgiamhach,  son  of 

13.  Domnall,  son  of 

14.  Gilla-Isa,  son  of 

15.  Tadg,  son  of 

16.  Muredach,  son  of 

17.  Tighcrnach,  son  of 

18.  Gilla-na-naemh,  son  of 

19.  Domnall,  son  of 

20.  Eogan,  son  of 

21.  Braen,  son  of 

22.  Cugaela,  Chief  of  Ui  Fiachrach 
Aidni,  died  A.  D.  1025,  son  of 

23.  Gilla-Kellaigh,  Chief  of  Ui  Fiach- 
rach Aidni,  from  whom  the  sept 
Mac  Gilla  Kellaigh  or  KiUikelly, 
has  its  name. 

24.  Conhaltou,  Chief  of  Ui  F.  A.,  son 
of 

25.  Maelfabaill,  Chief  of  Ui  F.  A., 
who  died  A.  D.  887,  son  of 

26.  Cleirech,  the  progenitor  from 
whom  the  surname  is  derived,  &c. 
— See  No.  25,  Pedigree  of  O'Heyne. 


THE  pedigree  OF  O'DOWDA,  OR  o'DOWD, 
OF  XORTHERN  UI  FIACHRACH. 

1.  David,  slain  A.  D.  1690,  son  of 

2.  Dathi  Og,  son  of 

3.  James,  son  of 

4.  Dathi,  son  of 

5.  Dathi,  son  of 

G.  Tadg  Riabhach,  chief  of  his  name, 
slain  A.  D.  1536,  son  of 

7.  Eogan,  son  of 

8.  Concobar,  son  of 

9.  Diarmaid,  son  of 

10.  Maelruauaidh,  son  of 

11.  Ruaidri,  son  of 

12.  Domnall  Cleirech,  son  of 

13.  Sen  Brian,  son  of 

14.  Taithlech  Mnaidhe,  son  of 

15.  Maelruauaidh,  son  of 

16.  Donncadh  Mor,  son  of 

17.  Aedh,  son  of 

18.  Taithlech,  son  of 


44 


690 


GENEALOGY. 


19.  Acdh,  son  of 

20.  Murkertach,  son  of 

21.  Aedh,  son  of 

22.  Taithlcch,  son  of 

23.  Niall,  sonof 

24.  Maelsechlainn,  sou  of 

25.  Maelruanaidh,  son  of 

26.  Aedh     O'Dublida,     in     English, 

ODowda,  King  of  North  Con- 
naught,  son  of 

27.  Kellach  Mac  Dubhda,  son  of 

28.  Dubhda,  from  whom  the  surname 

is  derived,  and  from  whose  brother 
Caemhan  sprang  O'Cacmhain,  son 
of 


29.  Conraach,  son  of 

30.  Donncatlia,  K.  C.  died  A.D.  768, 

son  of 

31.  Cathal,  san  of 

32.  Olild,  son  of 

33.  Donncadh  Murski,  son  of 

34.  Tibradi,  son  of 

35.  Maeldubh,  or  Maelduin,  son  of 

36.  Fiachra  Elgach,  son  of 

37.  Datiii,  R.  H.,  son  of 

38.  Fiachra  Folt-Snathach,from  whom 

all  the  Ui  Fiachrach  are  called,  &c. 
See  No.  42,  Pedigree  of  Sliaugh- 
nessy. 


CHAPTER  YIII. 

THE    GENEALOGY  OF    THE    POSTERITY  OF    EOCAIDH    DUBLEIN   OF 
THE  LINE  OF  EEIMHON,  DOWN   HERE. 

EocAiDH  DuBi.EiN,  son  of  Carbri  Lificar,  and  brother  of  Fiacaidh  Srab- 
thini,  was  the  father  of  the  Three  Collas.  From  Colla  Uais,  the  eldest  brother 
of  these,  came  the  septs  that  bear  the  following  surnames  ;  to  wit,  the  clan  of 
Mac  Donald,  both  in  Ireland  and  in  Scotland  ;  the  clan  of  Mac  Dugald,  or 
Mac  Bowell ;  the  clan  of  Mac  Sheehy  ;  and  the  Ui  Brcsail  Macha. 

From  Colla  Da  Crioch,  sprang  O'Kelly  of  Ui  Mani,  Mac  Mahon  of  Oir- 
ghialla,  Maguire,  O'Hanlon,  O'Naghtan  {sometimes  called  Norton),  and  O'Madden. 
We  shall  here  give  the  first  place  to  the  clan  of  Mac  Donald. 

I.  12.  Raghnall,  son  of 

13.  Samharli,  son  of 

14.  Gilla-Brighdi,  son  of 

15.  Gilla-Adamnain,  son  of 

16.  Solamh,  or  Solomon,  son  of 

17.  Mcdraidc,  son  of 
IH.  Suibni,  son  of 

19.  Niallgus,  son  of 

20.  Mani,  son  of 

21.  Gofraidh,  son  of 

22.  Fergus,  son  of 

22.  Ere,  son  of 

23.  Crimthann,  son  of 

24.  Eocaidh,  son  of 

25.  Eric,  son  of 

26.  Carthann,  son  of 

27.  Colla  Uais,  R.  H.  son  of 

28.  Eocaidh  Duiblein,  son  of 

29.  Carbri  Liiicar,  R.  II.— .*?cc  No.  40, 
Pedigree  of  O'Neill. 

Note  1. — The  letter  m.  is  silent  in 
this  word,  as  pronounced  by  moderns. 
It  is  also  to  be  remarked  that  the  double 
L,  and  double  n  of  the  modern  Irish,  is 


THE  PEDIGREE  OF  MAC  DONALD,  I.  E.,  OF 
MAC   SAMHARLI,  EARL  OF  ANTRIM. 

1.  Raghnall,  or  Randal,  son  of 

2.  Samarli,  called  also  Surly,  son  of 

3.  Alasdrum,   Alister,  or  Alexander, 

son  of 

4.  Eoin  Cathanach.  son  of 

5.  Domnall  I3allach,  King  of  the  He- 

brides, son  of 

6.  Eoin  Mor,  son  of 

7.  Eoin,  son  of 

8.  Aengus  Og,  son  of 

9.  Aengus,  son  of 

10.  DoMNAi^L  Oo.'     (From  this  Dom- 

nall the  name  Mac  Domnaill, 
in  English,  Mac  Donald,  is  de- 
rived. This  Domnall  or  Donald 
had  a  brother  named  Alasdrum, 
from  whom  sprang  the  clan  of 
Mac  Sheehy,  in  Gaelic,  Clann 
Sithigh,  i.  e.  the  descendants  of 
Sithach,  son  of  Echduin,  son  of 
Alasdrum,  son  of  Domuall.)  son  of 

11.  Domnall,  son  of 


GENEALOGY. 


601 


nearly  always  found  written  ld  and  nd 
in  the  more  ancient  MSS.  Thut  the 
D  was  Ibrmcrly  fully  pronounced  in 
such  positions,  its  retention  by  the 
Gaels  of  modern  Scotland  in  such 
words  as  Donihnald,  Raglniaid,  Dubh- 
gald,  which  the  Irish  write  and  pro- 
nounce Domlniall,  Raghnall,  Dubhgall. 
is  rather  conclusive  proof. — Ed. 

Note  2. — Tn  this  pedigree  several 
generations  have  been  omitted  in  the 
editor's  copies,  between  Gofraidh.  or 
Godfrey,  No.  21,  and  Eric,  sou  of  Car- 
thann.  No.  25.— The  names  in  italics 
are  supplied  from  the  Ogi/gia. 

II. 

THE   PEDIGREE    OF  o'KELLY  OF  UI    MANX, 
HERB. 

1.  fKellach  of  Aughrira,  slain  A.  D. 

1641, son  of 

2.  fTadg  of  Aughrim.      (These   two 

names  arc  supplied  from  the  pedi- 
gree of  the  O'Kelley,  published 
with  the  tribes  and  customs  of 
the  Ui  Maui.)  son  of 

3.  Ferdorcha,  chief  of  Ui  Mani,  sou  of 

4.  KelIach,son  of 

5.  Domnall,  son  of 

6.  Aedh  na  Coilli,  son  of 

7.  Uiliam,  son  of 

8.  Maelsechlainn,  son  of 

9.  Uiliam  J3uidhe,  son  of 

10.  Donncadh  Muimnech,  son  of 

11.  Concobar  Mor,  son  of 

12.  Donnall  Mor,  son  of 

13.  Tadg  Taltenn,  son  of 

14.  Concobar  of  the  Battle,  son  of 

15.  Diarmaid,  son  of 

16.  Tadg,  son  of 

17.  Concobar,  son  of 

18.  Concobar,  son  of 

19.  Tadg  Mor  of  the  Battle  of  Brian, 

slain  at  Clontarf,  A.  D.  1014,  son 
of 

Murcudh  O'Kellaigh,  in  English, 
O'Kellv.  who  died  A.  D.  960.  son 
of 

Aedh,  son  of 

Kellach  or  Ceallach,  from  whom 
the  Ui  Kellaigh  have  their  name, 
son  of 

Finnacta,  son  of 
Olild,  son  of 
25.  Inractach.     (This  Inractach  had  a 
brother  named    Cosgarach,  from 


20. 


21. 

99 


23. 

24 


whom  has  sprung  Mac  Aedagain, 
or  Mac  Egan.)     Son  of 
20.  Fithkellach,  son  of 

27.  Dluthach,  son  of 

28.  Dicolla.     {Fif/ikellach,  son  of  this 

Dicolla,  was  the  ancestor  of  O'Don- 
ricllan.)  sou  of 

29.  Eogan  Finn,      (Brother    to   this 

Eogan  Finn,  was  Eogan  Buadach, 
or  Bnac,  from  whom   sprung  0'- 
Madden.)  son  of 
80.  Cormac,  son  of 

31.  Carbri  Crom,  son  of 

32.  Feradach,  son  of 

33.  Crimthann    Cael   {ancestor  of  the 

Cruffons.)  son  of 

34.  Lngaidh,  son  of 

35.  Dalian,  son  of 

36.  Bresal,  son  of 

37.  Mani  Mor,  from  whom  the  Ui  Ma- 
ni or  Hy  Mani  are  called,  sons  of 

38.  Eocaidh  Fer-da-ghiall,  son  of 

39.  Domnall,  sou  of 

40.  Imcadh.  (This  Imcadh  had 
brothers,  namely,  Degaidh  Dorn, 
from  whom  Mac  Mahon  of  Monagh- 
an  sprang,  and  also  O'h-Inriich- 
taigh,  in  English,  O'Hanralty ; 
Rocadh,  from  whom  sprang  Ma- 
guire  and  Mac  Tiernan  of  Clan 
Fergail ;  and  Fiachra,  from  whom 
sprang  O'Hanlon  and  O'Niallain 
son  of 

42.  CoLT.A  Da  Crioch,  son  of 

43.  Eocaidh Duiblein,  &(i.—See No.29, 
Pedigree  of  Mac  Donald. 


THE  pedigree  OF  MAGUIRE,  FROM  DER- 

MOD     O'Connor's    translation    of 

KEATING. 

1.  Cuconuacht  Mor,  slain  at  Augh 

rim,  son  of 

2.  Aedh,  son  of 

3.  Brian,  son  of 

4.  Cuconuacht,  son  of 

5.  Cuconuacht,  son  of 

6.  Cuconuacht,  son  of 

7.  Brian,  son  of 

8.  Philip,  son  of 

9.  Thomas,  son  of 

10.  Aedh,  son  of 

11.  Flathbertach,  son  of 

12.  Donn,  son  of 

13.  Domnall,  son  of 


692 


GENEALOGY. 


14.  Gilla-Criost,  or  Christianus,  son  of 

15.  Donn  Mor,  son  of 

16.  liaglinall  Mac  Uidhir,  in  English, 
Maiiuire,  son  of 

17.  UiDuiR,  from  whom  the  sept  has 
taken  its  name,  son  of 

19.  fCairdech,  .son  of 

20.  •iOirííhiallach,  son  of 

21.  t Uidhir,  sou  of 

22.  fOairnech,  son  of 

23.  fLuan,  son  of 

24.  fUairghidladh,  son  of 

25.  f  Crimthann,  son  of 

26.  jFeidthech,  son  of 

27.  RociiAD,  sou  of 

28.  CoUa  Da  Crioch,  &c. — See  pedi- 
gree of  0' Kelly. 

Note. — The  names  thus  marked  (f) 
seem  to  have  been  altogether  corrupted 
by  Dermod  O'Connor,  and  several 
names  have  been  omitted ;  but  no 
pedigree  of  this  ancient  sept  is  imme- 
diately accessible  to  the  present  editor, 
whereby  he  could  set  it  right. 

Uidher,  from  whom  Maguire  is  call- 
ed, was,  according  to  O'Flaherty,  sou 
of  Serrac,  son  of  Orgiell,  son  of  Uid- 
hir, son  of  Kernach,  sou  of  ]\Iuredach 
Meidh,  son  of  Imcadh,  son  of  Colla  Da 
Crioch. 

II. 

THE     PEDIGREE     OF     O'lMADDEN,     OF     SIL 
•ANMCADHA. 

1.  Anmcadh    or    Ambrose,    chief  of 
his  name,  w-ho  died  in  10.37.  son  of 


Domnall,  son  of 
Seaghau,  or  John,  son  of 
Brcsal,  son  of 
Seaghau, son  of 
Murcadh,  son  of 
Eogan, son  of 
Carrach, son  of 
Murcadh,  son  of 

Eogan  Mor,  son  of 
,  Murcadh,  son  of 

Eogan,  son  of 

Murcadh,  son  of 

Cathal,  son  of 

Madudan,  son  of 

Diarmaid,  son  of 

Madudan       Eemhar,      O'Madud- 

haiu,  and    anglicised    O'Madden, 

son  of 

Diarmaid,  son  of 

Madudan    Mor    Adagan,    from 

whom  the  surname  is  derived,  sou 

of 

Gadhra  Mor,  son  of 

Dunadach,  son  of 

Gadra,  son  of 
,  Loingsech, 

Dunadach,  sou  of 

Cobthach,  son  of 

Maelduin,  sou  of 

Conngalacli,  son  of 

Anmcadh,    from   whom    the   Sil 
Anmcadha  are  called,  son  of 

Eogan  Buac,  son  of 

Cormac,  &c.—See  No.  30,   Pedi- 
gree of  0' Kelly. 


CHAPTER    IX. 

THE  GENEALOGY  OF  THE  POSTERITY  OF  EOCAIDH  FINN  AND  FI- 
ACAIDII  SUIGUDI,  THE  B1Í OTHERS  OF  CONN  OF  THE  HUNDRED 
BATTLES,  AND  OF  FIACAIDH  FER-MARA,  SON  OF  AENGUS  TUII>- 
MECH  OF  TEMHAIR,  R.  II.,  DOWN  HERE. 

Conn  of  the  Hundred  Battles  had  two  l)rothers,  namely,  Eocaidh  Finn  and 
Fiacaidh  Suighdi.  From  Eocaidh  Finn  sprang  ()'XoIaii,V//(f/  O'Lwjvt/n  ;  and 
from  Fiacaidh  Huighdi  sprang  O'Felan   and  (J'P.rif,  of  the  Dcsi  Muinhan. 

Eiina  Aighnech,  monarch  of  Ireland,  hail  a  brother  named  Fiacaidh  Fer- 
mara,  from  whom  descended  Conari,  son  of  i\logh  Eamha,  the  son-in-law  of  Conn 
of  the  Hundred  Battles  ;  and  it  was  this  Conari  that  was  the  father  of  the 
three  brothers  named  Carbri,  namely,  Carbri  Riada,  Carbri  Musg,  and  Car- 
bri  Baschaein  ;  and  it  is  the  posterity  of  these  that  are  called  the  Ernaigh 
Mumhan,  cr  Ernaansof  Munster. 

From  Carbri  Riada  sprang  the  race  called  Dal  Riada,  to  which  belong  the 


GENEALOUY. 


693 


following  septs,  settled  in  Alba,  namely,  the  Kinel  n-Guain,  Mac  Adamnain, 
Mac   Eoghain,  Mac  Boitlireoh,  Mac  Grilla-Eoin,  and  Mac  Gilla-Lagliman.' 

From  Carbri  Musg,  are  named  all  the  septs  of  the  Miií^-raide  that  dwell  in 
Munster,  and  ol'  this  race  is  O'Falvy,  O'Connell,  and  O'tíhea  of  Desmond,  and 
0"Qiiirk  of  Musuraide.  From  Carbri  Baschaein,  Corcobaskia  has  its  name, 
but  we  know  nothing  of  his  posterity.'' 

Note  1. — The  editor  does  not  know  the  English  forms  of  those  tribe-names 
2.  The  descendants  of  Carbri  Baschaein  are,  according  to  our  most  judicious 
antiquarians,  the  O'Donnells  and  O'Baskins  of  the  county  of  Clare. 


THE   PEDIGREE    OF    THE   DAL    RIADA,    OF 
ALBA,    HERE. 

1.  Constantine,  King  of  Alba,  or  Mod- 

ern Scotland,  A.  Í).  995,  son  of 

2.  Corllen,  in  967,  sou  of   • 

3.  Dubh,  sou  of 

4.  Kenneidigh,  or  KiTiaeth,  son  of 

5.  Maelcoluim,  sou  of 

6.  Constantino,  sou  of 

7.  Kenueidigli  or  Kinaeth,  conqueror 

of  the  Picts,  son  of 

8.  Alpin,  sou  of 

9.  Eocaidh,  son  of 

10.  Aedgan  Finn,  son  of 

11.  Domangort,  son  of 

12.  Fergus  Mor  Mac  Mire,  founder  of 
the  Kingdom  of  Dal  Riada,  in 
Alba,  son  of 

13.  Ere,  son  of 

14.  Eocaidh  Maurenihar,  son  of 

15.  Aengus  Fort,  son  of 

16.  Feidlimidh  Aislingthech,  son  of 

17.  Aeugas  Buiduech,  sou  of 

18.  Feidlimidh  Roinic,  son  of 

19.  Sen-Cormaic,  sou  of 

20.  Cruthluath,  son  of 

21.  Fidfergi,  otherwise  Finncadh,  son 
of 

22.  Egar  Kerr,  sou  of 

23.  Eocaidh  Andoid,  son  of 

24.  Fiacaidh  Cathmael,  son  of 

25.  Foirded,  son  of 

26.  Ere,  son  of 

27.  Carbri  Riada,  son  of 

28.  Conari  R.  H.,  son  of 


29.  Mogh  Lamha,  son  of 

30.  Lugaidh  Ellathach,  son  of 

31.  Dari  Dorn-Mor,  son  of 

32.  Carbri  Fiun-mor,  son  of 

33.  Conari  Mor,  R.  II.  son  of 

35.  Edirsgeol,  R.  H.  son  of 

36.  Eogan,  son  of 

37.  Olud, son  of 

38.  Tar,  son  of 

39.  Degaidh,son  of 

40.  Sin,  son  of 

41.  Rosin,  son  of 

42.  Tren,  son  of 

43.  Rothren,  son  of 

44.  Mani,  son  of 

45.  Forga,  sou  of 

46.  Feradach,  son  of 

47.  Olild  Eronn,  from  whom  the  Er- 
naigh  were  named,  sou  of 

48.  Fiacaidh  Fer-mara,  sou  of 

49.  Aeugus  Tuirmech,  of  Temhair,  R. 

H.—See    No.    60,    Pedigree    of 
O'Neill. 

Note. — Keating  has  followed  the 
Scotch  genealogists  in  the  names  that 
connect  Fergus,  the  founder  of  the  Dal- 
Riada  of  Scotland,  with  Carbri  Ria- 
da. According  to  O'Flahorty,  the 
Irish  genealogists  say,  that  Eocaidh, 
father  of  the  said  Ere  or  Eric,  was  sou 
of  Aeugas  Fer,  son  of  Fergus  Ulidh, 
son  of  Eocaidh  Fortamhail,  son  of 
Feidlimidh  Lamh-doid,  son  of  Kinga, 
son  of  Guairi,  son  of  Fiuutau. 


CHAPTER   X. 


THE  GENEALOGY    OF   THE   MEN   OF   LEINSTER,  OF   THE    LINE    OF 
ERIMHON,  DOWN   HERE. 

CoBTHAcn  Mael-Breagh,  had  a  brother  named  Laegari  Lore,  from  whom 
have  descended  the  Leinster  tribes  of  the  line  of  Erimhou.  Of  these  we  shall 
give  precedence  to  the  Caemhanaigh,  i.  e.  the  O'Kavanaghs. 


694 


GENEALOGY. 


1  -.  Alurcadh,  son  of 

2.  Doinnall  Spainech,  son  of 

3.  Catliaiir  Carrach,  son  of 

4.  Miirkertacli,  sou  of 

5.  Art  Iluidlie,  son  of 

6.  Domnall.  son  of 

7.  Gerald,  son  of 

8.  Art  0.i>-,  son  of 

9.  Art,  King  of  Leinster,  son  of 

10.  ^lurkortach.  (This Murkortach  had 
a  brother  named  Art,  from  whom 
has  descended  the  Sliocht  Diar- 
niada  Lamh-dirg,  i.  e. ,  the  posterity 
of  Diarmaid,  the  Red  Handed  ;  to 
■vvit,  JMurcadh,  son  of  Brian,  and 
the  branches  of  his  kindred.)  son 
of 

1 1 .  Maurice,  son  of 

1 2.  Murkertach,  son  of 

13.  DoMXALL      CAEMnANACH,      from 

whose  surname  the  Ui  Caeniha- 
uaigh,  in  English,  the  O'Kava- 
naghs,  take  their  name.  (This 
Domnall  had  two  brothers,  namely, 
Art,  put  to  death  by  Euaidri 
O'Concobar,  King  of  Ireland,  in 
A.  1).  1170,  who  left  no  posterity, 
and  Enna,  who  is  the  ancestor  of 
the  0"Kinshellaghs.)  son  of 

14.  Diarmaid  na  n-Gall,  i.  c.   Dermod 

of  the  Gauls  or  Strangers,  King  of 
Leinster,  from  A.  D.  113;")  to 
1171.  (Brother  to  this  Diarmaid 
na  n-Gall,  was  Murcadh  of  the 
Gaels,  or  Irish,  from  whom  sprang 
Mac  David  Mor,  othenvise  called 
Mac  Damore  V. — It  was  this  Mur- 
cculh  that  was  elected  King  of  Lein- 
ster upon  the  expulsion  of  Diar- 
maid, A.  I).  11G6.)  son  of 
l.T.  Donncadh, 

16.  Murcadh.  appointed  King  of  the 

Danes  of  Duljlin,  and  from  whom 
tlie  IVIac  Murroughs  are  called, 
son  of 

17.  Diarmaid,  K.  L.   and   called    by 

soms  writers  monarch  of  Ireland, 
son  of 

18.  Donncadh,  called  Mac!  na  m-Bo, 

K.  L.,  son  of 

19.  Diarmaid,  son  of 

20.  Donmall,  sou  of 

21.  Kellach,  son  of 

22.  Kinaeth,  son  of 


23. 

24. 
25. 
26. 
27. 
28. 
29. 
30. 
31. 


32. 
33. 


34. 

35. 

36, 


37. 
38. 
39. 

40. 


41. 
42. 

43, 

44, 
45, 

4G. 


Carbri,  son  of 
Acdh,  son  of 
Ruaghalach,  son  of 
Oncu,  son  of 
Faelen,  son  of 
Faelan,  son  of 
Silan,  son  of 
Eogau  Cacch,  son  of 
Nathi.      (From   Fergus,  son   of 
Eogan  Goll,  son  q/'this  Nathi  des- 
cend the  Muintcr  Maeilriain,  i.  e. 
the    O'Rynns  or     O'Mulryans  of 
Owneu  VI  Tipperary.)  son  of 
Crimtnann,  K.  L.  son  of 
Enna  Kennsclach,  K.  L.  son   of 
(This    Enna    Kennselach,  had   a 
son  named  Feidlimidh,  from  whom 
8pr.ang  O'Murphy  and  O'Dowling.) 
Bresal  Belach,  son  of 
Fiacaidh  Bacheda.     (Of  the  pos- 
terity of  Fiacaidh  Bacheda,  are 
O 'Byrne  and  0 'Toole) 
Cathaeir  Mor,  E.  H.      (Son  of 
this     Cathaeir  Mor,  was    Rosa 
Falghi,    ancestor    of    O'Connor 
Falghi,and  from  O'Connor  Falghi 
sprang  O'Dunn,  O'Dempsey,  and 
]\Iac   Colgan.      Another    son  of 
Cathaeir  Mor,  was  Dari  Barrach, 
from   whom  sprang  O'Gorman.) 
son  of 

Fcrdlimidh  Firurglas.  K.  L.,  son  of 
Cormac  Gelta-gaeth,  K.  L.,  sou  of 
Niadh-Corb,  K.  L.  son  of 
Cu-Corb,  K.  L.     (Sou  of  this  Cu- 
Corb  was  Carbri  Cluthecar,  from 
Avhom  sprang  O'Dwyer,  cf  Kilua- 
managh.)  son  of 
Mogli-Corb,  K.  L.  son  of 
Concobar  Abra-Ruadh,  R.  H.,  son 
of 

Finn  the  Poet,  K.  L.,  son  of 
Rosa  Ruadh,  K.  L.  son  of 
Fergus  Fargi,  K.  L.  son  of 
Nuadlia  Nect,  R.  H.      (This  Nu- 
adiia  had  three  sons,  namely,  Fer- 
gus Fargi,  from  whom  lias  s]irung 
the  stock  of  this  branch  ;  Baeis- 
gni,  from  whom  descended  Com- 
hal,  the  father  of  Finn  Mac  Corn- 
hail,    commonly  called  Fingal    by 
the  Anglo-Scotch;  and  (Jnathallach. 
Bani,  daughter    of   Sgal    ]>albh, 
King  of  Sagsa,  was  the  mother 
both  of  Comhal  and  of  Feidlimidh 
Rectmar,  monarch  of  Ireland. 


GENEALOGY. 


695 


47 
48, 
49, 


:>o. 

51. 
52. 
53. 
54. 
55. 
56. 
5Y. 
58. 
59. 
60. 
61. 
62. 
63. 
64. 
65. 
66. 


Sedna  Sithbac,  K.  L.  son  of 
Lngaidh  Lothfinn,  K.  L.  son  of 
Bresal  Brec,  K.  L.     [This  Brosal 
Brcc   had  a  son  named    Connhi, 
from  whom  sprang  the  kings  of 
Osraide,  now  called  Ossory,  as  we 
shall  hereafter  explain.]  son  of 
Fiacaidh  Fobrec,  son  of 
Olild  (jrlas,  son  of 
Fiacaidh  Foglas,  son  of 
Nuadha  Follamhain,  son  of 
Alloid,  son  of 
Art,  sou  of 
Mogli  Art,  son  of 
Crimthaun,  son  of 
Feidlimidh  Fortruin,  son  of 
Fergas  Fortamhail,  son  of 
Bresal  Breggamhaiu,  sou  of 
Aeugus  Follamhain,  son  of 
Olild  Brachaeu,  son  of 
Labraidh  Loingsech,  R.  H.  son  of 
Olild  Aui,  sou  of 
Laegari  Lorc,  R.  H.  son  of 
lugani  Mor,  R.  H.      See  No.  61, 
Pedigree  of  O'Neill. 


THE   PEDIGREE    OF   FITZ-PATRICK,    HERE. 

1.  Brian,  son  of 

2.  Tadg,  sou  of 

3.  Finghin.     (This  Finghin  had  an  el- 

der brother,  uaraely,  Brian  Og, 
Lord  of  Ossory,  but  he  died  with- 
out issue,  with  the  exception  of 
an  only  daughter,  who  was  the 
grandmother  of  Lord  Dunboyue. 
Another  brother  of  his  was  Dom- 
nall,  of  Gort-na-clethi,  and  Sea- 
fra  or  Godfrey,  of  Bailé-Aralacibh. 
Margaret  Butler,  daughter  of  the 
Earl  of  Ormond,  was  the  mother 
of  these.  Brothers  also  to  this 
Finghin  were  Tordelbach  and 
Diarmaid,  whose  mother  was  the 
daughter  of  O'Connor  Falghi. 
Seaghau,  or  John  of  Bailé-Ui- 
Gaeithin,  Kellach,  and  Tadg,  who 
dwelt  at  Coill-Uachtarach,  were 
the  natural  brothers  of  Finghin.) 
son  of 

4.  Brian  Og,  son  of 

5.  Brian,  son  of 

6.  Seaghau, son  of 

7.  Finghin  na  Cul-Coilli,  son  of 

8.  Finghin,  son  of 

9.  Domuall  Dubh,  son  of 


10.  Seafra  Finn,  son  of 

11.  Seafra  Bacach,  son  of 

12.  Domuall  Mor  of  Magh  Laeighsi, 
son  of 

13.  Sgaunlan  Mac  Gilla-Patrick,  sou 
of 

14.  Gilla-Padraig,  or  Gilla-Patrick, 
from  whom  the  surname  of  the  sept 
is  derived. 

15.  Donncadh,  son  of 

16.  Kellach,  son  of 

17.  Kerball.  (This  Kerball  had  a  son 
named  Braen,  from  whom  sprang 
O'Brenan.)  son  of 

18.  Donngal,  son  of 

19.  Anmcadh,  son  of 

20.  Cukerda,  son  of 

21.  Faelau,  son  of 

22.  Cronmael,  son  of 

23.  Rouan  Righ-flaith,  son  of 

24.  Colman  Mor,  son  of 

25.  Bigui  Caech,  son  of 

26.  Laighnech  Faeilech,  son  of 

27.  Sganlau  Mor,  son  of 

28.  Kenufaeladh,  son  of 

29.  Roman  Duach,  son  of 

30.  Conall,  son  of 

31.  Carbri,  sou  of 

32.  Nedbuan,  son  of 

33.  Eocadh  Lamh-dow,  son  of 

34.  Angidh,  sou  of 

35.  Laegari  Bearn-buadach,  son  of 

36.  Aengus  Osraide.  [From  this  Aen- 
gus  the  tribe  and  tribe-land  of  Os- 
raide (Osrce,)  in  English,  Ossory, 
have  their  name.] 

37.  Crimthaun,  son  of 

38.  Ere,  son  of 

39.  Enna,  son  of 

40.  Olild,  sou  of 

41.  Lugaidh,  son  of 

42.  Labraidh,  son  of 

43.  Carthaun,  son  of 

44.  Nuadha,  son  of 

45.  CoxNLA,  son  of 

46.  Bresal  Brec,  &c.  See  No.  49, 
Pedigree  of  O'Kavanagh. 

Of  the  posterity  of  Connla,  son  of 
Bresal  Brec,  are  the  following  sur- 
names, as  we  read  in  the  duan  which 
begins  with  the  line — "  Nas  na  riogh, 
togha  na  d-tulach  ;"  i.  e.  "  Nas  of  the 
kings,  the  choice  of  heights" — to  wit,  the 
Muinter  Baithin,  [Baiheen,)  Muinter 
Diunemhla,  (JDinnoola,)  Muiuter  Osaiu, 


696 


GENEALOGY. 


Muinter  Foraunain,  Miiiuter  Tuachair, 
^[uinter  Gulbain,  Muinter  Liuaigli, 
[I^enij)  'Slmwiav  Uarpusa,  Muinter 
Crevliiiochain,  Muinter  Iradhain,  Muin- 
ter Naeidhcnain,  Muinter  Maeincchain 
Cobhartha,  and  many  others. 

Note. — The  editor  has  access  to  no 
authority  whereby  he  could  ascertain 
the  modern  names  of  the  last-named 
septs  iu  time  tor  this  publication. 


35.  Muirini,  son  of 
3G.  Fiuncadh,  son  of 

37.  Firrath,  son  of 

38.  Firruath  Derg,  son  of 

39.  Firini,  son  of 

40.  Lugaidh,  son  of 

41.  Arm  bar,  son  of 

42.  Oarbri  Cluthecrar,  son  of 

43.  Cu-Corb.  ka.—Sce   No.  40,  Pedi- 
gree of  O'Kavariagk. 


THE    PEDIGREE  OF    o'dWYER,  OF    KILXA- 
MANACn,    FROM    DERMOD     O'CONNOR'S 


TRANSLATION  OF  KEATING. 

1. 

1.  Philip,  son  of 

2. 

2.  Anthony,  son  of 

3. 

3.  Diarmaid,  sou  of 

4. 

4.  Thomas,  son  of 

5. 

5.  Concobar,  or  Connor,  son 

of 

6. 

6.  Thomas,  son  of 

7. 

7.  Thomas,  son  of 

8. 

8.  Concobar,  son  of 

9. 

9.  Thomas,  son  of 

10, 

10.  Thomas,  son  of 

11. 

11.  Gilla-na-naemh,  son  of 

12. 

12.  Gilla-na-naemh.  son  of 

13. 

13.  Lochlainii,  son  of 

14. 

14.  Gilla-na-naemh,  son  of 

1.5. 

15.  Lorcan,  son  of 

16, 

16.  Kellach,  son  of 

17. 

17.  Gilla-na-naemh,  son  of 

18. 

18.  Kellach,  son  of 

19. 

19.  Lorcan,  son  of 

20. 

20.  Aedh,  son  of 

21. 

21.  Donncadh  O'Duibhir,  in 

English, 

O'Dwyer,  the  flrst  that 

bore  the 

22. 

family  surname,  son  of 

22.  Lorcan,  son  of 

23. 

23.  DuiBHiR.  or  Duibhidliir,  from  whom 

is  derived  the  name  0  1) 

uibhidhir 

24. 

{O'Dweeir,)  anglicized 

O'Dwyer, 

25. 

son  of 

26. 

24.  Sbellan,  son  of 

27. 

25.  Suibni,  son  of 

28. 

26.  Donncadh,  son  of 

29. 

27.  Duadh-flaith,  son  of 

30. 

28.  Collan,  son  of 

31. 

29.  Colman,  son  of 

32. 

30.  Crath,  son  of 

33. 

31.  Ruaidri,  son  of 

34. 

32.  Grellan,  son  of 

35. 

33.  Lubna,  son  of 

36. 

34.  Lughna,  son  of 

37. 

THE  PEDIGREE  OP  O'CONNOR  FALY,  FROM 
DERMOD  O'CONNOR'S  TRANSLATION  OF 
KEATING. 

Donncadh  and  Maurice,  sons  of 

Coll,  son  of 

Seaghan  or  John,  son  of 

Donncadh,  son  of 

Seaghan.  son  of 

Donncadh,  son  of 

Seaghan,  son  of 

Diarmaid,  son  of 

Kcrball  or  Charles,  son  of 

.  Conn,  son  of 

.  Calbach,  son  of 

.  ^lurcadh, son  of 

.  Murkertach,  son  of 

.  ISIurkertach,  son  of 

.  ^laclmorda,  son  of 

.  Murkertach,  son  of 

.  Donncadh,  son  of 

.  Conafni,  son  of 

.  Murkertach,  son  of 

.  Congalach,  son  of 

.  Connslebi  O'Concobair  Falghi,  or 

O'Connor  Faly,  son  of 

Brogarban,  who  was  slain  at  Clon- 

tarf,  A.  D.  1014,  son  of 

Concobar,  from  whom  the  surname 

O'Connor,  is  derived,  son  of 

Congalach,  son  of 

Finn, son  of 

Maelmorda,  son  of 

Concobar,  son  of 

Flapagan, sou  of 

Kinaeth,  son  of 
.  Mughram,  son  of 

Fiann  Ca  Congal,  son  of 

Cimasach,  son  of 

Congalach,  son  of 

Forannan,  son  of 

Maelmuaidh,  son  of 

Cathal,  son  of 

Bruidhc,  son  of 


GENEALOGY. 


697 


38.  Eogan,  son  of 

39.  Nathi,  sou  of 

40.  Rosa  Falghi,  i.  c.  Rossa  of  the 
Rings,    from    whom    the    tribe- 


name    Ui    Falghi,    is    derived, 
son  of 
41.  Cathacir  Mor,  &c.—See  No.   36 
Pedigree  of  O'Kavanah. 


CHAPTER   XI. 


THE    PEDIGREE   OF   THE    POSTEEITY   OF    LUGAIDH,    SON    OF    ITH, 

DOWN    HERE. 


THE    PEDIGREE  OF    0  DRISCOLL,  HERE. 

1.  Pinghiu,  called  Sir  Florence  by  the 

English,  sou  of 

2.  Concobar,  son  of 

3.  Concobar,  son  of 

4.  Fiughin,  son  of 

5.  Mac-Con,  son  of 

6.  Mac-Con,  son  of 

7.  Donncadh, sou  of 

8.  Mac-rCath.  sou  of 

9.  Donncadh  Mor,  son  of 

10.  Fothad,  sou  of 

11.  Finn,  son  of 

12.  Mac-Conn,  O'h-Edirsgeoil,  in  Eng- 
lish O'DriscoU,  sou  of 

13.  Fothad,  son  of 

14.  EDiRSGEOL,/ro?ft  whom  the  name  is 

derived,  son  of 

14.  Finn,  sou  of 

15.  Nuadha,  sou  of 

16.  Donngal,  sou  of 

17.  Maeltuli,  son  of 

18.  Dungus,  son  of 

19.  Aengus,  son  of 

20.  Folactach,  sou  of 

21.  Fannan,  sou  of 

22.  Comdau,  sou  of 

23.  Colmau,  son  of 

24.  Flannan,  son  of 

25.  Brannamh,  sou  of 
Edirsgeol,  son  of 
Nathi,  son  of 
Aengus,  son  of 
Mac-Con,  R.  H., 

30.  Mac-Niadh,  K.  M., 

31.  Lugaidh,  son  of 

32.  Dari  or  Dari  Fer  Ulni.  son  of 

33.  fFer-Ulni,  son  of 

34.  JEdbolg,  son  of 

35.  fDari,  sou  of 

36.  tSithbolg,  son  of 

37.  Edamrach,  or  Degaidh  Temrach, 
son  of 


26. 
27. 

28. 
29. 


38.  Degaidh  Derg,  son  of 

39.  Derg  Thiui,  son  of 

40.  Nuadha  Airgthoch,  sou  of 

41.  Luchthaui,  son  of 

42.  Logh  Feidlech,  son  of 

43.  fErimhon,  son  of 

44.  fEdamhain,  son  of 

45.  Osa  or  Eosamhain,  son  of 

46.  Sin,  son  of 

47.  jNIathsin,  sou  of 

48.  Lugaidh,  son  of 

49.  Edamhain,  son  of 

50.  Mai,  son  of 

51.  Lugaidh,  son  of 

52.  Ith,  sou  of 

53.  Breogau,  king  in  Spain,  and  grand- 
father of  Mdedlt,  the  founder  of  the 

Clanna  3Ididh,^c.     See  No.  89,  Pe- 
digree of  Macarthy  Mor. 

Note. — The  names  marked  thus  (f ) 
have  been  inserted  from  the  pedigree  of 
Lugaidh,  called  Mac-Con,  R.  H  ,  given 
in  the  body  of  this  history. — Ed. 

Of  the  posterity  of  Lugaidh,  sou  of 
Ith,  are  the  following  claiis,  namely, 
Mac  Flaucadha,  of  Dartraide,  i.  e.  Mac 
Clanchij  or  Clancy,  of  Dartry,  in  the 
county  of  Leitrim;  O'Cowhig,  or  Coffey, 
O'Curneen,  O'Flynn  Arda,  O'Bari  of 
Rinu-Muintir-Bari,  O'Leary,  of  Roscar- 
bery,  O'Trevor,  O'Carnau  ;  and  like- 
Wise  the  sept  of  Mac  Allen,  in  Alba,  i. 
e.  modern  Scotland,  which  descended 
from  Fathadh  Conau,  sou  of  the  Mac- 
Con,  sou  of  Mac-Niadh. 

Note. — Several  names  appear  to  have 
been  left  out  of  this  pedigree,  in  as 
much  as  it  falls  short  by  several  genera- 
tions, of  the  royal  Hues  descended  from 
Ebcr  and  Erimhon,  the  companions  of 
Lugaidh,  son  of  Ith.  The  descendants 
of  the  Clanna  Breogain  or  Irish  Brig- 


698 


GENEALOGY. 


antes,  are  still  numerous  in  the  South-  upon  Corca  Luighe,  not  long  since  pub- 
west  of  Munster.  and  North-west   of  lishcd  by  the  Celtic  Society  of  Dublin, 
Connaught.      For  the  several  family  with  a  translation  and  annotations  by 
names,  by  which  they  are  now  known.  Dr.  O'Donovan. 
the  reader  is  referred  to  the  ancient  tract 


CHAPTEE  XII. 

HERE  FOLLOWS  AX  ENUMERATION  OF  THE  COUNTIES  WHICH  ARE 

IN  IRELAND. 

Ix  Mumha'  (Moowa)  there  are  six  counties,  namely,  the  county  of  Corcach, 
the  county  of  Kiarraide  {Keeree),  the  county  of  Luininech,  the  county  of  Port 
Largi,  the  county  of  Tibraid  Arauu,  and  the  Couuty  of  the  Cross.'-'  In  all  six 
counties. 

In  Laighcn'  [Loijen)  there  are  eight  counties,  which  are  the  following  seven 
that  Camdeu  has  given  down  in  his  work,  namely,  the  county  of  Kill  Cainnigh 
the  county  of  KiU'Dara,  the  couuty  of  Ketharlach  (Cahcrlagh,)  the  county  of 
Laeighis  (Li^ees/t),'' the  county  of  the  Dangen,^  the  county  of  Loch  Garmau, 
the  county  of  Ath-cliath,  [Awh-deeah)  and  the  eighth  county  is  the  one  which 
has  been  recently  constituted,  namely,  that  of  Kill  Mantain.e 

In  Midhe'  {Mee)  there  are  three  counties,  namely,  the  county  of  Oirther  INIidhe 
[Irrher  Me. ,)  the  county  of  larthar  Midhe,  {Eerher  Mce)  and  the  county  of 
Long-phort. 

In  the  province  of  Connacht,  there  are  five  counties,  namely,  the  county  of 
Clar,  the  county  of  Gallimh  [GaUiv),  the  county  of  Magli  Eo  (Moijoe,)  the  coun- 
ty of  Sligech  {'Sliggagh,)  the  county  of  Liathdrum,  and  the  county  of  Eos  Co- 
main. 

In  Uladh  {Ulla)  there  are  ten  counties,  namely,  the  county  of  Lugh-mhagb 
(Loovaw),  the  county  of  Caban,  the  county  of  Fera  Manach,  the  county  of 
Munechan,  the  county  of  Ard  Macha,  the  county  of  the  Dun,  the  county  of 
Anntruim,  the  county  of  Cuil  Rathain,"  the  county  of  Tir  Eogain  ( Teer-owin,) 
and  the  county  of  Tin  Conaill,  or  Dun-na-n-Gall. 


Mumha ;  now  called  Munster. 


County  of  ike  Cross  ; 
.'  Laiglicn;  Leinster. 
*  Laighis ;  now  Lcix, 
preacnt  Queen's  County. 


e.  Ormoncl. 
meaning  the 


6  County  of  the  Dangcn ;  i.  e.  of  the 
Fortress ;  now  the  King's  County. 

'  Kill  Mantain  ;  now  Wicklow. 

'  Midhe  ;  now  Meath. 

'  Cuil-Rathain  ;  i.  e.  Colcrain,  mcan- 
the  present  county  of  Derry. 


THE   END   OF  THE   FORAS  FEASA  AR   EIRINN. 


TOPOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


CHAPTER  I. 


KINGDOM  OF  MUMHA,  OR  MUNSTER. 

77i«  Kingdom  of  Munster;  in  Irish,  Mamha,  Mumlian,  and  Mumliain,  is  said  to  derive  its 
name  from  Eocaidh  Mumho,*  wlio  was  kini;  of  Munster  and  monarcli  of  Ireland,  of  the  race  of 
Kber,  about  eight  centuries  before  the  Cliristian  era.  Ancient  Munster  comprised  the  present 
counties  of  Tipperary,  AVaterford,  Cork,  Kerry,  Limerick,  and  part  of  Kilkenny,  to  which  was 
added  the  territory  now  forming  the  county  of  Clare,  by  Lugaidh  Menn,  king  of  Munster,  of  the 
race  of  the  Dalcassians,  in  the  latter  end  of  the  third  century.  Ancient  Munster  contained 
the  following  sub-divisions,  namely,  Tuaflh  Minnhan,  or  North  Munster,  anglicised  Thomond; 
I>6ii  Mamhan,  or  South  Munster.  rendered  Desmond;  UrmJturaha  or  Oirinhumha,  East 
Munster,  and  anglicised  Ormond,  and  Inr  3fii»t7ian,  or  West  Munster. 

The  Eberians,  or  the  Milesians  of  the  race  of  Eber,  possessed  Munster;  but  the  descendants 
of  Ith,  son  of  Brcogan,  and  uncle  of  Milesius,  also  possessed  in  early  times  a  great  part  of  it. 
The  race  of  Eber  furnished  most  of  its  kings,  many  of  whom  were  m(  narchs  of  Ireland.  These 
Eberians  are  called  by  the  old  annalists  Dergthini,  from  one  of  their  kings. 

The  race  of  Itli  also  furnished  many  kings  of  Munster,  and  some  monarchs  to  Ireland,  In  the 
earlier  ages.  They  were  called  Darini,  from  one  of  their  kings.  The  Dergthini  and  Darini  had 
frequent  contests,  before  the  period  of  the  Christian  era,  for  the  sovereignty  of  Munster,  which  they 
they  at  length  ag  eed  to  hold  alternately.  While  the  head  of  one  race  reigned  as  lilng,  the  other 
held  the  o'iiice  of  chief  Brehon  or  judge. 

The  C'diina  Dcgnidh.  another  race,  settled  in  Munster  a  short  time  before  the  Christian  era. 
They  were  named  Degadhs.  from  Degadh,  their  chief,  and  they  were  also  called  Ernan8,fi-om 
Olild  Eronn,  a  prince  of  Ulster,  and  grandfather  of  Degadh.  These  Degadians,  or  Ernans,  were 
of  the  race  of  Erimhon.  Being  expelled  from  Ulster  by  the  race  of  Ir,  they  went  to  Munster, 
where  they  were  favorably  received,  and  had  lands  allotted  to  them  by  Du.ach,  king  of  Munster, 
of  the  race  of  Eber,  who  was  then  full  monarch  of  Ireland.  The  Clanna  Degaidh  make  a  re- 
markable figure  in  the  ancient  history  of  Munster.  They  had  there  extensive  possessions,  and 
they  were  the  chief  milit.ary  commanders  of  Munster,  and  once  nearly  masters  of  the  entire 
country.  Some  of 'them  became  kings  of  Munster,  and  three  of  them  even  monarchs  of  Ireland, 
namely.  Edirsceol,  and  his  son  Conari,  and  Conari  II.,  a  descendant  of  Conari  I.,  who  was 
monarch  of  Ireland  in  the  beginning  of  the  third  century.  From  Carbri  Iii.ida,  son  of  Conari  II., 
descended  the  Dalriadians,  princes  of  Ulster,  who  jdanted  a  colony  in  Alba  or  Scotland,  in  the 
third  century.  From  them  were  descended  the  Scottish  kings  of  the  Milesian  race,  and  the 
royal  house  of  Stuart.  In  the  second  century,  the  Degadhs  becoming  so  powerful  as  nearly  to 
assume  the  entire  sovereignty  of  Munster,  to  the  exclusion  of  the  race  of  Eber,  they  were 
attacked  and  conquered  by  the  celebrated  Eogan  Mor,  or  Mogb  Jíuadath,  who  expelled  them 
from  Munster,  except  such  families  of  them  as  yielded  him  submissiou.  Amongst  the  chiefs  of 
the  Clanna  Degaidh,  .are  mentioned  Dari,  and  his  son  Curigh  Mac  Dari,  famous  warriors  in 
Munster  about  the  beginning  of  the  Christian  era. 

About  the  beginning  of  the  Christian  era.  Eucaidh  Af/radh-ruadli,  or  Eocaidh  of  the  Eed 
Brows,  of  the  race  of  Eber,  a  man  of  gigantic  stature,  was  king  of  South  Munster,  and  Curigh  Mac 
D.ari  was  prince  of  North  Munster.  lie  was  succeeded  by  Carbri  Finn  Mor,  son  of  the  monarch 
Conari.  who  was  also  of  the  Clanna  Degadh,  as  king  of  Munster.  In  the  second  century,  amongst 
the  battles  fought  by  the  monarch  Tuathal  Tectmar,  are  mentioned  those  of  Magli  Eaighni, 
.indofClaror  Clare,  in  which  fell  Felim  and  Conall,  two  princes  of  the  Degadhs  of  Munster. 
Eocaidh,  the  son  of  Dari,  succeeded  as  king  of  both  Munsters.  In  the  latter  end  of  the  second 
centur}',  Ebgan,  Mor,  or  Mogh  yuadat/i,  cMed  also  Eogan  Taidlech,  or  Eiigan  the  Splendid, 
of  the  race  of  Eber,  and  matcrna'ly  descended  from  the  Clanna  Degadh,  w!is  a  celebrated 
warrior;  and  having  contended  for  the  monarchy  of  Ireland  witli  Conn  of  the  Hundred  Battles, 
they  at  last  divided  the  island  between  them ;  but  Eogan  was  afterwards  defeated  and  forced 
to  fly  into  Spain,  w^here  he  lived  mjiny  years  in  exile,  and  married  Eera,  a  S|i.anish  firincess, 
daughter  to  Eber,  a  Spanish  king,  and  entering  into  a  confederac.y  with  Fraech,  the  son  of  Eber, 
collected  a  powerful  army,  with  which  they  landed  in  Ireland,  to  recover  the  sovereignty  from 
Conn  of  the  Hundred  Battles,  and  both  armies,  A  D.  19.5,  fousht  a  tremendous  h.aftle  on  the 
plain  of  Magh  Lena,  in  which  Conn  was  victorious,  and  Ec')gan  Mor  was  killed  by  Goll,  the  son  of 
Morna,  the  celebrated  Fenian  chiimpion  of  Cocnaught  of  the  Fer-bolg  race. 

Olild  Olttm,  the  son  of  Eogan  Mor  by  the  princess  Bera,  and  son  in-law  of  the  monarch 
Conn  of  the  Hundred  Ba'tles,  being  married  to  his  daughter  S-aba,  having  contended  with  Lug- 
aidh Mac  Con,  a  prince  of  the  race  of  Ith,  for  the  sovereignty  of  Munster,  defeated  him  and 
Nemeth,  prince  of  the  Ernans,  in  a  great  battle  at  Kenn  Febradh,  in  which  Eogan,  the  son  of 
Olild.  flew  Dadar  the  Druid,  and  Nemeth  was  slain  by  Carbri  Eiada:  after  this  victory,  Olild 
Olnm  became  king  of  Munster. 

Olild  Olum  had  three  sons,  Eogan,  Cormao  Cas,  and  Kian,  and  by  his  will  lie  made  a  re- 

IÍOTE. — This  appendix  is  chiefly  taken  in  an  abridged  form  from  the  description  of  the  Irish 
provinces,  given  in  the  notes  to  Connellan's  Translation  of  the  Four  Masters.  It  is  intended  to 
serve  as  a  suido  to  the  map. 

*  It  is  much  more  likely  that  Eocaidh  Mumho  derived  his  surname  from  Mumlia. 


700 


TOPOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


gulatlon  that  the  kingdom  of  Manster  should  bo  ruled  alternately  by  one  of  the  posterity  of 
Eogaa  and  Coriiiac  Cas. 

From  Coniiac  Cas,  king  of  Miinster,  Dal  o-Cai.%  anglicised  Balcassians,  the  various  families 
of  whom  were  located  chiefly  in  that  part  of  Thonioiid  which  forms  the  present  county  of  Clare, 
and  the  ruling  family  of  tliem  were  the  O'Briens,  kin^rs  of  Thomond. 

From  Kogan,  eldest  son  of  Olild  Olum,  were  descended  the  Eor/anachU  or  Eitgenian»,yt\iO  were 
styled  kings  of  Cashel.  The  Eupenians  possessed  Desmond,  or  South  Jlunstcr,  the  present 
counties  of  Cork  and  Kerry,  tliov  held  also  part  of  the  present  county  of  Tiiipirary,  called  the 
Eoganacht  of  Civsbel.  The  head"  fiimily  of  the  Eugenians  Avcre  the  Mac  Cai  tliys,  princes  of 
Desmond. 

From  Kian.  the  third  son  of  Olild  Olum,  were  descended  the  Clan  Kin?),  who  were  located 
chiefly  in  Ormoud,  and  the  chief  of  which  families  were  the  O'C.arrols,  princes  of  Ely. 

In  the  latter  end  of  the  third  century,  Lu(jaidh  Menv,  kinjr  of  Munster,  of  the  race  of  the 
Dalcassians,  took  the  territory  afterwards  called  the  county  of  Clare  from  Connausht,  and  added 
it  to  Thomond.  Conai-L  EcitLCATii,  or  Conall  of  the  Swifc  Steeds,  son  of  this  Lniraidh  Menn. 
became  kins  of  Munster.  C.\s,  the  son  of  Conall,  was  prince  of  Thomond,  and  Carlhon  Dubh, 
the  £on  of  Cas,  succeeded  as  prince  of  the  Dalcassians. 

O'Eourkes.  probably  a  branch  of  the  O'Rourkcs, 
princes  of  I'.refney;  the  Mac  Egans  were  his 
hereditary  Brehons,  and  the  O'llalys  and  O'- 
Duinins  were  his  hereditary  poets  and  anti- 
quaries. 

•1-  O'STTii-LmnAiN  (O\^oo!hiauin),  or  O'Sul- 
livan.  The  O'SuIlivans  held  the  ancient  terri- 
tory of  Beara,  now  the  baronies  of  Beare  and 
Bantry.  in  the  county  of  Cork,  and  were  thenco 
called  O'Snllivan  Beara,  princes  of  Beara.  An- 
other branch  of  the  familj-  called  O'Sullivan  Mor 
were  lords  of  Dunkerron,  and  possessed  tho 
barony  of  Dunkerron,  in  the  county  of  Kerry, 
and  their  c liicf  seat  w.is  the  castle  of  Dunkerron, 
ne.ir  the  river  Kenmarc.  The  O'SuIlivans  were 
or^inally  seated  .at  Knoekratfan,  in  Tipperary. 
They  are  of  the  same  descent  as  the  Mac  Carthys 
of  Desmond.  They  h.ad  several  strong  castles, 
tho  chief  of  which  were  those  of  Dunboy,  Ar- 
dea,  and  <  arrigantu'^s.  In  the  reign  of  James  I., 
their  extensive  possessions  were  confiscated,  in 
consequence  of  their  adherence  to  the  earls  of 
Desmond  and  Tyrone  in  the  Elizabethan  wars, 
and  the  lieads  of  the  family  retired  to  Spain, 
where  many  of  them  were  distinguished  oflflcers 
in  the  Spanish  service,  and  had  the  title  of 
Counts  of  Bearhaven. 

3.  O'Hedirsceoii,.  or  0'DrI.sooll,  head  of  the 
Ithian  race,  was  chief  or  prince  of  Corcaluighe, 
otherwise  called  Cairbreacha,  comprisinL' ancient 
Carberv,  an  extensive  territory  in  the  south- 
west of  Cork  The  O'Driscolls  of  the  twelfth 
century  are  designated  in  O'llcerin's  topographi- 
cal poem : 


Des-Mumha. 

The  territory  called  Dhs-Mttmha  [Dassona, 
or  i)as«-r»r«],  i.e..  South  Munster,  called  Des- 
mond in  Eng.isb,  comprised  the  whole  of  the 
county  of  Cork,  and  the  greater  [.-art  of  KeiTy, 
with  portions  of  the  counties  of  Waterford  and 
Tipperarv.  In  tliis  latter  county,  the  district 
called  Eoganacht  Caisil  (Owenaijlit  '  om/)  be- 
longed to  Desmond  The  principality  extended 
from  Brandon  Hills,  in  Kerry,  to  the  river  Black- 
water,  near  LIsmore,  in  the  coimty  of  Water- 
ford.  In  later  times,  when  the  Fitzgeralds  were 
styled  Earls  of  Desmond,  and  the  Mac  Carthy 
Mors  its  kings,  this  kin^doni  was  confined  to 
the  baronies  of  Bear  and  Bantry,  some  i)ortions 
of  the  south-west  of  Cork,  and  that  part  of 
Kerry  that  lies  soutli  of  the  river  Many. 

The  Eugenians  ruled  as  kings  over  Desmond, 
and  the  Dalcassians  over  Thomond,  and  from 
each  race  was  .alternately  elected  a  king  of  all, 
which  mode  of  government  continued  from  the 
third  to  the  eleventh  century,  when  Brian  Boru, 
of  the  Dalcassian  race,  became  king  of  Munster 
and  monarch  of  Ireland,  and  his  descendants, 
the  O'Briens,  were  kings  of  Munster  and  kings  of 
Thomond,  and  the  Mac  <  .arthys,  who  were  then 
the  head  of  the  Eugenian  race,  were  kings  and 
princes  of  Desmond. 

1.  Mac  CAnrnv  The  Mac  Carthys  of  the 
twelfth  century  are  thus  designated  in  the  topo- 
graphical poem  of  O'lleerin : — 

"Heroes  of  Munster,  from  the  fortress  on  the 
Shannon, 
Are  the  race  of  Eogan,  the  son  of  Olild, 
Mac  Carthaigh,  the  maintainer  of  its  tributes, 
Is  like  an  incessant  stormy  wave" 

The  Mac  Carthys  maintained  long  contests 
for  their  independence  with  the  Fitzgeralds, 
earls  of  Desmond,  the  Butlers,  Earls  of  Ormond, 
and  other  An;rlo-Xon:ian  and  English  settlers, 
and  held  their  titles  .a»  princes  of  Desmond,  with 
considerable  possessions,  down  to  the  reign  of 
Elizabeth.  They  were  divided  into  two  great 
branches,  the  head  of  which  was  Mac  Carthy 
More,  of  wluim  Donal  Mc  Carthy  w.is  created 
earl  of  Olencarc  or  Clancare,  A.  D.  ITitiS,  by 
Queen  Elizabeth ;  the  other  branch,  called  Mac 
Carthy  licagh,  were  princes  of  Carbery.  Be- 
sides the  earls  of  Clancare,  the  Mac  Carthys 
were  also  created  at  various  periods  barons  of 
'Valentia,  earls  of  Claroartby.  earls  of  Muskerry, 
and  earls  of  .Mountcashcl.  and  had  several  strong 
castles  In  various  parts  of  Cork  and  Kerry.  Ac- 
cording to  Windele,  the  Mac  C.nrthy  More  was 
inaugurated  at  LMan^narv'iir  in  Kerry,  at 
whii  h  c<remony  presided  O'Sullivan  Mor  and 
O'DonogLoe  Mor ;  his  captains  of  war  were  the 


'To  the  race  of  Lugaidb  by  the  shore, 
1 1  now  proceed  beyond  tjie  bounds), 
It  is  not  meet  to  pass  the  tribe, 
I  must  record  the  warriors'  fame. 

'  O'Dri-icoII.  brad  chief  of  the  land 
Of  Corcaluii-'he  I  now  treat  of 
lie  s<izc(l  upon  the  coasts  of  Clt^ri, 
A  headland  meet  for  princely  lord." 


They  had  castles  at  Dunnsbad  and  Dunalong, 
near  Baltimore,  the  castle  of  Dunamore  on  Cape- 
clear  island,  and  others. 

4.  O'Caoimii,  or  O'KeefTc,  Is  given  by  O'lleerin 
as  chief  of  GUn  Ainhain  and  of  Urluftchra. 
(rlen  .\mhahi  is  now  Olanworth.  in  the  barony  of 
Ferinoy.  county  of  Cork.  Tho  O'Keetles  held 
tho  territory  of  Fcrmuighe  l''eni.  now  the 
barony  of  Kermoy,  in  the  county  of  Cork,  wlilch 
afterwards  was  possessed  by  Ihe  Anglo-Norman 
family  of  lloebe,  vlscountsof  Fermov,  and  called 
Koche's  country.  The  O'Dugan»  and  O'Cos- 
cralgbs  were  the  more  ancient  chiefs  of  Fermoy. 
They  are  thus  designated  by  O'lleerin: 


TOPOGRAPHICAL   APPENDIX. 


701 


"Chief  of  Fcrmoy  of  well  fenced  forts, 
Is  O'Diii.in  of  l)uiiiii:iiiann — 
A  tribe  of  Gaols  of  precious  jewels — 
O'Kceffe  is  chief  of  Gkn  Avon. 

•'O'KcefTc  of  the  brown  and  handsome  brows, 
Is  chief  of  l>lu;K-hra  of  the  fertile  lands, 
The  inheritor  of  the  land  of  the  hospitable, 
Which  vie  in  beauty  with  the  fair  plains  of 
Meath  " 

The  O'Keoffes  were  marshals  of  Desmond  and 
princes  of  I'erinoy.  They  had  several  castles, 
the  chief  of  which  were  those  of  Dromagh  and 
Dunragil. 

6.  Mao  Doxncadiia,  or  Mac  Donogli,  was 
chief  of  Duhalla,  now  tlic  barony  of  Duhallow, 
in  the  county  of  Cork.  The  Mac  Donaghs  were 
a  branch  of  the  Mae  C'arthys ;  they  were  princes 
of  Duhallow,  and  their  chief  residence  was  the 
magnilicent  castle  of  Kanturk 

6.  CMatdguamiina  ((?'J/i//iOTr)i«),  orO'Ma- 
hony.  The  O'Mahonys  are  given  by  O'Heerin 
as  chiefs  of  Ui  Eachach,  and  also  of  Kinel  ni- 
Beci;  the  latter  is  now  the  barony  of  Kinal- 
raeaky.  in  the  county  of  Cork,  and  I'i  Eachach 
was  in  aiodem  tiiues  called  Ivaugh,  which  com- 
prises the  whole  peninsula  in  the  baronj'of  West 
Carbery,  extending  from  Ballydchob  to  the  bay 
ofDunmanus.  The  territory  Kinel  Aedha  also 
was  anciently  possessed  by  the  0"Mahonys ;  it 
is  now  called  the  barony  of  Kinnalea,  in  the 
county  of  Cork.  They  had  also  a  large  territory 
in  Muskerry,  south  of  the  river  Lee,  in  the 
county  of  Cork,  and  also  another  territory  called 
Tiobrad,  in  the  count}'  of  Kerry.  They  are 
thus  designated  by  O'Heerin: 

"  Ivahagh,  most  western  part  of  Banba  (Ireland), 
Is  the  great  estate  of  O'Mahony — 
A  well  watered  land  of  fair  fortresses — 
Extensive  are  its  brown  nut  producing  plains. 

"Of  K^nnalmeaky,  of  pleasant  fields 
All  round  Bandon,  of  fair  woods. 
The  warlike  chief,  in  victory  supreme. 
Is  O'Mahonv  of  the  coast  of  white  foam." 


The  0"Mahonys  had  several  castles,  as  those 
of  Eosbrin,  Ardintenant,  Blackeastle,  Ballydes- 
mond,  Dunbeacon,  Dunmanus,  Eingmahon,  &c., 
all  along  the  sea  coast 

7.  0"CF,LLAcnAiN,  or  O'Callaghans,  given  by 
O'Heerin  as  chiefs  of  Clar  Beri,  and  of  Kinel 
Aedha.  The  territory  of  the  O'Callaghans  was 
also  called  Pobul  O'Callaghan,  signifying  O'Cal- 
laghan's  people,  and  extended  from  Mallow  west- 
ward, on  both  sides  of  the  Blackwater,  in  the 
barony  of  Duhallow,  county  of  Cork,  and  com- 
prised the  present  parishes  of  Clonmeen  and 
Kilshannick,  an  extensive  territory  containing 
about  tifty  thousand  acres  They  are  thus  men- 
tioned in  the  poem  of  O'Heerin : 

"  Over  Kinnalca  of  the  fertile  lands, 
Eules  O'Callaghan  of  the  plain  of  Beara, 
A  land  of  blue  waters  and  bright  sunshine. 
Is  that  country  of  the  most  expanded  bay." 

The  O'Callaghans  are  of  theEugenian  race,  and 
of  the  same  branch  as  the  Mac  Carthys. 

8.  O'LiATiiAK,  or  O'Lehan,  by  some  rendered 
to  Lvne  and  Lyons,  is  given  by  0  Heerin  chief 
of  TJi  Liathain,  and  of  Ui  Anmchadha.  The 
O'Lehans  had  the  territory  in  the  count}'  of 
Cork,  afterwards  called  the  barony  of  Barry- 
more,  from  the  Anglo-Norman  family  of  Barrj's, 


who  became  its  posse.ssors.  The  O'Lehans 
took  their  name  from  one  of  their  chiefs  in 
the  beginning  of  the  eleventh  century,  named 
Cuileán  O'Liathan,  who,  in  A.D.  1  0,  built  Ca.s- 
tle  Lehan,  now  Castlclyons,  which  w.as  the  chief 
seat  of  that  family.  The  O  Lehans  are  thus 
mentioned  by  O'Heerin : 

"Lord  of  TTi  Liathain,  a  warrior  of  fame. 
Is  the  hardy  leader  of  the  battalions  of  Mun- 

ster ; 
Of  Ui  Anmcadha  he  is  rightful  chief— 
The  host  of  keen  arms,  of  high  nobility." 

9.  O'Floinn,  or  O  Flynn  was  cliief  of  Arda  and 
Ui  Baghanma,  according  to  O'Heerin,  a  territoT}- 
in  the  barony  of  Carbery,  and  also  of  Mtiiscrith 
Miotaine,  or  Mniscrigh  L'i  Fhloinn,  a  district  in 
the  barony  of  Muskery,  both  in  the  county  of 
<  ork.  The  di.-stnct  in  Muskery  possessed  by  the 
O'Flynns,  according  to  O'Heerin,  extended  from 
the  river  Dribseach  or  Dripsey,  to  Ballyvoor- 
ney.  O'Maelfabhail  is  another  chief  given  by 
O'Heerin  in  the  same  territory.  The  O'Flynns 
are  thus  mentioned  by  O'Heerin: 

"O'Flynn  Arda  of  the  blooming  woods, 
A  tribe  of  the  purest  pedigree ; 
Heir  to  the  lordship  is  each  man. 
They  are  the  clan  of  Ui  Baghamna. 

"  Of  the  race  of  Conari  of  the  great  forces, 
Let  us  speak  of  the  chiefs  of  Muscraide, 
A  host  whom  the  bright  sun  salutes 
On  the  land  of  the  Martineansof  Munster." 

Ui  Baghamna  is  now  the  barony  of  Ibane  and 
Barryrop,  adjoining  Carbery. 

10  Mac  Amlaeibh,  or  Mjic  AulifFe,  given 
by  O'Heerin  as  chief  of  the  country  from  Am- 
hain  Ella  westward  beyond  Glenn  Salcain.  This 
territory  was  in  the  barony  of  Duhallow,  in  the 
county  of  Cork,  extending  westward  from  the 
river  Alia  to  the  borders  of  Limerick  These 
Mac  Aulifi'es  were  a  branch  of  the  Mac  Carthys, 
and  possessed  the  territory  called  Glen  Omr.a, 
in  the  barony  of  Duhallow.  The  last  chief  of 
the  family  was  colonel  of  a  regiment  in  Spain, 
and  died  about  the  year  1720.  Their  chief  scat 
was  Castle  Mac  Auliffe,  near  Newmarket.  The 
Mac  Anliffes  are  thus  mentioned  by  0  Heerin : 

"Far  beyond  the  beautiful  river  Ella, 
To  the  west  of  Glen  Salcain  of  tall  trees, 
A  fair  land  of  aíHuence  undenied ; 
The  territory  belongs  to  the  noble  Mac  Au- 
lilfe." 

Another  chief  in  this  territory  is  mentioned 
by  O'Heerin,  as  follows : 

"  An  estate  of  the  plain  of  Core  belongs. 
It  is  Acs  Ella  of  the  fine  level  land. 
To  the  stately  scion  of  Banba  of  the  ringleted 

hair. 
He  is  O'Tedgamna  of  Dun  Durlais." 

11.  O'Donnagain,  or  Donncgan,  chiefs  of 
Muiscrith-na-dtri-Magh,  or  Muscry  of  the  Three 
Plains,  now  the  h.alf  barony  of  Orrery,  in  the 
county  of  Cork.  They  are  thus  mentioned  by 
O'Dugan: 

'The  country  of  O'Donnegan  is  certiflod, 
The  great  Muskery  of  the  Three  Plains, 
It  belongs  to  the  host  of  polished  steel — 
A  district  of  charming  sunny  lands." 


í02 


TOPOGRAPHICAL   APPENDIX. 


O'Cullenan  is  given  by  O'Brien  as  a  chief  in 
same  territory.  Tlie  O'Cullenans  were  cele- 
brated as  liereditary  pliysicians  of  Munster: 

12.  O'HiN.MnaiNEiN,  chief  of  Tuath  Saxon,  is 
thus  mentioned  by  O'Hecrin : 

"  Tuath  Saxon  of  the  fair  pleasant  plain, 
To  O'iiininanen  I  proclaim, 
A  country  of  harbors  abounding  in  afifluence, 
Belonixs  to  the  hardy  sept  of  Clan  C'onari." 

J3.  0"Maei,bleog!iaidii,  of  the  race  of  Core, 
chief  of  Muiscrith  Treithirne,  is  thus  mentioned 
by  O'Heerin : 

"Muscraide  of  Trethirni,  miirhty  men. 
Eightfully  belongs  to  the  race  of  Core ; 
O'Maelbleoghain  is  powerful  over  the  land, 
Ue  possesses  the  country  of  smooth  plains." 

14  O'Bbf.giiaix,  or  O'Bregan.O'Glaisin,  O'Mic- 
tirc  and  O'Caelidh.  or  O'Kieley,  likewise  O'Cia 
ran,  are  given  by  O'Heerin,  O'lJrien,  and  O'Hal- 
loran,  as  chiefs  of  Ui  Mac  Calii,  or  t  Maccuile, 
now  the  barony  of  Imokilly,  cc"i.i:ty  of  Cork. 
O'Bregan  and  O  Glaisin  are  thus  mentioned  by 
O'Heerin : 

"A  valiant  clan,  warlike  in  pursuit, 
Kuled  Imokilly  of  the  hospitable  banquets; 
Two  tribes  possessed  the  smooth  plains — 
O'Bregan  and  the  fair  O'Glasin." 

15  0''CiiiRi  or  O'Curry,  of  Clan  Torna,  chief 
of  Ciarraidhe  Culrchi,  now  the  barony  of  Kerri- 
currehy,  in  the  county  of  Cork,  is  thus  men- 
tioned by  O'Heerin : 

"  Kerricnrrihy  of  the  fair  co.ost. 
That  country  belongs  to  Clan  Torna; 
O'Curry  obtained  the  fertile  land ; 
In  its  green  aspect  it  is  like  the  plains  of 
Meath." 

16  O'GoBTnAiGn,  anglicised  O'Cowhig  and 
O'Cowhys,  O'Coffey  of  Fuinn  Clidna,  were  chiefs 
of  Triocha  Medliona,  now  the  barony  of  West 
Barryroe,  in  the  couuty  of  Cork.  The  O'Cow- 
higs  were  in  ancient  times  powerl'ul  chiefs,  and 
Ij.ad  seven  c;ist!cs  a!ong  the  coast  in  the  barony 
of  Ibawne  and  Barryroe.  They  are  thus  men- 
tioned by  O'Heerin : 

•'Lord  of  the  county  of  Triocha  Mcona, 
Is  OT'owhig  of  the  white-stoned  shore ; 
The  land  of  Clidna  is  the  plain  of  O'Cowhig, 
In  the  sea  fights  they  are  valiant  foes." 

17.  OFiciitLLA,  or  OFihelly.«.  a  name  angli- 
cised to  Field,  are  also  given  by  O'Brien  as  chiefs 
in  West  BarrjToe. 

IS.  O'lÍAÉi'is  given  by  O'Heerin  as  cliief  of 
Mnintir  Bavi.  and  by  O'Halloran  as  chief  of 
Aron.  In  O  Brien's  Dictionary  the  O'BarCs  are 
stated  to  possess  a  territory  and  foreland  called 
Muintir  Bar),  part  of  ancient  C.arbery,  in  the 
county  of  Cork.  This  name  has  been  anglicised 
to  Barry,  and  is  often  confounded  with  the  Nor- 
man Dc  Barries;  they  were  of  the  Ithlan  or 
Liigadlan  ra'-e,  and  defended  from  Fathadh  .'Vrg- 
thecli.  a  king  of  .Munster  in  the  Ihinl  century, 
according  to  O'Heerin,  by  whom  they  are  thus 
designated : 

•'  Muintir  Bari  of  the  fair  fortress^ 
They  are  of  the  race  of  Fathai'Ili  Airgthech; 
O'Bari  rnlcs  over  the  land  of  waves, 
Which  is  not  surpassed  by  the  smooth  plains 
of  Mana." 


19.  O'LAEGnAiRt,  or  O'Leary,  chiefs  of  Ui 
Laosrhaire  or  Iveleary,  were  of  the  Lugadian  or 
Ithian  race,  and  possessed  in  ancient  times  the 
city  of  lioscarbery  and  its  environs.  Iveleary, 
or  OI.,eary's  country,  lay  in  Muskerry,  in  the 
county  of  Cork,  between  Macroom  and  Incha- 
geela,  where  thoy  had  several  castles,  as  those  of 
Carriirat'oiiky,  ('arrÍLrnaneelat;h,  Carrignacurra, 
Dundarierk  and  Drumcurragh. 

2  1.  The  0"ilK.AS  were  chiefs  of  Pobble  OHea, 
in  Carbery. 

21.  The  O'DoNOVANS,  of  whom  an  account 
shall  bo  giv.cn  in  the  chapter  on  Thomond,  like- 
wise settled  in  Cork,  and  were  chiefs  of  Clan 
Cathail,  an  extensive  district  in  West  Carbery. 
where  they  had  their  chief  residence  at  Castle 
Donovan. 

22.  O'Beci  is  given  by  O'Heerin  as  a  chief  of 
Beantraidhe,  now  the  barony  of  Bantry,  comity 
of  Cork,  and  is  thus  designated : 

"  O'Beci,  chief  of  the  fair  land. 
Rules  over  Bantry  of  delifrhtful  bloom ; 
Heroes,  whose  noble  actions  I  certify. 
They  are  of  the  race  of  Fergus  of  Ulster." 

2.3.  The  O'Casevs  were  chiefs  of  Coillte  Ma- 
binecha,  a  territory  near  Mitchelstown,  in  the 
county  of  Cork. 

24.  The  O'Healys  or  O'Helys  were  chiefs  of 
Domhnach  Mor  O'Healy,  or  Pobble  O'Healy,  a 
larse  parish  in  the  barony  of  Muskerry,  county 
of  Cork. 

25.  The  0'nERi.inTS  or  O'Hurleys  were  cliiefs 
of  a  district  in  the  barony  of  Muskerry,  and  he 
states  they  were  hereditary  wardens  of  the 
church  of  St.  Gobnait  of  Bally  voorny,  and  were 
possessors  for  many  ages  of  the  large  parish  of 
that  name 

20.  The  O'NiTNANS  were  chiefs  of  Tullaleis 
and  Castlelissen,  now  the  parish  of  Tullileasc,  in 
the  b.arony  of  Duliallow,  county  of  Cork,  in 
which  they  were  hereditary  wardens  of  St.  Bren- 
dan's church.  , 

27.  The  O'Dalvs  had  the  parish  of  Kilcro- 
hane,  in  the  barony  of  West  Carbery,  county  of 
Cork,  and  were  bards  to  the  Mac  Carthys,  O'Ma- 
lionys.  Carews,  .and  other  great  families. 

1-i.  The  Mac  Egans  were  Brehons.in  the  conn- 
ties  of  Cork  and  Kerry,  under  the  Mac  Carthys, 
kings  of  Desmond.  The  Mac  Egans  were  also 
hereditary  Brehons  or  judges  of  Ormond 

'.9.  The  Mac  Swernevs  were  military  com- 
manders under  the  Mac  Carthys,  princes  of  Des- 
mond, who,  in  thf  tliirtienlh  century,  brought  a 
body  of  them  from  Tirconnell  or  Donegal.  The 
Mac  Sweeneys  had  the  parish  of  Kilniurry,  in 
the  barony  of  Muskerry,  county  of  Cork,  and 
their  chief  ca'^tle  at  Clodagh,  near  Macroom,  and 
had  also  Castlemore,  in  tlie  parish  of  Movidy. 

30.  The  Mac  Shkehif.s  were  a  warlike  clan, 
brought  fnjm  Connaught  in  the  fifteenth  century 
by  tlie  Fitzu't-ralds,  earls  of  Desmond,  who  ap- 
pointed tliom  their  body  guards  They  were 
afterwards  nuiiurous  in  the  counties  of  Cork 
and  Limorick. 

3  .  The  O'Jvearnevs  were  a  clan  near  Kin- 
sale,  in  the  county  of  Cork,  where  they  are 
placed  on  tlif  Ma])  of  Ortellus.  and  are  men- 
tioned by  OHeerin  as  chiefs  of  Ui  Floinn. 

ÍÍ2.  The  O'llioanANs  were  a  clan  of  note  in 
Muskerry,  In  the  county  of  Cork,  and  distin- 
gulsliid  milllary  chiefs  in  ancient  times. 

83.  The  OCuijwi.EV.s  were  chiefs  of  Kilshal- 
low,  we^t  of  Bandon,  in  the  county  of  Cork,  but 
orltrlnally  came  from  Connaught. 

34.  The  O'.Ml'rpiiyb,  originally  from  Wexford, 
were  a  nutnorous  clan  in  Muskerry. 


TOPOGEAPHICAL   APPENDIX. 


703 


86.  The  O'AiiBiiNS,  0"Eon\tve9,  and  O' 
Hbynes,  were  also  old  and  respectable  laniilies 
In  the  county  of  Cork. 

Iae-Mumua. 

86.  The  O'CoNcOBUAiR,  or  O'Conors,  kings  of 
Kerry,  are  thus  mentioned  by  O'lleerin  in  his 
topographical  poem : 

"  Let  us  leave  the  warlike  race  of  Conari, 
Princes  of  Erna  of  golden  shields, 
■\Vc  come  to  our  friends  the  race  of  Fergus, 
They  .ire  entitled  to  command  our  attention. 

"The  king  of  Kiarraide  over  the  clans  of  Kiar, 
O'Conor'rulcs  the  land  by  right, 
(  hief  of  the  plain  of  fertile  fields, 
From  the  sea  shore  to  the  Shannon  of  clear 

streams." 

They  took  their  name  from  Conchobhar  or 
Conor,  one  of  their  ancient  chiefs.  The  O'Con- 
ors Kerry  were  very  powerful  as  kinfrs  and 
princes  of  Kerry.  In  the  thirteenth  century, 
the  Fitzmaurices,  earls  of  Kerry,  got  much  of 
the  possessions  of  the  0"Conors,  whose  ancient 
principality  was  diminished  to  the  territory  call- 
ed Oireacht  Ui  Chonchobhair,  signifying  the  in- 
heritance of  0"Conor,  now  forming  the  barony 
of  Iraghticonor.  The  O'Conors  Kerry  had  sev- 
eral strong  castles,  the  chief  of  which  was  that 
of  Carrigafoyle,  at  the  small  island  of  Carrig, 
near  the  mouth  of  the  Shannon,  but  after  the 
Elizabethian  and  Cromwellian  wars  most  of 
their  estates  were  confiscated. 

87.  O'DosxcuADHA.  or  O'Donoghoes,  given  by 
O'Heerin  as  chiefs  of  Lough  Lein,  and  also  of 
Clan  Selbhuidhe,  and  thus  designated  in  his 
topography,  together  with  the  O'Carroll; : 

"O'Donoghoe  of  Lough  Lein, 
And  of  the  1-  lesg  who  is  full  powerful, 
Rule  over  the  Clan  Selbaide. 
They  are  men  of  happiness  in  Munster." 

"  O'Donoghoe  of  Lough  Lein — 
He  is  prince  of  that  Eoganacht ; 
O'Carroll  is  there  our  kinsman, 
Of  pure  and  noble  origin." 

The  O'Donoghoes  were  of  the  Eugenian  race 
of  Ibh  Echach,  the  other  great  sept  of  which 
tribe  took  the  name  n'Mahony ;  and  originally 
settled  in  that  part  of  Desmond,  now  the  county 
of  Cork,  where  they  riossessed  a  large  territory, 
extending  from  Iniskcan  to  the  borders  of  Ban- 
try,  and  from  thence  northward  to  Ballyvurny 
aiid  Macroom,  comprisins  the  district  called 
Iveleary.  i  which  is  part  of  Carbery,)  and  also  a 
great  portion  of  Muskerry:  but  in  the  twelfth 
century,  the  O'Donoghoes  were  expelled  from 
Cork  by  the  Mac  Carthys  and  O'Mahonys,  and 
settled  in  Kerry,  where  they  became  proprietors 
of  all  the  country  about  Loch  Lein  and  Killar- 
ney.  The  O'Donoghoes  continued  powerful 
chiefs  down  to  the  reign  of  Elizabeth,  when,  in 
consequence  of  having  ioined  the  earls  of  Tyrone 
and  Desmond,  most  of  their  estates  were"  con- 
fiscated. The  O'Donoghoes  were  divided  into 
two  great  branches,  namely,  those  of  Loch  Lein, 
and  those  of  Glenf.osk.  the"  Latter  called  O'Dono- 
ghoe More  The  O'Donoghoes.  lords  of  Loch 
Lein,  had  their  chief  castle  at  Eoss  Island,  on 
one  of  the  lakes  of  Killarney,  the  romantic  ruins 
of  which  still  remain. 

83.  O'DoMHNAiLL,  or  O'Donnell,  of  the  same 
race  as  the  O'Donoghoes,  is  given  by  O'lleerin 


as  a  chief  of  Clan  Shalvcy,  and  mentioned  aa 
follows :  * 

"Clan  Selbaide  of  the  limpid  streams. 
Recorded  as  a  well  known  land. 
Belongs  to  O'Domnaill  of  the  powerful  hand, 
Who  took  possession  of  tlic  brown  nut  i>lain." 

39.  O'Cathaii-l,  or  O'Cahill.  A  branch  of 
the  Kiarraide  took  this  name  from  Cathal,  one 
of  its  chiefs.  The  race  is  of  the  siime  blood  as 
the  O'Connors  Kcrr.v.  The  name  is  still  numer- 
ous in  the  counties  of  Kerry  and  Cork. 

40.  The  O'Carbollr,  princes  of  Loch  Lein,  are 
mentioned  by  O'lleerin,  .and  also  in  the  .\nnal3 
of  Inisfallen,  in  the  eleventh  and  twelfth  cen- 
turies. 

41.  O'Faltíhi,  or  O'F.ilvey,  given  by  O'lleerin 
•as  chief  of  Corca  Duibhne,  and  of  the  territory 
from  the  Mang,  westward  to  Fiontraighor  Von- 
try.  Corca  JJaih/i-n.",  is  now  the  barony  of  Cor- 
caguiney,  in  the  county  of  Kerry.  The  O'Fa!- 
veys  were  powerful  chiefs,  and  in  ancient  times 
held  the  rank  of  hereditary  admirals  of  Des- 
mond. 

42.  O'Seadha,  or  O'Shea,  is  also  given  SJ5  a 
chief  of  Ibh  Ratha  or  Iveragh. 

43.  O'CoxGHAiLL,  or  O'Connell,  is  given  by 
O'Heerin,  as  chief  of  J/aff/t  O  (j-Coinchinn.  now 
the  barony  of  Magonihy,  in  Kerry.  The  three 
last  mentioned  chiefs  are  stated  by  O'Heerin,  in 
his  topography,  to  be  of  the  race  of  Clan  Conari, 
that  Is.  the  descendants  of  Conari  II.,  monarch  of 
IreLand,  in  the  beginning  of  the  third  century, 
who  was  of  the  race  of  the  Clanna  Degitd,  of 
Munster.  They  are  thus  designated  by  O'Hee- 
rin: 

"  After  the  battalions  of  Clar  Broni, 
Let  us  treat  of  the  clans  of  Conari, 
Fair  Fenian  heroes  from  TuIach-an-Trir  (an 

ancient  name  of  Tara.) 
Rulers  in  Munster  of  the  smooth  streams. 

"Three  chiefs  who  possessed  the  lands, 
Of  Corca  Dubui  of  the  fine  forces, 
O'i'alvey  the  warrior,  and  O'She.a, 
The  strengthening  bond  of  the  eastern  parts. 

"  O'Connell  of  sharp  swords 
Rules  over  the  shady  fortress  of  Magonihy, 
Like  a  stately  tree  in  hazel  woods. 
Is  the  Munster  leader  of  the  cavalry  forces. 

"From  Mang,  westward,  is  the  estate. 
Possessed  by  O'Falvey  as  far  as  Yentry ; 
"Without  dispute  an  extensive  land. 
'W.as  obtained  by  O'Shea,  chief  of  Iveragh." 

44.  O'Laeghain.  O'Leyne,  or  Lane,  chief  of 
L'i  Ferba;  and  O'Duibhduin,  chief  of  Ui  Flan- 
naln,  districts  in  the  county  of  Kerry,  are  thus 
mentioned  by  O'Heerin  : — 

"O'Laeghain,  a  warrior  of  fame, 
We  found  him  over  Ui  Ferba  ; 
O'Cathnendaigh  obtained  the  land. 
Firmly  settled  under  the  high  hills  of  Cualan. 

"  Ui  Flannain  an  extensive  Land, 
A  verdant  country  of  delightful  streams, 
O'Duivdin  over  this  fertile  soil, 
Rules  as  its  chief  and  protecting  lord." 


*  These  must  not  be  confounded  with  the 
great  O'Domhnaills  orO'Donnelis  of  Tirconnell. 
—Ed. 


04 


TOPOGRAPHICAL    APPENDIX. 


45.  The  O'JÍEDis  and  Clax  Coxari  are  given 
chiefs  of  Alltraighe,  or  of  Clar  Ciarraidlier  that 
is,  the  plain  of  Kerry,  and  thus  mentioned  by 
O'Heerin : 

"The  men  of  AUtrai^rhe  maintain, 
Two  chiefs  of  the  plain  of  Kerry ; 
A  clan  of  the  most  active  in  pitch  of  battle. 
Their  chiefs  arc  0'>edi  and  Clan  Conari." 

46.  0"DrNor>ArDn,  or  0"l)nnady.chicf of  Slieve 
Lnachr.i.  that  is.  tlie  district  about  tlif  moun- 
tains ofSlievelosher,  on  tlie  borders  of  Limerick 
and  Kerry,  is  tlius  mentioned  by  0"IIeerin  : 

"The  plain  of  Luachra,  a  productive  country, 
Belongs  to  the  liberal  O'Dunady, 
A  tribe  of  hard  fighting  battles, 
A  district  of  fair  well-watered  lands." 

47.  O'MtrrBCHEAKTATGH,  or  O'Moriarty,  and 
0"Hinnasbhain,  chiefs  of  Aes  Asdi  of  Oriar  El- 
taigh,  are  thus  mentioned  by  O'Heerin : 

"Aes  Asdi  of  the  plain  of  flocks 
Which  the  chief  of  O'Moriarty  obtained  ; 
A  fair  country  of  blooming  aspect. 
Which  was  possessed  by  Ó'llinnesvan." 

The  O'Moriartys  had  the  parish  of  Templenoe. 
and  some  adjoining  districts  in  the  barony  of 
Dankerron. 

48.  The  Mac  GiLi-icrDDYs,  a  branch  of  the 
0"Sullivans,  were  chiefs  of  a  territory  in  the 
barony  of  Dunkerrnn.  and  from  thcni  the  moun- 
tains called  Mac  Gillicuddy's  Keeks  got  their 
name. 

49.  The  Mac  Ei,i.igotts  were  an  ancient 
family  in  Kerry,  from  whom  the  p.irish  of  Bal- 
lymacclligott,  in  the  barony  of  Trughenackmy, 
got  its  name. 

50.  The  Mac  Finneens,  a  branch  of  the  Mac- 
Carthys,  or  .accordin:;  to  others,  of  the  0"SuiIi. 
vans;  the  Mac  C-cliaiis;  the  O'Scanlans;  and 
O'Uarneys,  were  also  clans  of  note  in  Kerry. 

AngJo-Xorman  ftirnilie»  in  Dexmoitd. 
1.  The  FiT20EP.Ai.PS,  descended  from  the  An- 
c'o-Xorman  chief.  Maurice  Fitzcerild,  who  got 
lartre  possessions  in  Cork  and  Kerry,  and  whose 
posterity  were  created  earls  of  Dofmond  in  the 
rei^n  of  Kdward  III.  Another  branch  of  the 
Fitzgeralds,  also  descended  from  Maurice  Fitz- 
perald.  became  earls  of  Kildare.  The  earls  of 
Desmond  hoc.ime  one  of  the  most  powerful 
families  in  Munster,  and  several  of  them  were 
lords  deputies  of  Ireland  in  the  fourteenth  and 
fifteenth  centuries.  Gerald  Fitzscrald,  sixteenth 
ear!  of  Dc-inond,  was  one  of  the  greatist  subjects 
in  Europe,  and  held  the  rank  of  a  I'lince  Pala- 
tine, V.  ith  the  authority  of  a  provincial  king:  ho 
had  many  strong  castles,  and  his  vastpos.sessions 
e.xtendcd  150  miles  over  the  counties  of  Cork, 
Kerry,  Limerick,  and  Waterford,  comprising 
nearly  six  hundred  thousand  acres  of  profitable 
land,  independent  of  immense  tmcts  of  waste 
land^.  not  surveyed,  so  that  his  entire  property 
amounted  to  nearly  one  million  of  atres.  He 
had  an  immense  number  of  vas.sal.s,  ami  could 
raise  at  a  call  a  force  of  two  thousand  foot  and 
six  hundred  horse,  and  had  hcsidf'S,  in  his  reti- 
ane  of  his  own  kindred,  five  hundred  gentlemen 
of  the  Fitzseralds.  The  earl  of  Desmond  hav- 
icc  re-istcd  the  Reformation  in  the  reign  of 
Elizabeth,  and  waged  war  aeainst  the  English 
government,  his  forces  nfter  long  contests  were 
dcfcnted,  and  he  him«elf  was  slain  by  one  Kelly, 
an  Irish  soldier,  in  a  glen  near  Castie  Island,  in 


county  of  Kerry,  on  the  11th  November,  1588; 
his  head  was  cut  off  and  sent  to  England  by 
Thoni.is  Butler,  earl  of  Ormond,  as  a  present  to 
the  queen,  who  caused  it  to  be  fixed  on  London 
bridge. 

The  other  principal  Norman  families  of  the 
county  of  Cork  were  the  Cogans,  Carews,  Con- 
dons, or  Cantons,  de  Courcys.  Barrys.  Barnwalls, 
Barretts,  lioelics,  Mac  Gibbons,  or  Fitzgibbons, 
a  branch  of  the  Fitzgeralds;  the  Fleiiimings, 
Sarsfields,  Xagles,  Murtells,  Eusscls.  IMgotts, 
Prendeigasts,  Morgans,  Cotters,  ilurroghs,  Sup- 
ples, Stactpoles,  \\  hitcs,  Uodnetts,  Kents,  &c. 

Danish  families. 

The  Coppingers,  Goulds,  Gallways,  Skiddys, 
and  Terrys,  who  are  considered  to  be  of  Danish 
descent,  were  in  former  times  very  numerous  and 
powerful  families  in  Cork,  and  a  vast  number  of 
them  were  lord  mayors  of  that  city,  from  the 
fourteenth  to  the  seventeenth  century. 

'J.  The  De  CorncYs  were  barons  of  Kinsale, 
and  some  of  the  familj-  took  the  Irish  name  of 
Mac  Patrick,  being  descendants  of  one  of  the 
earls  named  Patrick. 

3.  The  De  Bareys,  Anglo-Normans,  became 
earls  of  Barrymore,  and  gave  name  to  the  baro- 
nies of  Biirrymore  and  B,Hrryroe;  some  of  them 
took  the  name  of  Mac  David. 

4.  The  lIocHES.  The  Anglo-Norman  family 
of  de  la  Pupe  or  Kochc  became  viscounts  of 
Fermoy,  and  their  territory  was  called  Roche's 
country. 

5.  The  Saesfieids,  Anglo-Normans,  settled 
in  Cork,  and  also  in  Limerick.  The  Sarsfields 
of  Limerick  were  created  viscounts  of  Kilmal- 
lock,  the  first  who  got  the  title  being  Sir  Domi- 
nick  Sarsfield,  chief  justice  of  the  common  pleas, 
in  the  reign  of  James  I.  Patrick  Sarsfield,  of  the 
same  family,  was  created  earl  of  Lucan  by  James 
II.,  under  whom  ho  was  celebrated  as  a  com 
mander  of  the  Irish  forces. 

6.  The  Bareetts  srave  name  to  the  barony  of 
Barretts;  the  CoNnoxa,  a  brave  Norman  sei)t, 
who  were  .imonwt  the  last  to  yield  to  Cromwell, 
to  the  barony  of  Condons. 

7.  The  De  Bap.nwai.ls,  Anglo-Normans,  were 
styled  lords  of  liearhaven,  and  once  h.id  larcep'  s- 
Sissinns  In  that  district,  but  were  expelled  by  the 
OSnllivans,  and  bavins  settled  in  Dublin  and 
Meatb,  founded  several  great  families,  as  the 
Barnwalls,  barons  of  Trimblestown  and  Turvey, 
and  viscounts  Kingsland. 

S.  The  HonNETTS.  Some  of  the  family  of 
IFodnett  took  the  Irish  name  of  Mac  Sherry,  and 
their  chief  residence  was  at  Court  Mac  iherry; 
from  the  Magner.i,  Castle  Manner  got  its  name. 

9.  The  Nagt.e-s  had  extensive  posses.'^ions,  and 
from  them  the  Na^'lcs  mountains  derive  their 
name;  of  this  family  was  Sir  Hichard  Nagle, 
attorney-general  to  .James  II. 

Aiujln-Xormniifamili  a  in  Kerry. 

10.  The  FiTZMAiiEicEs,  earls  of  Kerry,  de- 
scended from  Raymond  le  Gros.  Raymond 
bavins  formed  an  alliance  with  Deniiod  Mac 
Cartliy,  king  of  Desmond,  trot  lar^e  giants  of 
lands  In  Kerry,  in  the  territory  called  Lixnaw, 
which,  from  being  possessed  by  hisson  M.iuricc, 
got  the  name  of  Cl.inmaurice.  From  Maurice 
were  dlscended  the  Fitzmaurices,  carls  of  Kerry. 
The  other  i)rincipal  English  families  were  the 
Browns,  Stack.s,  Godfreys,  Rices,  &c. 

Nnhiliiy. 

The  following  have  been  the  titled  families  In 

the  county  of  Cork  :     The  de  Courcys,  larons  of 

Kinsale  and  RIngrone;  the  Fltzgen'ild.s,  earls  of 

Desmond,  barons  of  Dtclcs,  and  seneschals  of 


TOPOGEAPIIICAL    APPENDIX. 


705 


Imokllly.  Tlie  Care ws,  marquises  of  Cork.  The 
Mac  Ciithys,  carls  of  Clancare,  earls  of  Claii- 
cartby,  carls  of  Muskerry,  und  earls  of  Mouut- 
casbel.  The  Barrys,  barous  of  Oletban,  viscounts 
of  Battevant,  ami  earls  of  Barrymore.  Tbe 
Kocbes,  barous  of  Oastleloagb,  and  viscounts  of 
Fermoy 

In  Kerry,  tbe  following  bave  been  tbe  noble 
families  since  tbe  reign  of  king  Jolin.  Tbe  Fitz- 
maurices,  barons  of  L,ixnaw  and  U'Dorney,  vis 
counta  of  Claninaurice  and  earls  of  Kerry;  tbe 
Fitzgeralds,  kniglits  of  Kerry ;  tbe  Browns,  earls 
of  Kenmare,  and  viscounts  of  Castleross. 

Thomond. 

TnoMOJJD  under  its  ancient  kings,  extended 
from  the  Isles  of  Arran,  olftbe  coast  of  Galway 
to  Sliabb  Eiblinni,  now  tbe  Felim  mountains, 
In  tbe  county  of  Tiiii)L'rary,  and  thence  to 
Knockany,  in  tbe  county  of  Limerick ;  and  from 
Loopbead  "t  tbe  mouth  of  the  tjhannon,  to 
Ossory,  on  tbe  borders  of  Tipperary,  Kilkenny, 
and  tbe  Queen's  county,  thus  comprising  the 
county  of  Clare,  and  tbe  greater  part  of  those 
of  Limerick,  and  Tipperary.  But  in  later  times, 
Thomoud  was  conliued  to  tbe  present  county 
of  Glare. 

1.  Tub  0"Brie:«s,  Kings  of  Tuomond.  — Tbe 
sept  of  O'Brien,  or  O'Brian,  took  its  name  from 
its  ancestor  Brian  Boromha.  Prom  the  time  of 
tbis  monarch,  it  bad  become  not  only  the  ruling 
family  of  Dalcassians,  but  of  tbe  whole  race  of 
Kber.  At  the  time  of  the  English  invasion, 
the  brave  Domnall  O'Brialn,  one  of  its  members, 
was  sovereign  of  Casbel,  of  which  be  was  last 
king.  The  O'Briens  maintained  a  long  and 
fierce  contest  for  their  independence,  with  tbe 
Anglo-Norman.  Tbey  succeeded  in  maintain- 
ing their  power  as  kings  of  Thomond  and 
Limerick,  until  the  year  1543,  when  Murcadb 
O'Brien  renounced  tbe  titles  of  O'Briain,  and 
King  of  Tlijraond,  for  tbe  English  style  of  Earl 
of  Thomoud.  Tbe  OBriens  are  still  a  very 
numerous  race,  though  scattered  throughout 
Munster,  and  Leinster,and  other  parts  of  Ireland. 
Note. — Unlike  most  other  Irish  races,  tbe  sept 
still  possesses,  amongst  its  members,  one  man, 
■with  whom  none,  either  of  the  clan  of  Bi  ian  Bo- 
romha, the  tribe  of  Cas,  tbe  line  of  Eber,  or  of  tbe 
whole  nation  sprung  from  Miledh  of  Esbain, 
can  dispute  the  first  place.  Other  tribes  are, 
it  is  true,  still  represented  by  nominal  chiefs, 
who  usurp  the  ancient  elective  titles  of  their 
septs — titles  which  could  only  be  conferred, 
either  by  tbe  voice  of  tbe  majority  of  their  tribes. 
or  by  the  Iiead-chieftain  of  their  kindred — and 
some  do  even  coin  new  quasi-Irish  titles  for 
themselves,  never  heard  of  in  the  days  when 
the  Gaels  flourished  They  dub  themselves 
The  O' — or  The  Ma? — merely  because  tboy 
chance  to  retain,  or  acquire  some  portion  of  tbe 
ancient  inheritance  of  their  kindred  ;  but  they 
never  think  of  asking  tbe  consent  of  tbe  mem- 
bers of  such  kindred  to  tbe  assumption,  and 
they  never  at  all  consider  whether  tbc-y  are 
themselves  tbe  best  men  of  their  several  races. 
The  Ui  Briain,  however,  are  now  represented 
by  no  sucli  self-created  chiefs.  William  Smith 
0''Briev  needs  not  the  assumption  of  tbe  ancient 
title  of  his  family,  be  needs  not  set  forth  bis 
clear  and  unquestioned  descent  from  its  founder, 
Brian  Boromha,  for  the  chieftain's  wand  is  his, 
because  he  is  pre-eminent  amongst  his  tribe 
for  his  personal  worth,  and  for  bis  devotion  to 
the  caase  of  old  Ireland — because  be  is  the  first 
of  his  tribe  in  truth,  honor,  chivalry,  and  all 
that  ennobles  the  hero,  the  patriot,  and  the 
man. — Ed. 


2.  O'DEGHADn,  or  O'Dea,  chief  of  Trlocha 
TT.acbtaracb,  called  also  Kinel  Fermaicand  Disert 
Ui  Dhegha,  or  Dysart  O  Dea,  now  the  parish  of 
Dysart,  barony  of  Inchiquin,  county  of  Clare. 
The  O'Deas  are  thus  mentioned  by  O'lleerin  : 

"  With  due  respect  we  give  the  lead 
To  the  high  lands  of  Triocba  Uachtar, 
O'Dea  is  tlie  inheritor  of  tbe  country. 
Of  the  brown  nut  producing  plains  ' 

The  O'Deas  bad  several  castles  in  this  terri- 
tory, of  which  some  ruins  still  remain. 

3.  O'CuiN,  or  O'Quin,  chief  of  Muintir 
Ifernain,  a  territory  about  Curofln  in  the  county 
of  Clare.  Ui  Ifernain,  was  tbe  name  of  tbe 
tribe  who  possessed  the  territory  over  which 
O'Quin  n"a3  chief  Tbey  are  thus  mentioned 
by  O'Heerin: 

"  O'Quin  of  the  honest  heart, 
Is  chief  of  the  bountiful  Ui  Ifernain, 
Whose  land  is  fruitful  and  fair. 
Around  Curofln  of  tbe  banquets." 

4.  CFlaitiiri,  or  O'FIattery,  and  O'Cathaill, 
or  O'Cabil,  chiefs  of  Finn-coradb.  They  are 
thus  designated  by  O'Heerin  : 

"  O'Flatbri  who  commands  our  praise, 
Possesses  tbe  land  of  Fincbora, 
The  country  of  O'Cahil  to  the  east  and  west 
Is  the  smooth  plain  of  tbe  fields  of  yews." 

5.  O'Maoilmeda,  chief  of  Kinel  m-Baith,  or 
Brentire,  now  Brentry,  near  Callan  Hill,  in  tbe 
county  of  Clare.  They  are  thus  mentioned  by 
O'Heerin  : 

"Kinel  Baitb  a  numerous  tribe. 
The  noble  chiefs  of  I  rentiri, 
O'Mulmea  of  the  bright  fair  plains, 
Possessed  tbe  woods  about  delightful  Einigh." 

6.  O'HAixncmn,  or  O'Hehirs,  chiefs  of  Hy 
Flanchadha  and  Hy  Cormac.  districts  in  the 
barony  of  Islands,  county  of  Clare.  They  are 
thus  designated  by  O'Heerin  : 

"Of  the  race  of  Eogan  of  Oirir  Cliach 
Are  the  Ui  Cormaic  of  the  fair  plain, 
To  O'Hehir  belongs  tbe  fertile  country, 
A  lord  from  whom  great  nobles  sprung. 

"  Chiefs  who  are  powerful  in  each  bouse 
Are  of  tbe  noble  clans  of  O'Hehir, 
They  rule  over  Ui  Flancha  of  hospitable  man- 
sions, 
Tbey  are  noble  and  well  armed  Fenian  war- 
riors." 

7.  O'DiriBnGHrax.  or  n'Duigin,  chief  of  Muin- 
tir Conlocbtaidb,  a  district  in  the  pari.sh  of  Tom- 
graney,  in  tbe  barony  of  TuUagh,  county  of 
Clare,  is  thus  mentioned  by  O'Heerin  : 

"  O'Duigin  of  fair  and  ruddy  face 
Rules  over  comely  Muinter  Conlochta, 
A  chief  who  gained  bis  possessions 
By  force  of  spears  ia  battle.'' 

8.  O'Grad.v,  or  O'Grady,  chief  of  Kinel  Don- 
phuile,  a  larse  territory  comprising  the  present 
barony  of  Lower  Tullajb,  in  tbe  county  of  Clare. 
The  O'Gr.adys  are  thus  designated  by  O'Heerin, 
and  several  chiefs  of  them  are  mentioned  in  tho 
course  of  this  work : 


106 


TOPOGRAPHICAL    APPENDIX. 


"O'Grada  took  the  entire  lands  15.  0"MAELMArABA,  or  O'Mackessy,  chief  of 

Of  ttie  proiitable  Kind  Dongali,  CorcaOiciie;  andOBerga. chi<'f  of  Tiiatli  Ilossa, 

His  swords  yeilow-bal':ed  Jire  keen,  districts  in  tlie  county  of  Limerick,  are  thus 

Strong  are  the  blows  of  his  forces  in  battle."  mentioned  by  O'Heerin : 


9.  Mac  Conmara,  or  Mac  Kamara.  The  Mac 
Namaras  have  taken  their  name  from  one  of 
their  ancient  cbiefs  in  the  tenth  century  named 
Cumara.  a  descendant  of  Conall  Echiuatb.  or 
Conall  of  the  Swift  Steeds,  who  was  king  of 
Munstcr  In  the  fourth  century.  The  word  Cu- 
mara makes,  in  the  ircnitive.  Conmara,  and 
signifies  a  warrior  of  the  sea.  The  Mac  Nama- 
ras were  chiefs  of  Tricha  Ced  I'i  Caisin,  which 
territory  is  now  the  barony  of  Tullagh,  in  the 
county  of  Clare  ;  it  contained  also  part  of  the 
barony  of  Bunratty.  The  *  ac  Namaras  are  also 
sometimes  styled  cliiefs  of  Clan  Cuileain,  which 
was  the  tribe  name  of  his  family.  The  Mac  Na- 
maras are  thus  designated  by  Oileerin : 

'•  A  princely  chief  of  well  fought  battles 
Is  Mac  Namara  from  Magh  Adair, 
A  land  of  riches  is  liis  country. 
It  is  tli8  territory  of  Clan  Caisin.'' 

The  Mac  Namaras  held  the  office  of  hereditary 
marshals  of  Thomond,  where  they  had  numer- 
ous castles 

10.  O'CosCHTiBnAiK,  or  (/'Conor,  chief  of  Tri- 
ocha  <"ed  Fer  n  Arda  and  of  Corcamruadh,  the 
ancient  name  of  the  barony  of  Corcomroe,  in  the 
county  of  Clare,  anciently  called  Crioch  Cuirc, 
or  the  territory  of  Core,  which  name  it  got  from 
Core,  prince  of  the  r.ice  of  Ir  from  Ulster,  who 
settled  there  in  the  first  century.  TheO'Conors 
are  thus  designated  by  Oileerin : 

"  The  territory  of  Fer  Arda  of  go  d, 
Corcomroe  of  the  hosts  of  flashing  battalions, 
O'Conor  obtained  the  land, 
The  heights  from  delightful  Conagh." 

11.  O'LocHLAiNN,  or  O'Lonehlin,  chief  of 
Boirenn  now  the  barony  of  Burren,  county  of 
Clare,  sometimes  called  Eastern  Corcomroe ; 
they  are  thus  mentioned  by  O'Heerin  : 

••Warlike  O'Lochlin,  leader  of  hosts, 
Bulcs  o'er  the  fertile  plains  of  Burren, 
The  lands  of  Core  he  holds  by  right, 
A  country  of  cattle  and  abundant  wealth." 

They  held  their  rank  as  lords  of  Bnrren  down 
to  the  reign  of  Elizabeth.  These  O'Conors  and 
O'Loghllns  were  of  the  same  descent. 

12.  Mao  Aneip.idiie,  or  Mac  Eneiry,  chief  of 
Corca  Muikedha,  also  called  Conaill  Uachtarach, 
or  the  barony  of  Upper  Conello,  in  the  county  of 
Limerick. 

■'  Mac  Eneiry,  hero  of  precious  gems, 
Rules  Corca  Muikeda  of  the  mounds, 
A  noble  Fenian  who  doth  flourish, 
As  doth  fair  bloom  on  apple  tree.' 

13.  OBII.I.RAIDHE,  a  chief  in  I'I  {'onnill  G.ib- 
hra,  now  the  baronies  of  ('ppcr  and  Lower  Con- 
ello, in  the  county  of  Limerick,  is  thus  men- 
tioned by  O'Heeiin: 

•'O'Billry,  bestower  of  cattle. 
Was  cliief  of  fertile  Conall  Oaura, 
Bounteous  men  of  tlie  fair  plains, 
liich  lands  of  teeming  irops." 


"  Corca  Oichi  of  pleasant  woods. 
Sand  white  mantles  and  clear  streams, 
Land  of  great  fertility. 
Is  govornod  by  O'Maelmacasa, 
O'Berga  of  fair  country  iield. 
The  districts  of  I'i  Eossa,  a  ricli  portion." 

16.  O'MAELCUALLors',  now  MulhoUand,  a  chief 
in  Cacnraidhc,  now  the  baronj'  of  Kenry,  county 
of  Limerick,  is  thus  mentioned  by  Oileerin: 

"  The  Fenian  chief  of  Kenry  of  fair  lands, 
Is  O'Mulcallen  of  the  numerous  tribe." 

17.  O'Cleirhcixn  and  CFlanxabhua,  or  O' 
Flanncry,  chiefs  of  Dal  Carbri  Aedhbha,  a  ter- 
ritory in  the  barony  of  Kenry,  in  the  co  nty  of 
Limerick,  thus  mentioned  by  Oileerin: 

"The  portion  of  th-  delightful  Dal  CarSri  Eva, 
Princes  of  Cashcl  of  white  f^tandards, 
Lasting  is  his  prosperity  to  the  cO'  ntry. 
The  brave  an  i  high  chief  O  Cleircinn." 

18.  O'DoxNOBiiAiN,  or  O'Donovan,  is  given 
by  O'Brien  at  the  word  <  airbre,  as  chief  of 
Cairbre  Aodhbha,  now  the  barony  of  Kenry, 
m  the  county  of  Limerick,  which  was  the  an- 
cient territory  of  O'Donovan,  O'Cleirchin,  and 
O'Flanncry ;  O'Donovan  is  thus  designated  by 
O'Heerin : 

"  Heirdom  of  O'Donovan  of  Dun  Cuirc, 
Is  this  district,  the  land  of  his  fortune. 
To  him  without  tribute  belongs  Maihmoill, 
And  the  level  plains  down  to  Shannon." 

The  O'Donovans  had  their  chief  castle  at  Bruree. 

19.  O'CiARMAic,  anglicised  O'Kirwick  and 
Kirby,  chief  of  Eoganacht  Ani.  called  by  O'Hal- 
loran,  Ani  Cliach  now  the  parish  of  Knockaney, 
in  the  barony  of  Small  County,  county  of  Limer- 
ick. The  O'Kerwicks  are  thus  mentioned  by 
Oileerin: 

"  Of  Eoganacht  Ani  of  wealthy  lands, 
O'Kirwick  is  the  mainstay  of  the  territory, 
A  country  inhabited  by  the  most  noble  tribes. 
They  arc  Ui  Enda,  Ani,  and  Auluim." 

20.  O'Maelduin,  or  O'Muldoon.  is  also  given  as 
a  chief  in  Eoganacht  Ani,  and  thus  mentioned  by 
O'Heerin : 

"The  race  of  O'Maelduin  from  Dun  Cais, 
Over  Eoganacht  Ani  in  order  rules — 
A  numerous  tribe  from  o'er  the  waves. 
These  armed  Fenians  from  Aughrim." 

21.  O'CiNNFAELAinii,  now  O'Kinealy,  chief  of 
Eoganacht  Grian  Gabhra,  a  district  comprising 
parts  of  the  baronies  of  Coshma  and  Small 
countv,  in  Limerick,  and  thus  mentioned  by 
O'Heerin  : 

"The  Eoganacht  of  fertile  Qrian  Gaura, 
A  land  producing  sweetest  apples, 
A  crown  of  female  households  in  fame, 
Belongs  to  O'Kinfaela  of  red  arms. 


14.  O'Cl'illei.s,  or  O'Cullane,  by  some  ron-  22.  O'Conttino,  a  name  anglicised   to  Gnn- 

dered  Collins;  O'Kenealy  and  O'Shechan,  were  ninsf,  was  chii'f  of  Crioch  Saingil  and  Acs  Qrcnl, 

chiefs  in  the  baronies  of  ConuUo,  county  of  Llm-  which   trrritories  arc  now   coriiprlsi-d   In    the 

erick.  barony  of  Small  county,  in  Liiucrlck,    Crioch 


TOPOGKAI'IJICAL    APPENDIX. 


0} 


iVi 


Saingil  is  called  Single  Land,  and  situated  Bear 
by  O'Ueerin :      °  ^"""'"«^  ^'^  '^^  mentioned 

•'  Acs  Greni  of  the  finest  plains, 
^^as  "wued  by  OCiinin-;  ofCriocli  Saingil, 
He  ehecrlully  held  tlie  beautious  Grian 
t  rom  tlie  noble  race  of  Eogan." 

rv??"  O'Caelaidii,  OCadiila,  or  O'Kecly :  and 
O  Maille,  or  (J-Malley,  are  given  as  chiefs  of  Tu 

oj    ni'?'"^''®'  ""^  "'*'  '^'«'^'■''^t  ''bout  Limerick 
'■*•  L>  Ceadfadua  is  given  as  chief  of  Triocna- 

Coad-an  Chalaidh,  called  Gala  Luimne,  that  A 

•he  port  or  ferry  of  Limerick, 
-'o.  OIIaodua,    O'IIea,  or    Hayes    chief  of 

Musgraidhe  Luachra,  a  territory  lyfng  be  ween 

Kilmallock   and  Ardpatrick,  in'  the  barony  of 

s'gn'aird  brc^Sfuf  "'  ^""""^'^'  -  "'-  -i- 

'•O'Hea,  the  bestower  ofcattle. 
Has  held  the  vide  Musgi-ui.le  Luach  a. 
The   ribe  of  the  liur  land  of  melodious  song, 
Dwelt  along  the  great  salmon  stream." 

inf'ffú'Xv^T''t-^l"  "":  ^íu'nter  Domhnaill, 
R.f-k?n^  ^t-  ^'  chiels  of  Triooha  Cead  Corca 
liai^kmd,  which  accordmgto  O'Halloran,  is  now 
tlie  barony  of  Moyart^  in  the  county  of  Clare 
^Iiolcorcra  js  given  as  chief  of  Ui  Brecain' 

rorca  R,- r  "-^  "'■  ^'^'■"'•'^''^°-     ^°  the  poem  two 
Gorca  Baibkins  are  mentioned,  one  of  which  m-.is 

r^^f  w?^',f  f',^"'"''''''^^^'-     -^i«=  Donneirs  dis- 
trict  was  cjdled  Darach  :  he  was  also  called  O'- 

O'Heerin-  "'"'''''  '''''  """"  designated  by 

"  Two  cantreds  we  record. 
The  two  delightful  Gorca  Baiskins, 
Ihe  Mac  Donnells  were  its  inheritors 
Ihe  host  who  have  shared  the  country. 

"Another  chief  of  this  land  of  music 
Noble  is  the  origin  of  his  descent, 
Was  O'Baiskinn's  stately  tree, 
A  tribe  that  marched  with  force. 


"  O'Dicholla's  possessions  Ijy  iuherilMK.- 
A.?  '".f;"''C<"."i-oe  of  the  intrepid  l-attalions. 
Also  O  Maeleithigh  of  the  hospitable 
W  ho  znaintained  Ids  hereditary  rights." 

chief  of  bheve  Lise  Finn  and  of  Kinel  Pedna  a 
district  on  the  borders  of  Glare  and  Gal wa' is 
thus  mentioned  by  o'Heerin  :  "a.waj ,  is 

"The  lands  about  the  fair  Slicve  Else 
Are  possessed  by  the  Clan  Sedna  of  melodious 

oaras, 

ÍV'IHT,'"^  firmly  support  their  clans  ; 
^hiel  of  their  territory  is  O'Drennan." 

31  O'Neill  or  O'Nihell,  chief  of  Clan  Dcl- 
buidhe  and  of  Tradraidhe.  a  district  in  the  barony 
^'/"r^«J"!°'  county  0Í  Clare,  is  thus  mentioned 
0}  Ulieeiin: 

"The  land  of  Clan  Dalvy  of  the  poets 
A^as  ruled  by  O'Neill,  chief  of  Finnluarach,     • 
i  he  forces  of  Tradree  came  to  his  fortress, 
ihe  descendant  of  the  yellow-haired  chiefs." 

,•  ,^t'  ^-^f  O'CjiEAGHS,  many  of  whom  were  val- 
mLr  V"'  ^''''""'  ^"'"'^^^  victories  over  the 
iJanes  :  and  on  one  occasion,  having  worn  green 

.^S."  "I  '^'''  ^"''"^^t*-  '^^y  f^om^this  drfum" 
stance  got  the  name  (/Crao/bh,  which  signifies, 

Creth   '"of  íh•■''f''^'^''™'^'^«^  anglicised  to 

V^t^!„"  r  1  'v'^'  ^""'y  '•'''^  Wchard  Creagh, 

?iP^  A   1?'*  Íí2l"=  Archbishop  of  Armagh,  wdio 

t;!.,   t'  7'  ^°^°'/n  eminent  writer  on  ecclesias- 

Q      r^-,".'^'  ""'^  *''°  ''^■'■s  of 't^e  h-ish  saincs. 

ATntf-,  r'^^u^'^'i^*'''  °'"    O'Davoran,    chief   of 

^ZJ^ek'^^^,"^^'''  °'"  ^^"  OLiddys,  the  tribe 
name  of  this  clan. 

"Ím  ?^J'X?r^^^  of  wise  and  learned  men, 
C Mefs  of  O  Liddy  of  whom  I  treat. 
They  belonged  to  the  clans  of  Sinnell 
And  are  the  maintainers  of  nobility." 


•The  lord  of  Ibraekan  of  silken  garments 
A  chief  who  musters  mighty  forces         ' 
Is  O'Maelcorcra  of  wide'fame,         ' 
Whose  laud  extends  from  both  the  bays. 

■•The  two  territories  of  the  entire  Tochla 
Are  possessed  by  the  valiant  race  of  Coiaii 
Along  the  land  of  Braen-magh  'tis  true 
Its  lawful  defender  is  O  KceV—  ' 

We  leave  the  race  of  Conari  of  Battles, 
Ihe  princes  of  Erna  of  the  golden  shields." 

if'""\i"v^  MATnoHAMiiNA,  or  Mac  Mahon.  The 
^/c^r^^T  ^'.■«'■'"'^■•V''«  «f'"^'^  fW^fs  as  lords 
'  f  ?r  P'^'""?"^,  """.'^  possessed  the  baronies 
of  Moyavta  and  Clonderlaw,  in  the  county  of 
Clare  down  to  the  reign  of  Elizabeth.  The 
Mac  Mahons  are  a  l)ranch  of  the  O'Brien»  the 
posterity  of  Brian  Boru,  and  therefore,  of  qui  e 
:i  difterent  descent  from  the  Mac  Mahons.  lords 
of  Monaghan,  who  are  of  the  race  of  Clan  Colla 

2*.  O'GoEMAiN,  or  O'Gorman,  was  chief  of 
TuUichrin  a  territory  comprising  parts  of  the 
of  Clare'  "'^  ^°>''""*'^  '"'^  Ibraekan,  ijl  the  county 

29  O'DicuoLLA  and  O'Maeleithigh,  are  ''iven 
as  chiels  of  Corcomroe,  in  the  county  of  Siaro 
andthus  mentioned  by  O'Heerin:  '  '■''«'^e, 


r,ot  .,  ^  Moi-oNETs  were  chiefs  of  Cuilte- 

fn^i  T  ''^^Paf'sh  of  Kiltonanlea.  in  the  barony 
'"*ie  barony  of  Tully,  county  of  Clare. 
r-K  -^u^  i-EAENETS,    chiefs    of  Abhuin    Ui 

Chearnaidh,  or  O'Kearney-s  river,  a  district 
^^°"' Six-Mile-Bridge,  in  the  baronies  cf  Tu U 
and  Bunratty,  county  of  Clare. 

86.  The  O'Caseys  given  as  chiefs  of  Eath- 
Limwiik  -^  °^  Pnbblebrien,  county  of 

37    The  O'DiNNAHA-s  or  O'Dinans,  chiefs  of 
L  auhne,  now  the  barony  of  Owney beg,  in  Lime- 
s':'.  The  OHallinans   and    Mac  SnEEHTS 
chiefs  of  Bally  hallinan,  in  the  barony  of  Pubble' 
bnen,  county  of  Limerick.  '        ^  ""^^'^ 

3:».  The  O'Hallorans,  chiefs  of  Faith  ui-IIaí- 
urain,  a  district  between  Tulla  and  Clare,  in 
thecoiinty  of  Clare.  v^me,  ju 

Mi^;  V\^  'V°  ^í"'-'-^  Iosachta,  .1  name  an- 
glicised to  Ly.saght  are  placed  on  the  map  of 
Ortelius,  about  Lnnistymon. 

41.  Ihe  Mac  CoNsiDixES,  are  placed  in  the 
barony  of  Ibraekan. 

II"  Í!"'  9^^"^^*'  •"  ^^'^  barony  of  Burren. 
ClondJilaw^^''  GiLi-EREAOHs,  in  the  barony  of 

44.  The  Mac  Clancvs,  in  the  barony  of  Tnlla 

4o.  1  he  Mac  Bruodins,  in  the  barony  of 
Inohiquin,  all  in  the  county  of  Clare 

The  following  families  are  also  placed  on  the 
map.  m  the  county  of  Limerick:  the  Mac  Arthurs 
m  the  barony  of  Pubblebrien ;  the  O'Scanlans  in 


•08 


TOPOGRAPHICAL   APPENDIX. 


tho  b.irony  of  rubblebrien  ;  and  the  O'Mornj-s, 
in  the  barony  of  Lower  (Jonello 

In  the  year  llSil.  kin?  Henry  II.  granted  the 
kin<^doin  of  Liraeriek  to  Herbert  i-itzlierbcrt, 
but  he  having  resisrned  his  claiius,  it  was  granted 
by  king  John  to  William  and  Philip  de  Braosa. 
In  the  latter  end  of  the  twelfth,  and  beginning 
of  the  thirteenth  century,  the  Anglo  Normans 
penetrated  into  Thomond,  and  formed  some  set- 
tlements about  Limerick,  under  William  de 
Kraosa  and  William  de  Burgo ;  and  in  the  thir- 
teenth century,  king  Henry  IIL  gave  a  g'-ant  of 
the  whole  kingdom"  of  Thomond,  or  O'Briens 
Ci'iiitti-t/,  to  Thomas  de  Clare,  son  of  the  earl  of 
Gloucester;  and  the  Fitzgeralds,  Burkes,  and 
other  Anglo-Norman  families,  also  got  large  i  os- 
sions  in  Limerick  and  Clare.  The  O'Briens,  and 
other  chiefs,  maintained  for  centuries  fierce  con- 
tests with  the  Anglo-Norman  and  English  set- 
tlers, in  defence  of  their  national  independence. 
The  following  were  the  chief  families  of  Anglo- 
Normans,  and  early  English  settlers,  in  the 
counties  of  Limerick  and  t'lare.  The  de  Burgos 
or  Burkes,  Fitzseralds,  Fitzgibbons,  a  branch  of 
the  Fitzgeralds,  the  i  c  Clares,  De  Lacies, 
Browns,  Barretts,  Koches,  Eussels,  Sarsfields, 
Stritcbes,  Purcells,  &c. 

Oemo>"I)  and  the  Desi. 

Ormond,  in  Irish  Oir  Miimhan,  Oir  Mumha, 
or  U'-mhumha,  [Orrooa,  or  Orruvu,]  signify 
ing  East  Munster,  was  one  of  the  large  divisions 
of  ancient  Munster.  Ancient  Ormond  extended 
from  Gabhran,  now  Gowran,  in  the  county  of 
Kilkenny,  and  westward  to  Cnamhehoili,  or 
Cleath-choill,  [Cnaichill.  or  C'ag/iil/.]  near  the 
town  of  Tipperary,  and  from  Bearnan  Ele,  now 
Caroanelly,  a  parish  in  the  county  of  Tipperary, 
in  which  is  situated  the  Devil's  I?it  Mountaiu, 
and  from  thence  southward  to  ()ilean-ui-Bliric, 
[l/-kitim'e^-  Vrú:]oT  O  Bric's  Island,  near  Bonma- 
lion,  on  the  coast  of  Waterford,  thus  comprising 
the  irreater  part  of  Tipperary,  with  parts  of  the 
counties  of  Kilkenny  and  Waterford.  The  name 
of  Ormond  is  still  retrained  in  the  two  baronies 
of  Ormond,  in  Tipperary. 

The  Dk9i,  was  an  ancient  territory  comprising 
tbe  greater  part  of  Waterford,  with  a  part  of 
Tipperary,  and  got  its  name  from  the  tribe  of 
the  Oe»i.  The  Desians  becoming  numerous  and 
poweiful  in  Munster,  Aencus,  king  of  Munster 
in  the  (ifih  century,  conferred  on  them  addi- 
tional land",  and  annexed  to  their  territory  Magh 
Femhen,  which  extended  north  of  the  river  Suir, 
as  far  as  Corca  Ethrach,  comprising:  the  country 
culled  Machari  Casil,  or  the  I'lain  of  Cashel,  and 
districts  about  Clonmel.  forming  the  present 
barony  of  Middlethird,  with  part  of  OtTa,  in  Tip- 
perary. The  territory  comprised  in  this  grant 
of  king  Aengus  was  distinu'uished  by  the  name 
of  Desi  Tuaiskert,  or  North  Desi,  and  the  old 
territory,  in  Waterford,  was  called  Desi  Dcis- 
kert,  or  South  Desi.  The  name  of  Desi  is  still 
retained  in  the  two  baronies  of  Decies,  in  the 
cotinty  of  Wateribrd,  The  two  principal  faml 
lies  of  the  Desi  were  the  O'Felans,  princes  of 
Desi,  and  the  CBrics,  chiefs  in  Desi. 

/rixk  CtiS/fs  arul  Clann  of  Ormon  I  and  iJeni. 

The  folliiwing  is  an  account  of  the  chiefs  and 
clans  of  Ormond  and  Desi,  and  tho  territories 
posflcssed  by  each  in  ancient  and  modem  times, 
collected  from  various  works.  /7i  Z>e»i  the  fol- 
lowing were  the  chiefs  and  clans : 

1.  0'Faf.lain,  or  OTelan.  The  O'Felans 
were  princes  of  Dosl.  Malachy  O'Felan  was 
prince  of  Desi  at  the  period  of  the  Anglo-Nor- 
man Invasion.    Soon  after  they  lost  their  posses- 


sions and  rank  in  the  county  of  Waterford,  and 
their  territory  was  transferred  to  the  Le  I'ocrs, 
and  other  Anglo-Norman  settlers,  but  there  still 
survive  several  families  of  the  O  Fclans,  or  Phe- 
lans,  in  the  counties  of  Waterford,  Tipperary, 
Kilkenny  and  Queen's  county. 

2.  O  liKic  was  the  other  head  chief  of  Desics, 
and  of  the  same  descent  as  O'Felan.  The  O'Bric» 
were  .styled  chiefs  or  lords  of  South  Desi,  an 
extensive  territory  in  tho  southern  part  of  Wa- 
terford. but  in  early  times  were  expelled  from 
that  county  by  the  Eugeuians  of  Desmond.  Tho 
territory  of  the  O'Brics  was  also  called  latl» 
O'Nechach.  The  O'Felans  and  O'Brics  are  tlui.s 
designated  by  O'Heerin ; 

"Two  gentle  chiefs  whose  names  I  tell, 
liule  the  Desi,  I  afiirm  it. 
O'Bric  the  exactor  of  tributes. 
With  him  the  wise  and  fair  O'Felan. 

"  In  Moylacha  of  the  fertile  slopes. 
Kules  O  Felan  for  the  benefit  of  his  tribe. 
Great  is  the  allotted  territory 
Of  which  O'Felan  holds  possession. 

"  Ui  Neachaoh  the  delightful  lies 
In  the  south  of  woody  Inis  Fail, 
O'Bric's  fair  lot  along  the  waves, 
From  Leo  Logha  to  Liathdrum." 

3.  O'Bei.uns.  The  O'Briens,  a  branch  of  the 
O'Briens  of  Thomond,  had  extensive  possessions 
along  the  Oummeragh  mountains,  comprising 
the  valleys  between  Jiungarvan  and  the  river 
Suir. 

4.  O'OitOTTiES.  The  O'Crottys,  a  branch  of 
the  O'Briens,  princes  of  Thomond,  possessed  the 
country  about  Lismore,  and  there  are  still  many 
families  of  the  name  in  tho  county  of  Water- 
ford. 

.'■).  The  Mac  Ckaiths,  or  Magraths,  are  old 
and  respectable  families  in  the  county  of  Water- 
ford. There  are  several  other  ancient  Irish 
families  such  as  O'Sheas,  O'Uonayne.s,  O'llelys, 
O'Callaghans,  O'Coghlans,  O'Mearas,  &c.,  in  tho 
county  of  Waterford. 

Ill  Ormond,  the  following  have  been  the 
chiefs  and  clans  of  note.  O'Heerin  thus  des- 
cribes Cashel  in  commencing  his  topography  of 
that  territory : 

'■  W^e  shall  tell  of  our  visit  to  Cashel  of  kings. 
And  to  the  race  of  Core  who  practise  no  evil 

deeds. 
We  shall  unfold  the  history  of  their  tribes. 
And  of  their  sages  and  of  their  people. 

"  Let  us  henceforth  record  each  hero, 
Around  the  plain  of  Cashel's  protecting  ram- 
parts ; 
A  country  of  fruitful  woods,  the  chief  fortre*» ; 
We  are  well  acquainted  with  their  history. 

"  Let  us  give  the  lead  to  the  chief  territory, 
To  Cashel  of  the  smooth  and  level  plain. 
It  is  known  l)y  the  name  Corca  Ethrach, 
And  boldly  over  districts  march  its  battalions. 

"There  dwelleth  the  lord  of  tho  land. 
At  Cashel  of  the  brown-nut  plains, 
In  comfort  and  joy  holds  he  Ids  sway, 
A  protector  to  the  country  of  Cashel." 

1.  O'DoNruADiiA,  or  O'Donoghoe,  was  chief 
of  Eoiianacht  of  Cashel,  and  some  of  them  were 
styled  kings  of  Cashel.  These  O'Donoghoe» 
were  of  the  Eugculanracc,  and  the  same  as  tho 


TOPOGRAPH ICAI.  APPENDIX. 


7<)y 


Mac  Carthys,  kings  of  :  esinond.    They  are  thus 
<lesignatcd" by  Olleerin  : 

"The  Eognnacht  of  Ca^hcl  is  the  plain  of  Kian, 
Ua  Doniicadha  is  its  lineal  inheritor 
Its  name  in  other  times  was  Keineu  ; 
It  extends  to  tlie  border  of  the  brown  nut 
plain." 

The  ancient  Icings  of  Cashel,  or  Munster,  of 
the  Eiigenian  race,  were  inaugur.ated  on  the 
hock  of  Cashel. 

•2.  OKeuhhail,  or  OCarrolI,  prince  of  Eli, 
who  was  the  he:id  of  the  Clan  Kian  race,  a.s  the 
Mac  Carthys  were  of  the  Eugenians,  and  the 
O'lJrieus  of  the  Dalc.a<sians.  The  territory  of 
Ely,  in  Irish  i'/i,  got  its  name  from  Eli,  one  of 
its  kings  in  the  fifth  century,  and  from  being 
]io»sesfed  by  the  O'Carrolls,  was  called  Ely  0' 
Carroll.  It  comprised  the  present  barony  of 
Lower  Ormond,  in  the  county  of  Tipperary, 
with  the  barony  of  Clonlisk  and  part  of  Bally- 
brit,  in  the  King's  county,  extending  to  lieve 
B'.oijm  Mountains,  on  the  borders  of  theQueen"s 
county.  1'he  O'Carrolls  are  thus  designated  by 
O'Hct-rin,  who  states  that  they  ruled  over  eight 
subordinate  chiefs : 

"Lords  to  whom  great  men  submit. 
Are  the  O'Carrolls  of  the  plain  of  Birr  ; 
Princes  of  Eii  as  far  as  tall  Slieve  Bloom, 
The  most  hospitable  land  in  Erin. 

"  Eight  districts  and  eight  chiefs  .ire  ruled 
By  the  prince  of  Eli,  land  of  herds; 
Valiant  in  enforcing  their  tributes. 
Are  the  troops  of  the  jellow-ringleted  hair." 

The  O'Carrolls  had  their  chief  castle  at  Birr, 
in  the  King's  county.  As  princes  and  lords  of 
Eli,  they  were  very  powerful  from  the  twelfth 
to  the  sixteenth  century. 

3.  O'Ceinneide,  O'Kenneidigh,  or  O'Kennedy. 
The  O'Kennedys  are  given  by  O'lleerin  as  chiefs 
of  Glenn  Omra.  They  were  of  the  Daleassian 
race,  and  possessed  the  barony  of  Upper  Or- 
mond, in  the  county  of  Tipperary.  Tliey  were 
very  powerful  chiefs,  and  held  their  rank  from 
the  twelfth  to  the  sixteenth  century.  The 
0''Kennedys  are  thus  mentioned  by  O'lleerin : 

"  O'Kenneidigh,  the  reddener  of  spears. 
Rules  over  the  smooth  and  wide  Glen  Omra, 
His  tribe  possesses  the  brown   plains  gained 

by  valor; 
He  has  obtained  his  land  without  opposition." 

4.  O'ToiEDnKLBUAiDn,  or,  as  it  is  written  in 
the  Books  of  Leacon  and  Ballymote,  O'Urthaile, 
anglicised  to  O'Hurley.  The  O'llurleys  are  of 
the  D.alcassian  race:  this  tribe  was  also  desig 
nated  Clann  Tail,  a  term  which  was  applied  to 
the  Dalcassians.  The  O'llurleys  are  thus  men- 
tioned by  O'lleerin : 

"  O'Hurley  of  the  tribe  of  Tail, 
Near  dwells  Killaloe  of  St.  Flannan; 
Delightful  are  its  woods  and    productive  its 

plains. 
And  from  thence  westward  to  the  Shannon." 

Of  the  O'llurleys  of  Limerick  was  Dermod 
O'Hurley,  a  celebrated  archbishop  of  Cashel,  in 
the  reign  of  Elizabeth. 

5.  O'EicHTiGERN,  O'Ahern  or  Hearne,  chief 
of  Ui  Cearnaidh,  is  thus  mentioned  by  O'llee- 
rin: 


"  Over  Ui  Ccarnaigh  of  valiant  liosts, 
Kules  O'Echtigern  of  the  land  of  tribe», 
A  joyful  country  is  that  of  the  upright  man. 
As  far  as  the  hospitable  port  of  the  Shannon." 

G.  O'Sexciiain  or  O'Slianahan,  by  .=ome  ren- 
dered to  Shannon,  by  others  erroneously  angli- 
cised Fox.  The  O'Shannhans  were  chiefs  of  a 
territory  called  Feadha  1,'i  Kongali,  (  Faa  ee  I'on- 
neelie),  or  the  Woods  of  Ci  Kongali,  comprising 
the  country  about  Eibhiine,  or  Siieve  Feliui. 
The  O'Shanahans  are  thus  mentioned  by  O'llee- 
rin: 

"  The  forest  of  Ui  Rongiili  of  the  level  plain, 
Is  possessed  by  the  hospitable  O'Shanahan, 
The  entire  country  about  Eviinno 
To  the  smooth  plain  of  Maenmagh." 

V.  O'DtJBURAio,  or  O'l>oorie,  of  Doon  Branni 
and  Tuath  Congali  is  thus  mentioned  by  O'llee- 
rin : 

"The  Clan  Dubhraic  of  Dun  Braine, 
Are  chiefs  of  the  country  of  Ui  Congale, 
Their  fortresses  lie  round  the  beauteous  Bo- 

ruma, 
A  tribe  remarkable  for  their  golden  tresses." 

S.  O'DriBuiBHiR,  O'DcriBHii:,  or  O'Dwyer,  is 
given  by  O'lleerin  as  chief  of  Ui  xVmlirith,  or 
Aimrit,  and  thus  designated : 

"  Ui  Aimrit,  the  land  of  hospitality, 
Is  inherited  by  the  tribe  O'iJwyer; 
Above  all  others  they  own  the  country. 
They  are  the  pillars  each  battle  ford." 

The  O'Dwyers  were  a  branch  of  the  Hcremo- 
nians  of  Leinster,  and  chiefs  of  notes  in  ancient 
times ;  they  possessed  an  extensive  territory  in 
the  present  barony  of  Kilnamanagh,  county  of 
Tipperary,  and  there  are  still  several  respectable 
families  of  the  name  in  that  county.  Some  of 
the  O'Dwyers  ware  commanders  in  the  Irish 
brigade  in  the  service  of  France.  General 
O'Dwyer  is  mentioned  by  Mac  Oeoghegan  as 
governor  of  Belgrade,  and  there  was  an  admiral 
O'Dwyer  in  the  Russian  service. 

9.  O'Deagha,  or  O'Dea,  and  O'llolilla.  are 
given  by  O'Heeriu  as  chiefs  of  Sliabh  Ardach, 
now  the  barony  of  Slieveardagh.  in  Tipperary, 
and  ti)us  mentioned  in  the  topographical  poem : 

"Slieve  Ardagh  of  the  fair  lands 
O'Dea  inherits  as  his  estate, 
A  band  of  that  tribe  from  the  head  of  the 

plain, 
And  also  O'llolilla  from  Binn  Bracain." 

10.  O'Carthaidh,  or  O'Carthy,  chief  of  Mui- 
scridh  larthar  Feimin,  Is  thus  mentioned  by 
O'lleerin : 

"The  portion  of  O'Carthy  by  right 
Is  Muscry-Iarhar-Feimin, 
Rath-na-ni-Brandubh  is  now  its  name, 
A  name  well  known  to  fame. 

This  territory,  was  situated  near  Emly,  in  Tip- 
perary. 

11.  O'Mearaidhe,  or  O'Mear.a,  chief  of  Ui  Fa 
thaidh,  Ui  Niaill,  and  Ui  Eochaidh  Finn.  The 
O'.Mearas  had  an  extensive  territory  in  the  ba- 
rony of  Upper  Ormond.  county  of  Tipperary, 
and  the  name  of  their  chief  residence,  Tuaim-ni- 
Meara,  is  still  retained  in  the  town  of  Toomn- 
vara,  in  that  district.  They  are  tlius  designated 
by  O'lleerin  ; 


7iO 


TOPOGRAPHICAL    APPENDIX. 


"  O'Mcara,  a  coolly  prince, 
The  chief  of  I'i  Fahy,  hold  wide  lauds, 
And  Vi  Ni;iill  of  tlie'race  of  Eogan  the  Fair, 
Are  all  tho  heroes  whom  I  enumerate." 

12  O'Meachaib,  or  0"Mcaghar,  by  some  ren- 
dered Maher,  chief  of  Crich-ui-Cairin,  (Kreeh- 
ee-Karrin  i,  i.  e  0"Carin"s  territory,  is  thus 
mentioned  by  Ollecrin : 

"  Powerfully  have  they  peopled  their  land, 
The  OMeaphcrs  of  the  land  of  Ui  Carin, 
The  tribe  who  dwell  at  Bearnan  Eli, 
It  is  right  to  extol  their  fame." 

The  O'Meashers  were  formerly  powerful  chiefs, 
and  h.vl  the  territory  tow  forming  the  barony  of 
Ikerrin,  in  the  county  of  Tipperary. 

13.  •  "Flasagai!!,  or  O'Flanagans,  chiefs  of 
Uachtar  Tire,  (Ooghtar  lleerie\  and  of  Kinel 
Arga,  are  thus  mentioned  by  0"IIeerin  : 

■•OFlanapiin  holds  the  country 
Of  Uiictitar  Tire,  a  rich  and  fertile  land, 
Which  always  yields  the  choicest  produce — 
The  plain   is  ciad  with  a  matchless  verdant 
mantle 

"  OTIanasain  of  the  miphty  hand. 
Is  chief  of  the  entire  of  Kinel  Arga, 
He  is  of  the  race  of  Tadg,  the  son  of  Kian  the 

Sage, 
Of  the  noble  hospitable  stock  of  Olild." 

It  appears  that  there  were  two  chiefs  of  thtse 
OFl.ina^ans,  one  of  Kinel  Arja,  a  district  in  Eli 
O'Carroll.  in  the  King's  county,  and  the  other  of 
Uachtar  Tire,  or  the  upper  country,  in  the  baro- 
ny of  Iffa  and  Offa,  on  the  borders  of  Tipperary 
and  Wax  rford 

14  O'I'.REiSLF.tv,  or  O'BrcsIan,  chief  of  Ui 
Athaidh  Eli,  is  thus  mentioned  by  0"IIeerin : 

"  Ui  Athaidh,  of  Eli,  a.s  far  as  the  shore. 
It  w:us  obtained  by  the  force  of  battle, 
Ita  fierce  chief  and  brave  in  conflict, 
Is  O'Breslen  of  the  well-proportioned  limbs." 

This  territory  appears  to  have  been  a  part  of 
Ely  O'CarroU,  situated  near  the  Shannon.  These 
O'Bre.^lans  were  probably  a  branch  of  the  O'Bres- 
lans  of  Donegal 

1.5.  0"CEiN,orO'Kean,  chief  of  HyFodhladha, 
a  district  supposed  to  be  on  the  borders  of  Tip- 
perary and  Waterford,  is  thug  mentioned  by  O'- 
Hecrin : 

"  Ui  Foladha  it  is  onr  duty  to  record, 
We  treat  of  its  blooming  forest, 
O'Kean  from  Machuin  Meadaidli, 
His  fame  shall  spread  over  tribes." 

IC.  O'DoNNAOAiN.  or  O'Donnegan, Is  given  by 
O'lleerin  as  high  prince  of  Aradli,  and  thus  des 
ignated  : 

"The  high  prince  of  Ara,  who  rules  over  its 
tribes. 
Is  O'Donnagain  of  the  hospitable  countenance. 
The  country  yields  plenty  of  produce, 
To  the  prince  of  Ara  in  great  abundance." 

The  0"Donnegans  were  of  tho  race  of  the 
Clanna  Deagadh,  or  Ernans  of  Ulster,  and,  ac- 
cording to  the  Annals  of  Inisfallen.  were  princes 
of  Muscraide  Thirl,  now  Lower  Onnond,  in  Tip- 
perary, or,  according  to  O'llalloran,  they  had 
Aradh  Cliach,  In  Tipperary,  now  the  barony  of 


Owney  and  Arm,  as  mentioned  in  the  foregoing 
verse. 

)7.  O'DoNKOALAiDH,  or  O'Donnclly,  ond  O'- 
Fuirig,  probably  O'Furrcy,  are  also  given  by 
O'lleerin  as  chiefs  in  Muiscrith  Tire,  and  thus 
designated : 

"  Over  Muscry  Tire  of  hospitality, 
Rule  two  of  the  most  noble  chiefs, 
O'Dongally  and  also  O'Fuirig, 
They  are   of  Ormond  of  the  smooth  fertile 
plain." 

IS  O'StnLLiBiiAiN,  or  O'SuUivan,  is  given  by 
O'lleerin  as  chief  of  Eoganacht  Mor  of  Cr.oc 
Eaffan,  and  thus  designated : 

"  O'Sullivan,  who  delights  not  in  violence, 
Eules  over  the  great  Eoganacht  of  Munster ; 
Around  Knockfaffan  he  obtained  his  lands. 
After  the  victory  of  conflicts  and  battles." 

These  O'Sullivans  afterwards  migrated  to 
Beara.  in  the  county  of  Cork,  and  of  them  an 
account  has  been  given  in  the  note  on  Desmond. 

1Í».  OToGAKTAfcn,  or  O'Fogarty,  is  given  by 
O'lleerin  as  chief  of  Eli  Deiskert,'or  south  Ely, 
and  thus  designated: 

"  South  Ely  of  well  established  tributes — 
Its  clans  are  of  the  race  of  Eocaidh  Baldcrg — 
A  country  of  affluence,  abounding  in  hazel 

woods. 
It  is  the  land  which  O'Fogarty  obtained." 

The  O'Fogartys  were  chiefs  of  Eile  ui  Fhogar- 
taigh,  [Aylf/  Og'arti/.]  now  the  barony  of  Elio- 
garty,  in 'Tipperary,  and  had  their  chief  seats 
about  Tlmrles  ;  it  was  called  South  Ely  to  dis- 
tinguish it  from  North  Ely,  or  Ely  O'Carroll. 

20.  O'CriLLF.ix,  O'CuUcn.  or  Collins,  chief  of 
Eoganacht  Aradh;  O'Caeillidhe,  or  O'Keely. 
chief  of  Aelmuighe,  are  thus  mentioned  by  O' 
Heerin: 

"  O'Cullen  who  has  griined  good  fame, 
Ru  es  over  the  hospitable  Eoganacht  of  Ara; 
Over  the  land  of  the  fair  Aelmagh, 
Kules  the  powerful  and  hospitable  O'Keely." 

The  districts  of  these  chiefs  appear  to  have 
been  in  the  barony  of  Owney  and  Arr.a,  In  Tip- 
perary. 

21.  O'DtTtNP.cnAiR,  a  name  anglicised  to  O* 
Dinnahanc  and  O'Dinan,  and  r)annaher,  is 
given  by  t)'lleerin  aschief  of  Eoganacht  Uaithne 
Agamar,  and  thus  designated  : 

'•  UaithnI  .\gamar,  green  are  its  hills, 
Tho  Eo'.'anacht  of  the  land  of  Cathbadh ; 
Delightful   are   the  borders  of  the   extcn.sive 

plain. 
The  hereditary  right  of  the  clan  of  Dinna- 

hane," 

This  territory  comprised  p.irt  of  the  counties 
of  Tippcrarj-  and  Limerick,  now  the  baronies  of 
Ownev  and  Owneybeg. 

22.  The  O'Ktans.  or  O'Mulrains,  of  Tipperary, 
afterwards  possessed  Owney  in  Tipperary,  and 
Owneybnrg  In  Limerick,  and  are  placed  there 
on  the  Map  of  Ortclius.  These  O'Kyans  were  a 
clan  of  note. 

2.S.  O'Merodiia,  orO'MERGAiN,  chief  of  Eoga- 
nacht Kos  Argld,-ls  thus  mentioned  by  O'lleerin  : 

"  To  O'Mcrgaln  belongs  the  land 
Of  the  mir  Eoganacht  of  Kos  Argid, 
A  lord  in  peace  and  a  vulture  In  war. 
Besides  near  the  great  Cam  Maghanl." 


TOPOGRAPHICAL   APPENDIX. 


711 


24  Mac  Ceoch,  or  Mao  Kengh.  chief  of  Uai- 
thne  Tire,  is  tlius  mentioned  by  O'lleerin  : 

"Over  Uaitlini  Tire  of  rich  produce, 
Jiules  MacKeogh  as  his  chosen  place, 
Tiie  O'Lynches,  men  of  lands. 
Dwell  in  that  wood  opposite  the  foreigners." 

This  territory  was  situated  in  ancient  Owney, 
which  comprised  the  present  baronies  of  Owney 
and  Arra,  in  Tipperary,  and  Owneybeg,  in  Lim- 
erick. 

25.  The  O'Loi.VGSion,  or  O'Lynches,  a  tribe 
mentioned  in  the  foregoing  verse,  as  dwelling 
here  opi)Oiite  the  foreigners,  which  means  th.it 
they  were  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  Danes, 
who  possessed  Limerick. 

26.  O'Ifern.vn,  or  O'Heffernain,  and  0'C.ith- 
alain,  probably  O'Callan,  were  chiefs  of  Uaithne 
Oliach,  and  are  thus  mentioned  by  O'Heerin  : 

"Uathni  Cliach  of  the  fair  bright  sun 
Is  an  estate  to  the  O'lloffernan.s, 
A  clear  plain  by  the  side  of  each  hill, 
Mildly  0\  allan  enjoyed  the  land." 

This  territory  was  situated  in  the  barony  of 
Owney  and  Arra,  county  of  Tipperary,  and  the.se 
0"Het*ernans  were  a  branch  of  the  O'Heifernans 
of  Clare. 

27.  Mac  Lon-gachai-V,  probably  Long,  or  Lon- 
gan,  chief  of  Crota  Cliacli,  and  of  Ui  Cuantich, 
is  thus  mentioned  by  O'Heerin : 

"  A  territory  was  obtained  about  Crota  Cliach, 
By  Mac  Longahan  the  gray-haired  chief; 
He  is  lord  there  of  the  plain  of  hosts, 
Ui  Coonagh  of  the  fair  fertile  lands." 

This  territory  was  situated  partly  in  the  barn- 
ny  of  Owney  and  Arra,  in  Tipperary,  and  partly 
in  the  barony  of  Coonagh,  county  of  Limerick. 
The  O'Dwyers,  of  whom  an  account  has  been 
given  as  chiefs  of  Kilnaraanagh,  in  Tipperary, 
were  also  located  on  the  same  territory  as 
O'Longachan,  and  are  mentioned  in  the  poem  as 
follows : 

"  Of  the  same  tribe  who  own  this  land. 
Are  the  O'l  wyers  of  the  white  teeth, 
The  plain  of  the  seventh  division  and  fine 

fortress 
Is  justly  possessed  by  that  free  tribe." 

2S.  The  O'Lojf  AROANS  were  the  ancient  chiefs 
and  proprietors  of  Cahir,  and  the  adjoining  dis- 
tricts in  Tipperary,  till  the  fourteenth  century, 
when  they  were  dispossesse  1  by  the  I  utlers, 
earls  of  Ormond.  The  O'Lnnargans  were,  in  an- 
cient times,  a  powerful  clan,  and  three  of  them 
are  mentioned  in  Ware,  in  the  twelfth  and  thir- 
teenth centuries,  as  Archbishops  of  Cashel, 

29.  The  Mac-I-i  KiENs,  a  branch  of  the  O' 
Priens  of  Thomond,  descended  from  Brian  Koe 
O'Brien  king  of  Thomond,  had  Large  posses- 
sions in  the  barony  of  Owney  and  Arra,  in  Tip- 
perary. and  in  the  barony  of  Coonagh,  county  of 
Limerick.  They  were  styled  Mac-1-Briens,  lords 
of  Arra  and  Coonagh,  and  several  of  them  are 
mentioned  in  the  course  of  these  Annals. 

80.  Mac  ConcKAiN.  or  Mac  Corcoran,  chief  of 
Clan  Kuainni.  is  thus  mentioned  by  O'Heerin : 

"  Cl.in  Tiuainni  of  the  flowery  avenues, 
A  delijlitfu!  fair  land  of  small  streams; 
Mac  Corcoran  from  the  populous  country. 
From  the  borders  inhabited  by  fa:r-haired 
heroes." 


31.  O'llAKonARAiy,  or  O'llogan,  chief  of 
Criocb  Cein,  is  thus  mentioned  by  O'Heerin : 

"O'Hogan  of  Crioch  Kian, 
Rules  over  Clan  Inmanein  of  the  fair  land, 
A  district  which  enriches  e.ich  field. 
With  honey-dew  on  all  its  blossoms." 

The  O'llogans  are  placed  on  tlie  map  of  Ortel- 
lius  about  Lower  Ormond,  in  Tipperary. 

87.  Mac  Gilla-Phoilt,,  (i.  e.  follower  of  St. 
Paul,)  or  Mac  Gilfoyle,  chief  of  Clan  Conliagan, 
is  thus  men  ioned  by  O'Heerin : 

"A  ehief  for  whom  the  nut  trees  produce  fair 
fruit, 
Eulos  over  Clan  Quinlivan  o'  immense  wealth, 
The  scion  of  Birra  of  tlie  warlike  tribe, 
Is  Mac  Gilla-Phoill  of  fair  fortune." 

The  Mac  Gilfoyles  appear  to  have  been  located 
on  the  borders  of  Tipperary,  and  the  King's 
county. 

Si.  The  O'QuiNLivANS.  some  of  whom  have 
changed  the  name  to  Quinlan,  are  numerous  in 
Tipperary  and  Limerick. 

3  i.  O  B  AN  AiN,  or  O'Bannan,  chief  of  Ui  Dechi, 
is  thus  mentioned  by  O'Heerin : 

"Ui  Dechi,  the  fine  district  of  hills, 
The  extensive  land  of  fair  fortresses, 
A  fruitful  country  which  thev  inherit, 
Is  the  estate  of  the  tribe  of  O'Bannan." 

Ui  Dechi,  the  territory  of  the  O'Bannans,  ap- 
pears to  have  been  situated  in  the  north  of  Tip- 
perary, and  there  are  still  many  families  of  the 
name. 

35.  0"Ai,CHi,  (O'ilalcM,  perhaps  O'llally,) 
chief  of  Tuatha  Taralt,  is  thus  mentioned  by 
O'Heerin: 

"  Tuatha  Faralt  of  the  clear  woods. 
That  is  the  territory  of  O'h-Alchi; 
A  plain  of  fair  fortre-ses  and  a  numerous  tribe. 
Like  the  lands  of  the  shallow  rivers  of  Talti." 

3G.  *0'CATnAiL,  or  O'C.ahil,  chief  of  Corca 
Tine,  is  thus  mentioned  by  O'Heerin: 

"  Corca  Tini  the  blooming  is  profit.able, 
About  Drumsalech  of  blue  streams, 
O'Cahill  above  all  others  obtained 
An  inheritance  at  Achaidh  lubhair." 

The  district  of  the  O'C.ahills  appears  to  have 
been  situated  on  the  borders  of  Tipperary  and 
Kilkenny,  and  the  name  is  still  numerous  in 
Kilkenny  and  Carlow. 

37.  The  O'DivEARTAiGHS  (O'Dinerty,"!  and 
O'Ai.MRiTHS  I  O'Hamery,), ire  mentioned  as  clans 
by  O'Heerin,  and  appear  to  have  been  located 
on  the  borders  of  Tipperary  .and  Kilkenny 

36.  O'Spelain-,  or  O'Spillan.  chief  of  Ui  Luigh- 
deach,  is  thus  mentioned  by  O'Heerin : 

"The  chief  o''  Ui  Luighdeach,  (ee  Lueedagh) 

of  slender  spears. 
Is  O'Spillan  of  the  bright  spurs; 
Mighty  is  the  march  of  the  warrior's  battalions. 
Increasing  as  they  proceed  along  the  plains  of 

Macha  " 

The  territory  of  the  O'Spillans  appears  to  have 
been  situated  on  the  borders  of  Tipperary  and 
Kilkenny. 

*  There  was  another  family  named  O'CahilL 
located  in  Kerry. 


712 


TOPOGRAPHICAL    APPENDIX. 


39.  The  Ma.0  Egaxs,  in  the  barony  of  Arra, 
were  herediUrv  Brehons  of  OrinouJ ;  aa J  the 
O'Cullenans,  or'M ic  Oallenaas,  were  h-TCil  tary 
physicians  ami  many  of  them  very  learned  men 
in  Orinmid  The  O'Hanragbaus,  O  Lani'jjans, 
and  Mairraths,  were  also  clana  of  note  in  Tippo- 
rary;  and  the  O'Uoueens,  (in  IrLsh  O'-fiUiiith- 
rti/t,)  who  anglicised  the  name  to  Green,  were 
nameroiis  in  Tipperary  and  Clare. 

Anglo-Norman  and  English  familUs  in  Tip- 
perary and   W'iUer/ord. 

1.  The  PowEES,  or  Le  Poers.  A.  D  1177. 
King  Henry  II.  gave  a  grant  of  Dcsi,  or  the 
entire  coiintv  of  Waterford.  together  with  the 
city,  to  Robert  Le  Poor,  who  was  his  marshal. 
The  le  Poers  were,  at  various  periods  from  the 
thirteenth  to  the  seventeenth  century,  created 
barons  of  Donlsle  and  of  Curraghmore,  viscounts 
of  Decies,  and  earls  of  Tyrone  The  Le  Poers 
becanae  very  numerous  in  the  county  of  Water- 
ford  They  have  now  changed  the  name  to 
Power  They  posses-ed  the  greater  part  of  the 
baronies  of  Decies  and  Upperthird,  and  their 
territory  was  called  Power's  country ;  there  are 
many  families  of  the  name  in  the  counties  of 
W.aterford  and  Kilkenny. 

2  The  FiTZOEKALDS.  earls  of  Desmond,  of 
whom  an  account  has  been  given  in  the  section 
on  Desmond,  had  extensive  possessions  and  nu- 
merous c-astles  in  the  county  of  Waterford.  in  the 
baronies  of  Coshmore  and"  Coshbride,  and  had 
also  the  title  of  ba  ons  of  Decies. 

8.  In  the  reign  of  Henry  VI  ,  A.  D.  14t7.  the 
celebrated  warrior,  Sir  John  Talbot,  Earl  of 
Shrewsburv.  lord  lieutenant  of  Ireland,  got 
grants  in  Waterford,  together  with  the  castle 
and  Imd  of  Dun<:arvan,  and  the  title  of  earl  of 
Waterford,  and  viscount  of  Dungarvan 

4.  The  chief  families  of  English  doscint  settled 
in  Waterford  and  Ti|)p<'rary,  were  the  following: 
The  Aylwards,  Anthony's.  Butlers,  Browns, 
Brunnocks,  Barrons,  Burkes,  Comerfords,  D' 
Alton?,  Ducketts,  Everards,  Fitzgeralds,  Greens, 
Grants,  Hacketts,  Hales,  J.acksons,  Keatings, 
Mandevilles,  Mocklers,  Nugents.  Powers,  Pren- 
dergasts,  Roches,  Rices,  Sherlocks.  Strongs,  To- 
bins,  Walls,  Walshes,  Waddings,  Wyses,  Whites, 
ácc  The  e.arly  English  families  principally  pos- 
sessed the  territor.  called  from  them  Gal-tir, 
signifying  the  country  of  the  foreigners,  now  the 
harony  of  Oaultiere. 

5.  The  WAL8IIES,  called  by  the  Irish  Bran- 
naghs,  or  Brothnachs  signifying  Britons  or 
Welshmen,  as  they  originally  came  from  Wales. 
are  still  very  numerous,  and  many  families  of 
them  in  the  counties  of  Waterford  and  Kilkenny. 


6.  The  BcTLEBS  The  ancestors  of  the  But- 
lers came  from  Normandy  to  England,  with 
Wi'.liam  the  Conqueror,  and  got  extensive  pos- 
sessions in  Norfolk,  SufiToik,  and  Lancaster. 
Tlicir  original  name  was  Fitz-  A'alter,  from  Wal- 
ter, one  of  their  ancestors,  and  Theobald  Fitz- 
Walter  came  to  Ireland  with  king  Henry  H., 
and  got  large  grants  of  lands,  and  had  the  office 
of  chief  Butler  of  Ireland  confe  edon  him,  the 
duty  attached  to  which  wiis  to  attend  at  iheco  - 
onation  of  tiie  kings  of  England,  and  p  esent 
them  with  the  fi  st  cu;'  of  wine  ;  f  om  the  office 
of  the  Butle  ship  of  I  eland  they  took  the  name 
of  Butlc-  The  Butle  s  became  ve  y  nume  ous 
and  powe  ful  in  I  eland,  and  acqui  ed  ve  y  ex- 
tensive poss  ssions  in  Tippe  a  y,  Kilkenny,  Wa- 
te  fo  d,  Wicklow,  Ca  low.  Queen's  county,  Dub- 
lin, Kilda  e,  Meath,  Lime  ick,  and  G.alw.ay.  In 
the  reign  of  Edwa  d  IIL,  Tippe  a  y  was  fo  med 
into  the  Countif  PdUitineof  Or>noiid,iinAe  the 
Butlers.  The  Butlers  thus  becoming  so  power- 
ful, diffe-ent  b  anehes  of  them  fu  nished  many 
of  the  most  distinguished  families  in  Ireland, 
and  a  g  eat  number  of  them,  from  the  thi  teenth 
to  the  eighteenth  centnry,  held  the  olTices  of 
lords  justices,  lords  deputies,  and  lords  lieuten- 
ant of  Ireland,  and  different  branches  of  them 
furnished  numerous  noble  families,  being  created 
at  various  periods,  earls,  marquises,  and  dukes 
of  Ormond,  earls  of  Ossory.  earls  of  Carrick,  earls 
of  Kilkenny,  earls  of  Gowran,  earls  of  Glengall, 
and  carls  of  Arrau ;  viscounts  of  Clonmore,  of 
Ikerrin,  of  Thnrles,  of  Mountgarrett,  and  of  Gal 
mov  ;  and  barons  of  (,'ahir,  of  Clouirligrennan,  of 
Tullyoplielim,  of  Arklow,  of  Aughrim,  of  Kells, 
and  of  Dunboyne. 

Nobiliii/. 
The  following  have  been  the  noble  families  in 
Tipperary  and  Waterford  from  the  reign  of  King 
Jolm  to  the  present  time : — In,  Waterford,  the 
Le  Poers,  mow  Powers,  i  barons  of  Donisle  and 
of  Curr.aghmore,  viscounts  of  Decies,  and  earls 
of  Tyrone.  The  Fitzgeralds,  barons  of  Decies 
and  earls  of  Desmond;  the  Talhofs.  earls  of 
Shrewsburv  in  England,  and  earls  of  Waterford 
and  Wexford  in  Ireland:  the  C'Brions.  e.arls  of 
Clare  in  the  reisn  of  James  II. ,  had  also  the  title 
of  viscounts  of  Lisinore:  the  O't^'allaghans  are 
viscounts  of  Llsmore  in  Waterford,  but  residents 
in  Tipperary.  la  Tipperar;/,  the  Butlers,  of 
whom  an  account  has  been  given  above  were 
earls,  marquises,  and  dukes  of  Ormond,  and 
also  had  the  following  titles  in  Tipperary :  earls, 
of  Carrick,  earls  of  Glengall,  viscounts  ofThurlcf, 
viscounts  of  Ikerrin,  and  barons  of  Cahir.  The 
Mao  Carthys  were  formerly  earls  of  Mount- 
cashel. 


CHAPTER  11. 


THE  KINGDOM  OF  LAIGHEN,  NOW  CALLED  LEINSTER. 

The  ancient  kingdom  of  Loinstcr  comprised  the  present  counties  of  Wexford,  Wicklow,  Carlow, 
and  Queen's  county,  the  gre.ater  part  of  Kilkenny,  King's  county,  and  Kildare,  and  that  part  of 
Dublin,  south  of  the  river  Liffey  Parts  of  Kilkenny,  bordering  on  Tipperary,  and  the  southern 
parts  of  the  King's  county,  belonged  to  ancient  Munster,  and  some  of  the  northern  part  of  the 
King's  county  belonged  to  the  province  of  Meath.  The  above-named  territories  continued  to 
be  the  limits  of  Leinster  down  to  the  rel^'n  of  Elizabeth,  but  in  after  times  the  old  kingdom  of 
Meath  was  added  to  Lcinster,  and  also  the  county  of  Louth,  which  was  part  of  the  ancient  king- 
dom of  Ulster. 

Lelnster  was  anclnntlv  called  OaUen  or  Colgi  OaJl"»,  and  got  its  name, as  stjited  In  O Conors 
Dissertations,  and  In  Keating,  by  its  b.ing  pos.sc>scd  by  the  tribe  of  tho  Firbolgs,  called  Flr- 
Gallcn,  signifying  Spear-men,  but  it  afterwards  got  the  name  of  Laighean  from  the  ciruuistanca 
related  by  Dr.  Keating,  under  the  reign  of  Labraldh  Loingsech. 


TOPOGRAPnrCAL    APPENDIX. 


713 


Ouala,  Cualaii,  or  Crio'ih  Canlan,  tlrit  Is  the  country  Cualan,  was  the  designation  of  the 
ancient  territory  now  lorniing  tho  county  of  \Vicliloi7,  and  its  name  was  deriviMl  I'loin  Cuala, 
son  oi'Iireogan,  one  of  tho  comiuanrlers  of  the  Milesian  colony  from  Spain,  wlio  took  posssesiou 
of  this  country,  called  after  him  Sliabh  Cualan,  or  tho  mountain  of  Ciiala,  now  Dclgany. 


The  Mac  Murrouirhs,  or  sept  of  Mac  Mtireadha, 
gave  kings  to  Leinslcr  fur  soim;  time  previous 
to  the  English  invnsicni.  They  iiiaintaincd  lluir 
indepondenco,  and  held  the  title  of  kin^s  of  Leln- 
ster,  with  large  possessions  in  ^^  cxlbrd  and  Car- 
low,  down  to  the  reign  of  Elizabeth,  and  waged 
war  with  tlie  Englisli  for  many  centuries.  Art 
Mac  Murrough  Ol'avenagh,  famous  for  his  con- 
tests with  the  English  forces,  under  king  liiehard 
II.,  in  A.  D.  13  9,  was  one  of  the  most  celebrated 
chiefs;  Doual  O'Cavenagh,  surnamed  Spainagh, 
or  the  Spaniard,  was  afamous  leader  in  Leinster, 
in  tlie  wars  against  Elizabeth.  The  ancient  kings 
of  Leinster  had  royal  residences,  at  Dinnrigh, 
near  the  river  Barrow,  between  Carlow  and 
Leighlin.  and  at  the  Naas  in  Kildaro.  In  after 
times  they  had  castles  in  the  city  of  Ferns,  which 
was  their  capital,  and  at  Old-Ross,  in  We.xlord, 
and  at  Ballymoon,  in  Carlow.  The  Mac 
Murroghs  were  Inaugurated  as  kings  of  Leinster, 
at  a  place  called  Cnoc-an-Bogha.  attended  by 
O'Noian,  tho  kings  marshal,  chief  of  Forth,  in 
Carlow.  by  O  Doran,  the  chief  Brehon  of 
Leinster,  and  by  Mac  Keogh,  his  chief  bard. 
The  Mac  Murroghs  are  thus  designated  in  the 
topographies  of  O'Dugan  and  0"Heerin : 

"  Let  us  now  proceed  to  Leinster, 

A  wide  land  of  rich  warriors, 

Of  lasting  fame  are  the  mansions  of  the  heroes. 

Where  lie  the  tombs  of  the  valorous  Gael. 

"  From  the  east  I  shall  now  recount 
The  noble  chiefs  of  the  province  in  due  order, 
A  scion  from  whom  no  unkindness  well  receive, 
With  Mac  Murrogh  we  take  our  abode. 

"We  give  the  lead  from  the  chiefs  of  the  Gael 

To  the  princes  of  tho  clans  of  Catheir; 

Let  us   mention   respectively    in    the    eastern 

country, 
Each  chief  of  them  over  his  own  territory. 

"  The  high  king  of  Naas,  the  tree  of  Brogha, 
The  Lord  of  Leinster  is  ^  ac  Murrogh, 
The  province  he  holds  in  his  possession, 
The  Fenian  hero  charters  all  its  lands." 

The  O'Cavenaghs  in  modern  times  became 
the  representatives  of  the  Mac  Murroghs,  kings 
of  Leinster.  They  held  a  territory  called  Ui 
Cavenagh,  now  the  barony  of  Idrone  East,  in 
Carlow. 

2.  O'TnATHAiL  or  O'Toole,  chief  of  the  Ui  Mur- 
eadaigh,  is  thus  mentioned  by  0"IIeerin: 

"  O'Toole  of  the  fortress  famous  for  mead, 
Is  chief  of  the  valiant  tribe  of  UI  Murray, 
As  far  as  Almain  of  melodious  music, 
Of  verdant,  grassy,  fertile  plains." 

Ui  Murray,  or  Ui  Muredaigh,  was  an  extensive 
territory  in  the  western  part  of  Wicklow,  com- 
prising the  greater  part  of  the  present  baronies 
of  Talbotstown  and  Shilelagh,  in  that  county  ; 
and  it  appears  from  the  poem  that  the  power  "of 
the  O'Toolcs  extended  as  far  as  Almain,  now 
the  hill  of  Allen,  in  the  county  of  Kildare,  thus 
containing  a  great  portion  of  the  baronies  of 
Naas,  Kilcullen,  Kilkea  and  Moone,  and  Connell, 
In  that  county.  Tho  O'Tooles  were  in  later 
times  styled  princes  of  Imalle,  which  appears  to 


have  been  a  name  applied  to  their  territory, 
and  i>i  still  retained  in  the  Glen  of  Inia'ie,  in 
Wicklow,  where  they  had  their  chief  residence; 
and  they  also  had  castles  at  Carnew,  (astlekevin, 
Castledermot  and  other  places.  They  took 
their  name  from  Tuathal,  one  of  their  princes 
in  the  tenth  century,  and  being  one  of  tlio  head 
families  of  Leinster,  of  tlie  Karae  race  as  the  >  ac 
Murrogh.'i,  they  were  eligible  to  be  kings  of  that 
l)rovince.  The  celebrated  St.  Lawrence  O'Toolo, 
archbislio[>  of  Dublin  at  the  time  of  the  English 
invasion,  was  son  ofMnrtogh  O'Toole,  prince  of 
Ui  Muredaigh.  Tliey  maintained  tlieir  rank,  and 
held  large  possessions  down  to  the  Elizabethan 
and  Cromwellian  wars,  when  their  estates  were 
conlisealed.  Sir  Charles  O'Toole,  an  officer  in 
king  Jame-s's  army,  is  said  to  have  been  the 
person  wiio  killed  tho  Duke  Schomberg  at  the 
battle  of  the  Boyne.  Several  of  them  were 
distiULMiished  officers  in  the  Irish  Brigades  In 
the  service  of  France  and  Spain.  The  O'Tooles 
are  still  numerous  in  the  counties  of  Wicklow, 
Dublin  and  Kildare. 

3.  O'Brainn,  O'Uroin,  or  O'Byrne,  is  thus  men- 
tioned by  OHeerin : 

"  Another  exalted  noble  tribe, 

Are  the  O'Byrnes,  a  clan  fierce  in  pursuit," 

The  O'Byrnes  took  their  name  from  Brann,  one 
of  their  chiefs  in  the  tenth  century  They  pos- 
sessed an  extensive  territory  in  the  county  of 
Wicklow,  called  Hy  Briuin  Cualan,  comprising 
the  greater  part  of  the  barony  of  Ballinacor, 
which  was  called  O  Byrne's  country,  and  also 
the  Kanelagh  ;  hence  they  were  styled  lords  of 
Eanelaffh.  and  had  their  chief  castle  at  Ballinacor. 
The  O'Tooles  and  O'Byrnes,  at  the  head  of  the 
Wicklow  clans,  for  a  period  of  three  hundred 
years,  maintained  an  incessant  warfare  wi;h  the 
English,  whom  they  defeated  in  numerous  fierce 
engagements.  The  O'Byrnes  are  still  numerous 
in  Wicklow,  Dublin,  Kildare,  and  many  other 
parts  o    Ireland. 

4.  O'Ceallaigh,  or  O'Kelly,  and  O'Taidhg,  or 
O'Teige,  are  given  by  OHeerin  as  chiefs  of  Ui 
Maile,  and  of  Ui  Teigh,  and  are  thus  mentioned : 

"  O'Teige  obtained  a  productive  country, 
Imaile,  a  land  which  is  I'ree  from  gloom  ; 
O'Kellv  obtained  UiTeigh  eastward 
By  purchase  for  his  valiant  clan." 

This  ancient  family  of  O'Teige  have  anglicised 
the  name  to  Tighe,  and  the  O'Kellys  here  men- 
tioned were  of  the  same  race  as  the  Mac  Mur- 
roghs, O'Tooles,  O'Byrnes,  and  other  families 
called  Cahirians,  or  Leinster  Heremonians,  and 
are  therefore  of  a  different  descent  from  the 
O'Kellies,  princes  of  Hy  Mani,  in  Galw.ay.  Tho 
OKellies  were  chiefs  in  Crioch  Cualan,  a  name 
which  was  applied  to  the  northern  part  of 
Wicklow,  and  comprised  the  baronies  of  Eath- 
down,  Newcastle,  and  Arklow. 

5.  Mac  Gilla-Mociiolmoo  is  given  by  0'- 
Ileerin,  as  a  chief  of  Cualan,  and  thus  men- 
tioned: 

"  A  lord  whose  lands  are  rich  and  verdant, 
Is  the  gentle  Mac  GIUa-Mocholmog, 
Free  and  powerful  warriors  in  their  woods, 
They  rule  over  the  mild  men  of  Cualan." 


714 


TOrOGRAPHICAL    APPENDIX. 


The  chief  called  Mac  Gilla-Mocholmog,  is  men- 
tioned in  the  contests  of  tlio  Anglo-Norman?, 
under  Stron?bow  and  his  foUowors,  with  the 
Danes  of  Dublin. 

6.  O'CosoEAiDH.  O'CosgTv,  Or  O'Cosgrave,  and 
OTiachraidh,  other  chiefs  in  Cualan,  are  thus 
mentioned  by  O'llceriu  and  O'Dugan  : 

"Other  princely  chiefs  also  obtained  this  land. 
The  nut-producingcountry  of  the  plain  of  Cualan 
O'Cosgrave  of  the  numerous  clan, 
Rules  over  saffron-clad  conquering  warriors 

"The  prince  of  Ui  Kineclilais  in  the  east, 
Is  O'Fiachry  of  the  extensive  lands. 
The  subduer  of  the  foreÍLrners  resides  here, 
I  mean  O'Cosgrave  on  the  plain  of  Cualan." 

7.  O'GAtTniN,  or  O'Gahan.  and  O'Dunlaing, 
O'Dowlinsr,  are  given  by  O'lieerin  as  chiefs  of 
Siol  Elaigh  and  the  Liigan,  and  thus  mentioned : 

«  The  race  of  Elaigh,  the  tribe  of  steeds. 
To  protect  which  is  proper  for  OGahan, 
Chief  of  the  clan,  powerful  in  friendship, 
O'Dunlaing  was  the  warrior  of  the  Lagan." 

The  territory  of  these  chiefs  called  Siol  Elaigh, 
is  now  the  barony  of  Shilelagh,  in  the  south  of 
Wlcklow. 

8.  O'MuRCHADA,  or  O'Murphy,  chief  of  Criocb 
O'FeUin  or  Ui  Feidhlime,  is  thus  mentioned  by 
O'Heerin : 

"  An  extensive  and  profitable  lordship 

"Was  obtained  by  O'Murphy  of  smooth  and  fair 

plains, 
The  country  of  Ui  Feliniy  the  chief  received 
An  inheritance  handed  down  from  his  ancestors." 

The  O'Murphys  were  one  of  tlie  Cahirian 
families  of  Leinstcr,  a  branch  of  the  same  race 
as  the  Mac  Murroglis.  kings  of  that  province. 
The  territory  of  Ui  Fetlmy,  wliich  ttiey  pos- 
sessed, exteiided  along  the  sea  coast,  and  was 
commonly  called  the  Murrowes,  and  comprised 
the  barony  of  Ballairhkeen,  in  the  county  of 
Wexford.  The  O'Murphys  were  powerful  chiefs 
in  ancient  times,  and  at  the  present  day  the 
name  is  one  of  the  most  numerous  in  Ireland; 
and  found  in  all  the  counties  of  Leinster,  and 
in  various  parts  of  Munster,  Connaught,  and 
Ulster. 

y.  O'GAir.nniDn,  or  O'Oarvey,  another  chief  in 
Ui  Felimy,  is  thus  mentioned  by  O'Heerin  : 

"In  Hy  Felimy.  a  delightful  district. 
Fair  aif  the  lands  possessed  by  the  O'Garveys, 
Fenian  heroes  of  the  hill  unite  in  tlic  tribe. 
Each    man   of   whom  Is  free    from    grief  and 
sorrow." 

10.  O'CosGBAiDn,  or  O'Cosgrave,  chief  of  Bean- 
traidhe,  is  thus  mentioned  by  O'lieerin : 

"From  the  Barrow  eastward  to  the  Slancy, 
Is  tlie  country  possc.ssed  by  the  Clan  Cosgrave, 
The  host  of  Bantry  of  ringletted  hair, 
A  noble  tribe  with  hawk  like  sparkling  eyes." 

The  territory  po8ses.scd  by  tlie  O'Cosgrave,  is  now 
the  barony  of  Bantry,  in  the  county  of  Wexford, 
n.  O'DriBiioix,   probably  O  Outran,  another 
chief  is  thus  mentioned  by  O'lieerin  : 

"  Lord  of  the  extreme  southern  land, 
Which  is  worthy  of  being  recorded, 
O'Ducan  i.s  its  rightful  iidieritor. 
Over  the  host  from  the  dark  pool  of  the  fair 
ehrubs." 


The  territory  of  this  chief  being  mentioned  as 
in  the  extreme  .southern  laud,  must  have  been 
in  the  barony  of  t^helburne,  in  Wexford. 

12.  O'LoROAiN,  or  Larkiu,  chief  of  Fothart,  is 
thus  mentioned  by  O'lieerin  : 

"  The  Fenian  heroes  of  Forth  of  the  Carn, 
The  fair  rising  ground  of  strength  and  be.auty, 
A  hero  whose  deeds  are  mighty  in  spears. 
He  is  the  affluent  chief  O'Larkin  " 

The  territory  possessed  by  this  chief,  is  now  the 
barony  of  Forth,  in  the  county  of  Wexford,  and 
Cam,  where  he  had  Ids  fortress,  is  the  head  land, 
called  Carnsoro  point. 

13.  O'Hautooile,  O'llartloy,  chief  of  Crioch- 
na-g-Cinel,  is  thus  mentioned  by  O'Heerin : 

Criochnaginel,  a  delightful  district 
In  the  land  of  the  fertile  soil, 
A  country  the  fairest  under  the  sun, 
Its  rightful  heir  is  O'Hartley." 

His  district  lay  near  that  of  O'Larkin. 

14.  O'RiAiN,  or  O'liyan,  lord  of  Ui  Drona,  is 
thus  mentioned  by  O'Heerin : 

"  Hereditary  to  O'Ryan  is  a  fair  district, 
A  territory,  extensive  is  the  land, 
Ui  Drona  of  peaceful  pleasures. 
Is  more  meet  for  him  than  foreign  land." 

The  territory  of  Ui  Drona  comprised  the  pres- 
ent baronies  of  Idrone,  in  the  county  of  Carlow. 
The  O'liyanswero  powerful  chiefs,  and  styled 
princes  of  Ui  Drona.  These  O'liyans  arc  not  the 
same  tribe  as  those  of  Tipperary!  They  are  still 
numerous  in  Carlow. 

15.  O'NuAi-LAiN,  O'NoLAN,  or  O'NowIan, 
chief  of  Fotharta  Fedha,  is  thus  mentioned  by 
O'Heerin : 

"  O'Nolan,  a  faultless  hero. 
The  hospitable  chief  of  Fothart." 

The  territory  of  Fothart.a,  possessed  by  the  O'- 
Nolans,  is  now  the  barony  of  Forth,  in  the 
county  of  Carlow;  they  were  marshals  of  Lein- 
ster, and  presided  at  the  inauguration  of  the  Mac 
Murroghs.  The  name  is  still  numerous  in  the 
counties  of  Carlow  and  Wexford. 

IC).  Tlio  O'KiNSELLAGiis,  O'Caliills,  O'Doyles, 
O'Bolgers,  and  Mac  Coskleys  were  numerous 
and  powerful  clans,  and  had  large  possessions  in 
the  counties  of  Carlow  and  Wexford.  The  O'- 
Briens, or  Mai-  Brieiw,  mid  O'Moores,  were  also 
respectable  families  in  Wexl'ord.  The  O'Dorans 
held  the  ollicc  of  lu'reditary  Brehons  of  Leinster, 
and  had  extensive  possession.s  under  the  ancient 
klnu's. 

Tlio  chief  Anglo-Normans  who  came  over 
with  Strongbow,  and  got  largo  grants  of  lands  in 
AVcxford,  were  Maurice  Fitzgerald,  ancestor  of 
the  carls  of  Kildare  and  Desmond;  Hervey  do 
Monte  Marisco,  nnil  llobert  Fitzstephen.  The 
other  old  lCIlL'li^ll  families  who  settleil  in  Wex- 
ford were,  the  Canws,  Talbots,  Devereuxes, 
Staffords,  Sinnotts,  Suttons,  Keatings,  Powers, 
Walshes,  Fitzharrises,  Fitzhenrys,  Dercnzys, 
Mastersons,  Butler.s,  Brown.s,  líedmondfS  Es- 
monds, llores,  Harveys,  Hayes,  Huirhes,  Codds, 
Commerfords,  Lamberts,  Mor^rans,  Furlongs. 

The  chief  old  Eii-li>li  fanilllc>s  who  settled 
in  Carlow  were  the  following':  the  Butlers, 
Browns,  Bagnals,  Carews,  Eustaces,  liochforts, 
Blackneys.  Doynes,  »fec. 

In  Wlcklow,  Maurice  Fitzgerald  and  hlsde- 
sccndanta  in  the  reigns  of  Henry  II.  and  King 


TOPOGKAPHICAL   APPENDIX. 


715 


John,  get  extensive  grants  of  lands  about  Ark- 
low;  and  Walter  de  Kiddlcsford,  who  had  the 
title  of  baron  of  liray,  got  from  King  John  a 
grant  of  the  lands  of  linaile,  in  \\ickliiw,  and  of 
Castledermot  in  Kildare,  both  of  which  beloniied 
to  the  ancient  principality  of  O'Toolo.  The 
other  chief  Knglish  families  of  Wicklow  were 
tho  Butlers,  Talbots,  Eustaces,  and  Howards. 

Kobility. 

The  following  have  been  the  ancient  titled 
families  in  Wexford,  Wicklow,  and  Carlow  : 

In  W^exford,  the  Ue  Montchenseys  and  De 
Valences,  lords  of  Wexford;  the  Talbots,  earls 
of  Shrewsbury  in  England,  and  earls  of  Water- 
ford  and  Wexford  in  Ireland;  the  Butlers,  vis- 
counts Mountgarrct ;  the  Heatings,  barons  of 
Kilmananan  ;  tlie  Esmonds,  barons  of  Limbrick ; 
the  Carews,  barons  Carew. 

In  Carlow,  the  De  Bigods,  Mowbrays,  and 
Howards,  dukes  of  Norfolk,  were  lords  of  Car- 
low  ;  the  Butlers,  barons  of  Tullyophelim,  and 
viscounts  of  TuIIow;  the  Carews,  barons  Idrone ; 
the  O'Cavenaiihs,  barons  of  Balian. 

In  Wicklow  the  Howards,  earls  of  \'  Icklow  ; 
the  Butlers,  barons  of  Arklow;  the  Eustaces, 
viscounts  of  Baltinglass. 

OssoBT,  Oftaley  akd  Leix. 

OssoRT,  in  Irish  Osraidhe,  comprised  almost 
the  whole  of  the  present  county  of  Kilkenny, 
with  a  small  part  of  the  south  of  Tipperary,  and 
also  that  portion  of  the  Queen's  county  now 
called  the  barony  of  Upper  Ossory;  and  tho 
name  of  this  ancient  principality  is  still  retained 
in  the  diocese  of  Ossory.  Ancient  Ossory  ex 
tended  from  the  river  Nore  to  the  Suir,  and  was 
sometimes  subject  to  the  kings  of  Leinster,  but 
mostly  to  the  kings  of  Munster.  Conari  Mor, 
or  Oonary  the  Great,  monarch  of  Ireland  at  the 
commencement  of  the  Christian  era,  having 
made  war  on  the  people  of  Leinster,  to  punish 
them  for  having  killed  his  father,  Edirsceol, 
monarch  of  Ireland,  imposed  on  them  a  tribute 
called  Eric  Edirsgeoil,  separated  Ossory  from 
Leinster.  and  having  added  it  to  Munster.  gave 
it  to  a  prince  of  his  own  race,  named  Aengus, 
.ind  freed  it  from  all  dues  to  the  kings  of  Mun- 
ster, except  the  honor  of  composing  their  body 
guards. 

Oi-FALET,  or  Ophaley,  in  Irish  Vi  Falphi,  de- 
rived its  name  from  Ííossa  Falghi,  or  Eossa  of 
the  Rings,  king  of  Leinster,  son  of  CathaeirMor, 
monarch  of  Ireland  towards  the  end  of  the  second 
century.  The  extensive  territory  of  Ui  Falghi, 
possessed  by  the  posterity  of  Kossa  Falghi,  com- 
prised almost  the  whole  of  the  present  Kings 
county,  with  some  adjoining  parts  of  Kildare  and 
Querns  county ;  and  afterwards  under  the  O'- 
Connors, who  were  the  head  family  of  the  de- 
scendants of  Eossa  Falghi,  and  styled  princes  of 
OflFaley,  the  territory  of  Offaley  comprised  the 
present  baronies  of  Warrenstown  and  Cooles- 
town.  and  the  greater  part  of  Philipstown,  and 
part  of  Gea<=hill,  in  the  Kinss  county,  with  tlie 
barony  of  Tinnehinch.  in  Queens  county,  and 
those  of  East  and  West  OflFaley,  in  Kildare,  in 
which  the  ancient  name  of  this  principality  is 
still  retained. 

Lkix  —In  the  latter  end  of  the  first  century, 
the  people  of  Munster  made  war  on  Cucorb,  king 
of  Leinster.  and  oiinqniT.^ci  that  province  as  far 
as  the  hill  of  Maxtenn,  now  Mullaghmasc,  in  the 
county  of  Kildare;  but  Cucorb  having  appointed 
as  commander  in  chief  of  his  forces.  Lug.iidh 
Laeighis,  a  famous  warrior,  who  was  grandson  to 


the  renowned  hero,  Conal  Kearnach,  or  Conal 
tho  Victorious,  chief  of  the  lied  Branch  Knights 
of  Ulster,  both  armies  fought  two  territic  battles 
about  A  D.  90,  one  at  At/ttrodan,  now  Athy,  in 
Kildare,  and  the  otlier  at  Cdiitkini,  or  ilaijh 
Jiidda,  now  the  plain  or  heath  of  Maryboro,  in 
the  Queens  count)-,  in  which,  after  many  thou- 
sands had  been  slain  on  each  side,  the  men  of 
Leinster  were  victorious,  having  routed  the 
Munster  troops  from  the  hill  of  Mastenn  across 
the  river  Berba,  now  the  Barrow,  and  pursued 
tho  remnast  of  their  forcijs  as  far  as  Sliabh  Dala 
mountain,  or  Belach  Mor,  near  Borris  in  Ossory, 
on  the  bordersof  Tipperary  and  Queen's  county. 
Cucorb  being  thus  reinstated  in  his  kingdom  of 
Leinster,  chiefly  through  the  valor  of  his  general, 
Lugaidh  Laeighis,  in  gratitude  confer  ed  on  him 
an  extensive  territory,  to  which  he  gave  the 
name  of  Laeii/hin,  or  the  seven  districts  of  Laei- 
ghi.s,  a  name  anglicised  to  /.cite  or  Leix,  and 
still  retained  in  the  name  of  Abbeyleix.  This 
territory  was  pos-sessed  by  Lughaidh  Laeighis 
and  his  posterity,  who  were  princes  of  Leix. 


The  following  were  the  Irish  chiefs  and  clans 
of  Osso  y,  Oft'aley,  and  Leix. 

1.  Mao  Gilla-Padrak;  or  Mac  Gilpatrick,  an- 
glicised to  Fitzpatrick,  is  thus  designated  in  the 
topographies  of  O'Hecrin  and  O'Dugan,  in  which 
his  territory  of  Ossory  is  thus  mentioned  by  0- 
Ileerin : 

"  "We   journey  across   the    Berba   of   ancient 

streams. 
After  treating  of  the  heroes  of  Leinster, 
To  the  level  plain,  the  land  of  my  heart. 
To  the  noble  hosts  of  Ossory. 

"To  Mac  Gilpatrick  of  the  fine  fortress. 
The  land  of  Ossory  is  by  law  ordained, 
From  Bladhma,  southward  to  the  sea; 
Brave  are  his  battalions  in  the  battles." 

Donal  Mac  Gillpatrlck,  prince  of  Ossory  in  the 
twelfth  century,  carried  on  various  contests  with 
Dermod  Mac  Murrogh,  king  of  Leinster,  and  his 
English  allies  under  Strongbow  and  others,  who 
had  invaded  and  ravished  his  territory.  It  is 
stated  in  Maurice  Eegan's  account  of  these 
affairs,  that  the  prince  of  Ossory  had  a  force  of 
five  thousand  men,  and  fought  many  fierce  bat- 
tles with  the  English  and  their  Irish  allies.  In 
early  times,  the  Mac  Gillpatricks  ruled  over  the 
entire  of  the  county  of  Kilkenny,  and  part  of 
Queens  county ;  but  in  after  times,  were  dis- 
possessed of  tlie  greater  part  of  their  possessions 
by  the  Butlers  and  other  English  settlers  in  Kil- 
kenny, and  were  confined  to  the  barony  of  Up;>er 
Ossory,  in  the  Queens  county.  The  Fitzpatricks 
are  still  found  in  the  Queens  county,  but  are 
much  more  numerous  in  the  counties  of  Cavan 
and  Leitrim.  to  which  they  were  driven  at  an 
early  period  by  the  English. 

2.  O'Ceakbhaill,  or  O'Carroll,  and  O'Doncha- 
dha  or  O'Donoghoe,  are  given  by  O'Dugan  and 
O'Heerin  as  ancient  chiefs  or  princes  in  Ossory, 
and  thus  designated : 

"  O'Carroll  of  the  reddened  spear.s, 
O'Donoghoe  of  the  generous  aspect, 
Sloigh  Liag  of  tho  productive  land  ; 
They  are  two  princes  in  the  same  country. 

"Near  to  tho  Barrow  of  productive  borders. 
Is  the  chief  of  the  territory  you  have  heard 

recorded. 
The  man  who  is  elected  over  Moy  Mail, 
Is  O'Donoghoe  of  the  fair  Gowran." 


'16 


TOPOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


The  territory  possessed  by  O'CarroIl  and  O"- 
Donoghoe  appears  to  have  been  the  barony  of 
Gowran  and  Slogh  Liag,  which  is  probably  the 
barony  of  Shillelogher,  both  in  Kilkenny.  Tliese 
0"CarroIIs  were  probably  a  branch  of  the  OCar- 
rolls,  princes  of  Ely ;  and  the  O  Donoghoe?,  prob- 
ably a  branch  of  the  O'Donophoes,  princes  of 
Cashel ;  an  account  of  both  thise  families  have 
been  piven  in  the  section  on  Ormond 

8.  O'CoNCiiOBUiK,  or  O  Conor,  prince  of  Ui 
Falghi  or  Offaley,  and  his  territory,  are  thus  de- 
signated by  O'Dugan  and  O'llocrin  : 

•'Let  us  westward  proceed  to  Ui  Falghi, 
To  which  brave  heroes  make  submission, 
Of  their  laws  I  make  mention, 
Of  their  convention  I  make  remembrance." 

"  The  lord  of  Ui  Falglii,  a  land  of  mirth. 
Not  unknown  to  the  poets, 
Is  OConor  the  mainstay  of  the  fair  plain. 
Who  rules  at  the  green  mound  of  Cruachan." 

The  O'Conors  were  the  head  chiefs  of  the 
Cahirian  race,  the  descendants  of  liossa  Falghi, 
eldest  son  of  Catliaeir  Mor,  monarch  of  Ireland, 
and  were  consequently  a  brancli  of  the  llere- 
monians  of  Leinster,  and  of  a  different  descent 
from  the  OX'onors,  kings  of  Connaiight ;  they 
make  a  remarkable  figure  in  Iiisli  history 
durini'  their  contests  with  the  English  for  more 
than  three  hundred  years,  whose  forces  they 
defeated  in  numerous  battles;  they  generally 
fought  in  conjunction  with  the  Mac  Geoghe- 
gans,  powerful  and  valiant  chiefs  in  V/est- 
meath.  The  O'Conors  had  their  chief  fortressat 
Dan^an,  now  called  I'hilipstown,  in  King's 
county,  and  several  castles  in  other  parts  of  that 
county  and  in  Kildare :  they  maintained  their 
independence  and  large  possessions  down  to  the 
reign  of  Elizabeth. 

4.  O'MoHuiiA.  or  O'Moore,  prince  of  Laelghis 
or  Lcix,  and  his  territory,  are  thus  designated 
by  OHeerin: 

"  After  Ui  Fa'ghi  of  the  ancient  lands 
■We  advance  to  Leix  of  Leinster; 
Its  brown-haired  heroes  in  wealth  abound. 
On  their  history  for  some  time  wo  dwell. 

"The  great  district  of  Leix  of  keen  swords, 
It  is  of  Leix  of  Eiada,  I  now  treat ; 
And  O'Moore  the  fighter  of  battles, 
Of  the  one-colored  golden  shield." 

The  O'Moores,  princes  of  Leix,  were  of 
the  Irian  race,  or  ('lanna  llory  of  Ulster, 
They  held  the  high  rank  of  marshals  and  trea- 
surers of  Leinster.  They  had  thfir  chief  fortress 
at  Dunamase,  a  few  miles  from  Maryboro, 
erected  on  a  rock  situated  on  a  hill ;  it  was  a 
place  of  almost  Impregnable  strenL'th,  of  which 
some  ma-ssive  ruins  still  remain.  Ilory  O'Moore, 
a  celebrated  chieftain  in  the  rci-THS  of  Queen 
Mary  and  Elizabeth,  defeated  the  English  forces 
In  many  engagements,  and  recovered  the  terri- 
tory of  Lr-ix.  possessed  by  hh  ancestors,  which 
he  "held  till  his  death,  in  l-^'s,  when  he  was 
killed  In  a  conflict  with  Fi'zpatrlr-k,  baron  of 
Ossory,  who  had  joined  the  ICnglish.  Among>t 
the  heroic  actions  of  Ilory  O'Moore,  it  Is  men- 
tioned that  on  one  occasion,  having  been  be- 
trayed and  surprised  at  nizht  at  his  residence  in 
the  woo'ls,  by  Robert  ITartpole,  at  the  head  of 
two  hundred  of  the  English,  the  va'lant  O'Mooro 
alone  performed  the  amazing  exploit  of  cutting 
his  way  through  their  ranks  with  his  sword,  and 


escaped  in  safety.  Ills  son,  Owen  O'Moore, 
generally  ca'led  Owney  Mac  Rory  (.)'Moore,  was 
a  famous  cominandcr  in  the  wars  against  Eliza- 
beth, and  defi-attd  the  English  in  many  engage- 
ments, in  one  of  which,  in  the  year  1Ó99,  he  cut 
off  a  great  number  of  tlie  troops  under  the  Earl 
of  Essex,  in  a  defile  on  their  jirogress  through 
Leinster,  at  a  place  called  from  that  circumstanlie 
Beun>a  Cl-eitigh.  signifying  the  I'uas  of  Plumes^ 
from  the  great  quantity  of  plumes  left  there 
which  were  worn  by  the  English  knights  who 
were  slain.  Another  of  Owen  O'Moore 's  daring 
exploits  is  recorded,  namely,  that  at  a  parley 
held  with  him  in  the  ye.ir  l(i  0,  near  Kilkenny, 
by  Sir  George  Carew,  "president  of  Munster,  tlie 
earl  of  Thomond,  and  Thomas  Butler,  earl  of 
Ormond,  O'Moore  boldly  took  the  earl  of  Or- 
mond prisoner,  and  detained  him  from  the  K'th 
of  April  to  the  12th  of  June,  when  he  liberated 
him,  on  receiving  for  his  ran.som  three  Iliousand 
pounds.  linger  b'.Moore,  his  descendant,  a  man 
of  extraordinary  abilities  and  bravery,  is  cele 
brated  in  Irish  history  as  the  chief  leader  who 
organized  the  great  insurrection  of  1C41 

5.  ODimasaigii,  orO'Dempsey,  lord  of  Clann 
MaeiUighra,  or  Clanmaliere,  is  thus  mentioned 
by  O'Hcerin,  with  an  introduction  to  the  other 
chiefs  of  Offaley : 

"The  clans  of  the  country  of  extensive  plains, 
Let  us  now  proceed  to  treat  of  their  chieftains, 
■What  hosts  are  more  wealthy  than  they. 
Over  the  territory  of  Offaley  of  fair  lands? 

"Clanmaliere  above  all  tribes. 
Noble  is  the  source  of  their  pedigree. 
The  smooth  plains  of  the  land  they  have  de- 
fended. 
The  country  is  the  inheritance  of  O'Dempscy.' ' 

The  territory  of  Clanmaliere  pos.sessed  by  the 
O'Dempscys  contained  parts  of  the  baronies  of 
Ge.ishill  and  Philipstown,  in  the  Kings  county, 
w  ith  part  of  Portnehinch,  in  Queen's  county,  and 
part  of  Offuley,  in  Kildare,  including  Jlon.'istere- 
van  and  the  adjoining  ilistricts.  The  O'Demp- 
seys  were  a  branch  of  the  Cahirian  race,  of  the 
same  descent  as  the  O'Conors  Faly,  and  were 
princes  and  lords  of  Clanmaliere,  and  Offaley. 
In  the  twelfth  century  they  contended  with  the 
English  forces  under  Strongbow,  earl  of  Pem- 
broke, who.  In  the  year  1178,  together  with  his 
son-in-law  Ilobert  de  Quiney,  orde  Quincy,  con- 
stable and  standard-bearer  of  Leinster.  marched 
a  powerful  force  Into  Kildare  and  Offaley ;  but 
bein;r  opposed  by  the  Irish  clans,  commanded 
by  the  O'Dempseys,  chiefs  of  Clanmaliere,  the 
English  wercd<'feated  with  great  slatiL'hter  :  and 
amongst  the  sl.-dn  was  de  Quincy,  the  ptnndard- 
bearer;  the  affair  Is  thus  mentioned  by  Matirice 
Regan,  in  TIarris'r.  Ilibernica:  "From  thence 
the  earl  i  Strongbow  i  went  to  Kildare,  making 
many  incursions  into  Offaley.  upon  O'Dempscy, 
loril  "of  that  country,  who  refused  to  come  unto 
him.  and  to  de'lver  hostatres;  the  earl,  to  sub- 
due him,  made  a  journey  In  i)erson  \ipon  him  ; 
Offaley  was  burned  and  harassed,  the  whole 
prev  of  the  country  taken,  and  the  army  retired 
towards  Kildare;  in  the  retreat,  the  carl,  with  a 
thousand  men,  inarched  In  the  vanguard,  and 
the  rear  was  commanded  by  Robert  de  Quincy; 
in  the  p.ass,  when  the  vanguard  was  passed,  O'- 
bempsey  gave  upon  the  rear,  at  which  charge 
Robert  de  Quincy,  with  many  others,  were 
slain,  and  the  banner  of  Leinster  lost:  and  for 
his  dc.ith,  as  well  by  the  earl  as  by  the  whole 
army,  great  lamentation  was  made."  The  O'- 
Dempseys had  their  chief  castle  at  Ocaahlll,  in 


TOPOOUAPniCAL   APPENDIX. 


717 


the  Kings  county,  and  many  others  in  that 
county,  :úfi>  \n  tlie  barony  of  DlTaley  in  Kildare, 
and  one  at  Hallybrittas,  in  the  barony  of  I'ortne- 
hineli,  in  the  Queens  county.  The  O'Dempseys 
were  deprived  of  most  of  tlieir  possessions  after 
the  Elizabethian  wars. 

G.  O'DuiNx,  O'Dunn,  or  O'Dunne,  chief  of 
Ui  liiagain,  is  tlius  mentioned  by  O'lieerin: 

"Over  Ui  Riagain  of  tlie  mighty  victories, 
Are  active  warriors  who  conquer  in  battle, 
O'Dunn  is  chief  of  the  conquering  troops, 
The  mainstay  of  tlie  battling  spears." 

The  territory  of  UI  Kiagaln,  po.ssessed  by  the 
O'Dunns,  now  forms  the  barony  of  Tinneliinch, 
in  the  Queens  county. 

7.  0'Ri.\GAiN  or  O'Eegans  were,  it  appears, 
the  ancient  chiefs  of  Ui  Ei.igain,  and  gave  its 
name  to  tli.it  territory,  which  is  still  retained  in 
the  parish  of  Oregan  or  Rosenailis,  in  the  barony 
of  Tinnehinch.  Of  the  ancient  clan  of  the  O'- 
Regans  was  Maurice  Regan,  secretary  to  Der- 
mod  Mac  Murrough,  king  of  Leinster,  and  who 
wrote  an  account  of  the  Anglo-Norman  invasion 
under  Strongbow  arid  his  followers,  which  is 
published  in  Harris's  lliberuica.  Sir  Teigue  0'- 
Regan  w;»s  a  distinguished  otiicer  in  the  army  of 
King  James  the  Second. 

8.  O'Brokhabain,  prob.ably  O'Croghans,  are 
given  by  O  Dugan  as  chiefs  on  the  same  terri- 
tory as  O'Dunn  and  O'Dempsey,  and  thus  men- 
tioned: 

"The  O'Brogans  dwell  in  their  towns, 
The  Clan  Kenny  and  Clan  Conor, 
Their  lands  are  well  known  to  support 
O'Dunn  and  O'Dempsey." 

9.  O'lI.vENGusA  or  O'llennesey,  chief  of  Clar 
Colgan,  and  O'llahmirgin, chief  of  Tuath  Gcisille, 
are  thus  mentioned  by  O'Dugan  and  O'lieerin  : 

■'Of  the  chiefs  of  the  fair  fertile  plain 
Vre  O'Hennesey  and  O'llahmirgin ; 
Strong  voiced  are  their  troops,  and  great  their 

fame. 
And  magn.animoas  are  the  Clan  Murchadhan." 

-Another  chief  who  is  known  to  us, 
O'Hennesey  who  rules  over  Clar  Colgan; 
His  lands  are  fair  beyond  those  of  the  Fenians 

ofFal, 
He  closely  adjoins  the  borders  of  Croghan. 

■•The  fair  district  of  G-eashill  is  possessed 
By  a  chief  on  the  borders  of  Leinster; 
His  rapid  progress  is  a  march  of  power. 
The  name  of  this  chief  is  O'Hahmirgin." 

Another  O'Hennesey  is  mentioned  by  O'Dugan 
as  chi«f  of  Galinga  Beg,  now  the  parish  of  Gal- 
len,  in  the  barony  of  Garryc.istle. 

10.  O'Maolciiein^,  probably  O'.Milliken,  or  O'- 
Mulligan,  some  of  whom  have  changed  the  name 
to  Molyneau.-i,  chief  of  Tuath  Damhui<:h,  is 
thus  mentioned  by  O'Heerin,  and  the  district 
possessed  by  him  appears  to  have  adjoined  that 
of  O'Hennesey : 

"Over  Tuath  Damhuigh  of  the  fair  fortress 
Is  O'MaoIchein  of  the  happy  heart; 
Delightful  is  the  smooth  district  of  the  pl.ain, 
Its  borders  resemble  the  fairy  land." 

11.  O'MAOLMUAiDn,  or  O'Malloy,  prince  of 
Fear  Ceall,  is  thus  designated  by  O'Dugan  : 


"The  prince  of  Ferc.all  of  the  ancient  swords 
Is  O  -Mulloy  of  the  free-born  name; 
Full  power  ha<l  fallen  to  him. 
Ho  held  his  country  uncontroled." 

The  extensive  territory  possessed  by  the  O'- 
MuUoy»  comprised  the  present  baronies  of  Eg'ish 
or  Fearcall,  Bally  cowan,  and  Bally  boy  in  the 
Kings  county,  and  formed  originally  a  port  of 
the  ancii'nt  kingdom  of  Meath.  The  O'.Mulloys 
were  of  the  race  of  the  southern  Ui  Nialls  or 
Clan  Colman. 

12.  The  O'Cakrot.ls,  princes  of  Ely  O'Car- 
roU,  possessed  the  b.arony  of  Lower  Orraond, 
in  Tippcrary,  and  those  of  Clonlisk  and  Bally- 
britt,  in  the  Kings  county,  and  had  their  cliicf 
castle  at  Birr. 

IS.  Mac  CociiLAix  or  Mac  Cogblan,  prince  of 
Delbhna  Ethra,  and  O'Maellugiiach,  probably 
O'Mulledy,  cnief  of  the  Brogha,  are  thus  men- 
tioned by  0  Dugan : 

"Mac  Coghlan  is  the  valorous  mainstay, 
And  prince  of  delightful  Delvin  Ahra, 
The  chief  of  the  Brogha  of  great  prosperity, 
Is  O'Mulledy  of  the  brilliant  achievements." 

The  territory  of  the  Mac  Coghlans,  lords  of 
Delvin  Ahra,  comprised  the  present  barony  of 
Garrycastle,  in  the  Kings  county.  They  were 
of  the  race  of  the  Dalcassians. 

Brogha,  the  district  of  the  O'Mulledy»,  above- 
mentioned,  appears  to  have  adjoined  Mac  Cogh- 
lan's  territory,  and  was  probably  part  of  the 
barony  of  Garrycastle,  in  Kings  county,  and  of 
Clonlonan,  in  Westmeath,  as  there  were  in 
former  times  many  families  of  not'^  of  the 
O'Mulledys  in  'Westmeath. 

14.  O'SiNNAion,  lord  of  Teffia.  O'Dugan,  in  his 
topography,  gives  O'Cath.arnaigh  as  head  prince 
of  Teflia,  whom  he  thus  designates, 

"  High  prince  of  Teffia,  who  obtained  renown. 
Is  O'Caharney  of  the  battling  arms." 

This  name  was  rendered  O'Kcarney,  and  the 
ancient  cijicfs  possessed  an  extensive  territory 
in  Teffia,  or  'Ú''estmeath,  and  there  aro  still 
many  families  of  the  O'Kearneys  'n  Me.ath  and 
"Westmeath  ;  the  chief  branch  took  the  name  of 
Sinnach  O'Catharnaigh,  and  the  word  Sinnach 
signifying  a  fox,  the  family  name  became  Fox, 
and  the  head  chief  was  generally  designated  cm 
tiin?iach,  or  thf  ^oj'.  They  were  of  the  race  of 
the  southern  Ui  Neill.  and  their  territory  was 
called  JIuintir  T.adhgain,  and  comprised  an  ex- 
tensive district  in  Teffia,  containing  p.arts  of  the 
baronies  of  Rathconrath  and  Clonlonan,  in  'West- 
meath, with  part  of  the  barony  of  Kilcourcy,  in 
Kings  county. 

15.  Mac  Amhat-gaidh,  Mac  Auley,  or  Macaw- 
ley,  is  given  by  O'Dug.an,  as  chief  of  Calraidhe- 
an-C'hala,  and  thus  designated ; 

"  The  fair  Mac  Auley  rules  over 
The  entire  of  the  ports  of  Calry." 

The  territory  called  Caliy,  comprises  the  present 
parish  of  Ballyloughloe,  in  the  barony  of  Clan- 
lonan,  in  Westmeath ;  and  the  ports  alluded  to 
in  the  above  passage,  were  those  of  the  Shannon, 
to  which  this  parish  extends;  according  to 
Mac  Geogbegan,  the  Mac  Auleys,  lords  of  Calry, 
also  possessed  part  of  the  barony  of  Kilconrsey, 
in  the  Kings  county. 

16.  O'GoRMAiN,  O'Gorman»  or  Mac  Gorman, 
is  given  by  O'Dugan  and  O'lieerin,  as  chief  of 
Crioch  O'lJairce,  and  thus  designated  by  them: 


'18 


TOPOGRAPHICAL   APPENDIX. 


"  The  tribe  of  Eocaidh,  of  exalted  fame, 
Kule  over  the  clans  of  Ui  Fualaia, 
Mac  Gorman,  of  great  valor, 
Rules  over  the  fair  Ui  Barchi. 

The  country  of  Ui  Barchi,  of  the  fair  fortress, 
Of  the  melodious  race  of  Dari  Barach, 
O'Gorman  took  possession  of  the  lands, 
A  chief  who  actively  rushed  to  battle." 

The  territory  of  the  O'Gormans  is  now  called 
the  barony  of  Slievemarpue,  in  the  Queens 
county;  some  of  them  settled  in  the  county  of 
Clare,  where  they  held  large  possessions.  An 
account  of  these  has  been  given  with  the  clans  of 
Thomond. 

17.  O'Drinn,  or  O'Duff,  chief  of  Ui  Crim- 
thain,  is  thus  mentioned  by  O'Heerin : 

"About  Dun  M,asc  of  the  smoothest  plains, 
0"Diilf  rules  over  Ui  C'rimthain, 
Chief  of  the  country  of  great  produce, 
A  laud  which  yields  the  tinest  fruits." 

The  district  of  Ui  Crinithain,  about  Dun  Maes, 
or  Dunamase,  comprised  the  greater  part  of  the 
two  baronies  <if  Maryboro',  in  the  Queens  county. 
IS.  Mac  Fhiodhb'huidhe,  Mac  .Vodhbuidhe,  or 
MacEvoys,  chiefs  of  Tuath-Fiodhbhuidhe,  in  the 
Queens  county,  are  thus  mentioned  by  O'Heerin: 

"The  ancient  country  of  Fighbuigh,  of  the  fair 
lands, 
la  a  good  lordship  for  a  chieftain. 
The  Clan  Mac  Evoy  are  its  inheritors. 
The  yellow-haired  host  of  hospitality." 

The  territory  of  the  Mac  Evoys  appears  to  have 
been  situ.ateii  in  the  barony  of  Stradbally,  in  the 
Queens  county.  The  Mac  Evoys  were  of  the 
Clan  CoUa.  of  Ulster;  and  they  also  possessed  a 
territory  in  Teffia.  called  Ui  Mac  Uais,  now  the 
barony  of  Moygoisli,  in  AV'ostineath.  Some  of 
them  have  now  changed  the  name  to  Mac  Veagh. 

19.  O'CEALtAiGn.  or  O'Kcllys,  chiefs  of  Magh 
Druchtain  and  cf  Gailinc,  arc  thus  mentioned  by 
O'Heerin : 

"Over  Moy  Druchtain,  of  the  fairy  fortress, 
Hules  O'kelly  over  the  plain  of  the  salmon; 
The  smooth  aspect  of  the  level  country 
Is  like  the  fruitful  land  of  promise. 

"  Oaline,  of  the  pleasant  rivers. 
Is  O'Kelly'g  undl^^puted  right. 
Powerful  is  the  tribe  in  hunting. 
Over  the  sunny  lands  of  Galine." 

These  territories  of  the  O'Kellys  appear  to  have 
been  situated  in  the  baronies  of  .Stradbally  and 
Ballyadams.  in  the  Queens  county,  along  the 
Barrow,  iis  alluded  to  in  the  above  passages  in 
the  poem,  where  the  districts  are  mentioned  as 
the  plain  of  the  salmon,  and  of  the  plea?ant 
rivers. 

20.  O'Caoli.aidiie,  0'Kcelcy,orO"Keily,cliief 
of  Crloch  O'Muighe,  Is  thus  mentioned  by 
"J'Hccrln : 

"The  country  of  Omoy,  of  the  fair  plains, 
Alon'_'  the  Barrow  of  the  flowing  streams. 
To  O'Keeley  is  the  pleasant  land, 
A  chief  who  always  ruled  in  pe.ice." 

This  district,  situated  along  the  Barrow,  is  now 
probably,  the  parish  of  Tullowmoy,  in  the  barony 
of  Ballyadams,  Queens  county. 


21.  O'Leathlabhair,  O'Lawlors,  or  O'Lalore 
took  their  name  from  Lenthlabhor,  prince  of 
Dalaradia,  or  Ulidia,  now  the  county  of  Down, 
In  the  tenth  century,  who  was  their  ancestor, 
and  they  .are  therefore  of  the  Irian  race,  or  Clanna 
Rory  of  Ulster,  and  of  the  same  descent  as  the 
0"Moore3,  princes  of  Leix.  Tne  OLawlors  had 
in  ancient  times  extensive  possessions  in  Leix. 
in  the  baronv  of  Stradbally,  Queens  county. 

2-2.  O'DiTBiiLANi,  orO'Delany.  chief  of  Tuath- 
an-Toraidh,  is  thus  mentioned  by  O'Heerin : 

"  High  chief  of  the  productive  territory. 
From  the  delightful  Coill  Oughteragh, 
Is  O'Delany,  the  man  of  hospitality, 
F'romthe  mountain  ofthe  most  delightful  bay." 

The  O'Delaneys  were  a  clan  of  note  In  the 
barony  of  Upper  Ossory,  Queens  county,  and 
also  in  Kilkenny. 

23.  O'Bkaenain,  or  O'Brennan,  chief  of  Ui 
Duach,  is  thus  mentioned  by  O'Heerin  : 

"Iduagh  of  Ossory,  ofthe  fertile  land. 
The  fair  wide  plain  ofthe  Nore, 
Throughout  this  plain  rules  most  active. 
Its  rightful  chief  O'Brennan." 

The  territory  of  the  O'Brennans,  chiefs  of  Iduagh, 
now  forms  the  barony  of  Fassadining,  in  Kil- 
kenny, where  the  name  is  still  numerous. 

24.  Mac  Bkaoin,  or  Mac  Breen,  and  O'Broith, 
or  O'Brce,  chief  of  Magh  Scadna,  are  thus  men- 
tioned by  O  Ileerin : 

"  Mac  Breen,  of  the  land  of  the  fortres.». 
Rules  over  the  clans  whom  I  remember, 
A  fair,  nut-producing  country, 
O'Brec  is  chief  of  the  free  Moy  Scdna." 

25.  OTAiBimEAN-iini,  O'Coveney,  or  O'Kev- 
enys,  chiefs  of  .Magh  .Virbh  and  Clar  Coill,  are 
thus  mentioned  by  O'Heerin : 

"  Over  Moy  Arve  let  us  now  record 
O'Keveney,  ofthe  woody  plain. 
Head  of  each  conference  was  the  fair  coun- 
sellor, 
■Who  resides  at  Coill  O'Cathosaigh." 

The  plain  of  Magh  Airbli  comprised  the  present 
barony  of  Cranagh,  in  Kilkenny. 

26.  O'Gi.oiAiKN,  O'Gloran,  "or  Mac  Gloran, 
chief  of  Callalnn,  is  thus  mentioned  by  O'Heerin : 

"  O'Glor.in,  the  flourishing  scion. 
Obtained  a  territory  in  a  delightful  country, 
A  smooth  land  about  charming  Callan, 
He  inherits  a  country  without  reproach." 

The  name  of  this  territory  is  still  retained  in  the 
parish  of  Callan,  barony  of  Kells,  county  of 
Kilkenny. 

27.  O'C'AKLi.AtDiiE,  or  O'Keeley,  chief  of  Ui 
Bearchon,  is  thus  mentioned  by  Ó'lleerln  : 

"  Ibercon,  ofthe  yellow  m.intles, 
Chief  of  the  countrv  is  O'Keeley, 
The  plain  ofthe  ho'st  of  great  wealth, 
Tlie  land  ofthe  Barrow  of  limpid  streams.'' 

This  territory  wa*  Ibercon,  an  ancient  barony, 
as  stated  by  Seward,  now  joined  to  that  of  Ida, 
In  the  county  of  Kilkenny;  and  there  is  a 
parish  calUd  íioshcrcon,  in  the  barony  of  Ida. 

2H.  O'KitfAiiAtii,  O  Broder,  orO'Brody,  chief 
of  UI  n-Eirc,  is  thus  mentioned  by  O'Heerin : 


TOPOGRAPHICAL   APPENDIX. 


719 


"Lord  of  Iverk,  of  the  swift  steeds. 
Is  the  friendly  O  Bro.ler,  like  a  stately  tree ; 
A  sandy  country,  from  the  lieavy  floods, 
A  land  as  delightful  as  Moenmoy." 

This  territory  is  now  the  barony  of  Iverk,  in  the 
county  of  Kilkenny. 

28.  The  O'SiiEAS,  who  changed  the  name  to 
Sliee,  were  niunerous  in  former  times,  in  the 
county  of  Kilkenn}',  and  were  some  of  tlie 
O'Sheas,  chieft  of  note  in  Munsttr,  of  whom  an 
account  has  been  given  in  the  sections  on  Tho- 
mond  and  Desmond. 

29.  The  OKYANsand  OTelaxs,  ancient  fami- 
lies of  note  in  Carlow,  Tipperary,  and  Water 
ford,  of  whom  accounts  have  been  given  in  the 
section  on  Ormond,  Desies,  and  Ui  Kinsellaigh, 
were  also  numerous  and  respectable  in  Kilkenny. 

80.  The  TiGHEs,  of  whom  there  are  some  re- 
spectable families  in  Kilkenny  and  other  parts 
of  Leinster,  are  said  to  be  of  the  ancient  Ii-ish 
clan  of  the  OTeiges,  who  were  chiefs  in  Wick- 
low  and  Wexford,  and  of  whom  an  account  has 
been  given  in  the  notes  on  Ui  Kinsellaigh  and 
Cualan. 

81.  The  Floods,  of  whom  there  are  many  re- 


spcct.iblc  families  in  Kilkenny,  and  other  parts 
of  Ireland,  are  said  to  be  of  Irish  dcsiiiit,  though 
supposed  by  some  to  be  of  Knglish  origin,  as  many 
of  the  ancient  clans  of  the  O'Maelluiii,  and  of  the 
Mac  Thellighs,  or  Mac  Tullys,  changed  the  name 
to  Flood,  thus  translating  the  natiie  from  the 
Irish  Tiiile,  which  signifies  a  Flood 

82.  The  .Mac  Oosckvs,  or  Cosgraves,  ancient 
clans  in  Wicklow  and  Queens  county,  changed 
their  name  to  Lestrange  The  O'.Mooneys  :;r6 
placed  in  the  Queens  county  on  the  map  of 
Ortelius;  and  the  0  Dowlings  and  O'liiocbals, 
or  O'Nicholls,  are  mentioned  by  some  writers  .13 
clans  in  Queens  county.  The  O'Beehaii?,  or 
O'Behans,  were  a  c'an  in  the  Kings  and  Queens 
counties. 

The  following  are  the  chief  races  of  Norman 
descent  settled  in  Ossory,  Lci.K  and  Offaley.  The 
Fitzgerald?,  c.irls  of  Kildare;  and  the  Butlers, 
earls"  of  Ormopd;  the  Graces,  barons  of  Courts- 
town  ;  the  Walshes,  Cantwells,  Shortalls,  Powers, 
Purcells,  Morises,  Stapletons,  Daltonf,Lawlcs?es, 
Digbies,  Husseys,  and  Fitszimons.  Some  of  the 
latter  look  the  Íriíh  title  of  Mac  Kidire,  anglicized 
Mac  Euddery,  i.e.,  son  of  the  King. 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE  KINGDOM  OF  MEATH  AND  BKEGIA,  WITH  MAGH   LIFFI. 


The  plain  of  Heath  which  included  the  greater  parts  of  the  present  counties  of  Meath  and 
Dublin,  was  known  by  the  name  of  Magh  Breagh,  signifying  either  the  Magnificent  Plain,  or,  as 
mentioned  by  the  Latin  writers  under  the  name  of  Bregia ;— the  Eev.  Dr.  OX'onnor  has  trans- 
lated it  on  the  authority  of  ancient  tradition.  Campus  Brignniium,  or  the  Plain  of  the  Brigantes, 
from  being  possessed  by  the  Brigantes,  who  were  called  by  the  Irish  Clunna  Breogain.  Part 
of  the  territory  of  Bregia  obtained  the  name  of  Fingal  'from  the  Danes,  or  Norwecians,  who 
planted  a  colony  there  in  the  tenth  century,  along  the  coast  between  Dublin  and  Drogheda, 
and  who  were  called  by  the  Irish  Fine  <;a/?,"  signifying,  the  Race  or  Tribe  of  Foreigners;  hence 
the  name  Fingall.  The  plain  of  Bregia  e.xtended  from  Dublin  to  Drogbeda,  and  thence  to  Kells, 
and  contained  the  districts  about  Tara,  Trim,  Navnn,  Athboy,  Dunboyne,  &e.  Another  great 
division  of  ancient  Meath  was  called  Tebtha,  or  Tcffia,  which  comprised  the  present  county 
of  Weslmeath,  with  parts  of  Longford  and  the  Kinis  county. 

Meath  was  for  manv  ages  the  seat  of  the  Irish  monarchy  :  and  from  the  kings  of  Meath  were 
generally  elected  the  monarchs  of  Ireland  From  the  ea'rliest  period  to  the  fifth  century,  the 
monarchs  of  Ireland  were  occasionally  elected  from  the  descendants  of  each  of  the  three  sons 
of  Milesius,  namelv,  from  the  races  of  Eber,  Erimhon,  and  Ir;  but  from  the  fifth  to  the 
eleventh  century,  durins  a  period  of  six  hundred  years,  the  Ui  Xeiil,  of  the  race  of  Erimhon,  held 
exclusive  possession  of  "the  Irish  monarchy,  until  A.  D.  1002,  when  Brian  Boromha,  king  of 
Munster,  of  the  race  of  Eber,  dethroned  "Maelsechlainn,  or  Malachy  the  Second,  and  became 
monarch  of  Ireland. 

The  Ui  Neill  took  their  name  from  their  inimrdiate  ancestor,  Niall  of  the  Aine  Ilostage.s, 
who  was  monarch  of  Ireland  from  A.D.  379  toA.D.  406.  They  were  divided  into  two  great 
families,  denominated  the  northern  and  southern  Ui  Neill.  One  branch  of  the  northern  con- 
sisted of  the  0'Neills,who  were  descended  from  Eogan,  one  of  the  sons  of  Niall  of  the  Hostages, 
and  were  princes  of  Tyrone,  and  often  kings  of  Ulster  and  monarchs  of  Ireland:  the  other 
branch  consisted  of  the  ODonnells.  princes  of  Tyrconnell.  and  some  of  whom  were  also  monarchs 
of  Ireland.    Thev  descended  from  Conall  Gnlban,  another  son  of  the  monarch  Kiall. 

The  southern  tJi  Neills  were  descended  from  four  other  sons  of  Niall,  bnt  chiefly  from  bis  son 
Conall  Crimthanni,  many  of  whose  descendants  were  kings  of  Meath  and  monarchs  of  Ireland. 
Tills  family  took  the  name  of  Clan  Colmain.  from  Colman  Mor,  son  of  Diarmaid,  son  of  Crimthann, 
monarch  of  Ireland  from  A.  D.  554  to  A.  D.  5(15.  The  descendants  of  the  Clan  Colman.  kings 
of  Meath,  tookthc  name  of  O'Maelsechlain  or  O'Melaghlin. 


The  chiefs  and  clans  of  the  kingdom  of  Meath, 
and  the  territories  they  possessed  in  the  twelfth 
century,  are  given  in  O'Dugan's  Topogr.-iphy  as 
follows :  to  which  are  added  various  clans  not 
mentioned  by  O'Dugan,  but  whose  names  are 
collected  from  other  sources. 

1.  O  Melaohlins,  kings  of  Heath. 

2.  O'Hhaip.t,  or  O'llairt 
8.  O'RiAQAiN,  or  O'Resran. 

4.  O'Cellaaiqh,  or   O'Kelly.    The  O'Kellys 


were  lords  of  Bregia,  long  before  the  Anglo- 
Norman  invasion:'  they  were  of  a  different 
race  from  the  O'Kellys  of  Ui  Mani.  being  a 
branch  of  the  southern  Ui  Neill,  and  descended 
from  Aedh  Slnni.  monarch  of  Ireland. 

5.  O'CoNGALAiDH,  now  OXonoUv,  whom  O'- 
Dugan describes  as  one  of  the  four  princes  of  Tara. 

6.  O'RiAtDniu.  or  O'Rory,  now  anglicised  to 
Rogers,  lord  of  Fluu  Fochl'a.  in  Bregia. 

f.  O'Fallamhajn,  or  O'Fallon,  lord  of  Crioch- 


í20 


TOPOGKAPHICAL   APPENDIX. 


na-g-C^dacli,  so  called  from  O'.Ul  Cedach,  son  of 
Catbaeir  Mur.  king  of  Leinster,  and  monarch 
of  Ireland  in  the  'iud  century.  The  country  of 
the  O  Fallons  was  near  Athlone,  in  the  county 
of  Weitineath,  hut  they  were  afterwards  driven 
across  the  shannon  into  Roscommon. 

8.  OCoiXDELBiiAiN.  Or  0"Kendellan,  or  O'- 
Connellan,  prince  of  Ui  Laeghari,  or  Ive-I.eary, 
an  extensive  territory  in  the  present  counties 
of  Meath  aud  Westineath,  and  was  possessed  hy 
the  descendants  of  Laegari,  who  was  monarch 
of  Ireland  at  the  time  of  St.  Patrick.  The 
parish  of  Castletown,  Kendellan  in  Westmeath, 
shows  one  part  of  this  ancient  territory,  and  the 
townlandof  Kendellans  town  nearNavan  shows 
another  part  of  it. 

9.  O'Bkaeis,  or  O'Breen,  chief  of  Lui^hini, 
now  the  parish  of  Leney,  in  the  barony  of 
Oorcaree,  Westmeatli. 

10.  OIIaengisa  or  O'Hennesy,  chief  of  Ui 
Mac-Uais,  now  the  barony  of  Moygoish,  in  "West- 
meath. The  Clan  .Mac  Uais,  or  .Mac  Evoys, 
sometimes  called  Mac  Veaghs,  of  the  race  of  Clan 
Colla,  Were  the  original  chiefs  of  this  territory. 

11.  0"Haodha,  supposed  to  be  Hushes  or 
O'Hea,  chief  of  Odba  (probably  Odra  or"  Odder, 
in  the  barony  of  Skrine,  near  Tara.) 

12.  O'Dlbhain,  or  O'Duan,  chief  of  Cnodba, 
now  Knowth,  near  Slane. 

13.  O  Uamueitii,  or  O'llanvey,  chief  of  Fer- 
bili,  now  the  barony  of  Farbilf  in  Westmeath, 

14.  O'Cathasaiou,  ortyCasey,  chief  of  Saithni, 
now  Sonagh  in  Westmeath. 

15.  OXeociiaix,  or  O'Loughan,  chief  of 
Galenga,  now  the  parish  of  Gallen,  in  the 
barony  of  Garrycastle,  Kings  county. 

16.  O'DoNCADHA,  or  O'Donoghoe,  chief  of 
Tell.ich  .Moaharain,  probably  now  Tullamore, 
in  the  Kings  county. 

IT.  0'HI.^•RADUAI^^,  or  O'llanrahan,  chief  of 
Corcaraidlie,  now  the  barony  of  Corcaree,  in 
Westmeath. 

18.  O'Maolmuaidh,  or  0"MulIoy,  prince  of 
P'erceall,  comprising  the  present  baronies  of 
Ballycowen,  Ballyboy,  and  liglish   or   Fercall. 

19.  O'DuBiiLAiDiiK,  or  O'Uooley,  chief  of 
FertuUach,  the  present  barony  of  Fertullagh, 
in  Westmeath. 

•20  O'Fi'O-.vAt.LAi.v,  or  O'Finnellan,  of  the 
race  of  Eber,  and  tribe  of  thfe  Dalcissians,  lord 
of  Delbhn:i  .Mor,  now  tlie  barony  of  Delvin,  in 
Westmeath. 

21.  OMaolludiiaCh,  or  O'MuUcdv,  chief  of 
Brogha.  part  of  the  now  baronies  of  l)elvin  and 
Farbill. 

2i.  Mao  Cociilan,  or  Mac  Coshlan,  of  the 
Dalcassians,  lord  of  Doalbhna-Katlira,  now  tlio 
barony  of  Garrycastle,  in  the  Kings  countv. 

2?.  'O'ToLAiuo,  or  OToler,  chief  of  Quírcne, 
now  the  b.arony  of  Kilkenny  West,  in  West- 
meath. 

24.  Mac  Eociiagaix,  or  Mac  Geoghcgan, 
prince  of  Senel  Fiahcaidli,  now  the  baronV  of 
Moycashel.  with  parts  of  Kathconnth  and  Fer- 
tnlfaL'li.  The  Mac  Oeoghegans  were  one  of  the 
principal  branches  of  the  southern  VI  Neill, 
and  were  called  Kinel  Fiacha,  from  Fiacaidh, 
one  of  the  sonsof  Niall  of  the  Nine  Hostages. 

tó.  Mao  IIuaiec,  or  Mac  Kourkc,  chief  of 
.Arml  Er'la,  descended  from  Enda,  son  of  Nlall 
of  the  Hostftiies.  This  clan  w.-us  located  in  th3 
district  in  which  issltuatod  the  Hill  of  Uisneach, 
in  the  barony  of  Rathconrath  In  Westmeath. 

2C.  O'Caip.biib,  or  O'Carborry,  chief  of  Tuath 
Blnn. 

27.  OHf.odhadha,  or  O'Heoghy,  chief  of 
Klnel-Aciigusa. 

28.  O'Maelcolain,  now  Mulholland,  chief  of 


Delvin  Beg,  or  Little  Delvin,  adjoining  the 
barony  of  Delvin. 

TehtUa  or  Teffií',  formed  a  great  portion  of 
ancient  kingdom  of  Meath.  Tcttia  became  the 
territory  of  Mani,  one  of  the  sons  of  Niall  of  the 
Nine  Hostages,  and  of  his  descendants.  It  com- 
prehended the  greater  part  of  the  presentcounty 
of  Westmeath,  with  nearly  the  whole  of  .\nally 
or  the  county  of  Longford.  It  was  divided 
into  north  and  south  Tcffia  North  TelTia,  or 
Cairbre  Gabhra,  was  that  porlion  of  Anally 
about  Qranard,  which  obtaineil  its  name  from 
Carbri,oneofthesonsofNiall  ofthe  Nine  Ilosta- 
gesand  hi-  descendants,  who  were  its  possessors. 
South  Ti'tlia  comprised  the  remaining  portion 
in  Annally  and  Westineath.  O'Dugan,  in  the 
continuation  of  his  Topography  of  Meath,  enu- 
merates the  (litferent  chiefs  and  their  territories 
in  Telfia.  The  principal  chiefs  of  Tetlia,  accord 
ing  to  him,  were  the  following: 

1.  O't'ATiiARNAir.ii,  or  O'Kearney. 

2.  O'CcriNK,  or  O'Quinn. 

8.  O'CoiNFiACLA,  now  O'Convally. 

4.  O'Laciitnatn,  or  OLoughnan,  by  some 
anglicised  to  Loftus. 

5.  O'MuiREAGAi?;,  or  O'Murrigan.  The  O'- 
Quinns  were  chiefs  of  Muinter  Giolgain,  and 
had  their  chief  castle  in  Kathcline,  in  Longford. 

C.  OTlannac.ain,  or  O'Flannaian,  chief  of 
Comar,  which  O'Dugan  places  beside  OBraein's 
country 

7.  OBraein,  or  O'Breen,  ofBreaghmani,  now 
the  barony  of  Brawney  in  Westmeath. 

S.  Mac  Conmedua,  or  Mac  Conway  of  Muin- 
tir  Laodagain. 

9.  Mao  Aoi>ha,  Aodha  or  Mac  Hugh,  of 
Muintir  Tlamain. 

10.  Mac  Taidg,  or  Mac  Teige  (by  some  angli- 
cised to  Tiglie,  by  others  to  Montague),  of  Muin- 
tir Sirthachain. 

11.  Mai-  Amiialgaidii,  or  Mac  Gawley,  chief 
of  Calraidhe  or  Calrigia,  a  territory  on  the  bor- 
ders of  Westmeath  and  the  Kings  county. 
Mac  Geoshegan  states  that  this  territory  com 
prised  the  barony  of  Kilconrcy,  in  the  Kings 
county. 

12.  'Mac  Oarouamma,  or  Mac  Carron,  of 
Muintir  Maoilsionna. 

13.  O  DvLAiGii,  or  O  Daley,  of  Corca  Ad- 
liaimh,  or  Corcaduin.  On  the  map  of  Ortelius, 
by  O'Conor,  O  Daley  isjiiven  as  in,  or  contiguous 
to,  the  barony  of  Clonlonan,  in  Westmeath. 

14.  O'ScoLAiDiiE,  or  O  Scully,  of  Delbna  lart- 
bar.or  West  Delvin. 

15.  O  CoMBAiDK,  anglicised  to  Currj',  of  Ui 
Mac  Uais,  the  present  barony  of  Moygoish  in 
Westineath 

15  O  Haodiia,  or  O'llugh,  or  O'Hea,  of  Tir 
Teabtha  Shoir,  or  East  Teflia. 

IC.  O'Ceariiiiailt,.  or  O'CarroII,  of  Tara. 

17.  O  DriNM,  O'Doyne  or  O  Dunn,  of  the 
districts  of  Tar,a. 

IS.  Mac  Giolla  3eachloin.v,  or  0  Shaugli- 
lin,  of  Deisee;irt  Breagh,  now  the  parish  of 
Dy.sart  in  Westmeath. 

19.  O'Konain  of  Carbri  Guara,  or  nortbcrn 
TelBa. 

2:).  O  Haonousa,  or  OTIennesey,  of  Galenga 
Beg,  now  the  parish  of  Gallon,  in  the  King  s 
county 

The  following  chiefs  and  elans  in  Meath  and 
Westmeath  have  not  been  given  by  O'Dngan. 
O'Sin'tirjIi^  anglicised  to  Fox  and  "Shnnny  of 
the  southern  Ui  Nlall,  lord  of  Muintir  Tadh- 
galn,an  extensive  territory  in  Teffia,  containing 

Í «arts  of  the  baronies  of  liathconrath  and  Clon- 
onan  In  Westmiath,  with  part  of  the  barony 
of  Kllcourcy,  In  the  King's  county.    They  wero 


TOPOGRAPHICAL   APPENDIX. 


721 


the  same  as  O'Catharnaigh.  The  head  of  this  fam- 
ily wasdistiiiguisheil  by  the  title  of  The  Fox. 

The  O'.NÍALo.NES,  a  branch  of  the  O  Conors, 
kings  of  Connauglit,  who  had  large  possessions 
in  the  barony  of  Urawney,  in  Westiiu-ath.  In 
former  timos  these  chiefs  had  the  title  of  barons 
of  Clin-Malone,  and  afterwards  obtained  that  of 
barons  tíunderlin,  of  Lalie  Suuderlin,  in  West- 
meat!" . 

The  0"Faoans,  a  numerous  clan,  in  Meath 
and  West  Meatli,  of  whieh  tliere  were  many 
respectable  families,  the  head  of  which  had  the 
title  of  baron  of  Feltrim  in  Finsral.  The  follow- 
ing also  were  clans  of  note  in  Westnicath,  viz,, 
the  OCoffeys,  and  O'lliggins.  In  Meath,  O'- 
Lingseachs,'or  O'Lynches,  O  Murphys.  and  O'- 
Mnrrays,  theO'Brogans,  and  otliers.  The  chiefs 
and  clans  of  ancient  Meath  were,  with  few  ex- 
ceptions, of  the  race  of  the  sonlhern  Ui  Niall. 
There  are  now  but  few  families  of  any  note, 
descendants  of  the  ancient  chiefs  of  Meath. 

In  the  year  1172  Henry  II.,  granted  to  Hush 
de  Lacy,  for  the  service  of  iifty  knights,  the 
whole  kingdom  of  Meath,  of  whicli  that  chief- 
tain was  made  Lord  Palatine,  with  as  full  and 
ample  powers  as  Murcadh  O'Melaghlin,  then 
ing  of  Meath.  Do  L-.ioy  divided  Meath 
iiraongst  his  various  chiefs,  who  were  com- 
monly denominated  De  Lacy's  barons.  Hugh 
Tyrrell  obtained  Castleknock ;  and  his  descen- 
dants were  for  a  long  period  barons  of  Castle- 
knock. Gilbert  de  Angulo,  or  Nangle,  obtained 
Magherigallen,  now  the  barony  of  Morgallion, 
in  licath.  Jocelin,  son  of  Gilbert  Nangle,  ob- 
tained Navan  and  Ardbracean.  The  Nangles 
wore  afterwards  barons  of  Navan.  Many  of  the 
Nanglcs  took  the  Irish  name  of  Mac  Costello, 
and  from  them  the  barony  of  Costello  in  Mayo 
derived  its  name.  William  de  Missett  obtained 
Luin;  and  his  descendants  were  barons  of 
Lune  near  Trim. 

AdamFeipo  or  Phepoe  obtained  Skrine,  San- 
treff,  or  Santrv,  and  Clontorth,  (either  Clonturk 
or  Cli-itarf.)'  This  family  had  the  title  of 
baroii^'jf  Skrine,  which  title  afterwards  passed 
tothefamily  of  Marward  Gilbert  Fitz-Thomas 
obtained  the  territories  about  Kenlis ;  and  his 
descendants  were  barons  of  Kells.  Hugh  de 
Hose,  orllussey,  obtained  Dees,  or  the  barony  of 
Deecein  Meath.  The  Husseys  were  made  barons 
of  Galtrim.  Richard  and  Thomas  Fleming  ob- 
tained Crandon  and  other  districts.  The  Flem- 
ings became  barons  of  Slane,  and  a  branch  of 
the  family  viscounts  of  Langford.  Adam  Dul- 
lard or  Dollard  obtained  Dullennevarty.  Gil- 
bert de  Nugent  obtained  Delvin,  and  his 
descendants  were  barons  of  Delvin,  and  Earls 
of  Westmeath.  Richard  Tuite  received  large 
prants  in  Westmeath  and  Longford.  The 
Tuites  received  the  title  of  barons  of  Moyashell, 
in  Westmeath.  Robert  de  Lacy  received  Rath 
wire  in  Westmeath,  of  whieh  his  descendants 
were  b.arons.  Jeoffrey  de  Constantine  received 
Kibixey  in  Westmeath,  of  which  his  descend- 
ants were  barons.  William  Petit  received 
Castlebreck  and  Magheritherinan,  now  the 
barony  of  Magheradernon  in  Westme.ith.  The 
Petits  received  the  title  of  barons  of  MuUingar. 
Myler  Fitz-Henrv  obtained  Magherneran,  Rath- 
kenin  and  Athinorker,  now  Ardnorcher. 
Richard  de  Laohapelle,  brother  to  Gilbert 
Nugent,  obtained  much  lancL 

The  following  great  families,  either  of  English 
or  Norman  descent,  settled  in  Mcatli  in  early 
times.  The  Plunketts,  a  family  of  Danish 
descent,  became  Earls  of  Fingal,  and  branches 
of  them  barons  of  Dunsaney,  and  Earls  of 
Louth,   The  Prestons,  viscounts  Qormanstown, 


and  another  branch  viscounts  of  Tara.  The 
Harnwalls,  barons  of  Trimblestowu,  and  vis 
counts  Kingsland.  The  Netterviiles,  barons  of 
Dowth.  The  Bellews,  barons  of  Duleek  The 
Darcys  of  Platten,  some  of  whom  were  barons 
of  Navan.  The  Cusacks,  barons  of  Clonmullen, 
The  Fitz-Eustaces,  barons  of  Portlester. 

The  following  were  also  families  of  note  in 
Meath:  The  de  Bathes,  of  Athcarn.  The 
Dowdalls  of  Athhimney.  The  Flemings  of 
Staholmock.  The  lietaghs  of  Moynalty,  of 
Danish  descent.  The  Cruises  of  Cruisetown 
and  Cruise-Rath,  ice.  The  Drakes  of  Drak-rath. 
The  Corballys.  The  Everards.  The  Cheevers, 
some  of  whom  liad  the  title  of  barons  of  Mount 
Leinster.  The  Dardises.  The  Delahoids.  The 
Caddells.    The  Scurlocks  or  Sherlocks. 

In  Westmeath  the  following  great  families  of 
English  descent  were  located,  together  with 
those  already  enumerated.  The  Dillons,  who 
some  say,  were  originally  descended  from  a 
branch  of  the  southern  Ui  Neili;  their  an- 
cestor, a  chieftain  named  Dillune  or  Delion,  in 
the  Vtti  century,  went  to  France,  and  being  a 
famous  warrior,  became  Duke  of  Aquitaine. 
One  of  his  descendants  came  to  Iieland  with 
king  John,  and  got  large  grants  of  land  in  West- 
meath and  Anally;  his  descendants  were  lords 
of  Drumrany,  in  tlie  barony  of  Kilkenny  West, 
and  having  founded  many  great  families  in 
Meath  and  Connaught,  became  Earls  of  Ros- 
common, viscounts  Dillon  in  Mayo,  barons  of 
Clonbrock,  and  barons  of  Kilkenny  West,  and 
several  of  them  were  counts  and  generals  in 
the  French  and  Austrian  service.  The  Daltons 
and  Delameres  obtained  large  possessions  in 
Westmeath  and  Anally.  The  chief  seat  of  the 
Daltons  was  at  .Mount  Dalton,  in  the  barony  of 
Rathconrath,  of  which  they  were  lords,  and  some 
of  them  were  distinguished  in  the  service  of 
foreign  states,  and  counts  of  the  Holy  lioman 
Empire.    The  Deases  in  Meath  and  Westmeath. 

Magh,  Lirji,  signifying  the  Plain  of  the  Liffey, 
was  the  name  applied  in  ancient  times  to  the 
plains  on  both  sides  of  the  river  Liffey.  compris- 
ing a  great  part  of  the  present  county  of  Kil 
dare  on  both  sides  of  the  river  Litfey,  including 
tlie  Curragh  of  Ki'dare,  which  was  called  Cuir- 
eai'h  Liffe,  and  also  parts  of  Dublin  along  the 
Liffey. 

The  O'Melaghlins,  kings  of  Me.ith,  and  their 
co-relatives,  having  ruled  over  the  diítricts 
north  of  the  river  Liffey,  the  following  particu- 
lars both  of  them  and  of  some  other  of  the  tribes 
of  the  Southern  Ui  Neill,  whose  names  have  been 
already  given  in  the  preceding  portion  of  this 
chapter,  are  here  given  at  the  head  of  the  clans 
of  Magh  Liííi,  as  they  are  found  arranged  in 
the  work  from  which  this  appendix  is,  with  a 
a  few  exceptions,  an  extract. 

1  O'Maeilseciilain'x,  OMaoileaehlain, orO'- 
Melaghlin.  The  0  MelaghUns  were  the  head 
family  of  the  southern  Ui  Niall  race,  called  Clan 
Colman,  and  took  their  name  from  Maeilsech- 
lainn.orMalaohy  I  ,  king  of  Meath  and  monarch 
of  Ireland  in  the  ninth  century;  they  were  for 
many  centuries  kings  of  Meath,  and  several  of 
them  were  monarchs  of  Ireland.  Many  of  them 
were  also  Icings  of  Tara,  princes  of  Bregia,  and 
lords  of  Clan  Colman  ;  the  territory  called  Glan 
Colmnn  was  situated  in  ancient  Tefiia,  and  com- 
prised the  middle  and  southern  parts  of  the 
present  county  of  Westmeath.  The  O'Melagh- 
lins, .as  kings  of -Meath.  h.ad  their  chief  residence 
at  D'tn-na-S-iath,  or  the  Fortress  of  the  Shields, 
situated  on  the  banks  of  Lough  Ainnin,  now 
Lough  Ennell,  ne-ar  .Mullingar.  Murtogh  0"MeI- 
aghliu  was  king  of  Meath  at  the  time  of  tha 


722 


TOPOGRAPHICAL   APPENDIX. 


Anglo-Norman  invasion ;  liis  liincdom  -was  trans- 
ferred to  Hush  do  Lacy  by  a  Krant  from  Henry 
II.,  and  he  was  tlie  last  independent  kin?  of 
Meath;  ijut  tlie  O'Melaghlins,  f>r  many  cen- 
turies afterwards,  amidst  incessant  and  lierce 
contests  witb  tlie  English  settlers,  maintained 
their  position  and  considerable  possessions  in 
■\Vestmeath.  with  their  titles  of  kings  and  princes 
of  Meath  and  lords  of  Clan  Colman,  down  to  the 
reign  of  Elizabeth.  Many  distinguished  chiefs 
of  the  O'Melaghlins  are 'mentioned  from  the 
tenth  to  the  sixteenth  century.  Some  chiefs  of 
thom  are  mentioned  during  the  Cromwcllian 
and  Williamite  wars,  but  after  those  periods  all 
their  estates  were  confiscated,  and  in  modern 
times  scarcely  any  of  the  O'.Molaghlins  are  to  be 
found.  It  is' however  said  that  the  name  has 
been  changed  to  Mac  LoEhlin  It  is  remark- 
able, that  of  the  five  royal  Milesian  families,  all 
of  whom  were  eligibleto  the  monarchy,  none 
have  become  so  utterly  decayed  as  the  'OMel- 
aghlins,  for  the  others,  namely,  the  O'Neills, 
kings  of  Ulster ;  the  O'Conors,  kings  of  Con- 
nanght,  and  the  O'Briens,  kings  of  Mnnster, 
many  high  families  still  exist,  and  the  Mac  Mur- 
roghs.  kings  of  Leinster,  are  represented  by  the 
O'Cavenaglis. 

2.  Mac'Eochagaix,  or  Mac  Geoghegan,  chief 
of  Einel  Fiacadh,  is  thus  mentioned  by  O"- 
Dugan : 

"Precedence  be  given  to  the  horoic  clan. 
The  noble  tribe  Mac  Geoglugan  : 
Host  of  the  pleasant  verdant  lands. 
That  rule  o'er  the  warlike  Kinel  Fiacadh." 

The  Mac  Geoghegans  took  their  names  from 
Eochagan,  one  of  their  ancient  chiefs,  and  were 
a  branch  of  the  southern  \'\  Neill.  The  terri- 
tory of  Kinel  Fiaeha  comprised  the  barony  of 
Moycasliel,  with  parts  of  Moyashol,  Kathcon- 
rath,  and  Fcrtullagli,  and  the  districts  about  Mul- 
lingar,  in  Westmeath.  The  Mae  Geogheiians 
were  princes  of  Kinel  Fiaeha,  and  of  them  there 
were  many  and  valiant  chiefs,  who  di  t'catcd  the 
English  forces  in  several  battles.  l!iili:ird  Mac 
Geoghegan,  a  distinguished  commander  in  the 
war  against  Elizabeth,  was  particularly  cele- 
brated for  his  defence  of  the  castle  ofDnnboy, 
In  the  county  of  Cork.  The  Mac  Geoghegans 
held  their  rank,  and  considerable  possessions,  in 
Westmeath,  down  to  the  Cromwellian  wars  and 
revolutions,  after  which  their  estates  were  con 
flscated. 

8.  O'Haiet  or  O'llart,  OTJagain  or  O'Kegan, 
O'CeallaIgh  or  O'Kelly,  and  O'Conghalaigh,  or 
O'Connoly — the  Four  Tribes  of  Tara  are  tiius 
mentioned  by  O'Dugan : 

"  The  princes  of  Tara  I  here  record. 
The  royal  O'llart  and  likewise  O'Kegan, 
The  host  who  purchased  the  harbors. 
Were  the  O'Kcllies  and  the  O'ConnoUles." 

These  tribes  of  Tara  were  also  styled  princes 
of  Brcgia,  and  appear  to  have  possessed  the  ter- 
ritories about  Tara  in  Meath,  and  also  parts  of 
the  present  county  of  Dublin. 

4.  O'liuAiDiiui.'or  OHory.  a  name  anglicised 
to  Kotrers,  is  mentioned  by  O'Dugan  as  prince  of 
Finnfochla,  and  thus  designated : 

"  Of  the  men  of  Brcgia  an  experienced  chief 
Is  O'ltory,  prince  of  Finnfochla." 

5.  O'CiAnnnA,  O'Cary,  or  O'Kcary,  chief  of 
Calrbri  O'Clardha,  is  thus  mentioned  by  O'- 
Dugan and  O'llcerln : 


"  O'Carey  rules  over  Carbery  of  bards. 
He  is  of  the  tribe  of  Niall  of  the  Nine  Hostages. 
There  are  none  but  themselves  there, 
Of  the  clans  of  Niall  over  Leinster." 

6.  O'MrRCAiN,  chief  of  Fidhgaibhle,  is  thus 
mentioned  by  Olleerin ; 

"  O'er  Llffoy's  plain  of  the  fertile  slopes, 
O'Murcan,  chief,  rules  green  Fidhgabhla." 

7.  O'Bracain,  or  Bracken,  were  chiefs  in 
Moy  Liffey.  The  O'Murcains  and  O'Brackens 
appear  to  have  possessed  the  dirtricts  along  the 
Litfev.  near  Dublin. 

S.  "O'Cellaidh,  or  O'Kelly,  chief  of  Tuath 
Leghe,  is  thus  mentioned  by'O'Heerin: 

"  Delightful  the  land,  its  fame  has  spread, 
Tuath  Leghe  of  the  shining  slopes; 
O'Kelly  of  Leghe,  from  the  eastern  strand, 
Is  chief  of  the  pleasant  country  of  yews." 

These  O'Kellys  po.ssessed  a  territory  near  the 
river  Barrow,  parts  of  the  baronies  of  West  Nar- 
ragh  and  Kilkeii,  in  tlie  county  of  Kildare ;  and 
they  were  sometimes  called  Mac  Kellys;  had 
their  chief  residence  and  castle  at  liathascul,  or 
the  Moat  of  Ascul,  near  Athy,  and  they  also  had 
the  district  about  Naas. 

9.  O'Gelbroin,  chief  of  Clar  Life,  is  thus  men- 
tioned by  O'Heerin: 

"The  plain  of  Liffey  of  Black  Ships, 
A  verdant  country  of  the  finest  produce. 
Westward  of  Tara,  the  house  of  Conn, 
O'Gelbroin  is  the  chief  of  the  fair  land." 

From  the  description  of  this  territory  of  Clar 
Lifli,  or  the  I'lain  of  the  Liffey,  westward  of 
Tara,  it  appears  to  have  been  situated  on  the 
plains  of  the  Liflfey,  on  the  borders  of  Dublin 
and  Kildare. 

10.  O'Fiaciira,  or  O'Fiachry,  chief  of  Vi  Ine- 
chriiis  at  Alnihuin,  and  O'Haodha,  O'Hugh,  or 
O'IKa,  chief  of  Ui  Deaghaidh,  are  mentioned  as 
follows  by  O'Heerin : 

"Over  the  entire  of  Ui  Ineachruis 
Ruled  O'Fiachry,  chief  of  Allen  ; 
O'Hugh  over  Ui  Degadh  of  learned  7ncn, 
To  whom  tribes  bow  in  submission." 

These  territories  were  situated  in  Kildare. 

11.  0'.M!"iitTnF.,  or  O'Muiridho,  probabl.v  O'- 
Murray,  chief  of  Kinel  Flathcmhuin.and  O'Fin- 
tighern,  chief  of  Ui  Mealla,  are  thus  designated 
by  O'Heerin: 

"O'Murry  of  great  eloquence, 
Is  chief  of  fair  Kind  Flahaven  ; 
Over  Ui  Mella  of  the  fast  sailing  ships. 
Firmly  settled  is  the  chief  O'Fintierncy." 

The  territories  of  those  chiefs  were  situated  in 
Kildare.  O'Finticrney's  district  appears  to  have 
adjoined  it.  and  was  jirobably  in  West  Ophaley. 
near  the  Barrow,  from  the  mention  made  of 
ships  in  the  ]ioem. 

VI.  The  O'Cri.i.PNS  are  said  to  have  possessed 
a  territory  culled  Cdill  CulMiin,  or  the  Woods  of 
Cullen,  on  the  borders  of  Kildare  and  Wicklow. 
wliicli  now  forms  thebaronj-  of  Kilcullcn  in  Kil- 
dare. 

13.  The  O'Coi.oANB  were  ancient  chiefs  In 
Kildare,  and  there  are  still  many  famlliea  of  the 
name  in  that  county.  The  Mac  Donnels  were 
also  numerous  In  Kildare. 

14.  O'DuiiinnAKJit,  or  O'Duffey.— The  O'- 
Duffys  were  one  of  the  Leinster  clans  of  tbo 


TOPOGRAPUIC.\-L   APPENDIX. 


723 


Cahiriaa  race,  and  of  the  same  descent  as  the 
.Vac  Murroghs,  kin^s  of  Leiiister,  aud  the  O"- 
Tooies  andO  Byrnes,  chiefs  of  Wicklow. 

15.  The  Faoans,  some  of  whom  have  been 
called  O  Fa^;ms  and  Mae  Fagans,  are  considered 
by  some  to  be  of  Irisli  origin,  but  according  to 
others  they  were  of  Knglisli  or  Danish  descent, 
and  tlie  name  is  still  numerous  in  the  counties 
of  Meath,  Westmcath,  and  Dublin. 

16.  Tlie  O'Mlllkns  are  one  of  the  Leinster 
clans,  and  were  numerous  in  Meath,  Dublin,  and 
Kildare. 

17.  Mac  Gilla-mocholmoo  iindO'Dnnchadha 
or  O'Donoghoe,  are  mentioned  in  0'l>ugun  as 
lords  or  princes  of  Fine  Gall,  that  i:,  of  Fingall 
near  Dublin;  and  it  may  be  observed  that  there 
was  another  Mac  Gilla-mocholmog,  lord  of  a 
territory  on  the  bordtrs  of  Wicklow,  and  men- 
tioned in  the  note  on  Cualan. 

Is.  O'Mup.cuEBTAiuii,  or  O  Murtogh,  chief  of 
the  tribe  or  territory  of  O  Maine ;  and  U'Modarn, 
chief  of  Kinel  Kuchain,  are  mentioned  in  O'- 
Dugan  as  chiefs  over  the  Britons  or  Welsh,  and 
appear  to  have  been  located  near  Dublin. 

i'J.  Mao  Mlregain,  prince  of  East  LiCfey,  is 
mentioned  in  the  Annals  in  some  battles  with 
the  Danes  in  the  tenth  century. 

Ill  the  County  and  City  of  Dublin  the  fol- 
lowing have  been  the  principal  families  of 
Anglo-Norman  descent :  The  Talbots,  Tyrrells, 
Plunketts,  Prestons,  Barnwalls,  St.  Lawrences, 
Cruises,  Cusacks,  Gogans,  Whites,  Walshes, 
Walls,  Warrens,  Wogans,  Woodlocks,  Darcys, 
Nettervilles,  Marwards,  Phepoes,  Fitzwilliams, 
Fitzsimons,  Flemmings,  Archbolds,  Archers, 
Aliens,  Aylmers,  Balls,  Bagots,  De  Bathes,  But- 


lers, Barrys,  Barrets,  Berminghams,  Bretts,  Bel- 
lews,  Blakes,  Brabazons,  Finglases,  Sweetmans, 
Uollywoods,  Howths,  Hu3sey.s,  Dowdalls,  Dil- 
lons, S^'agraves,  Sarsllelds,  Staniliurts,  Lawlesses, 
Oadells,  Drakes,  Gracvs,  Palmers,  Eustaces, 
Browns,  Nangles,  Tuites,  Trants,  Luttrells,  De- 
lahoydes,  Usher.s,  Grattans. 

/h  the  County  oj  Kildare,  the  following  have 
been  the  chief  faniilies  of  Anglo-Norman  and 
English  descent  ;  Earl  Strongbow,  having  be- 
come heir  to  the  kingdom  of  Leinster,  a.sson-in 
law  of  Dermod  Mac  Murrogh,  king  of  Leinster, 
whose  daughter  Eva  lie  had  married,  gave  grants 
of  various  parts  of  Leinster  to  his  followers. 
Amongst  othrr  grants,  Strongbow  gave  in  Kil- 
dare to  .Maurii»  Fitzgerald ;  Naas,  Otl'elan,  which 
had  been  O'Kelly's  country  ;  to  MylerFit/.henry 
he  gave  t'arberry  ;  to  Robert  de  Bermingham, 
Otfalcy,  part  of  O'Conor's  country  ;  to  Adam  and 
Kichard  de  Hereford,  a  large  territory  about 
Lei.\lip,  and  the  district  De  SuUu  /Saimoui.i,  or 
the  Salmon  Leap,  from  which  the  barony  of 
Salt  derived  its  name;  and  to  Kobert  Fitz 
Kichard  he  gave  the  barony  of  Narragh.  The 
family  of  do  Eiddlesford,  in  the  reign  of  king 
John,  got  the  district  of  Castledermot,  which 
was  part  of  the  territory  of  O'Toole,  prince  of 
Imaile,  in  Wicklow,  and  Richard  de  St.  Michael 
got  from  Kins  John  the  district  of  Rheban,  near 
Athy,  part  of  0'  Moore's  country,  and  from  the 
St.  Michaels,  lords  of  Rheban  and  AS'oodstock,  in 
Kildare,  with  Dunamase  in  the  Queens  county, 
passed  to  the  Fitzgeralds,  barons  of  Offaley,  in 
the  year  14-24,  by  the  marriage  of  Thomas  Fitz- 
gerald with  Dorothea,  daughter  of  Anthony  O'- 
Moore,  prince  of  Leis. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


THE  KINGDOM   OF  ULADH  OR  ULSTER. 

The  Kingdom  of  VMer  —The  name  in  Irish  is  C7af?A,  pronounced  UUa,  and  latinised  Ultonia 
the  people  were  called  r'taiijlt,  in  Latin  UUonii.  and  Cltoniense.%  anglicised  Vltonians.  This 
ancient  kingdom  comprised  the  counties  of  Louth,  Monaghan,  Armagh,  Down,  Antrim.  Tyrone, 
Derry,  Doneiral,  and  Fermanagh,  and  the  old  tcrritorif>s"of  Orgiall,  Dalaradia,  Ulidia,  Dalriada, 
TirEogain,  Tirconnell.  and  Fermanagh;  the  county  of  Cavan,  which  was  part  of  Brefney,  belonged 
to  C'onnaught,  but  was  afterwards  added  to  Ulster,  and  the  county  of  Louth,  which  was  part  of 
ancient  Ulster  was  added  to  Leinster. 


Tip.  Eogain. 

This  territory  comprised  the  present  counties 
of  Tyrone  and  Derry,  with  a  large  portion  of 
Donegal,  between  Lough  Foyle  and  Lough 
Swilley,  namely,  the  peninsula  of  Inisowen, 
and  the  greater  part  of  the  barony  of  Raphoe. 
In  this  territory,  on  a  high  hill  or  mountain, 
called  Grianan,  on  the  eastern  shore  of  Lough 
Swilly.  south  of  Inch  Island,  was  situated  the 
i^eiebrated  fortress  called  the  Griiinan  of  Ail- 
each,  from  Grianan.  a  palace  or  royal  resi- 
dence, and  Ailech  or  Oileach,  which  signifies 
a  stone  fortress.  It  was  also  called  Ailech 
A'Ví'/,  having  derived  its  name,  according  to 
O'Flaherty,  from  Neid,  one  of  the  Tuatha-de- 
Dannan  princes.  This  fortress  was  for  many 
ages  the  seat  of  the  ancient  kings  of  Ulster.  It 
was  built  in  a  circular  form  of  great  stones 
without  cement,  and  was  of  immense  strenitth. 
In  that  style  denominated  Cyclopean  architec- 
ture, and  some  of  its  extensive  ruins  remain  to 
this  day. 

Tir  Eogain  obtained  its  name  from  Eogan, 
or  Owen,  son  of  Niall  of  the  Mne  Hostages, 
who  conquered  this  territory  in  the  beginning 
of  the  fifth   century,  and  hence  its  name,  Tir 


Eogain.  or  the  country  of  Owen,  afterwards  an- 
glicised into  Tiroen,  or  Tyrone.  In  conse- 
quence  of  the  conquest  of  this  country  by 
Eogan,  when  it  was  taken  from  the  old  pos- 
sessors of  the  race  of  Ir,  or  Clanna  Rory,  its 
sovereignty  was  transferred  to  the  race  of 
Erimhon.  From  the  circumstance  of  its  being 
possessed  bj'  the  descendants  of  Eogan,  called 
Cinel  Eogain,  or  Kinel  Owen,  the  territory  also 
obtained  the  name  of  Kinel  Owen.  According 
to  the  Books  of  Leacan  and  Ballymote,  and 
other  authorities,  this  territory  was  divided  be- 
tween the  ten  sons  of  Eogan,  whose  descend- 
ants gave  names  to  the  various  districts.  In  the 
chapter  on  the  kingdom  of  Meath.  it  has  been 
stated  th.at  the  Ui  Neill,  or  the  descendants  of  the 
monarch  Niall  of  the  Nine  Hostages,  were  divid- 
ed into  two  sreat  branches,  namely,  the  Southern 
and  Northern.  The  southern  Ui  Neill  were 
kinm  of  Meath,  and  many  of  them  monarchs 
of  Ireland.  The  northern  Ui  Neill,  of  which 
there  were  two  great  branches,  namely,  the  race 
of  Eogan,  princes  of  Tyrone,  and  the  race  of 
Conal.  princes  of  Tirconnell,  also  furnished 
many  monarchs  of  Ireland ;  but  the  descend- 
ants of  Eogan  were  the  most  celebrated  of  all 
the  Milesian  clans ;  of  them  a  great  many  were 


724 


TOPOGKAPHICAL    APrENDIX. 


kings  of  Ulster,  and  sixteen  were  monarchs  of 
Ireland.  The  race  of  E.)g:iu  to.)k  tlie  name  of 
O  Neill  in  the  tenth  century,  from  Niall  Glun- 
dubli,  who  was  killed  in  a  great  battle  with  the 
Danes,  near  Dublin,  A.  D.  i'JO.  The  elder 
branch  of  the  O  Neill  took  the  name  of  O'Loch- 
lainn,  and  Mac  Lough. in,  from  Lochlainn.  one 
of  their  ancient  chiefs.  The  O  Neills  after- 
Avards  recovered  the  supremacy,  and  made  a 
distinguished  tigure  iu  Irish  history,  down  to 
the  seveuteenth  century,  as  ]»rinces  of  Tyrone, 
and  liin;;s  of  L'lster.  The  O'Neills  had"  their 
chief  seat  .at  Dungannon.  and  were  inaugurated 
as  jirinces  of  Tyrone,  at  Tullaglioge  palace,  be- 
tween Grange  and  Donaghenry,  iu  the  pariih  of 
Desertcrcight,  barony  of  Dungannon,  where  a 
rude  seat  of  large  stones  served  them  as  a  cor- 
onation chair. 

The  cliicfs  and  clans  of  Tir  Eogain,  and  the 
territories  possessed  by  each  in  the  twelfth  cen- 
tury, are  collected  from  ODugan  as  follows:— 
O'Dugan  commences  with  the  territory  of 
Aileiich  of  the.  Kings,  of  which  he    gives — 

1.  ONeill  and  Mac  Loughlin  as  priaces  or 
kings. 

2.  O'Cathain.  or  O'Kane.  who  was  of  the  race 
of  Eogan,  or  a  branch  of  the  O'Neills,  and  who 
■was  the  chief  of  Cianacht  of  Glenna  Gebhin,  or 
Keenaght  of  Glengiven.  The  O'Kanes  were 
also  chiefs  of  the  Oreeve,  now  the  barony  of 
Colerain.  In  after  times  this  powerful  clan 
possessed  the  greater  part  of  the  county  of 
Derry,  which   was    called    O'Kane's    country. 

'i.  O'CoNCOBAiR  or  the  O'Conors,  who  were 
chiefsofCianachta  before  theO  Kanes,  and  were 
descendants  of  Cian,  son  of  Olild  Olum,  king  of 
Munster;  hence  their  territory  obtained  the 
name  of  Cianachta,  a  name  still  pre:»ervod  in 
the  barony  of  Keenaught,  county  of  Derry. 

4.  O  DciBMDionMA  or  O'Dooyiorma,  some- 
times anglicised  O'Dermott  or  Mac  Dermott.  but 
a  distinct  clan  from  Ma'i  Dertnott,  prince  of  .Moy- 
lurg  in  Connaught.  The  O'Dooyiormas  were 
chiefs  of  liredach,  a  territory  which  lay  along 
the  western  banks  of  Lough  Foyle,  and  com- 
prised tlie  parishes  of  Upper  and  Lower  Moville, 
in  the  barony  of  Ini-iowen.  The  name  of  this 
district  is  still  preserved  in  the  small  river 
Bredag,  which  falls  into  Lough  Foyle. 

5.  0'GoBxii.Ei>AiBn,  or  O'Goriiiiey,  chief  of 
Kinel  Moain,  or  Moen,  now  the  barony  of  Itap- 
hoe,  county  of  Donegal.  This  district  derived 
Its  name  from  Moan,  one  of  the  descendants 
of  Eogan. 

-Magh  Itha,  or  Moy  Ith,  and  Kind  Enda 
were  two  districts  adjoining  Kinel  Moain, 
partly  in  the  barony  of  I'aphoe,  and  partly  in 
the  barony  of  Tirkeeran  in  DeiTy.  Acco  ding 
to  O'Dngan,  tlie  following  were  the  chiefs  of 
Moy  Itli.  namely,  1.  0']$aoh;iiile,  or  O'lioyle; 
2.  O'.Maolbreasiai.;  O'Cuiun,  or  OQuinn; 
(>'CioNAr.TiiA.  or  O'Kcnny.  8.  O'Bri'auair,  or 
O'Brody;  4.  0'MAi>iLrAHHAiLK;  O'IIocain, 
chiefs  of  t'arruic  I'rachulghe,  still  traee.-iblo  by 
the  name  Carricbrack,  in  the  barony  of  Inisowen. 
").  Oil  AííAiN.  or  O'llagan.  cliief  of  Tiilachog,  or 
Tnllaghoge,  in  the  parish  of  Desertcrcight, 
barony  of  Dungannon,  county  of  Tyrone. 
6.  OTJuNAOAiN,  or  O'Donegan.  "7.  Mac  Mun- 
i(AJ)ii,  or  Mac  Murrouch.  8.  O'Feroail,  or 
O'Fteel.  9.  Mao  liUAlunRl,  or  liogers,  chiefs 
of  Tealach  Alnblth.  and  of  Muinter  Blrn.  dis- 
tricts in  the  baronies  of  Dungannon  and  Stra- 
hane.  10.  O'Ckallaidii,  or  O'Kelly,  chief  of 
Kin.rl  E'lehaidli,  or  Corca  Eachaidh,  probably 
Corkaghee,  barony  of  Dungannon.  lI.O'Tio- 
HEAKNAiDit.  or  O'Ticmey",  12.  O'Ciauaik,  or 
O'Kleran,  chiefs  of  Fearnmuigh.     18.  O'Duibh- 


DtTANAiDn;  14  CFlAiGnMAiLL,  Or  Hamill.  15. 
O  Hkitiokin  or  OEtigan, chiefs  of  three  districts 
called  Tcallach  C^athalain,  Teullach  Duibh- 
ailbe,  and  Teallach  Uraenain.  lt>.  O'.Maklfot 
iiARTAiiii.  and  O  Heodhasa,  or  O  lleosey,  chiefe 
of  Kiuel  Tigbearnaigh  IT.  O'CirANAicii,  or 
O'Coonoy.  Is.  OIJaothgralatcm,  chief  of  Clan 
Fergus.  "  19.  O'Murcadha,  or  O  .Murrogh,  and 
O'.Meallain.  chiefs  of  Siol  Aodha-Eauaigh.  20. 
Mac  FiAcnnAiGit,  chief  of  Kinel  Feradaigh  in 
the  south  of  Tyrone.  -Jl.  O  Hairnin,  OMael- 
FABiiAiLL,  and  the  Clan  (.'atlimaoil,  chiefs  of 
Kinel  I'iradhaidh,  in  the  north  of  Tyrone.  This 
name  was  sometimes  changed  to  Mac  Campbell, 
and  Mac  Caghwell,  and  also  to  Caulfield.  The 
MacCathmaolls  were  a  powerful  clan  in  Tyrone. 
and  many  of  them  in  .Monaghan,  Louth,  and  Ar- 
magh. 22.  The  clans  of  .NJaolgiimridh  and  of 
Maolpadraig.  who  possessed  the  two  di.-tricts 
of  Kinel    Fireiihaidh,  in    the   east  of  Tyrone. 

23.  MtjixTEK  Taitiiligii.  of  Ui  Laoghaire,  of 
Lough   Lir,  a  name  anglicised  to  Mac  Tullv. 

24.  t)'llAiNBiTiR,chicf  of  UiSeaain  25.  OCui- 
o.^nAI^',  chief  of  lly  Fiachra,  a  territory  which 
comprised  the  parish  of  Ardstraw,  and  some 
adjoining  districts  in  Tyrone,  and  is  mentioned 
in  the  Annals  at  A.D.  1200.  2t).  OQuinn,  chief  of 
Moy  Lugad,  and  of  Siol  Cathusaigh.  Moylugad, 
according  to  the  Books  of  Leacan  and  Bally- 
motc,  Lay  in  Keenaught  of  Glengiven,  county 
of  Derry.  27.  The  O'Ceaubhai-laids,  O'Cearb- 
hall.ains,  or  O'Carolans,  a  name  sometimes  angli- 
cised to  Carleton,  chiefs  of  Clan  Uiarmada,  now 
the  parish  of  Clandermod,  or  Glendermod,  in 
Derry.  28.  The  O'Brolchains,  or  O'Brolchans, 
a  name  sometimes  elianged  to  Bradly.  These 
were  a  numerous  clan  near  Derry,  but  origi- 
nally of  the  Kinel  Feradaigh,  in  the  south  of 
Tyrone,  and  were  a  brancli  of  the  Kinel  Owen. 
2'J.  Mac  Blosgaidh,  or  the  Mac  Closkeys,  a  nu- 
merous clan  in  the  parish  of  Dungiven,  and 
some  adjoining  parts :  they  were  a  branch  of 
the  O'Kanes.  KG.  The  O'Drvlins,  chiefs  of 
Muintir  Devli,  near  Lough  Keagh,  on  the 
borders  of  Derry  and  Tyrone.  81.  The  O  LooN- 
EYS,  chiefs  of  Muinter  Loney.  a  .listrict  known 
as  the  Monter  Loney  .Mountains  in  Tyrone. 
82.  0  CoNNELLAN.  chlof  of  Crioch  Tullach,  In 
Tyrone,  a  name  which  has  beeu  by  some 
changed  to  Conolly.  82.  0'DoNonAiLE,or  O  Don- 
nellys  chiefs  in  Tyrone,  at  Ballydonnelly,  and 
other  parts.  84.  O'Nena,  or  O'Nenvs.  or  Mac 
Ncnys,  a  n.ame  which  has  been  anglicised  to 
Bird.  These  possessed  the  territory  of  Kinel 
Naeua,  in  Tyrone,  bordering  on  Monaghan.  Of 
this  family  was  Count  O'Neny,  of  Brussels,  in 
the  Austrian  .service,  under  the  empress  Maria 
Theresa.  35.  O'Fr.AiiKRTv.  or  O'Laverty,  lord  of 
Kinel  Owen.  86  The  O'Murrys,  given  in 
O Conor's  Map  of  Ortelius,  .as  a  clan  in  Derry. 
37.  The  Mao  Suane.i,  a  name  anglicised  to 
Johnson,  who  were  a  clan  in  Tyrone.  87.  The 
O'Mulligans,  anglicised  to  Molineux,  who  were 
also  a  clan  in  in  Tyrone.  8s.  The  O'Gnimiis, 
O'Onives,  or  O'Gneeves,  hereditary  bards  to 
the  O'Neills.  This  name  has  been  anglicised 
to  Agnew. 

The  O'Neills,  as  already  stated,  maintained 
their  indepedence  down  to  tho  end  of  the  six- 
teenth centurv,  as  princes  of  Tyrone;  and  in 
the  ri'iirns  of  Henry  VI 11.  and  Elizabeth,  bore 
tho  titles  of  earls  of  Tyrone,  and  barons  of 
Dungannon  TIk!  lust  celebrated  chiefs  of  tho 
name  were  Hugh  O'Neill,  tho  «reat  earl  of 
Tyrone,  famous  as  the  commander  of  the  north- 
ern Irish  In  Ihcdr  wars  with  Elizabeth ;  lind 
Owen  lioe  O'Neill,  the  general  of  the  Irisli  of 
Ulster,   in    IGll,  and   the    Cromwellian  wara. 


TOPOGRAPHICAL   APPENDIX. 


72Ó 


Several  of  the  O'Neills  have  been  distinguished 
in  the  niiiitaiy  service  of  Spain.  Friuice,  and 
Aastria. 

TiR   CONAILL. 

This  territory  comprised  the  remaining 
portion  of  the  county  of  Donegal  not  con- 
tained in  Tir  Kogiiin.  the  boundary  between 
both  being  Lough  Swiily;  but  in  the  twelfth 
century  the  OMuidorrys  and  O  Uonnclls, 
princes  of  Tir  (.'onnell,  became  masters  of 
the  entire  of  Donegal,  thus  making  Lough 
Foyle  and  Fin  the  boundaries  between  Tir 
(Jonnell  and  Tir  Eogain.  This  territory  got 
its  name  frotn  C'onall  tíulban,  who  tooic  posses- 
ion of  it  in  tlie  beginning  of  the  tilth  century, 
lie  was  brother  to  Kogan,  who  conquered  Tir 
Eogain.  and  son  of  the  monarch  Niall  of  the  Nine 
Hostages,  and  from  liim  the  territory  olitained 
the  nurae  of  Tir  Conaill.  or  the  country  of 
Oon.all.  and  his  posterity  were  designated 
Kind  Conaill,  or  the  race  of  C'onall,  a  name 
which  was  also  applied  to  the  territory. 

The  race  of  Conall  Gulban,  who  possessed 
Tir  Connell,  are  (•elebr.ated  in  Irish  history,  and, 
according  to  OFIaherty  and  others,  furnislied 
ten  of  the  monarchs  of  Ireland.  In  the  tentli 
century  a  branch  of  the  Kinel  Connell,  or  de- 
scendants of  Conall  Gulban,  toolt  the  n.imc  of 
t)"('anannain,  many  of  whom  were  celebrated 
chli'l's.  particularly  Kuaidri  O'Canannain,  who 
was  distinguished  for  his  great  valor  and  abili- 
ties. Another  branch  of  the  race  of  Conall 
Gulban  took  the  name  CMathioraidh,  or 
O  Muldorry,  and  became  jirinccsof  Tir  Connell. 
In  the  Annals  of  the  Four  Masters  in  the  luth, 
nth.  and  l'2th  centuries,  accounts  are  given  of 
many  contests  between  the  O'Canannains  and 
O  Maeldoraidhs,  those  rival  chiefs  of  the  same 
race,  as  contending  for  the  sovereignty  of  Tir 
Connell. 

The  ODoNNELLS. in  the  12th century, became 
princes  of  Tir  Connell.  and  were  of  the  same 
race  a*  the  0"Canannaius  and  O'Muldorrys. 
Their  tribe-name,  at  an  early  period,  was  Clan 
Dalaigh  from  Dalach.  one  of  their  chiefs. 
They  are  called  in  O'Dugan's  poem,  ■'  Chin»a 
DcUaigh  na  n-ít'nin  srjiath,'"  that  is,  of  the 
brown  shields.  They  afterwards  took  the  name 
O'Domhnaill,  or  Donnel,  one  of  their  ancient 
chi.fs.  The  O'Donnells.  from  Domnall,  or 
Donal  from  the  12th  to  the  end  of  the  16th 
century,  make  a  very  distinguished  figure 
in  Irish  history,  as  princes  of  Tircounel. 
The  l.i.st  celebrated  chief  of  the  name  was 
Eed  Hugh  O'Donneil,  long  famous  as  one  of 
the  chief  commanders  of  the  northern  Irish, 
in  their  wars  with  Elizabeth.  Kory  O'Donneil, 
the  hist  chief  of  the  race,  was  created  earl  of 
Tyrconnell,  but  died  in  e.xile  on  the  Continent, 
and  his  estates  were  confiscated  in  the  reign  of 
James  I.  Many  of  the  O'Donnells  have  been 
celebrated  generals  in  the  service  of  Spain, 
France,  and  Austria.  The  O'Donnels  were  in- 
augurated as  princes  of  Tirconnell  on  the  Kock 
of  Doune.  at  Kilmacrenan,  and  had  their  chief 
castle  at  DoneL'al. 

The  following  clans  and  chiefs  in  Tir  Conaill 
in  the  twelfth  century,  are  given  by  O'Dugan 
under  the  head  of  Kinel  Conaill : 

1.  O'Maoldokaidh.O'Caxannain,  and  Clann 
Dal.aigh  were  the  principal  chiefs.  The  Clan 
Dalaigh  was  the  tribe  name  of  the  O'Donnells 
as  before  stated. 

2.  O'BvoioniLT.  or  O'Boyles,  were  chiefs  of 
Clann  Chinnfaeladh,  of  Tir  Ainmireach,  and  of 
Tir  Baghani,  which  territories  comprised  the 


present  baronies  of  Boy  lagh  andBannagh.Crioeh 
Bacighil leach,  or  the  country  of  the  O'lloylea, 
gave  name  to  the  barony  of  Boylagh,  Tir  Beg- 
hane  was  the  barony  of  Banagh. 

5.  O'.Maeilm.^giisa,  or  O'Mulvany,  chief  ol 
Magh  Seireadh;  Magh  Seireadh  may  probably 
be  traced  in  a  townlaud  called  Mastarcy. 

4.  O'IIaediia  or  O'llugh,  chief  of  Ésruadh, 
now  Ballyshannon,  in  the  barony  of  Tir  Hugh. 

b.  O'Tairchirt,  chief  of  Clann  Nechtain, 
Clann  Snedgali. 

6.  Mac  Dubuain,  or  Mac  Duvanys,  chiefs 
of  Kinel  Nenna  or  Kinel  Enda.  This  distiict 
lay  in  Inisowen. 

7.  Mac  Loixqseachaix,  or  Mac  Lynchys, 
chiefs  of  Gleann  Binne.  or  Gleann-ni-Binue, 
and  O  Brzsle.v,  chief  of  Fauaid,  on  tlic  western 
shore  of  Lough  Swilly. 

8.  O'Dochaktaigii,  or  O'Dogherty,  chief  of 
Ard  MiJhair.  The  O'Uoghertys  were  a  power- 
ful sept,  a  branch  of  the  O'Donnells,  and  b.-came 
chiefs  of  Inisowen.  The  O'Doghertys  maintain- 
ed tlieir  rank  as  chiefs  of  Inisowen  down  to  the 
reign  of  James  I.,  when  Sir  Cahir  O  Dt^gherty 
was  killed  in  a  contest  with  the  Engli-h. 

9  Mac  Gillesamh-vis,  chief  of  Los  Guill, 
now  Kosgull,  in  the    barony  of   Kilmakrenan. 

10.  O'Ceahnachain,  or  O'Kernaghan. 

11.  O'Dalachai.v,  or  O'Dullaghan,  chiefs  of 
the  Tualh  Bladhadh. 

12.  U'Maelagaix,  or  O'MuUigan,  chief  of 
Tir  Mac  Caerthain. 

13.  O'DosNAGAiN,  and  MacGaiblln,  chiefs  of 
Tir  Breasail. 

14.  O'Maolgaothe,  chief  of  Muintir  Maoil- 
gaoithe.  Some  of  this  name  have  been  angli- 
cised to  Mac  Ghee,  and  others  to  'W'ynn. 

15.  And  Mao  Tighekxain,  or  Mac  Ternan, 
chief  of  Clan  Fcarghoile. 

l(i.  Mao  Suibni  or  the  Mac  Sweenys,  a 
branch  "f  the  O'Neills  which  settled  In 
Donegal,  and  formed  three  great  families, 
namely,  Mac  Sweeny  of  Fanaid,  whose  exten- 
sive territory  lay  wett  of  Lough  Swilley,  and 
whose  castle  was  at  Kathmullin  ;  Mac  Sweeny 
Boghamach,  or  of  Tir  Boghani,  now  the  barony 
of  Banagh,  who  had  his  castle  at  Rathaiii,  and 
in  which  territory  was  situated  Ee?chrain 
Muintiri  Eirn,  now  Eatlilin  O  Bcirne  Islands ; 
and  M.ac  i^weeny  Na  d-Tuath,  signifying  Mac 
Sweeny  of  the  Battle-axes.  His  districts  were 
also  called  Tuaiha  Toraighe.  or  the  districts  of 
Tory  Island.  This  Mac  Sweeny's  possessions 
lay  in  the  barony  of  Kilmakrenan.  These 
chiefs  were  called  Mac  Sweeny  Na  d  Tuagh, 
signifying  Mac  Sweeny  of  the  Battle-axes,  a 
title  said  to  be  derived  from  their  being  stan- 
dard bearers  and  marshals  to  the  O'Donnells, 
and  chiefs  of  Galloglasses.  A  branch  of  th'ise 
Mac  Sweenys.  who  were  distinguished  military 
leaders,  settled  in  Munster  in  the  county  Cork, 
in  the  thirteenth  century,  and  became  com- 
manders under  the  Mac  Carthys,  princes  of 
Desmond. 

17.  O'Galciiobair  or  O'Gallaghers,  derived 
from  Gallchobhair.  a  warrior,  in  the  baronies 
of  Eaphoe  and  Trihugh ;  they  had  a  c.istle  at 
Ballyshannon,  and  also  pos.'sessed  the  castle  of 
Liiford,  and  were  commanders  of  O  Donnells 
cavalry. 

18.  O'FrRANAry  is  given  by  O'Dugan  in  his 
poem  as  chief  of  Fiond  Ruis,  which  probably 
was  the  Rosses  in  the  barony  of  Boylagh. 

19.  O'DoMNGAi.T,  or  O'bonnelly,  chief  oi 
Fer  Droma,  a  district  in  Inishowen. 

20.  O'Lainidh  is  mentioned  as  chief  of  Kinel 
Moain.  a  district  in  the  barony  of  Eaphoe. 

21.  O'Cleeigh  or  O'Clerys,  celebrated  as  the 


726 


TOPOGlíArHICAL    APPENDIX. 


hereditary  historians  to  tho  O'Donnclls,  and  the 
learned  authors  of  the  Annals  of  the  Four 
Masters,  and  many  other  valuable  works  on 
Irish  history  and  antiquities.  Tliey  had  large 
possessions  in  llie  barony  of  Tirhugli,  and  resi- 
ded In  their  castle  at  Kilbarron,  the  ruins  of 
whicli  still  remain  situated  on  a  rock  on  the 
shore  of  the  Atlantic,  near  Ballyshannon. 

■22.  Mac  Ay  liiiAAiKD.or  the  MacWards.were  a 
clan  in  Donegal,  and  many  of  them  bards  to 
the  O  Donrells;  and  were  very  learned  men. 

OlRGIlIALLA. 

The  ancient  kingdom,  or  princip.ility  of 
Oirghiall,  comprised  an  extensive  territory 
in  Ulster,  and  was  called  by  Luin  writers, 
Orgalli'i,  and  ErgaUUi  ;  and  by  the  English 
Oriel,  and  L'riil.  In  the  beginning  ol  the 
fourth  century,  three  warlike  princes,  called 
the  three  Colitis,  sons  of  Eocaidh  Doinilein,  son 
of  Cairbre  Lil'echar,  m<riiarch  of  Ireland,  of  the 
race  of  Erimlu'ii.  made  a  conquest  of  a  great  part 
of  Ulster,  which  they  wrested  from  the  old  pos- 
sessors, princes  of  the  race  of  Ir,  called  the 
Clanna  Rory,  or  liudericians.  The  three  Collas 
in  the  great  battle  of  Achalethdcrg,  in  Fear- 
muish.  in  Dalaradia,  on  the  borders  of  Down 
and  Antrim,  A.  D.  332,  defeated  the  forces  of 
Fe;ga.s,  king  of  Ulster,  who  w.as  slain:  and  the 
vietiirs  burned  to  the  ground  Enihain  Maoha,  or 
Emania,  (near  the  present  city  of  Armagh,)  the 
famous  palace  of  the  Ultoiiian  king.s,  which  had 
stood  for  si.t  centnrl'is.  and  had  been  long  cele- 
brated by  the  Irish  bards.  The  place  where  this 
battle  was  fought  is  called  also  Carn  Achy  Leth- 
Dersr,  and  is  now  known  as  the  parish  of  Agha-. 
d^rg.  in  the  barony  of  Iveagh,  county  of  Down, 
where  there  still  remains  a  huge  Carn  of  loose 
stones,  near  Louglibriekland.  The  sovereignty 
of  Ulster  thus  piissed  from  the  race  of  Ir,  to  the 
race  of  Erimhon.  The  names  of  the  three 
chiefs  were  Colla  U.iis,  or  Colla  the  noble,  Colla 
Monn.  or  Colla  the  famous,  and  Colla-d!>Chrich, 
or  Colla  of  the  two  territories.  Colla  Uais  be- 
came monarch  of  Ireland,  A.  D.  327,  and  died 
A.  D.  Z^-1.  The  territory  conquered  by  the  three 
Collas.  comprised  the  present  counties  nf  Louth, 
Monaghan,  and  Armairh,  and  obtained  the  name 
of  Oirghialla,  from  the  circumstance  of  the  Collas 
havini'siipulateil  with  the  monarch  of  Ireland, 
for  themselves  and  their  pos:erity,  that  if  any 
chiefs  of  the  Clan  Colla  should  be  at  any  time  de- 
manded as  liostages,  if  nharA-led,  their  fetters 
should  be  gold;  thus,  from  the  Irisli  or.  gold,  or 
pint',  a  liostage,  came  the  name  oirr/Ziiafn. 
The  term  Oriel,  or  Uriel,  was  in  general  conlined 
by  the  English  to  the  present  county  of  Louth, 
wiiich.  in  former  times,  was  part  of  Ulster:  that 
province  extending  to  the  Boyne,  at  Droglieda. 
O'Carkolt,  was  the  name  of  the  ruling'  sept  of 
Oirglii.illa  for  .some  time  previous  to  the  English 
invasion.  They  continued  kings  down  to  the 
12tli  centurv,  \vhen  they  were  dispossessed  by 
the  An^lo-Xorm.ans.  under  John  de  Courcy. 
Donne.idh  O'Carroll,  prince  of  Orghlalla.  the  last 
ce'pbrated  head  of  this  race,  founded  the  great 
Abbey  of  Mellifont.  in  Louth,  in  the  12th  cen- 
turv. Tho  territorv  of  Louth  is  mentioned  in 
the'  earliest  times  under  the  names  of  M<i;/h 
.Vurtri^mni,  or  tlie  Plain  of  Miirthemni,  so 
callid  from  Murthemni,  sou  of  Breogan.  undo 
of  Milesius.  who  possessed  it.  I'art  of  the  tcr 
ritory  of  Louth  and  .Vrmagh  was  called  Cuailgnl, 
fromCu-iilgnl,  another  son  of  Breogan.  who,  ac- 
cording to  our  old  Annalists,  was  kilh^d  there  in 
I»  battle  between  the  Milesians  and  the  Tuatha 
De-Dananns,  about  1000  years  before  the  Chris- 


tian era.  Sliabh  Cuailgni,  now  Slicve  Gullion 
mountain,  in  Armagh,  acquired  its  name  from 
him.  Louth  was  in  ancient  times  also  called 
Maehairi  Chouaill,  or  the  Plain  of  Conall,  from 
Conall  liearnach,  the  renowned  warrior, who  was 
chief  of  the  lied  Branch  knights  of  Ulster,  about 
the  commencement  of  the  I'hristian  era,  and 
whose  descendants  originally  possessed  this  ter- 
ritory. 

The  descendants  of  Conall  Kearnach,  were 
theMagennises,  lords  of  Iveagh,  in  Dalaradia,  or 
county  of  Down,  the  0'Mor.a.s.  or  0"Moores, 
princes  of  Leix,  in  Kildare  and  Queen's  county, 
and  others.  Amongst  the  other  chief  clans  who 
possessed  Louth,  were  the  Mac  Canns,  Mac  Car- 
tans,  O'Kellys,  O'Moorcs,  OCallaghans,  O'Car- 
raghars,  Mac  Colmans,  Mac  Cair.pbell.s.  Mac 
Ardells,  Mae  l\ennys.  O'Devins,  O'Markys, 
O'Branagans,  Mac-Scunlons,  and  others. 

In  the  r.i-u  <.f  king  John,  A.D.  1210,  Louth 
was  formed  into  a  eounty,  and  acquired  its  name 
from  the  town  of  Louth,"  in  Irish,  Lxgh  Mliagh. 
In  the  Inquisitions  the  eounty  is  called  Lovidia. 
The  chief  Anglo-Noinian  or  British  families 
settled  in  Loutii,  were  the  De  Lacys,  De  Verdons, 
De  GernoMs.  ])e  l\|iards,  De  Fleniinings.  barons 
of  Slane;  the  Belle ws  of  Barmeath,  who  had  for- 
merly the  title  of  barons  of  Duleek;  the  De 
Berminghams,  earls  of  Louth,  a  title  afterwards 
possessed  by  the  Plunkets.  a  great  family  of 
Danish  descent;  the  Taattes,  earls  of  Carliog- 
ford;  the  Balls,  Brahazons,  Darcys,  Dowdals, 
Clintons,  and  the  Dromgools,  of  Danish  descent. 
The  posterity  of  the  three  Collas,  called  '  Ian 
Colla,  founded  inany  powerful  clans  and  noble 
femilies  in  Ulster,  and  otlier  parts  of  Ireland. 
From  Colla  Uais  were  descended  the  Mac 
Donalds,  earls  of  Antrin,  in  Ireland,  and  lords  of 
the  Isles,  in  Scotland;  also,  the  Mac  Rorys,  agreat 
clan  in  the  Hebrides,  and  also  many  families  of 
that  name  in  Ulster,  now  anglicised  to  Rogers. 

From  Colla  Da  Clirioch.  were  descended  the 
Mac  Mahons,  princes  of  Monaghan,  lords  of 
Ferney.  and  barons  of  Dartree.  at  t'onagh,  where 
they  h.ad  their  chief  seat.  The  Mac  Mahons 
were  sometimes  styled  princes  of  Orgiall.  It 
tfi-xf  be  observeil  tliat  several  of  the  Mac  Mahons, 
in  former  times,  changed  the  name  to  Mathews. 
The  other  chief  clans  of  Monasrh.in  were  the 
Mac  Kknnas,  chiefs  of  Trnai:h  ;  Ih..  Mac  Catses; 
tho  Mac  Nknevs,  anglieiz.d  to  ISird;  the  Mac 
Aki)ei.ls,>L^c  Cassidvs.  ODiifeys.  O'Corrys, 
OCosoRAS,  Mac  Cuskers,  or  Mac  Oscars, 
chansed  to  Cosgr.aves,  wlio  possessed,  according 
to  0'i)ugan.  aterrltory  called  Fe.arra  Rois,  which 
comprl.sfd  the  district  about  Carrickmacross,  in 
Monazhan,  with  the  parish  of  Clonkeen,  adjoin- 
ing, in  tlie  county  of  Louth;  the  Boylans,  of 
Dartree;  the  Mac  Gili.a-Miciiils,  changed  to 
Mitchell ;  the  :MacDonnei,i,s;  the  O'Coxnelys, 
and  others. 

This  part  of  Orgiall  was  overrun  by  the  forces 
of  Ji.hn  de  Conrcy,  in  the  reign  of  king  John, 
but  the  Mac  Mahons  maintained  their  national 
independence  to  the  relirn  of  Elizabeth,  when 
Monaghan  was  formed  into  a  county,  so  called 
from  its  chief  town  Muincachan,  tliat  is,  the 
Town  of  Monks. 

From  Cilht-iln-Chrioch  were  also  descended 
the  Mac  GriiiES,  lords  of  Fermanaih.  and  ba- 
rons of  iMiniskillen  ;  the  O'Ft.asaoans  of  Fer- 
managh; the  OHAM.ONS,  chiefs  of  Ui  Melth- 
Tiri.  now  the  barony  of  Orior,  in  Armagh,  who 
held  the  offleo  of  hereditary  rtgal  standard- 
bearers  of  TTIster ;  tho  Mac  C ana,  or  Mao  Cann.s, 
of  Clan  Bresall,  in  Armagh ;  the  O'Kellys, 
princes  of  Ul  ManI,  In  tho  counties  of  Galway 
and   Eo.scommon,  and   tho   O'Madaoanb.   or 


TOPOGRAPH ICAL  APPENDIX. 


727 


O'Mnddens,  chifrft  of  Siol  Aniiiphadha,  or  Sil- 
anchia,  now  the  barouy  of  Longl'onl,  in  tlie 
county  of  Galway. 

Colia  Meann's  posterity  possessed  the  territory 
of  Moilhurn,  that  is,  the  disiricts  about  the  moun- 
tains of  Mourne. 

That  part  of  Uircliialla,  afterwards  forinin":  the 
county  of  Armni.'ii,  was  possessed,  as  already 
stated,  partly  by  the  Ollanlons  and  -Mac  Canns, 
and  partly  by  the  O'Neills,  O'Larkins,  O'Duv- 
anys,  and  OGarveys,  of  the  Clanna  Rory,  wlio 
possessed  the  Craohh  liiiadh,  or  territory  of  the 
famous  Ke<l  Bran(ih  liniglits  of  Ulster ;  O'Han- 
rattys,  cif  L'i-Meitli  Macha ;  O'Bonegans  of  Brea- 
sal  Mcalia,  and  otlicrs. 

The  native  chiefs  held  their  independence 
down  to  the  reign  of  Elizabeth,  when  Armagh 
was  formed  into  a  county,  A.l).  1586,  by  the 
lord  deputy.  Sir  John  Perrott. 

Fera  Motuich,  an  aucient  territory  of  about 
the  same  extent  as  the  present  connty  of  Fer- 
managh. It  formed  part  of  the  ancient  princi- 
pality of  Oirghialla. 

In  the  tenth,  eleventh,  and  twelfth  centuries, 
the  head  chief  of  this  territory  was  O'Dubhdara. 
The  ODuKiiDAKAs  were  probably  of  the  same 
race  as  the  Mac  Guires,  who  afterwards  became 
princes  of  Fermanagh.  The  latter  name  in  Irish 
ii  Mac  Ui'lHr,  sometimes  written  3Iuguihhir, 
which  is  pronounced  Mac  Ivir,  and  has  been 
translated  Mac  Guire  aud  Maguire.  The  Mac 
Guires  took  this  name  from  L'idhir,  one  of 
their  ancient  chiefs;  and  they  are  of  the  race  of 
Clan  Colla,  of  the  same  descent  as  the  Mac 
Mahons,  lords  of  Monaghan ;  tlie  0"Hanlons, 
chiefs  of  Orior,  in  Armagh ;  the  O'Kellys,  lords 
of  Ui  Mani,  in  Galway  and  Roscommon.  In 
O'Dugan's  Topography  of  the  twelfth  century, 
Mac  Uidhir,  or  Mac  Guire,  is  given  as  chief  of 
Feara  Mouach,  or  Fermanagh,  and  designated 
in  terms  which  may  be  thus  translated: 


"Mac  Guire,  the  chief  of  hosts. 
Rule  the  mighty  men  of  Manach, 
At  home  munificent  in  presents. 
The  noblest  chief  in  hospitality." 


■K 


The  Maguires  were  inaugurated  as  princes 
of  Fermanagh  on  the  summit  of  Cuilcagh,  a 
magnificent  mountain  near  Swanlinbar,  on  the 
borders  of  Cavan  and  Fermanagh,  and  some- 
times, also,  at  a  place  called  Sciath  Gabhra.  now 
Lisnaskea.  They  possessed  the  entire  of  Fer- 
managh, which  was  called  Mae  Guires  countrt/, 
and  maintained  their  independence  as  lords  of 
Fermanagh,  down  to  the  rcian  of  James  I., 
when  their  country  was  confiscated,  like  other 
parts  of  Ulster.  Several  chiefs  of  the  Mac 
Guires  are  mentioned  during  the  Cromwellian 
and  Williamite  wars,  and  many  of  them  were 
afterwards  distinguished  officers  in  the  Irish 
Brigade,  in  France,  and  also  in  the  Austrian 
service.  The  Mac  Guires  prodticed  several 
eminent  and  learned  ecclesiaitios ;  .imongst 
whom  m;iy  be  mentioned  Cafhal,  or  Charles 
Mac  Guire.  archdeacon  of  Clogher,  in  the  fif- 
teenth century,  tlie  author  of  the  celebrated 
Annals  of  Ulster.  The  Mac  Guires  are  still 
numerous,  particularly  in  the  counties  of  Fer- 
managh and  Cavan. 

The  following  chiefs  and  clans  of  Fermanash, 
and  the  territories  they  possessed  in  the  twelfth 
century,  have  been  collected  from  O'Dugan's 
Topography : 

1  O ']\lAOLDri>',  or  O'Muldoon,  chief  of  Muin- 
ter  MaelduÍH  and  Fera  Luirg.  This  territory  is 
now  known  as  the  barony  of  Lurg. 

2  MuisTiE  Taithlioh,  or  Mac  Tnllys,  chiefs 


of  Ui  Laoghaire,  or  Lough  Lir,  a  district  which 
lay  in  the  barony  of  Lurg,  near  Lough  Erue, 
towards  Tyrone. 

8.  MAcDuiLGEy. 

4.  O'Flannagain,  or  O'FIanagan,  chief  of 
Tu.'vth  Ratha,  a  territory  wliich  e.\tended  from 
Belmore  to  Belleek.  and  from  Lough  Melvin  to 
Lough  Erne,  comprising  the  present  barony  of 
Maheraboy.  It  contained  the  ancient  districts 
of  larth.ar  Maighe  and  .Magli  Xiadh,  and  its  name 
is  still  retained  by  the  muuntaiii  Tiir.a. 

5.  Mac  Gilla-Fineix,  or  .Mac  <  iillfinnen,  chief 
ofMuiutir  Peodacliain  of  the  Port.  This  terri- 
tory, on  the  borders  of  Fermanagh  and  Donegal, 
is  still  traceable  in  the  name  of  Pettigoe ;  and 
he  was  styled  lord  of  Lough  Krne. 

6.  MacGilla-Michil,  chief  of  Clan  CongaiL 
Clan  Cougail  and  O'Ceanfoda,  lay  in  Tir  Manach. 
Tirkenncdy  barony  is  probably  Tir  O'Cean- 
f  hoda.  The  nanie  Mac  Gilla-Michil,  has  been 
anglicized  to  Mitchell. 

7.  O'Maolkuana,  or  O'Mulrooney,  and  O'- 
Eignigh,  or  O'Heignigh,  probably  O'lleaney, 
who  were  chiefs  of  Muintir  Maolruanaidh,  and 
of  Maoith  Leirg  Mouach. 

S.  Mac  Do.miinaill,  or  MacDonnell,  chief  of 
Clann  Ceallaigh,  now  the  barony  of  Clankelly. 

9.  The  Mao  Manvsks,  formerly  a  numerous 
clan,  chiefly  in  Tirkenncdy.  who  had  the  con- 
trol of  the  shipping  on  Lough  Erne,  and  held  the 
office  of  hereditary  chief  managers  of  the  fisher- 
ies, under  Mac  Guire. 

10.  The  Mao  C  vssidts,  who  were  hereditary 
physicians  to  the  M.ac  Guires,  and  many  of  the 
name  also  learned  ecclesiastics  and  historians, 
amongst  whom  may  be  mentioned  Roderick  Mac 
Cassidy,  archdeacon  of  Clogher,  who  partly  com- 
piled the  Annals  of  Ulster. 

11.  The  O'Criochans,  or  O'Creehans,  a  nume- 
rous clan  in  Ferinanash,  many  of  whom  have 
changed  the  name  to  Creighton. 

l'2."The  ?lAGKATns,  who  held  some  posses- 
sions at  Termon  Magrath,  where  they  had  a 
castle  in  the  parish  of  Templecarne. 

DALAKADIA  AND  ULIDIA. 

The  name  Uladh  was  applied  to  the  whole 
province  of  Ulster,  but  in  after  times  was 
confined  to  a  large  territory  comprising  the 
present  county  of  Down  anil  part  of  Antrim, 
and  was  latinised  UHdia.  This  territory  also 
obtained  the  name  of  Dal  Araidhe.  The  word 
Dal  signifies  a  part  or  portion,  and  also  de- 
scendants, or  a  tribe,  and  hence  Dal-Araidhe 
signifies  the  descendants  or  tribe  of  Araidhe, 
as  being  descended  from  Fiacaidh  Araidhe, 
king  of  Ulster  in  the  third  century,  of  the 
race  of  Ir.  or  Clan  Rory,  called  Rtidericians, 
whose  posterity  possessed  this  territory,  whose 
name  was  latinised  Dalaradia.  It  comprised 
the  present  county  of  Down,  with  a  great  part 
of  Antrim,  extending  from  Newry,  Carlingford 
Bay,  and  the  Mourn  mountains,  to  Slieve  Mis 
mountain,  in  the  barony  of  Antrim ;  thus  con- 
taining, in  the  south  and  south  east  parts  of  An- 
trim, the  districts  along  the  shores  of  Lough 
Neagh  and  Belfast  Lougli,  Carrickfergus,  and 
the  peninsula  of  Island  M.igee,  to  Larne.  and 
thence  In  a  line  westward  to  the  river  Bann. 
The  remaining  portion  of  the  county  Antrim 
obtained  the  name  of  Dal  Riada.  It  has  been 
erroneously  stated  by  some  writers  th.at  the 
boundary  between  Dal-.Vraidhe  and  Dalriada 
was  the  river  Euai.->,  or  Bush,  in  the  barony  of 
Dunluce.  county  of  Antrim. 

The  chief»  and  clans  of  Dalaradia  or  Ulidia, 
and  the  territories  which  they  possessed  in  the 


728 


TOPOGEAPHICAL    APPENDIX. 


twelfth  century,  as  collected  from  O'Dusran's 
Topography,  are  as  follows :  The  Craohli  Ituadh, 
or  the  portion  of  the  Uedbraiich  Kniyhts  of 
Ulster,  a  large  territory,  which  comprised  the 
central  parts  of  the  present  county  of  Down, 
with  some  adjoining  parts  of  Armagh,  is  given 
by  O  Dugan  a?  the  head  territory  of  Uladh. 
The  principal  chiefs  of  the  Craobh  liuadh  were : 

1.  O  L»trxNSi.Kni,  culUd  by  the  Annalists  Mac 
Dunns!ehi.  as  king  of  Uladh,  which  name  has 
been  anglii-iied   O  Dunlevy   or  Mac  Dunlevy. 

2.  OTicociiADiiA.  anglicised  to  O'lleoghy,  or 
Hoey,  a  branch  of  the  Mac  Dunslevy. 

8.  OHiiDiTn. 

4.  O'EoCllAGAIN". 

5.  O'Lauukadua. 

6.  OLr-TULOBHRA. 

7.  OXciNusiGH,  or  Lvnch. 

8.  O'MOBAN. 

9.  O'MATUGHAMnNA. 

10.  0  Gaieííuitu,  or  0"Garvey. 

11.  O'AiNiiiTH,  or  O'Hanvey",  were  chiefs  of 
Ui  Eachach  Coba,  now  the  barony  of  Iveagh. 

12.  Mao  Aengusa,  or  Magennis,  chief  of 
Clan  Aodha,  or  Clan  Hugh,  the  tribe  name  of 
the  family.  The  Magennises  Iiad  the  baronii-s  of 
Iveagh  and  Lecale,  and  part  of  Mourne,  and 
were  lords  of  Iveagh,  Newry,  and  Mourne. 
They  were  descended  from  the  famous  warrior 
Conal]  Kearaach,and  were  the  liead  of  the  Clanna 
Kory  of  Ulster. 

13.  Mac  Artai.v,  or  Mac  Cartan.chief  of  Kim  1 
Fagartaigh,  now  the  baronies  of  ICinelarty  and 
Dutferin. 

14.  O'DriBHEXAiGH,  or  ODnvany,  chief  of 
Kinel  Amalgaidh,  or  Amhargaidh  UiMorna,  or 
Ui  Mughroin,  now  Clanawley,  in  the  county  of 
Down. 

15.  Mac  Duilechain,  or  O'Duibhleachain, 
chief  of  Clan  Bresail  Mac  Dnileathain,  near 
Kinelarty,  in  the  barony  of  Castlereagh. 

K).  O'CoLTARiAN,  or  Coultcr,  chief  Dal  Coirb, 
in  the  barony  of  Castlereagh. 

17.  O  f'l.oiKN,  or  O'Flynn,  and  O'Domhnal- 
lain,  or  O'Donnollan,  chii  fs  of  Ui  Tuirtre.  The 
territory  of  Ui  Tuirtre  lay  along  the  northern 
shores  of  Lough  Neatrh  and  the  river  Bann,  and 
extendedto  Siieve  Mis,  comprising  the  baronies 
of  Toome  and  Antrim,  in  the  county  of  Antrim, 
and  wa« afterwards  known  a-s  northern  Clanaboy. 

18.  OTIeirc,  or  Ere.  chief  of  Ui  Fiachrach 
Finn,  in  the  barony  of  Massarcene. 

19.  O'Criodain,  or  O  Credan.  chief  of  Machaire 
Meadhaidh,  now  the  parish  of  Magheramisk,  in 
the  barony  of  Massareene. 

20.  O'IIaedha,  or  Ollngh,  cliief  of  Fearn 
mhoighe.  or  Fernmoy,  in  the  county  of  Down, 
on  the  borders  of  Antrim,  and  in  the  barony  of 
Lower  Iveagh. 

21.  O'CAEMHArx,  or  O'Keevan,  chief  of  Magh 
Linl,  now  Moy  Linny,  a  district  in  the  barony  of 
Antrim. 

22.  O'Machoiden,  chief  of  Mughdorn,  or 
Monme. 

2.3.  OXAcnuAiN,  or  O'Loiighnin,  chief  of  Mod- 
ham  Beag,  or  Little  Mourne. 

24.  The  .Mac  Gees  of  Is'andmasce. 

25.  The  Mac  Gii,i,m<iki:«,  a  warlike  clan,  who 
possessed  the  districts  of  the  great  Ardg. 

20.  The  Mac  Uorys,  or  Kogers,  chiefs  of  Klll- 
warlin. 

27.  The  O'KEi.i.vsof  Clanbrasll  Mac  Coo'echan 
in  the  county  of  Down. 

2S.  The  Mac  Wards. 

29.  The  Mac  GoiinAor^.  or  Mac  Gowans,  also 
given  by  some  writers  as  O'Gabhans  or  O  Gow- 
ans, a  name  which  has  been  anglicised  to  Smith. 
These  were  a  powerful  clan  of  the  race  of  Ir,  or 


the  Clanna  Eory,  and  were  descended  from  the 
famous  warrior  Conall  Kearnach.  They  were 
mostly  «pellcd  by  the  English  into  Donegal, 
from  whence  great  numbers  of  them  emigrated 
to  the  county  of  Leitrim,  and  they  are  still  very 
numerous  in  Kos.-iiiver.  as  well  as  in  the  county 
of  ("avan.  Dal  Buinnc  was  a  district  in  Dalaradia 
not  given  by  O'Dugan,  but  occurring  in  the 
Annals,  and  derived  its  name,  aceoiding  to 
O'Elaherty.  from  Buinni,  son  of  Fergus  Mac  Hoy. 
It  was  situated  on  the  borders  of  Down  and  An- 
trim, and  contained  the  parish  of  Drumboc,  in 
Down,  with  those  of  Lisburn,  Magheragall, 
Magheramask,  Glonavy,  Aghalee,  and  Aghagal- 
len,  in  Antrim. 

In  the  fourteenth  century,  Aedh  Buidhe  O'- 
Neill, prince  of  Tyrone,  with  his  forces,  crossed 
the  IJann.  and  took  possession  of  the  northern 
part  of  Dalaradia,  which,  from  its  being  pos- 
sessed by  bis  posterity,  who  were  called  ( 'lunn 
Aodha  Buidhe.  was  anglicised  to  (Vtinehoy  or 
Clttnrhhoy.  It  e.xtended  from  Carrickfergus 
Ba3'.  and  the  river  Lagan,  westward  to  Lough 
Ne.agh.  and  contained,  according  to  Dubourdieu 
and  other  authorities,  the  baronies  of  Belfast, 
Mas.-^areene.  Antrim,  and  Upper  Toome,  in  the 
ct'linty  of  Antrim.  This  territory  was  called 
North  Claneboy,  to  distinguish  it  from  South 
Claneboy,  which  was  in  the  county  of  Down.  A 
part  of  North  Claneboy  also  obtained  the  name 
of  Brian  Carragh's  country  from  having  been 
aken  from  the  O'Neills  by" a  chief  of  the  Mac 
Donalds,  who  was  called  Brian  Carragh. 

South  Chtitchoy,  a  territory  which  derived  its 
name  from  the  same  liiigli  Buidh  O'Neill,  com- 
piiPe<i  the  baronies  of  Ards,  Castlerea,  Kinelarty, 
and  Lecale,  and  extended,  according  to  Mac- 
Geoghegan,  from  the  Bay  of  Dundrum  to  the 
Bay  of  Carrickfergus,  or  Belfast  Lough. 

In  A.  I).  1177,  John  de  Courcy,  with  his 
forces,  overran  a  trreat  part  of  Orgiaíl  and  Ulidia, 
or  Dalaradia,  and  for  a  period  of  twenty  years 
carried  on  an  incessant  warfare  with  the  native 
chiefs,  lie  fi.xed  bis  head  quarters  at  Down- 
patrick.  After  De  Courcy  had  been  driven  out 
of  Ireland  by  his  great  rivals,  the  de  Lacys.  lords 
of  Meath.  the  latter  obtained  possession  of  Ulidia, 
and  were  created  earls  of  Ulster.  The  De  Bur 
gos  next  became  earls  of  Ulster,  and  possessors 
of  Ulidia,  which  title  and  possessions  afterwards 
passed  to  the  Mortimers,  earls  of  March,  in  Eng- 
land. The  chief  Anglo-Norman  and  English 
settlers  in  Ulidia,  under  De  Courcy  and  his  suc- 
ces^ors,  were  the  Andleys,  Bissetts,  Copelands, 
Fllz«imons,  Chamberlains.  Bagnalls,  Martells, 
Jordans,  Mandevilles,  Riddles,  Russells,  Smiths, 
Statmtons,  Logans,  Savadges,  'Walshes,  and 
Whites.  The  Fitzgeralds,  earls  of  Kildare,  ob- 
tained Lecale  in  the  reign  of  Queen  Mary,  The 
Blackwoods,  barons  of  Luiferin. 

DAL  EIADA. 

This  ancient  territory  comprised  all  the  re- 
maining portion  of  the  county  of  Antrim,  not 
comprised  in  Dalaradia,  with  a  small  iiartof  the 
present  county  of  Derry.  Dal  Ariadia  was 
named  from  Carbri  Riada,  son  of  Conari,  mon- 
arch of  Ireland  in  the  third  century.  Some 
Irish  chiefs  from  Ulster,  descendants' of  Carbri 
RIada,  founded  a  colony  In  Alba,  afterwards 
called  Scotland,  and  after  having  conquered  llie 
Plcts  of  that  country,  became  the  founders  of  a 
kini/dom  a'so  called  Dal  RIada,  From  the  chleft 
of  the  Dalrladians  were  descended  the  ancient 
Scottish  kings,  and  also  the  house  of  Stuart. 

Dal  RIada  was  divided  into  two  large  districts: 
1st  The  Olynns,  so  called  from  its  consisting  o! 


TOPOGRAPHICAL   APPENDIX. 


729 


several  lareo  glens,  extended  from  Oldcrfleet  or 
Larnc,  to  tin"  viciniry  nf  Uallycustle.  alon'^'  the 
sea  shore,  un.l  contained  the  barony  of  Glcnarni, 
and  part  of  Carey  2d.  Tlio  Routes,  called  He- 
uta,  or  Kuta,  wliich  couii)reliended  the  baronies 
of  IJunluce  and  Kilconway. 

The  chief  elans  in  Dalriada  were  the  O'Kanos, 
above  mentioned. 

1.  The  Mao  Uiduilik,  or  Mac  Quillans,  who 
held  the  territory  of  the  Koutes,  and  had  their 
chief  seat  at  Dunluco. 

2.  The  .Mac  Donalds,  having  inv.aded  the  ter- 
ritories of  Antrim  and  Derry,  where  they  after- 
wards made  settlements.  In  the  reign  of  Eliza- 
beth. Somharli  Buidhe  Mae  Donald,  called  by 
English  writers  Sorley  Boy,  a  chief  from  the  He- 
brides, (descended  from  the  ancient  Irish  of  the 
race  of  Clan  Colla,  as  given  in  the  note  on 
Origiall,)  came  with  his  forces  and  took  posses- 


sion of  thcGlynns.  After  many  long  and  fierce 
battles  with  the  Mac  tiuill.ins,  the  Mac  Donalds 
made  themselves  masters  of  the  country,  and  dis- 
possessed the  Mac  (iuillans.  Dubourdieu,  in  hs 
Survey  of  Antrim,  says:  "A  lineal  descendant 
of  the  chief  Mac  Quillan  lives  on  the  road  be- 
tween Belfast  and  Carrickforgus,  near  the  silver 
stream,  and  probably  enjoys  more  happiness  ad 
a  respectable  farmer,  than  his  ancestor  did  as  a 
prince  in  those  turbulent  times.''  The  Mac 
Donalds  were  created  earls  of  Antrim,  a  dignity 
which  thev  still  enjoy. 

a  The  O'IIabas,  a  br.anch  of  the  great  family 
of  Ollara  in  S'igo,  have  a'so  been  bmg  settled  in 
Antrim.  Several  families  of  the  O  Neills  h.ivo 
been  also  in  Antrim  from  an  early  period.  The 
other  clans  in  this  territory  were  the  0"Si.idhaii8, 
or  O'Shiels,  the  O  Quinns,  O'Furries,  Mac  Alis- 
ters,  Mac  Gees,  &c. 


CHAPTER  Y. 

THE  KINGDOM  OF  CONNACHT. 

The  name  in  Irish  is  Conacht,  pronounced  Conaght,  and  latinised  Canada  ;  the  people  were 
called  Conaehtaigh,  in  Latin  Coiiarii,  and  Conachteiif!e-%  Conacians  This  ancient  kingdom 
comprised  the  present  counties  of  Gahvay,  Mayo,  Sligo,  Itoscommon,  Leiirim,  and  C'avan.  with 
the  northern  part  of  Longford,  bordering  on  Leitrim  and  Cavan;  in  ancient  times,  at  different 
periods,  the  territory  of  Clare  in  Thomond,  formed  part  of  Connaught,  but  was  ultimately  added 
to  Mimster,  and  the  county  of  Cavau  was  added  in  the  reign  of  Elizabeth. 


Xn   FIACHEA. 

Ui  Fiachra  or  Ui  Fiachraoh,  was  a  name 
applied  to  the  territories  possessed  by  the  race 
of  Fiachra,  one  of  the  sons  of  Eocaidli  Muigh- 
niedon,  of  the  race  of  Erimhon.  Fiachra  was  for 
some  time  Kiiig  of  Connaught.  He  was  a  cele- 
brated warrior,  and  commander-in  chief  of  the 
Irish  forces  under  his  brother  Niall  of  the  Nine 
Hostages.  According  to  the  Book  of  B.illymote, 
folio  14Ó,  on  his  return  home  victorious  from  a 
great  battle  which  he  had  fought  with  the  men 
of  Munster,  A.  D.  402.  he  died  of  his  wounds  at 
a  place  called  Mac-Uais  in  Meath,  where  he 
■was  buried  .with  great  honors,  and  where  a 
monument  was  erected  to  his  memory  with  an 
inscription  in  Ogham  characters,  on  which  oc- 
casion fifty  prisoners  taken  in  the  battle,  were, 
according  to  the  Pagan  customs,  sacrificed 
around  his  tomb.  The  place  called  Ui  Mao 
Uais,  is  now  the  baronj-  of  Moygoish  in  West- 
meath.  Dathi,  son  of  Fiachra,  was  king  of 
Connaught,  and  monarch  of  Ireland ;  he  was 
one  of  the  most  celebrated  of  the  Irish 
monarehs,  and  carried  his  victorious  arms  to 
Gaul,  where  he  was  killed  by  lightning  at  the 
foot  of  the  Alps,  A.  D.  429.  His  body  was 
brought  to  Ireland,  and  buried  in  Rolis-na- 
Uigh,  the  ancient  cemetery  of  the  Irish  kings, 
at  Cruachan,  near  Elphin.  Dathi  was  the  last 
Pagan  monarch  of  Irel.and.  Olild  Molt,  son  of 
Dathi.  was  also  king  of  Connaught  and  mon- 
arch of  Ireland,  in  the  fifth  century.  Amal- 
gaidh.  another  son  of  Fiachra,  was  also  king  of 
Connaught,  and  from  him  the  territory  of  Tir 
Amalgaidh.  or  Tirawley,  in  Mayo,  obtained  its 
name.  Dathi  the  monarch,  had  a  son  called 
Fiachra  Elgaeh.  whose  posterity  gave  name  to 
the  territory  of  Ui  Fiaehrach  Muaidhe  or  Ily 
Fiachra  of  the  Moy,  also  called  Tir  Fiachracli, 
and  afterwards  Tireragh  barony,  in  the  coun- 
ty of  Sliuo.  This  Fiachra  had  a  son  called 
Ama'gaidh.  who  raised  a  earn  of  gre.at  stones, 
called  Carn  Amalgaidh,  where   great   assem- 


blies of  the  people  were  held,  and  where  Am- 
algaidh himself  was  buried.  It  is  supposed 
thas  this  carn  was  on  the  hill  of  Mull.ighcarn, 
near  the  town  of  Killala  At  Carn  Amal- 
gaidh the  chiefs  of  the  O'Dowds  were  inau- 
gurated as  princes  of  Ui  Fiachra,  though  ac- 
cording to  some  accounts  the  O'Dowds  were 
sometimes  Inaugurated  on  the  hill  of  Ardnarea 
near  Ballina.  Brian,  king  of  Connaught,  ances- 
tor of  the  Ui  Briuin  race,  and  Niall  of  the  Nine 
Hostages,  ancestor  of  Ui  Neill,  were  brothers 
of  Fiachra,  son  of  Eocaidh  Muigh-medon;  and 
hence  these  three  brothers  were  progenitors 
of  the  kings  and  head  chiefs  of  Meath,  Ulster 
an.i  Connaught.  The  territories  possessed  by  the 
race  of  Fiachra  were  counties  of  Sligo  and  Mayo, 
with  a  great  portion  of  Galway.  The  territory 
of  Ui  Fiachra  in  Gahvay,  or  southern  Ui  Fiaeh- 
rach, was  called  Ui  Fiaehrach  Aidhni,  from 
Eogan  Aidhni,  son  of  Kocaidh  Brec,  son  of 
Dathi,  monarch  of  Ireland  The  posterity  of 
Eogan  Aidhni.  the  chief  of  whom  were  the 
O'Heynes,  O'Clerys,  and  O'Shaughnessys,  pos- 
sessed this  territory,  which  was  co-extensive 
with  the  Diocese  of  Kilmacdu.ogh ;  and  an 
account  of  its  chiefs  and  claus  will  be  found 
in  the  note  on  South  Connaught.  The  chiefs 
of  North  Ui  Fiaehrach  in  Sligo  and  Mayo  were 
the  O'Dowds,  &c.  According  to  O'Dugan  and 
Jiiac  Firbis,  fourteen  of  the  race  of  Ui  Fiachra 
were  kings  of  Connaught,  some  of  whom  had 
their  residence  in  Aidhni,  in  Galway;  others 
at  Cera,  now  the  barony  of  Carra,  in  Mayo; 
and  some  on  the  plain  of  Muaidhe,  or  the  Moy 
in  Sligo. 

The  Clans  of  Ui  Fiachra  are  thus  designated 
by  O'Dugan: — 

"  Einn  sluagh  nam-borb  cliatliach.'" 
"  The  music-loving  hosts  of  fierce  engage- 
ments." 

O'DunnDA,    a   name    sometimes  anglicised 
O'Dowda,   Dut  mrrc  frequently  0'Do«-d,  and 


30 


TOPOGRAPHICAL   APPENDIX. 


by  some  O'Dowde,  by  others  O'Dooda  and  0"- 
Doody,  was  the  h?ad  chief  of  Xortli  Ui  Fiach- 
rach.  Their  territoTy  comprised  nearly  the  whole 
of  the  present  county  ofSligo,  witli  the  greater 
part  of  Mayo.  The  uame  i>ithh(hi,  is  derived 
from  I>iih/i,\\aT\i  or  black.  The  O'Dowds  are 
descended  from  Fiachra  Klgach,  son  of  Dathi, 
and  took  their  name  from  Dubdlia,  one  of 
their  ancient  chiefs.  Tlie  ODowds  liad  largo  pos- 
se.=sions  in  the  county  of  Sligo  until  the  Crom- 
wellian  wars,  when  their  estates  were  confis- 
cated. Tliey  were  inaugurated  as  princes  of 
Ui  Fiachrach  or  North  Connaught  at  Cam 
Amalgaidh,  near  Killala.  Tla-y  appear  from 
history  to  have  been  a  valiant  race  ;  and  many 
of  tiicin.  even  down  to  modern  times,  were 
remarkable  for  their  strength  and  stature ; 
indeed,  it  may  be  observed  that  most  of  the 
clans  of  Sligoand  Mayo  furnished  many  men 
of  great  size  and  strength. 

The  following  chiefs  and  clans  of  Ui  Fiach- 
rach and  of  the  territories  they  possessed  in 
the  twelfth  century  in  the  present  counties 
of  Sligo  and  ilayo,  have  been  collected  from 
O'Dugan  and  other  authorities : 

1.  0  MAOLoi.ricuE,  or  O'Mulclohy,  chief  of 
Cairbre.  now  the  barony  of  Carbur}-,  county  of 
Sligo.  Carbury  derived  its  name  from  Carbri. 
son  of  Niall  of  the  Hostages.  This  name  has  been 
anglicised  to  Stone,  and  there  are  still  many  of 
the  family  in  Carbury. 

2  M.\c  DiARMADA,  or  Mac  Dermott,  chief  of 
Tir  Oiliolla,  now  the  barony  of  Tirerill,  in  Sligo, 
■wldch  derived  its  name  from  Oilioll,  one  of  the 
eons  of  Eocaidh  Muigh-medon,  monarch  of  Ire- 
land. The  Mac  Bermotts  were  also  princes  of 
Moylurg,  a  large  territory  in  the  county  of  Ros- 
common. They  afterwards  became  chiefs  of 
CooJavin,  as  successors  to  the  O'Garas,  lords  of 
Coolavin. 

8.  Mac  DoxcnAron,  that  is,  Mac  Donogh,  a 
brancli  of  the  Mac  Dermotts,  afterwards  cliiefs 
of  Tirerill  and  of  Goran,  now  the  barony  of 
Coran  in  Sligo. 

4.  O'DoxciiATHAiGir,  is  given  as  a  chief  by 
O'Dugan  in  Coran,  and  is  also  mentioned  in  the 

iiocm  of  Giolla  losa  More  >rae  Firbis,  in  which 
le  is  styled  0"Dunchada,  of  the  "learned  men," 
and  it  is  stated  that  liis  territory  e.ttended  as  far 
far  as  the  beauteous  stream  of  the  salmons,  by 
which  was  meant  the  river  of  15ally.--adare.  Tliis 
name  has  been  anglici-sed  ODonagh  or  O"- 
Donaghv. 

5.  O'DoBRAiE»!,  or  O'Devlin,  is  given  as 
another  cliicf  in  Corran. 

C.  O'llEAunRA,  or  O'llara,  chief  of  Luighni, 
now  the  barony  of  Lieney,  in  the  county  of 
Sligo ;  t)ut  Lieney  anciently  comprised  part 
of  tlio  baronies  of  Costelío  and  Gallen  in 
Mayo.  The  O'llaras  were  dcseendeil  from 
Corinac  Galens,  son  of  Tiege,  son  of  Kian,  son 
of  Olild  Olurri,  king  of  Munster  in  the  third 
century,  of  tlie  rac«  of  Eber,  and  therelbre  of 
the  same  stock  as  the  Eberians  of  Munster. 
The  O'llaras  took  their  name  from  Eairlira,  lord 
of  IJeney  in  the  tenth  century.  From  the 
twelfth  to  the  seventeenth  century  they  held 
their  rank  as  lords  of  Lieney,  and  had  large  pos- 
sessions to  the  period  of  the  Cromwillian  wars. 
The  O'llaras  are  thus  designated  by  O'Dugan  : 

"  The  lords  of  Lieney,  of  high  fame: 
The  men  of  Lieney,  of  warlike  swords." 

0.  OGabiira,  or  OOara,  given  by  O'Dugan 
as  a  chief  of  Lieney,  but  in  after  times  lord'  of 
Cull  O  bh-FInn,  now  the  baronv  of  Coolavin 
In  the  county  of  Sligo,  and  sometimes  styled 


lord  of  Moy  O'Gara,  of  Coolavin,  and  also 
Sliabh  Lugta,  wldch  latter  district  extended 
into  a  part  of  the  barony  of  Costello  in  Mayo. 
The  O'Garas  derived  their  descent  from  Tiege, 
son  of  Kian,  son  of  Olild  Olum,  being  ex- 
actly of  the  same  stock  as  the  O'llaras.  They 
took  their  name  from  Gadhra,  one  of  thiur 
ancient  chiefs.  They  retained  consid.nible 
rank  and  po.sses.^ions  in  the  county  ol  r;ligo 
down  to  the  seventeenth  century;  and  one  of 
them,  Fcrgal  O'Gara,  lord  of  Moy  O'Gara,  and 
Coolavin,  is  justly  celebrated  as  a  great  jiatron 
of  learned  men,  particularly  of  the  OCIerys 
and  other  authors  oiik'Jic  Annals  of  the  Four 
Masters. 

S.  O'Ciarsaciiain  and  O'Huathrahara'n,  given 
by  O'Dugan  as  chiefs  in  the  territory  of  Lieney. 

9.  0'Muii;ei>i!aii;ii,  or  O'Murray,  chief  of 
Ceara,  now  the  barony  of  Carra,  in  lllayo.  The 
O'Murrays  were  a  race  of  Ui  Fiachrach,  and 
were  also  chiefs  of  the  Lagan,  a  district  in  the 
northern  part  of  the  barony  of  Tyrawley  in 
Mayo. 

10.  O'TionERNAiGU,  or  O'Tierney,  a  chief  in 
Carra. 

11.  O'GoiiMOO  is  al.'o  given  as  a  chief  in  Carra. 

12.  0'MAiLi.E,or  O'Malley,  chief  of  Umhal, 
which  O'Dugan  states  Wiis  divided  into  two 
territories.  The  n.ame  has  been  rendered  some- 
times into  Umalia  and  I'i  Malia.  This  territory 
comprised  the  present  baronies  of  Murri-k  and 
Burrishoole  in  the  cmuity  of  Mayo.  The  O'Mal- 
leys  are  of  the  ITi  Briuin  race,  descended  from 
Brian,  king  of  Connaught  in  the  fifth  century, 
who  was  also  the  progenitor  of  the  O'Connors, 
kings  of  Connaught,  of  the  O'Kourkes,  O'lieil- 
leys,  Mac  Dermotts  and  other  chiefs,  as  ex- 
plained in  the  note  on  Brcfney.  They  are  thus 
designated  by  O'Dugan: 

"  A  good  man  yet  there  never  was, 
Of  the  O'Malleys,  who  was  not  a  mariner. 
Of  every  weather  they  are  prophets, 
A  tribe  of  brotherly  affection  and  of  friend- 
ship." 

12.  O'Talchaeain,  chief  of  Conmaicno  Guile, 
now  the  barony  of  Kilmain,  county  of  Mayo. 

13.  O'CAnii.MAi)»,  chief  of  lorrus,  now  the 
barony  of  Erris,  in  Mayo ;  the  name  was  an- 
glicised to  O'Caheny  :  but  few  of  the  family 
exist  at  the  present  day. 

14.  0'Ckau.achain,  or  O'Callaghan.  The  O'- 
Callaghans  were  chiefs  in  Erris  butof  a  different 
race  from  the  O'Callaghans  of  Munster. 

15.  O'Caomiiain,  a  name  anglicised  to  0'- 
Keevan  and  O'Oavanagh,  a  senior  branch  of 
the  O'Dowd  family,  and  chiefs  of  some  districts 
on  the  borders  of  Sliiro  and  Mayo,  in  the  ba- 
roniis  of  Tireragh,  Corran,  and  Costello. 

I'i.  O'GAiiiHTiiiíAniAiN,  or  O'Gavagan,  and 
O'.MaoiiriiioiiaorO'.MulKn'Mey,  duels  of  Calrai- 
ghc  of  .Moy  Iliit  (ig,  a  district  in  whicli  was  com- 
prsed  the  preso:.t  parish  of  Crossmolina,  in  the 
barony  of  Tyrawley,  in  Mayo. 

17.  O'GoÍRMiALLAion,  or  O'Gormley,  and 
O  Dorchaidhe,  a  name  anglicised  to  Dorchy, 
and  by  others  to  Darcy.  These  were  chiefs 
of  P.irtraiglie  or  I'artry,  an  ancient  terriiory  in 
the  I'artry  mountains  in  Mayo  The  present 
parish  of  Ballyovcy,  also  called  the  parish 
of  I'artry,  shows  the  situation  of  this  an- 
cient territory.  The  O'Dorciys  were  o  dis- 
tinguished clan,  but  many  families  of  them  in 
Mayo  and  Gahvay,  having  anglicised  the  name 
to  Darcey  or  D'Arcy,  have  been  erroneously 
supposed  to  be  some  of  the  D  Arcys  of  Mcath, 
of  English  descent. 


TOPOGRAPHICAL    APPENDIX. 


731 


18.  O'Lachtnaiií,  or  O  Louithnan,  by  some 
anglicised  to  Loftus.  The  ()  Loii!,'linaiis  were 
cliielsi'f  a  territory  called  the  Two  Baes,  now 
the  pari.sli  of  Baes,  situated  between  Lough  Con 
and  the  rivi  r  Moy  in  Mayo. 

19.  O'.Maolfoiiii.mauí  and  O'Maolbrennuin, 
chiefs  of  l"i  Eachaoh  Muaidlie,  a  district  extend- 
ing along  the  western  banks  of  the  Moy,  be- 
tween ]$,Hllinoand  Killala  This  name,  O  Maol- 
brcun.iin,  lias  been  anglicised  to  Mulrcnnin,  and 
the  name  O  Maolfoghmair  has  been  by  some 
rendered  into  Milford. 

2).  The  O  .Morgans,  or  O'Mangans,  chiefs  of 
Breach  Magh,  a  district  in  the  parish  of  Kil- 
more  Moy,  in  Sligo. 

21.  O  < 'oxNiALLAiN,  Or  O'Conncllan,  chief  of 
Bim-ui-Conniallan,  now  Bunnyconnellan,  a  dis- 
trtot  in  the  barony  of  Gallon,  county  of  Mayo, 
and  also  of  Cloonconnellan,  in  the  barony  of 
Kilmain  This  clan  an  a  branch  of  the  south- 
ern Ui  Xeill,  descended  from  Laegari,  monarch 
of  Ireland  in  the  fifth  century,  and  are  of  the 
same  family  as  the  O'Coimlcalbhains  or  O'Ken- 
de'lans,  princes  of  Ui  Laeghaire  in  Meath,  but 
long  settled  in  the  counties  of  Mayo,  Sligo, 
and  Eoscommon. 

22.  O'Ceip.ix,  or  O'Kecrin,  chief  of  Ciarraighe 
Loch-na-naireadh,  an  ancient  territory  in  the 
barony  of  Costello,  county  of  Mayo,  comprising 
the  parishes  of  Aghamore,  Bekan  and  Knock. 

There  are  various  other  elans,  many  of  them 
still  numerous,  in  the  counties  of  ilayo  and 
Sligo,  as  the  O'Bannans,  O'Brogans,  Mac  Com- 
bains,  O  Beans  or  Whites,  OBeolans,  0"Beirnes, 
O'Flattellcys,  O'Creans,  O'Careys,  O'Conaoh- 
tains  or  0"Conaghtys  of  Cabrach,  in  Tire- 
ragh,  OTlannelleys,  O'Coolaghans,  O'Burns, 
0" Hughes,  O'Huada  or  O'Fuada,  and  O'Tapa, 
— a  name  anglicised  to  Swift,— O'Loingsys  or 
O'Lynches,  U'Maolmoicheirghe,  anglicised  to 
Eariey,  0"MuIrooneys  or  Kooneys,  O'Morans, 
O'Muldoons,  O'Meehans,  O'Catt'reys,  O'Finne- 
gans,  0"Morriseys,  Mac  Gcraghtys,  O'Spillans. 

The  ODonnells  and  Mac  Swocneys  from 
Donegal,  who  settled  in  many  parts  of  Sligo 
and  Mayo,  particularly  when  the  O'Donnells, 
princes  "of  Tirconnell,  e.xtended  their  power 
into  Sligo.  Many  families  of  the  O'Donnells 
and  Mac  Sweeneys  were  settled  in  Sligo  and 
Mayo. 

The  O'CoNOES  Sligo.  A  branch  of  the 
O'Conors  of  Eoscommon,  descendants  of  the 
kings  of  Connaught,  settled  in  Sligo,  and  be- 
canie  very  powerful  in  the  sixteenth  century 
The  head  of  the  family  was  designated  the 
O'Conor  Sligo,  and  appears  to  have  extended 
his  power  "over  the  greater  part  of  that 
country. 

The  "Mac  Fiebises,  called  Clan  FiriUiffh, 
were  a  branch  descended  from  the  same  stock 
as  the  0"Dowds,  princes  of  Ui  Fiachra.  Their 
original  territory  was  Magli  Brion  in  Tyraw- 
ley;  they  afterwards  settled  in  Rosscrk,  be- 
tween Balina  and  Killala,  and  lastly  at  Letican, 
in  the  parish  of  Kilglass,  barony  of  Tircragh, 
east  of  the  river  Moy,  where  they  had  estates 
and  a  castle,  the  ruins  of  which  still  remain. 
The  Mac  Firbises  held  the  office  of  Ollnmhn, 
that  is,  of  historiographers  and  poets,  of  Ui 
Fiachra,  and  at  one  time  of  all  Connaught. 

Ui  BnitnN  Brefsi. 

This  ancient  tcrritoiTV  comprises  the  present 
countif?  of  Cavan  and  Leitrim,  and  was  part  of 
the  Kingdom  of  Connaught  down  to  the  reign  of 
Elizabeth,  when  it  was  aiidcd  to  the  province  of 
Ulster,  and  formed  into  the  two  counties  just 


mentioned.  The  name  of  Ui  Driutil  Breifni,  or 
Ui  Briune  Brefney,  from  its  being  possessed  by 
the  race  of  Li  Bruiiu.  The  Ui  Briuin  race  de- 
rived their  name  f.-wm  bring  the  descendants  of 
Brian,  king  of  C"iinauglit,  in  the  fourth  cen- 
tury, son  of  Eoi-haidh  Muigh-medon.  Brian, 
above-mentioned,  had  twenty-lour  sons,  whose 
posterity  possessed  the  greater  part  of  Con 
naught,  and  were  called  the  Ui  Briuin  race. 
Of  this  race  were  the  O'Conors,  kings  of  Con- 
naught; the  O'liourkes;  i Jiteillys ;  Mac  Der- 
motts;  Mac  Donoghs  ;  OFIahcrlys;  O'Malleys; 
Mac  Oiraghtys;  U'Fallons;  OFlynns  ;  O  Ma- 
lones;  Mac  Gaurans;  Mac  Tiirnans,  or  Mac 
Kcrnans ;  Mac  Bradys,  and  some  i  ther  clans. 
From  Fiachra,  brother  of  Brian,  king  of  Con- 
naught, were  descended  the  race  of  Vi  Fiachra, 
of  whom  were  the  O'Dowds,  O'lleyncs, 
O'Saughnesseys,  and  other  clans  in  Connaught. 
From  Xiall  of  the  Nine  Ilost.nges,  another  of 
Brian's  brothers,  were  descended,  as  mentioned 
in  the  notes  on  Meath,  Tir  Eogain  and  'lir  Con- 
aill ;  the  O'Melaghlins,  kings  of  Meath  ;  the 
O'Neills,  kings  of  Ulster,  and  princes  of  Tyrone ; 
the  O'Donnells,  princes  of  Tirconnell,  and 
some  other  chiefs  of  Ulster:  thus  these  three 
great  branches,  descended  from  Eoeaidh  Muigh- 
medon,  were  the  chief  rulers  of  the  kingdoms 
of  Meath,  Ulster,  and  Connaught. 

The  O'EoiTKKES  and  O'Keielbs  derived  their 
descent  from  Aedh  Fiiui,  or  Hugh  the  Fair, 
king  of  Connaught,  who  died  in  the  beginning 
of  "the  seventh  century,  A.  D.  611,  and  was 
buried  at  Fenagh.  This  Aedh  Finn  was  a  des- 
cendant of  Brian,  king  of  Connaught;  and  from 
him  the  O'Eourkes  and  O'Eiellys  were  called 
Clann  Aedha  Finn,  that  is,  the  posterity  of 
Hugh  the  Fair.  The  liiiarcachu,  O'Euaircs, 
O'Euarcs,  or  O'Eourkes,  took  their  name  from 
one  of  their  ancient  chiefs,  Euarc,  who  was 
prince  of  Brefney  in  the  tenth  century.  Many 
celebrated  chiefs  of  the  O'Eourkes  often  con- 
tended with  the  O'Conors  for  the  sovereignty 
of  Connaught ;  and  in  the  tenth  century,  one 
of  them,  namel)',  Fergal  O'Eourke,  became 
king  of  Connaught,  and  reigned  from  A.  D.  960, 
to  Á.D.  964.  when  he  was  killed  in  a  battle  with 
the  men  of  Meath.  The  O  Eourkes  had  the 
title  of  kings  of  Brefni  and  Conmacni,  and  in 
latter  times  that  of  princes  of  West  Brefney, 
that  is,  of  the  county  of  Leitrim,  the  0  Eeillys 
becoming  princes  of  East  Brefney,  or  the 
county  of  Cavan.  Ancient  Brefney  was,  in  the 
10th  century,  divided  into  two  principalities, 
the  O'Eourkes,  as  princes  of  West  Brefney,  being 
the  principal  chiefs,  and  the  O'Eeillys,  as  prin- 
ces of  East  Brefney,  possessing  the  territory  of 
the  present  county  of  Cavan.  O'Eourke's  coun- 
try was  called  Brefney  (>''Jiour/re,  and  O'Eeilly 's 
country Íj/v/hí?/  O^Itdlly.  0'E<iurke's  ancient 
principality  comprised  the  present  county  of 
Leitrim,  with  the  present  barony  of  Tullaghagh, 
and  part  of  Tullaghonoho,  in  the  countyof  Cavan, 
the  river  at  Ballyconnoll  being  the  boundary 
between  Brefney  O'Eourke  and  Brefney 
O'Eielly.  Brefney  O'Eourke  was  separated 
from  Fermanagh  or  Mac  Guire's  country,  by 
Lough  Melvin,  Lough  Mac  Nean,  and  Cuilcagh 
mountain.  It  appears  also  that  a  small  portion 
of  the  barony  of  Carbery,  in  the  county  of 
Sligo,  belonged  to  Brefney  O'Eourke.  Con- 
nuacni,  also  called  Conmacni  of  Moy  Eein,  of 
which  the  O'Eourkes  were  also  lords,  was  an 
ancient  territory  which  derived  its  name  from 
Conmac,  one  of  the  sons  of  Meva,  the  celebrated 
queen  of  Connaught,  at  the  beginning  of  the 
Christian  era;  it  comprised  the  southern  part  of 
Leitrim,  namely  the  baronies  of  Carrigallen, 


732 


TOPOGRAPHICAL   APPENDIX. 


Leitrini,  find  Moliiil,  -with  a  portion  of  the 
northc-rn  p;ii-t  of  Anally,  or  county  of  Longft.rd, 
extending  nearly  to  Granard.  It  is  recorded 
that  the  0  lioufkf-s  were  inaugurated  as  prin- 
ces of  Brefnty  at  a  place  called  Cruauhan 
O  Cuprain,  supposed  to  be  Ooaglian,  near 
Killohandra,  iis  it  is  stated  that  the  O'lieillys 
and  the  people  of  Tullyhuiico  met  O  Kourke  s 
party  at  BallvoonneH,  to  oppose  the  inaugura- 
tii)n.  The  O  Kourkes  had  tlieir  chief  c:tst!e5  at 
Dromah^iire,  Lcitrim,  Cloucoriek  or  Carrick- 
allen,  and  Castle  Car.  neiir  Manorliainiltou. 
They  maintained  their  independence,  as  princes 
of  West  Brefney,  down  to  the  reign  of  James  I., 
and  had  considerable  possessions  even  until  the 
Croinwellian  wars,  when  their  estates  were  con- 
fiscated. 

The  0"Ri:iLLTS,  as  above  stated,  were  descend- 
ed from  the  same  ancestor  as  the  O'Eourkes, 
namely  Aedk  Finn,  or  Hugh  the  Fair,  king  of 
Conna'ught,  in  the  beginning  of  Ihe  seventh 
century-  They  took  the  name  0  R.-iighilligh 
or  0'llagh.allaigh.  pronounced  O'Koiliigli,  and 
rendered  into  O  Reilly,  from  Kaghallach, 
one  of  their  celebrated  chiefs,  in  the  tenth 
century.  The  O  Iiei:lys  also  took  the  tribe 
name  of  Muiuter  Maolmordha,  or  the  people  of 
Maelmordlia,  from  Maelmorda,  another  of 
their  celebrated  chiefs.  This  name  Maelmor- 
da, or  Mnlmora,  latiuised  Milesius  and  an- 
glicised Miles  was  a  favorite  name  with  the 
O  Reillys,  and  was  borne  by  many  of  their 
chiefs. 

Tlie  princip.ality  of  Brefney  O  Reilly  com- 
prised originally  the  greater  pa"rt  of  the  pres<int 
county  of  Cavan,  the  boundary  between  it  and 
Brefney  O  Rourke  being,  as  already  stated,  the 
river  .at  B:illyconnell,  and  being  separated  from 
FermanaL'h,  or  Mac  Quires  country,  by  the 
Ballyconnell  mountains.  It  appears  also  that 
once  the  O  Reillys  e.vtended  their  territory  and 
authority  into  the  borders  of  the  English  Pale, 
a.s  far  .tsKilm.ainham  wood,  to  the  Black  Watei 
near  Kclls,  and  to  Crossakeele  and  Oldc.astle  in 
Meath,  from  thence  a.s  far  as  Granard  in  Long 
ford,  and  to  parts  of  Westmeath.  In  the  year 
1.3Sii  and  U15,  it  is  stated  that  Thomas,  son  of 
Mah.)n  O  Reilly.  lord  of  Clan  Mahon,  and  prime 
of  Brefney  destroyed  eighteen  castles  of  the 
Knglish  in  the  Pale,  and  overran  the  country 
from  Drogheda  to  Dublin.  This  Thomas 
O'Reilly  erected  a  caetle  at  Balling  Lough,  in 
Westmeath.  The  O  Reillys,  exercising  an  inde- 
pendent sovereignty,  as  princes  of  Brefney, 
coined  their  own  inonev  ;  as  appears  by  a 
Parliament  held  at  Tritn,  A.  D.  1447,  in  the 
reign  of  Henry  VI.,  by  Sir  John  Talbot,  carl  of 
Phrew.-ibury,  "lord  lieutenant ;  and  bv  another 
Parli.ameut  he'd  at  Naas,  A.  D.  14.57,  by  the 
lord  ileputv,  Thomas  Fitgerald,  Earl  of  Kild.are, 
In  which  Acts  were  parsed  prohibiiing  the  cir- 
culation of  the  Irish  coinage,  called  O  fieiUi/  a 
mjn"y,  in  the  English  Pale.  From  the  thir- 
teenth to  the  sixteenth  century  many  valiant 
chiefs  of  the  O  Reillys  are  mentioned,  who 
foueht  several  battles'wlth  the  Eng'ish  forces 
of  the  Pale,  over  whom  they  gained  many 
victories.  The  O  Reillys,  located  on  the  bor- 
ders of  Meath,  were  obliged  to  maintain  an 
lnc«i-ant  warfare  to  defend  the  fnmtiers  of 
Ulster  against  the  English  of  the  Pale, 
who  made  constant  incursions  into  the 
northern  territorie.s.  Camden,  writing  in  the 
rcig.n  of  E  izabi-th.  says  that  the  O  Reilly.s  were 
famous  for  cavalry  ;  and  Kyncs  MorrNon,  In  his 
acfount  of  the  wars  of  Hugh  O  Neill,  earl  of 
Tyrone,  a-.-alnst  Elizabeth,  states  that  the 
O  Kelllys  of  Breuny  bronghlto  the  standard  of 


O'Neill  eight  hundred  foot,  and  two  hundred 
horse.  The  O  Reillys  maintained  their  inde- 
pendence down  to  the  reign  of  -James  I.,  and  pos- 
sessed great  property  and  influence  even  until 
the  Crorawel.ian  wars,  after  which  their  estates 
were  confiscated-  Maolmora  O  Reilly,  com- 
monly called  .Miles  the  Slasher,  w.as  a  celebrated 
chief,  di.sliuguished  for  his  great  strength  and 
undaunted  valor  :  he  fought  many  battles  in 
Cavan  and  other  placas  during  the  Cromvvellian 
war,  and  fought  at  the  battle  of  Benburb,  under 
Owen  lioe  O  Neill.  The  O  Reillys  were  elected 
and  inaugurated  in  early  times  as  princes  and 
tanists  of  Brefney,  on  the  Hill  of  Seitiitoman 
or  Shantoman,  a  large  hill  between  Cavan  and 
Ballyhaise,  on  the  summit  of  which  may  still 
be  seen  the  remains  of  a  Druidical  temple,  co^i- 
sisiing  of  several  huge  stones  standing  upright. 
In  after  times  the  O  Reillys  were  inaugurated 
on  the  Hill  of  Tullymongan,  above  the  town 
of  Cavan.  The  O  Rcillysliad  castles  at  Tully- 
mongan, Ba'lynacargy,  Tullyvin,  Li-gannon, 
Beltiarbet,  Ballyconnell,  Cloughoutgliter,  Kil- 
more,  Li.*inore,  and  Camett,  near  Cro.ssdoney; 
at  Tonagh,  and  llallinrinke.  near  Lough  Sheelin; 
at  Kilnacrott,  Loughramor,  and  Mullagh;  at 
Tonragee,  now  Bailehorough,  and  at  Muff,  near 
Kingscourt,  the  ruins  of  some  of  which  castles 
still  remain.  The  O  Reillys  are  still  extremely 
numerous,  being  estimated  at  about  2  ',0.)0  per- 
sons of  the  name  in  the  county  of  Cavan. 

The  chiefs  and  clans  of  Brefney,  and  the  terri- 
tories they  possessed  in  the  twelfth  century, 
are,   according  to  0"Uugan,  as  follows: 

1  O'Ru.wuc,  or  O'Rourke,  who  is  designated 
by  O'Dugan  ArdridhBreifne  ax  huanswacM, 
that  is,  chief  king  of  Brefney  of  lasting  sway, 
and  to  whom,  he  states,  the  rents  or  tributes  of 
Connaught  were  paid. 

2.  O  R.\Gii.vLi..\ii;n,  or  0"Reilly,  chief  of  Muin- 
ter  Maoilmordha,  designated  as — 

"Head  chief  of  fierce  conflicts, 
O'Reilly  of  the  red  arms  or  shields." 

3.  Mac  TiGiiF.RNAiN,or  the  MacTiernans,  also 
rendered  Mac  Kiernan,  and  by  some  anglicised 
to  Masterton  who  were  chiefs  of  'Icllach  Dun- 
ch.ada,  signifying  the  tribe  or  territory  of  Don 
ogh,  so  called  from  one  of  their  chiefs,  a  name 
wliich  has  been  made  Tullaghonoho,  now  the 
barony  of  TuUyhunco,  in  the  county  of  Cavan. 
MacTiernan  is  designated  .as  "  the  true  defender 
of  valiant  chiefs-"'  The  Mac  Kiernans  are  still 
very  numerous  in  the  counties  of  Cavin  and 
Leitrim,  and  several  of  their  chiefs  are  mention- 
ed in  the  course  of  these  .\nnals. 

4.  Mao  Samiibauiiain.  designated  "alondof 
strength,"  who  was  chief  of  Tellach  Eacliach,or 
Eochaidh,  which  signifies  of  the  tribe  or  terri- 
tory of  Eocaidli,  so  called  from  one  of  their 
chiefs,  and  now  the  barony  of  TullaglKurh, 
county  of  Cavan.  This  name  is  now  ircuerally 
made  Mac  Gauran,  .and  by  bomc  anglicised,  or 
rather  translated,  Somers,  from  the  word 
Sttinfirdilli,  which  signifies  summer.  The  Mac 
Gaurans  in  modern  times  are  very  numerousin 
the  counties  of  Cavan  and  Leitrim. 

h.  Mac  CoNHNAMiiA,  chief  of  Clan  Cionnaith, 
or  clan  Kennv,  now  known  as  the  Muintir 
Kenny  mountiiins,  and  adjoining  districts,  near 
Lough  Allen,  in  the  parish  of  Innism.agrath, 
county  of  Liitrim  This  name  has  been  angli- 
cised to  F'ord,  and  there  are  several  of  the  clan 
Btill  in  those  districts. 

fi.  Mac  ('aoaiiiiain-,  chief  of  Clan  Fearmaighe, 
a  district  south  of  Dartry,  and  in  the  i)rescnt 
barony  of  Dromahaire,  county  of  Leitrim.  Thla 


TOPOGRAPHICAL   APPENDIX. 


name  lias  been  aiigUcisod  Cogan  or  Coggan. 
OJJiien,  in  his  dictionary,  at  ttio  word  Eagan, 
statfj  that  tliu  Mai;  Egans  were  clnefs  of  Clan- 
fttarainuiglu^  in  Brefue)- ;  lience  Mac  Cagadhain 
and  -Mac  Eagain  may  probably  have  been  the 
same  clan. 

7.  Mao  DAUcnAinn.  which  O'Brian  writes 
Mac  Dorchuighe,  chief  of  Kiiiel  Luachain,  a 
district  in  the  barony  of  Mohill,  county  ofLeit- 
rini,  which  may  probably  be  traced  in  the  namo 
of  the  townland  of  Laheen.  Tliis  namo  has 
beeu  by  some  anglicised  to  Darcy. 

S.  Mac  Flanncuadua,  of  the  race  of  Ith,  a 
name  rendciedinto  Mac  Clancy,  who  was  chief 
of  Dartraidhe,  or  Dartry,  an  ancient  territory 
co-extensive  with  the  present  barony  of  Ross- 
clogher,  in  Leitrim. 

9.  O'FixM  and  O'Cbakbiiatll,  or  O'CarroIl, 
who  were  chiefs  of  Calrait;he,  a  district  adjoining 
Dartry,  la  the  present  barony  of  Drouiahaire, 
county  of  Leitrim,  and  which  appears  to  liave 
comprehended  an  adjoining  porfion  of  Sligo, 
near  the  present  parisli  of  Calry,  in  that  county. 
This  district  comprised  the  parishes  of  Drum- 
lease  and  Killf.rgy  in  Leitrim,  with  part  of  the 
parish  of  Calry  in  Sligo. 

10  Mac  MAOiLioSA,chief  ofMaghBreacraighe, 
a  district  oi  the  borders  of  Leitrim  and  Long- 
ford. 

11.  Mac  Fionbhair,  or  Finnevar,  chief  of 
Mulnter  Greadain,  or  Gearadhain,  a  district  in 
the  southern  part  of  Leitrim. 

12.  Mao  Kagiinaill,  or  Mac  Kannall,  a  name 
anglicised  to  lieynolds,  were  chiefs  of  Muin- 
ter  Eoluis.  This  territory  was  sometimes 
called  Clonmacni  of  Moj-rein,  and  comprised 
almost  the  wliole  of  the  present  baronies  of 
Leitrim,  Mohill  and  Carrygallen,  in  the  county 
of  Leilrim,  with  a  portion  of  the  north  of  Long- 
ford. They  were  of  the  race  of  Ir,  or  Clanna 
Eory,  and  of  the  same  stock  as  tlie  O'Ferrals, 
princes  of  Analh',  or  Longford.  They  had 
c.^5tles  at  Rinn,  Leitrim  and  Lough  Scur. 

13.  O'Maoilmiaduaigh,  or  O'Mulvey,  chief  of 
Magh  Neise,  or  Nisi,  a  district  which  lay  along 
the  Sh.-.nnon  in  the  west  of  Leitrim,  near  Car- 
rick-on-Shannon. 

1-1.  Mac  Bp.adaigh,  or  Mac  Brady.  The  Mac 
Bradys,  sometimes  called  O'Bradys,  are  given 
by  Mac  Geoghegan  as  a  branch  of  the  O'CarroUs, 
chiefs  of  CaTry,  a  territory  in  Leitrim,  in  the 
baron}-  of  Dromahaire,  as  already  explained  in 
the  preceding  part  of  this  article;  and  they  are, 
in  fact,  often  called  O'Carrols  at  the  present 
day,  particularly  by  persons  speaking  in  Irish, 
who  desi;inate  them  CarooUaghs.  The  Mac 
Bradys  are  extremely  numerous  in  the  county 
of  Cavan,  particularly  in  the  harony  of  Lough- 
tee.  Baron  Thomas  Br.ady,  a  distinguished 
field  marshal  for  many  years  in  the  Austrian 
service,  and  who  died  at  Vienna  in  IS'27,  was  a 
native  of  the  county  of  Cavan. 

l.i.  The  Mac  Gobhains,  Mac-an-Gliobhains, 
or  OD&obhains,  a  name  which  has  been  anglicis- 
ed to  Smith,  are  very  numerous  in  the  county 
of  Cavan,  particularly  in  the  parishes  of  Lavey, 
Laragh  and  Killinkere  The  Mac  Gowans  are 
also  very  numerous  in  Eossinvcr,  in  the  count}- 
of  Leitrim,  .as  explained  in  the  section  on  Dala- 
radia,  or  county  of  Down  The  Mac  Gowans 
are  of  the  race  of  Ir,  or  Clanna  Eory.  Many  of 
the  name  have  proved  their  distinguished 
descent,  being  remarkable  for  great  strength 
and  bravery,  and  having  been  chiefs  of  gallow- 
glas.ses  under  the  O'Eeillys.  The  Mac  Gowans 
were  originally  a  clan  in  Dalaradia,  or  the  county 
of  Down,  and  in  early  times  produced  many 
eminent  ecclesiastics,  learned  men  and  poets, 


too  numcrons  to  bo  here  mentioned ;  and  ir. 
modern  times  there  aro  families  of  the  name  of 
Smith  in  many  parts  of  Ireland,  supposed  of 
English  descent,  who  may  trace  their  descent 
from  the  Milesian  Mac  Gowans 

1(5.  Mac  GiLi.ADUiBii,  or  Mac  GilldiifT.  In  the 
Annals,  at  the  year  IS.'i^,  Manus  Mac  Giolla'iuibh 
is  mentioned  ns  chief  of  Tealhu-li  (iairbheith, 
now  the  barony  of  Tullygarvey,  in  the  county 
of  Cavan. 

17.  MauTaiculaioii,  orMacTully.  The  Mac 
Tuilys  were  chiefs  of  a  district  comprising  the 
greater  part  of  the  parish  of  Drung,  in  the 
barony  of  Tullygarvey. 

18.  i\[ac  Cabks,  a  clan  originally  from  Monag- 
han,  but  settled  for  many  centuries  in  the 
county  of  Cavan,  where  they  are  verv  nume- 
rous, particularly  in  the  baronies  of  Tullygarvey 
and  Clankee.  The  Mao  Cabes  were  a  warlike 
clan,  and  aro  frequently  mentioned  in  the  Book 
of  Cavan  as  commanders  of  battle  axe  men 
under  the  O'Koillys,  in  their  wars  with  the  Eng- 
lish of  the  Pale 

19.  The  O'Sheridans,  an  ancient  clan  in  the 
county  of  Cavan,  and  still  numerous,  particu- 
larly in  the  barony  of  Clanmahon  Of  this  clan 
were  several  persons  distinguished  in  the  liter- 
ary world  for  the  most  brilliant  abilities,  as  the 
Eev.  Dr.  Thomas  Sheridan,  president  of  tho 
great  school  of  Cavan,  the  friend  and  favorite 
companion  of  Dean  Swift,  and  distinguished  for 
his  great  wit  and  talents ;  Thom.as  Sheridan, 
his  son,  a  celebrated  actor,  and  author  of  an 
English  Dictionary  and  other  works,  and 
Eich.ard  Briasley  Sheridan,  the  son  of  Thomas, 
well  known  for  his  splendid  genius,  and  one  of 
the  most  eminent  men  of  his  ago  as  an  orator, 
dramatist  and  poet.  Many  other  members  of 
this  family  have  also  been  highly  distinguished 
in  the  literary  world 

20.  The  O'CoERVS,  or  O'Cutrys.  given  in  the 
Map  of  Ortelius  as  a  clan  in  Cavan,  in  the 
barony  of  Tullygarvey.  They  were  located 
about  the  place  afterwards  called  Cootehill.  Of 
this  family  was  J.amcs  Curry,  M.D.,  the  cele- 
brated writer  on  the  civil  wars  of  Ireland. 

21.  The  OClerts,  or  Clarkcs,  a  branch  of  the 
O'CIerys  of  Connaught  and  Donegal,  and  of  the 
same  stock  as  the  celebrated  authors  of  the 
Annals  of  the  Four  M.astcra.  numerous  in  the 
county  of  Cavan,  particularly  in  the  baronies  of 
Tullvgarvey  and  Clankee. 

22.'  The  O'Dalys  and  0"Mulligans,  clans  in 
the  count  V  of  Cavan.  who  were  hereditary  bards 
to  the  O'Eeillys. 

23.  The  FiTZPATRiCKS,  a  numerous  clan  in  the 
county  of  Cavan,  chiefly  located  in  the  baronies 
of  Tullyhunco  and  Loughtee.  They  were 
originally  of  the  Fitzpatricks  of  Ossory,  but 
have  been  settled  for  a  long  period  in  the  county 
of  Cavan. 

24.  The  FiTZsiMONS,  a  numerous  clan  in  the 
county  of  Cavan,  chiefly  in  the  barony  of  Castle- 
rahan,  who  c.ame  originally  from  the  English 
Pale,  being  of  Anglo-Nofman  descent,  but 
have  been  long  located  in  the  county  of  Cavan. 

25.  The  0'Farkei.lt8,  a  numerous  clan,  par- 
ticularly in  the  parish  of  Mullagh,  county  of 
Cavan. 

2n.  Several  other  cl.ans  settled  in  considerable 
numbers  in  various  parts  of  the  county  of 
Cav.an,  as  the  O'Murrays,  Mac  Donnells,  0'- 
Cona!ihtys,0'Connell3,  MacManuses,  O'Lyches, 
Mac  Gillig.ans,  O'Fays,  Mac  GafTnevs,  Mac 
Uuihs,  O  Dolans,  O'Droms,  Ac. 

27.  Several  clans  in  the  county  of  Leitrim, 
not  mentioned  by  O'Dugan,  as  the  Mac  Gloins 
of  Eossinver,   the   Mac  Ferguses,  hereditary 


734 


TOPOGRAPHICAL   APPENDIX .  • 


erénaclis  of  the  ctiurehcs  of  Eossinycr,  and 
whose  name  has  bei-n  anglicised  to  Ferguson, 
the  O'Cuirnins,  an  ancient  clan  in  the  baronj-  of 
Dromahaire.  and  many  of  whom  were  celebrated 
bards  and  historians,  the  Mac  Kennys,  or 
Kcanej's ;  the  Mac  Cartans,  O'Murrays  and 
O'Meehans,  are  also  numerous  in  the  county 
ofLeitrim. 

SlL  MlTBEDAIGH. 

This  territory  was  so  called  from  the  descend- 
ants of  Muredach  Mael-letlian,  a  king  of  Con- 
naoght  in  the  latter  end  of  the  seventh  century, 
who  died  A.  D.  "Oil,  who  was  sjirung  from  the 
above-named  Brian,  son  of  Eocaidh  Muigh-me- 
don,  king  of  Connaiight.  They  became  the  chief 
branch  of  the  Ui  Kriuin  race,  and  possessed  the 
greater  pan  of  Coiinaught,  but  were  chiefly 
located  in  the  territory  now  forming  the 
county  of  Roscommon,  and  hence  the  term 
Siol  Murray  was  applied  to  that  territory. 

The  O'CoxoKS  of  Connauglit  were  the  head 
chiefs  of  Sil  SIuredaigh,and  took  their  name  from 
Conchobhar,  or  Conor,  who  was  king  of  Con- 
naught  in  the  tenth  century.  The  name  Ua 
Conchobhair,  pronounced  Concoovar,  is  derived 
from  Cu  or  Con,  which  figuratively  signifies  a 
warrior,  and  Cobhair  e\á\  hence  "it  signifies  a 
helping  warrior.  Teige,  king  ofConnaught,  in 
the  beginning  of  the  eleventh  century,  who 
died  A.  I).  l'i.30,  and  was  called  TaOlig  an  eich 
ghil,  or  Teige  of  the  White  Steed,  was  the  first 
who  took  tlic  name  of  0"(.'onor,  from  Concovar, 
or  Conor,  his  grandfather,  king  of  Connaught. 
Between  the  fourth  and  eight  centuries  fourteen 
of  the  race  of  Ui  Fiachrach  were  kings  of  Con- 
naught,  as  stated  in  the  section  on  North  Con- 
naught,  and  two  or  three  of  the  O'liourkes  were 
kings  of  Connaught  in  the  tenth  century  in  the 
Annals  of  the  Four  Masters  AVith  these  excep- 
tions, the  ancestors  of  the  O'Conors  of  the  race 
of  Ui  Briuin,  and  Siol  Murray,  and  the  O'Conors 
themselves,  held  the  sovereignty  of  Connaught 
from  the  5th  to  the  15th  century,  for  a  period 
of  more  than  lu:;n  years,  and  two  of  them 
became  monarchs  of  Ireland  in  the  12th  century, 
namely,  Tordelbach,  and  his  son,  Kuaidri  O'- 
Conor,  who  was  the  last  Milesian  monarch  of 
Ireland.  Torlogh  O'Conor,  called  Tordelbach 
Mor,  or  Torlogh  the  Great,  was  many  ye.ars 
king  of  Connaught,  and  afterwards  monarch  of 
Ireland  for  twenty  years,  from  A.  D.  113C  to 
1 15C.  Euaidri  or  Itoderick  O'Conor,  his  son, 
was  the  last  Milesian  monarch  of  Ireland,  and 
after  having  reisued  eighteen  years,  abdicated 
the  throne  A.  D.  11S4,  in  conseipience  of  the 
English  invasion,  and  retired  to  tlie  monastery 
of  Consr,  in  Mayo,  where,  after  a  religious  .seclu- 
sion of  thirteen  years,  he  died,  on  Sunday  the 
iiTth  of  November,  A.  D.  11S1,  in  the  82nd  year 
of  his  age,  and  was  burled  in  the  same  sepulchre 
with  his  fatlier,  in  the  cathedral  of  Clonmacnois. 
According  to  Dr.  CVConor.  king  Turlogh  O'Conor 
was  thrice  married.  His  fir.-.t  wile  was  Talter.ia, 
daughterofMurtoihO'.M.Ia-hlin.  kingofMeath; 
his  second  was  DervorL'illa.  daughter  of  Donald 
O'Mcla^rhliii,  prince  of  Meath,  and  his  third  wa.s 
TJuvcola,  daiiiihter  of  .Mulroonev  Mac  Deruiott, 
prince  of  Moyhirg.  By  Ills  last  wife  lie  had 
a  son.  Cathal  Crobhderg  O'Conor,  the  famous 
king  of  Connaught  ?o  often  mentioned  in  the 
Irish  Annals.  The  O'Conors,  kings  of  Con- 
naught, had  royal  residencies  at  Cruachan,  near 
Elpliln,  and  at  Cluan  Fraeich,  near  Tulsk,  in 
Roscommon;  also  at  Dunmorc,  in  Galway,  .ind 
at  Cong  in  Mayo,  and  many  castles  in  various 


parts  of  Connaught.  The  ancient  kings  o^  Con- 
naught were  inaugurated  at  Cruachan,  near 
Elpliin,  but  it  appears  from  these  Annals  that 
in  after  times  tlie  O'Conors  were  Inaugurated  as 
kings  of  Connaught  at  the  Hill  of  Carii  l^raeich. 
ne.ar  Tulsk,  in  lioscouiiuon.  The  ( I'Conors 
lield  their  rank  as  kings  of  Connaught  dmvu  to 
the  reign  of  Elizabeth  in  the  IGtli  century.  In 
the  Memoirs  of  Charles  O'Conor  ofBclengar,  it 
is  stated,  that  in  the  latter  end  of  the  fourteenth 
century,  the  two  head  chiefs  of  the  O'Conor.s, 
namely,  Torlogh  Koe,  and  Torlogh  Donn,  hav- 
ing contended  for  the  lordship  of  Siol  Murray, 
agreed  to  divide  the  territory  between  them. 
The  faiidlics  descended  from  Torlogh  Donn 
called  themselves  O'Conom  jMin.  or  the  Brown, 
and  the  descendants  of  Torlogh  Roe  called 
themselves  0'('c«)i(>/'.s7íf/í,  or  the  Ked.  Another 
branch  of  the  O'Connors  got  great  possessions 
in  the  county  of  Sligo,  and  were  styled  the  O' 
Conors  Sligo. 

The  O'Connors  are  thus  designated  in  the 
topographical  poem  of  O'Dugan,  written  in  the 
fourteenth  century : 

"  The  kings  of  the  hosts  that  refuse  nought 
Are  at  great  Cruachan  of  the  fair  grassy  plains, 
"Which  refuse  not  abundant  fruits 
To  the  tribe  of  Clan  Conor. 

"The  undisputed  patrimony  of  this  race, 
"Was  Siol  Murray  of  broad  raths. 
A  warlike  tribe  defended 
The  illustrious  kings  of  Cruachan." 

The  O  Conors  at  the  present  day  are  very 
numerous. 

The  following  chiefs  and  clans  in  Koseommon 
and  Galwey,  the  territories  possessed  by  them 
in  the  twelfth  ccntur)',  have  been  collected  as 
follows  from  O'Dugan's  Topography,  and  other 
sources : 

M.\.c  DiAKMADA  or  Mac  Dermott.  The  Mac 
Dermotts  derive  their  descent  from  the  same 
ancestor  as  the  O'Conors,  kings  of  Conn.iught, 
namely,  from  Teige  of  the  White  Steed,  king  of 
Connaught  in  the  llth  century,  and  therefore 
are  a  branch  of  the  O'Conors.  This  Teige  had 
a  son  named  Maelruanaidh,  the  progenitor  of 
tlic  Mac  Dermotts,  hence  their  tribe  name  was 
Clan  Maolruanaidh,  or  Clan  Mulrooney.  Diar- 
inaid,  grandson  of  Mulrooney,  was  the  head  of 
the  clan  in  the  12th  century,  and  died  A.  D. 
TIC),  and  from  him  they  took  tne  name  of  M.ac 
Dermott.  The  Mac  Dermotts  had  the  title  of 
princes  of  Moylurg,  Tir  Oilill,  TirTualhail,  Air- 
teach  and  Clan  Cuain. 

Moylurg,  called  Magli  Luirg  an  Daghda,  in 
O'Dugan,  signifies  the  Plain  of  the  Track  of 
Daghda,  nncl  got  its  name  from  Daghd.a,  one  of 
thcTuath  De  Daiiann  kings.  This  territory  com- 
prised the  I'lains  of  Boyle,  in  the  county  of 
Jioscommon,  consisting  of  some  of  the  finest 
lands  in  Ireland,  and  famous  for  their  fertiflty 
and  beauty.  Tir  Oilill  is  now  the  barony  of 
Tirrerill  in  SHlto.  Airteach,  a  district  in  lios- 
conmion,  near  Lough  Gara.  on  the  borders  of 
Sligo  and  Mayo.  Clan  Cuaiu  was  a  distiict  in 
the  north  of  the  barony  of  Carra,  county  of 
Mayo.  TlrTuathall  was"  a  district  in  the  barony 
of  Boyle,  bordering  on  Leitrim  and  Sligo,  to- 
wards Lough  Allen  ;  thus  Mac  Dermott's  terri- 
tories comi>rised  the  present  barony  of  Boylc, 
in  the  county  of  IJoscommon,  together  with 
Tirerrill  in  Sligo,  and  Clan  Cuain  in  Mayo,  at 
Ca.stlebar,  which  comprised  the  liresent  parishes 
of  Islandcady,  Turlough,  ami  BreaflTv. 
The  Mac  Dermotts  had  Uieir  chief  fortress  at 


TOPOGKAPHICAL    APPENDIX. 


735 


the  Eock  of  Longh  Key,  on  an  island  in  Lough 
Key,  near  Boyle,  and  they  held  the  high  and 
honorable  olfico  of  hereditary  marshals  of  Con- 
naught,  the  duties  attached  to  which  were  to 
rise  and  regulate  the  military  forces,  and  topre- 
jjarc  them'for  battle  as  commanders-in-chief, 
also  to  preside  at  the  inaui;uration  of  the  O'- 
Conors  as  kings  of  Connaught,  and  to  proclaim 
their  election.  They  held  their  rank  as  lords  of 
Moylurg,  down  to  the  reign  of  Elizabeth,  and 
considerable  possessions  down  to  the  period  of 
the  Crorawellian  wars,  wlien  their  estates  were 
confiscated ;  but  it  is  a  singular  fact  that,  of  all 
the  Milesian  chiefs,  the  Mac  IJermotts  alone 
have  retained  their  title  of  prince,  as  the  Mao 
heritioU  is  to  this  day  recognized  as  prince  of 
Coolavin,  in  the  county  of  Sligo,  holding  a 
part  of  the  hereditary  possessions  of  his  ances- 
tors. There  are  several  families  of  the  Mac 
Derniotts  in  Connaught  at  the  present  day. 
The  Mac  Donoghs,  of  whom  an  account  has 
been  given  in  the  section  on  North  Connaucrht, 
were  a  branch  of  the  Mac  Dermotts,  and  lords 
of  Tirerrill  and  Corran  in  Sligo.  It  may  be 
observed  that  O'Dugan  gives  the  following  as 
the  ancient  chiufs  of  Moylurg,  before  the  time 
of  the  Mac  Dermotts.  He  designates  them  thus : 

"  The  ancient  cliief  of  Moylurg  of  abundance, 
Mac  Eoach  (or  Mac  Keogh),  Mac  Maen  tho 

Great 
And  Mac  Eiabhainh  (or  Mac  Eevy),  of  effi- 
cient forces." 

Ul   MaNI   and   TJi  FlACKAClI   AlDNI. 

1.  O'Cellaigh,  or  OKelly.  The  name  O'- 
Cellaigh  is  derived  from  one  of  their  ancestors, 
Ceallach,  a  celebrated  chief  in  the  ninth  century. 
The  O'Kellys  are  a  branch  of  the  Clan  CoUa, 
of  Orgiall  in  Ulster,  and  of  the  same  descent  as 
the  Maguires,  lords  of  Ferm.inagh,  the  Mac 
Mahons,  lords  of  Monaghan,  the  0"Hanlons, 
chiefs  of  Oirior  in  Armagh,  and  some  other 
clans,  of  whom  an  account  has  been  given  in 
the  note  on  OrrjhiaUa.  In  tho  4th  century 
Mani  Jlor,  or  Mani  the  Great,  a  chief  of  the 
Clan  CoUa,  liaving  collected  his  forces  in  Org- 
hialla,  on  the  borders  of  the  present  counties  of 
Tyrone,  Monaglian  and  Armagh,  marched  to 
Connaught,  and  having  conquered  a  colony  of 
the  Firbolgs,  who  possessed  the  territory  called 
Magli  Sei/i-ohineoil,  expelled  the  Firbolgs,  and 
to  that  territory,  which  was  possessed  by  his  pos- 
terity, he  gave  tlie  name  Ui  Mani,  which  has 
been  laJnised  to  //i/  Mania  and  /Mania. 
This  extensive  territory  comprised  a  great  part 
of  South  Connaught,  in  the  present  county  of 
Galway,  and  was  afterwards  extended  beyond 
the  river  Suck  to  tlie  Shannon,  in  the  south  of 
Eoscommon.  and  comprised  the  baronies  of 
Ballymoe,  Tiaquin,  IviUian  and  Kileonnel,  with 
part  of  Clonmucnoon  in  Oalway,  and  the  barony 
of  Athlone  in  iioscommon.  The  O'Kellys  were 
princes  of  Ui  Mani.  Ily  Mania  is  thus  describ- 
ed by  O'Dugau : 

"  A  great  division  of  Connaught  is  that  plain, 
Of  Ui  Mani  of  vast  assemblies. 
Extending  from  the  Shannon  of  fairy  streams 
To  Cnoc  Meadh  of  the  great  kinsrs." 

The  0"Kellys  held  the  office  of  high  treasur- 
ers of  Connaught,  and  the  Mac  Dermotts  that  of 
marshals.  TaiUig  or  Teige  O'Kelly,  was  one  of 
tho  commanders  under  Brian  Boroimhe  at  the 
battle  of  Clontarf.    The  O'Kellys  had  castles  at 


Aughrim,  Garbally,  G.allagh,  Monivca,  Moy- 
lough,  Mullaghmorc  and  Aghrane,  now  Ca-lle- 
Kelly,  in  the  county  of  Galway,  and  at  Athlone, 
Athieaguc,  Corbcg,  Galy  and  Skryne,  in  the 
county  of  Eoscommon.  The  chiefs  of  the  O- 
Kellys  were  inaugurated  at  Clontuskert,  about 
llvo  miles  from  Eyrecourt,  in  th-i  county  of 
Galway  and  held  their  rank  as  princes  of  Ui 
Maine  to  the  reÍLrn  of  Elizabeth 

2.  Mac  Oip.eai  nrAion,  or  Mac  Oiraghfy,  a 
name  anglirise<l  Mac  Geraghty,  or  Geraghty, 
descended  from  the  same  stock  as  the  O'Conors, 
kings  of  Connaught. 

"  Mac  Oiraghty  of  the  Steeds  was  the  ruling 
chief. 
Of  Muiutir  Eoduiv  of  rightful  laws— 
A  fearless  warrior  as  ho  ranged  the  woods.'' 

Mac  Oiraghty,  chief  of  Clan  Tomaltaigh.  Tho 
districts  of  Clan  Tomaltaigh  and  Muintir 
Eoduiv,  were  situated  in  the  barony  of  Eos- 
common, county  of  Eoscommon.  When  de- 
prived of  their  territories,  some  of  tho  clan 
settled  in  Mayo  and  Sligo,  and  are  to  this  day 
the  chief  possessors  of  the  island  of  Inis  Murray, 
off  the  coast  of  Sligo,  their  having,  it  is  said, 
given  name  to  the  island  from  their  former  title 
as  head  chiefs  of  Siol  Murray,  and  are  still 
governed  by  a  chief  of  the  tribe  As  a  remark- 
able circumstance  connected  with  the  Mac 
Oiraghtys  who  reside  at  Croagh  Patrick  in 
Mayo,  an  antique  bell  is  kept  by  them,  and  is 
traditionally  stated  to  liave  been  one  of  those 
used  by  St.  Patrick. 

3.  O'FiNN'ACiiTA,  or  O'Feenaghtys,  chiefs  of 
Clan  Conmaigh  and  Clan  Murchadha,  districts 
in  the  t\^  iialf  baronies  of  Ballymoe,  in  the 
counties  ^of  Eoscommon  and  Galway.  Two 
distinct  chiefs  of  the  O'Feenaghtys  are  given  by 
O'Dugau.  one  of  Clan  Murrogh,  and  the  other 
of  Clan  Conway ;  the  former  being  designated 
"Chief  of  Clan  Murrogh  of  the  Champions." 
O'Feenaghty,  chiefs  of  Clan  Conway,  had  their 
castle  at  Dunamon,  near  the  river  Suck,  in  the 
county  of  Eoscommon. 

4.  O'Fallamiiain,  or  O'Fallons,  chiefs  of 
Clan  Uadach,  a  district  in  tho  barony  of  Ath- 
lone, in  the  county  of  Eoscommon,  comprising 
the  parishes  of  Cam  and  Dysart,  and  had  a 
castle  at  Milltown.  The  O'Falions  were  origin- 
ally chiefs  in  Westmeath  near  Athlone.  By 
O'Dugau  they  are  designated  in  terms  which 
may  be  thus  translated : 

"  The  O'Palloos  who  marched  with  force 
Were  chiefs  of  Clan  Uadaeli  of  wine  banquets, 
Men  who  let  not  their  spears  decay. 
Of  those  are  the  freeborn  clans." 

5.  O'BiuN,  or  O'Beirnes,  chiefs  of  Mura  0'- 
Mannachain,  otherwise  called  Tir  Briuin-na- 
Sionna,  or  Tir  Briune  of  the  Shannon.  Ttiis 
territory  lay  along  the  Sh.annon,  in  the  barony 
of  Ballintoblier,  in  Eoscommon.  comprising  the 
parishes  of  Kilmore  of  the  Shannon,  Cloonaif, 
Aughrim  and  Kilumod,  extending  nearly  to 
Eldhin. 

6.  O  Mannachain,  or  O'Monnaghan,  was 
also  a  chief  on  the  same  territory  as  O'Bfirne. 

It  is  to  be  observed  that  these  O'Beirnes  are 
of  a  different  race  from  the  O'Byrnes  of  Wick- 
low. 

T.  O'IIainlidwe,  or  O'Hanleys,  chiefs  of  Kincl 
Dobhtha,  a  large  district  in  the  barony  of  Ballin- 
tobber,  county  of  Eoscommon,  along  the  Shan- 
non. 


736 


TOPOGRAPHICAL   APPENDIX. 


8.  Mac  Brasain,  or  Mac  Breennan,  some- 
times made  O'Brtiinan,  and  O'Mai'.michil,  or 
O'Mulviliil,  sometimes  an'^lii.iseJ  to  Mulville 
and  Mitchell.  The  Mac  Hrennans  and  O'.Mulvi 
hils  were  chief's  of  Corca  Aelilann,  a  large 
district  adjoining  Kinel-Dobhtha,  in  the  baronv- 
of  Koscommon.  This  district  formed  part  of 
the  Tuatha  in  which  was  situated  the  Slieve 
Bann  Mountain. 

9.  O'Flan.nagain,  or  O'Flanna^ans,  chiefs 
of  Clan  Cathail,  a  territory  in  the'  barony  of 
Eoscommon,  north  of  Elpbin.  O'Maolniordlia, 
O'Cartliaidh,  or  O'Carthy,  and  O'Mushroiu, 
were  a!so  subordinate  chiefs  of  Clan  Catiiail. 

"  Four  active  chieftains 
Euled  over  the  Clan  Cathail. 
Kins:i.en  who  have  not  l>een  dispraised 
Are  these  four  whom  we  enumerate. 

"O'FIanagan,  chief  of  tlie  territory, 
0"Mu'imora  whom  I  praise ; 
With  cheerfulness  they  were  still  supported 
By  the  blithe  O'Cartliy  and  O'Muroin.'" 

10.  O'Maolbkensain,  a  name  anglicised  to 
O'Mulrenan,  were  chiefs  of  Clan  Conchobhair, 
or  Clan  Conor,  a  district  in  the  barony  of  lios- 
common,  near  Cruachan  ;  they  are  thus  desig- 
nated by  O'Dugan : 

"  O'Mulbrenan  of  renown, 
Was  chief  of  Clan  Conor  of  the  fertile  plains, 
Their  mcn'above  all  others  I  record. 
They  are  of  the  tribe  of  Clan  Cathail.'' 

11.  O'CATnALAiv,  chief  of  Clan  Fogartaigh. 
O'Maonaigh,  or  OMoeneys,  sometimes  made 
O'Mooneys,  were  cliiefs  of  Clan  Murthuile. 
Clan  Fo;_'artaigh  and  Clan  Murtliiiile  were  dis- 
tricts in  Ballintobber,  county  of  Eoscommon. 
OX'afhalain  and  O'Mooney  are  thus  mentioned 
in  O  Dugan: 

"  0  Catlia'ain  is  the  chartered  chief 
Of  Clan  Fogarty  of  the  grassy  plains. 
And  powerful  are  his  conquering  forces; 
Chief  of  Clan  Murthuile  is  O'Mooney." 

12.  O'CoNCEANAiN-,  Or  0"Concannon,  chief  of 
Ui  Diarmada,  a  district  on  the  borders  of  Eos 
common  and  Galw.ay.in  thebaronifsof  Athlone 
and  Ballymoe.  The  O'Concannons  are  thus 
mentioned  in  O'Dugan : 

"The  Vi  Diarmada  of  protecting  men, 
Tlieir  heroes  are  kinsmen  to  kings. 
Oovernor  of  the  territory 
Is  O'Concanain,  its  undisputed  chief." 

13.  Mac  MunciiAPiiA.  or  Mac  Murroirh, 
sometimes  anglicised  to  Mac  Morrow,  a  chief 
of  Clan  Tomaltaigh,  in  Eoscommon,  of  which 
Mae  Oira^hty  was  also  cliief 

14.  O'Floinx,  or  OFlynn,  cliief  of  Siol  Maol- 
rualn,  a  large  district  in  the  1  arony  of  Ballin- 
tobber. county  of  Eoscommon,  in  which  lay 
Slieve  I'i  Kliloinn,  or  OFlynn  s  Mountain, and 
wliich  comprised  the  fiarishcsof  Killkoevan  and 
Kiltulla'.'h.  and  also  part  of  the  pari~h  of  Bally- 
nakill,  In  the  barony  of  Ballymoe,  county  of 
Gahvay.  OMaolmuaMh,  or  Ó'MiilIov,  is  also 
given  as  achief  over  Clan  Taldlig,  or  CianTelge, 
In  the  p.ime  district. 

15.  O'EoTiit.AiJi.  chiefs  of  Colli  Fothaidh,  a 
district  on  the  borders  of  Eoscommon  and 
Mayo. 

16.  O'Sgaithoil,  or  Mac  Bgathgil,  chief  of 


Corca  Mogha,  a  district  which  comprised  the 
parish  of  Kiikeeran,  in  the  barony  of  Killian, 
county  of  Galway.  O'Broin,  anglicised  to  Burns, 
was  chief  of  Lough  Gcalgosa,  adistrict  adjoining 
Corca  Mogha. 

IT.  O'TALCiiARArji,  chief  of  Conmaicnc  Cuile, 
a  di-trict  in  the  barony  of  Clare,  county  of  Gal- 
way. 

18.  O'Cadhl.*.,  or  O'Cawley,  chief  of  Con- 
macni  Mara,  now  the  barony  of  Ballynahinch, 
in  the  couutj'  of  Galway. 

19.  Mac  Cosroi,  or  Mac  Conroy,  chief  of 
Gno  Mor,  and  O'Haidhnidh,  chief  of  Gno  Beag, 
districts  wliich  lay  along  the  western  banks  of 
Lough  Corrib,  between  that  lake  and  the  bay 
of  Galway,  in  the  barony  of  MoycuUen,  county 
of  Galway.    O'Dugan  says : 

"  Mac  Conroy  possesses  in  peace 
Gno  Mor  of  the  numerous  harbors." 

20.  Mac  Aedua,  or  Mac  Hugh,  called  also 
Hughes,  chief  of  Clan  Co.sgraidh,  a  district  on 
tlie  eastern  side  of  Lough  Corrib,  thus  dcsignat- 
by  O'Dugan  : 

"The  race  of  Mac  Aedha  on  the  eastern  side 
Of  the  extensive  ])lain  of  Clan  Co^gry, 
An  active  host  from  the  plain  of  Medha, 
Mild  and  hospitable  are  their  tribes." 

21.  O'FL.^TnuEETAiGii,  Or  O'Flaherty,  aname 
derived  from  Fi<t>th,  a  chief  or  hero,  and  hear- 
Íí/í7),  of  deeds  ;  hence  it  may  signify  a  chief  of 
noble  deeds.  They  are  styled  by  ODiigan 
chiefs  of  Muintir  Murchadha,  now  the  barony 
of  Clare,  county  of  Galway.  In  the  13th  century 
they  were  expelled  from  this  territory  by  the 
English,  and  having  settled  on  the  other  side  of 
Lough  Corrib,  got  extensive  possessions  there 
in  the  b-irony  of  MoycuUen,  and  were  thence 
styled  lords  of  lar  Conacht,  or  West  Coiinanght. 
They  had  the  chief  naval  command  about  Lough 
Corrib,  on  the  islands  of  which  they  had  castles. 
They  are  thus  designated  by  O  Dugan : 

"  Cl.in  Murcadha  of  the  fortress  of  hospitality 
Was  governed  by  the  Clan  Flaherty  of  swords, 
Who  from  the  shout  of  battle  would  not  flee; 
To  them  belongs  the  regulation  of  the  fair 
ports. 

23.  O'HEiDinN,  or  O'lleyne, .sometimes  angli- 
cised to  Hynes.  O'Heyne  was  styled  prince  of 
I'l  Fiachra  Aidhni,  so  called  as  being  of  the 
race  of  V\  Fl.ichr.i.  The  territory  of  Ui 
Fiachra  Aidhni,  also  called  South  Ui  Fi:i.'hra, 
was  co-extensive  with  the  diocese  of  Kilma'.'- 
duagh,  and  comprised  the  borony  of  Kiltartan, 
and  parts  of  the  baronies  of  Dunkcllin  and 
Loughrea,  in  the  county  of  Galway.  The  0- 
Heynas  were  descended  from  Gnairi  Aidhnn,  a 
king  of Conimiight  in  the  seventh  century,  who 
is  cilfbratcd  by  all  the  ancient  anna'ists  for  his 
hos])itallty  to  all  classes,  and  charity  to  the  i)oor; 
henee  it  passed  into  a  proverli,  in  P])eakiiig  of 
an  hosjiitable  person,  that  he  was  '-as  generous 
.as  Gualre;"  and  the  poets  in  their  figurative 
language  stated  that  his  riuht  hand  had  become 
much  longer  than  hi.i  loft  in  consequence  of 
being  co!istantly  extended  in  giving  charity. 
The  O'lleynes  took  their  name  from  Fidhin, 
one  of  their  chiefs  In  the  tenth  century,  and 
Maolrnanaidh  O'Heyne,  prince  of  i'i  I'iachra, 
was  a  cominaridcr  under  Brian  Boroinha  at  the 
battle  of  Cl'.nt.irf.  and  it  may  berei'i.:rkcd  that 
Brian  Boromha  w.as  married  to  Mor,  iho  daugh- 
ter of  Flann,  father  of  Maolruanaidh  O'llcyno. 


TOPOGRAPHICAL   APPENDIX. 


737 


fh!  ;       Spon^-^-"»".   or  O  Sliaughnessey,  of  lays  are  given  by  O'Diigan  as  tl.e  two  chiefs  of 

the  same  descnit  as  O'loyne,  and  chief  or  Kind  Maon   Magh,  or  Moenmoy,  a  territory  which 

Acdha,  sometimes   calle.l   Ki.iel    Aedha-na-h-  according  to  <>'Flal,e.ty,  got    its  name  from 

Echtge,  that  is  Kiiiel  Hugli  ..1  Lclity,  a  mount-  Moen,  one  of  the  sons  of  Ugani.    This  tcrritorv 

ainous  district  on   the  borders  of  Galway  and  was  an  extensive  plain,  comriri^ln"  a  "reat  part 

Uare.     Kmel  Iliigli  was  a  large  district  in  the  of  the  present  banmies  of  Loii"liii:r,niri  Leitrim 

barony  of  Iviltartan,_  coimty  of  Galway.    0-'  in  the  county  of  Galway.    'J  he  ( .■^;,L■htansand 

Cathail,  orOCahal,  r.l  the  race  of  Ui  Fiachra,  O'Miilallys  are  branches  of  the  Clan  Lolla    and 

•wasalsoacj^iief  01  Kinel  Hugli.    _         _  are  thus  designated  by  O'Dugan  :  ' 

"The  chiefs  of  Moenmoy  the  champions, 
Whose  estate  is  ttie  fertile  plain. 
Two  who  defend  that  district 
ArcO'Naghten  and  O'Mnlally, 
Their  warfare  is  heavy  in  battles, 
The  land  is  theirs  as  far  as  Ui  Fiachra." 

The  O'Miilallys,  when   dispossessed  of  their 


24.  Mac  Gili-a  Cixlaigii,  or  .Afac  Gilkelly, 
sometimes  made  Killikelly,  also  of  the  race  of 
Ui  Fiachra,  and  another  chief  of  Aidhne. 

25.  O'Cleirigii,  or  O'Clcrv,  a  name  some- 
times a.iglicised  to  Clarke,  likewise  of  the  race 
of  Ui  Fiachra,  and  chiefs  in  Aidhne.  and  some- 
times styled  chiefs  of  Ui  Fiachra  Finn.  They 
took  the  name  from  Cloirach,  one  of  their  cele- 
brated cliiefs  in  the  tenth  century.     Many  of 


these    O'Clcrys    were   highly  distinguished  in    sncient  territoties,  settled  at  Tullach-na-Dala, 
litei-ature,  and  a  branch  of  them  having  settled    near  Tiiam,  where  they  had  a  castle.    The  head 


in  Donegal  became  bards  and  historians  to  the 
O'Donnells,  princes  of  Tyrconnell,  and  were  the 
authors  of  the  Annals  of  the  Four  Masters. 
Other  branches  of  the  0"Clerys  settled  in  Bref- 
ney  O'Reilly,  or  the  connty  of  Cavnn. 

26.  O'DuiiiUGiLLA,  chief  of  Kinel  Cinng.imhna. 
Mac  F"    ■  " 

chief 


of  the  family  having  removed  to  France,  a 
descendant  of  his  became  celebrated  as  an  o  afor 
and  statesman  at  the  time  of  the  French  Revo- 
lution, and  was  known  by  the  name  Count 
Lally  Tollendal,  faking  liis  title  from  his  ancient 


trDuiiiUGiLLA,  chief  of  Kinel  Cinng.imhna,  territory  in  Ireland.  Several  of  the  O'Lallys 
.""iachra,  chief  of  Oga  Beaihra,  O'Cathain,  were  celebrated  commanders  in  the  Irish 
of  Kinel  Sedn.i,  and  O'.Maghna,  chief  of  Brigade  in  France,  and  one  of  them  was  created 
Caenridhe,  all  chiefs  in  Aidhne.  The  chiefs  of  Marquis  de  Lallv  Tollendal,  and  a  peer  of 
Aidhne  are  thus  designated  by  O'Dugan  :  France,  by  Jiapoleou. 

„^   ^  ,  3Í.  O'CoNAii.L,    or  O'Connell.     The  O'Con 

Let  us  approach  Aidhni  of  Steeds,  nells  and  Mae  Mac  Egans  were  marshals  of  the 

And  his  noble  chiefs  of  hospitality,  forces  to  the  O'Kellys,  princes  of  Ui  Mani,  and 

And  let  us  trace  their  kings  who  are  not  few,    of  the  same  de.'=cent  as  the  O'Kellys. 
And  treat  of  the  host  of  the  free  clans.  82.  Mao  Ardhagatn,  anglicised  Mac  Egans, 

were  chiefs  of  Clan  Diarniaila,  a  di.striet  in  the 

"The  noble  clan  of  Mac  Gilkelly,  barony  of  Leitrim,  county  Galway,  and  had  a 

The  OTIeynes  of  the  sleek  and  slender  steeds,    castle  .it  Dun  Doighre,  now  Duniiy.    The  Mac 

■Whose  defence  and  pride  is  the  strength  of   Egans  were  celebrated  as  Brehons  in  Connacght 


their  arms. 
Are  of  the  race  of  Giiaire  the  Fair, 
Good  and  hospitable  is  the  chief, 
O'Clery  sprang  of  tlie  same  race. 

'  Two  other  chiefs  of  Kinalea. 
O'Shaughnessey  whom  I  will  not  shun, 
Together  withO'Cahill  of  learned  men, 
Smooth  are  his  fields  and  fertile  his  moun- 
tain." 


and  in  Ormond,  and  many  of  them  were  emi- 
nent literary  men.  They  are  thus  mentioned 
by  O'Dugan : 

"  Precedence  for  his  valor  and  fame 
Be  given  to  Mac  Egan  the  noble. 
Record  him  for  the  activity  of  his  warriors, 
Of  his  prosperity  and  great  renown." 


8.3.  Mao  Gilla  Finnagain,  or  O'Finnegans, 
a  name  sometimes  rendered   Finnucane,  and 
27.  O'Madag  AiN,  or  O'Mndadhain,  anglicised    ^  Cion.aoith,  or  O  Kenny,  chiefs  of  Clan  Laithem- 
O'Madden,  chief  of  Siol  Aumclindha,  a  name   '''='•"-  <=^"«'l  =*'-'"  Muintir  Cionaith,  a  district  in 
latinised  to  SilanchUt,  and  which  t'ot  its  name    *""  barony  of  Moycarnon.  county  of  lioscora- 


from  Anmchadh,  one  of  their  ancient  chiefs. 
This  territory  comprised  the  present  barony  of 
Longford,  in  the  county  of  Gahvay,  and  the 
]iarish  of  Lusmagh,  on  the  other  side  of  the 
Shannon,  in  the  King's  County.  The  O'Mad- 
dens  are  a  br.anch  of  the  Clan  Colla.  and  of  the 

same  descent  as  the  O'Kellys,  princes  of  Ui       __. ,  „.   „„..„ ,  ^ , 

Manl.  and  took  their  name  from  M.adudan  More,  of  Clan  Breasail,  a  district  in  "the  Tarony^of 
one  of  their  ancient  chiefs.  There  are  several  Leitrim,  county  of  Galway.  The  ODonnellans 
families  of  the  name  still  in  Connaught.  are  thus  mentioned  by  O'Dugan  : 

28.  O'lIuALLAcnAiN,  or  O'lloolasrhan.  some- 


mon.    They  are  thus  mentioned  by  O'Dugan: 

Mae  Gilla  Finnegan  the  mild. 
And  the  valiant  Clan  Kenny, 
Two  tribes  who  are  fair  so  be  seen 
Rule  over  the  brave  Clan  Flahavan.' 

84.  O'DoMnxALLAiN,  or  O'Donnellans,  chiefs 


times  anglicised  O'Coulairhan  and  Mac  Conlag- 
han,  and  also  given  by  O'Dugan,  as  chiefs  of  Siol 
Anmchadha.  O'lloolnghan  is  thus  designated 
by  O'Dugan ; 

"A  noble  chief  of  lasting  fame 
RuIps  over  the  plain  of  the  race  of  Anmch.a, 
A  valiant  rough-fettering  warrior. 
Of  keen-edged  weapons  is  O'lloolaghan." 

29.  O'Maelalaidh,  or  O'Mulally,  sometimes 
made  Lally. 

80.  O'NEAcnTAiv,  or  O'Nashten,  sometimes 
made  Norton.    The  ONaghtens  and  O'ilulal- 


" Noble  the  blood  and  acbievcnients 
Of  the  O'Donnellans  of  handsome  figure, 
Rushing  to  the  battle  like  a  torrenti 
Such  are  the  yellow-haired  Clan  Breasail." 

Tliere  are  still  many  families  of  the  O  Don- 
nellans  in  Connaught. 

.S."i.  O'DoNciiAnuA,  or  O'Donoghoe,  chief  of 
Clan  Coiniaic,  a  district  in  Moonnioy,  in  Gal 
wiiy,  which  lias  .already  been  defined. 

lifi.  O  DnniiGiii.vD,  or  O'Deiglian.  chief  of 
tlie  twelve  Ballys,  or  Townlnnds,  of  O'Duibhg- 
Iiind,  a  di.strict  near  Loughrsa,  in  the  county  of 
Galway 


738 


TOPOGRAPHICAL    APPENDIX. 


3T.  0'DocoMr.A.iN,  cliief  of  Eidhnigh,  and  O'- 
Gtbhrain,  or  UGauran,  chief  of  Dal  Druithne. 
districts  about  Lou^lirea. 

3i  OWlAOiLiiKiiiiiDE,  or  O'Miilbrides,  or  Mac 
Brides,  cliiefs  of  Magli  Finn  and  of  Bredaeli,  a 
larae  district  in  the  barony  of  Athlone,  county 
of  Koscominon,  east  of  the  river  Sack. 

S'X  OMainsin,  orO-.Mannin,  or  U'Mannings, 
chiefs  of  Sodlian,  alargo  territory  in  tlie  barony 
of  Tiaquiii,  which  was  made  into  six  divisions, 
ciiUed  the  six  Sodhans.  The  O'Mannins  liad 
iheir  chief  residence  at  the  castle  of  Clogher, 
barony  of  Tiaquin,  county  of  Galway,  and 
afterwards  at  Menlou^h,  in  the  parish  of  Killas- 
cobe,  in  the  same  barony.  The  otiier  cliiefs 
given  by  O'Dugan  on  the  i^ix  Sodhans  were 
Mac-ar.-ltliaird-,  or  Mac  Wards;  O'Sguarra,  or 
O'Scurrys;  O'Lennan,  or  O'Lennans;  O'Casain, 
orO"Cashins;  OGialia,  or  O'Giallain,  rendered 
O'Gealaas  and  Gillays.and  O'.Maigins,  OWIigins, 
or  O'Maginns.  The  chiefs  of  Sodhan  are  thus 
mentioned  by  O'Dugan : 

-The  six  Sodbans  let  us  not  shun, 
Their  chiefs  are  not  to  be  forgotten ; 
Brave  are  their  predatory  hosts, 
To  wliom  belonged  the  spear-armed  Sod- 
hans." 

iO.  O'Cathail,  or  0"CiliiU ;  O'Mngliroin,  or 
O'Moran;  O  Maoiruanaidh,  or  O'Mulrooncy, 
were  the  three  chiefs  of  Crumthan.  an  extensive 
territory  sometimes  called  (Jrutl'on,  comprising 
the  barony  of  Killian,  and  part  of  Ballyiioe,  in 
the  county  of  Gahvay.  These  chiefs  are  thus 
designated  by  O'Dugan : 

"  O'Cahill  and  O'Murain  the  active, 
O'.Mulrooney  of  the  splendid  banquets. 
Like  trees  wliicli  slielterthe  fertile  land. 
Are   the  chiefs  of  Crumthan  of  the  woody 
plains." 

41.  O'LAEDor;,  or  O'Laedhaigh,  anglicised  to 
O'Leahy,  chiefs  of  Caladh,  a  larire  district  in  the 
barony  of  Kilconnell,  county  of  Galway.  They 
are  thus  mentioned  by  O'Dugan : 

"  The  brave  O'Leahys  I  must  mention, 
Chiefs  of  the  broad  lands  of  Caladh, 
Men  who  won  and  hold  the  sway 
Of  Caladli  by  Shannon  of  clear  streams.'' 

42.  O'IIavtsrtt,  chief  in  the  barony  of  Ath- 
enrv,  and  county  of  Oalway. 

4S.  The  0'DAt.V8,  a  branch  of  the  O'Donnells 
of  Donegal,  princes  of  Tirconnell,  whose  tribe 
name  was  Clan  Dalaigh.  The  O'Dalys,  it  ap- 
pear-*,  settled  in  Connaught  as  early  as  the 
twelfth  century,  and  accounts  of  many  of  them, 
very  eminent  as  poets  and  learned  men  in  Con- 
naught  and  In  Munster.  Several  of  lliein  were 
illstinguished  ecclesi.istics.  Tlie  O'Dalys  had 
large  p')ssoiSions  in  the  counties  of  Galway  .and 
Jioscommon. 

44.  The  O'Hai.loh.vns,  given  in  O'Flaherty's 
Ogygla  (vol  ii.  p.  296),  as  chiefs  of  Clan  Fer- 
gaill,  a  largo  district  on  the  e-ist  side  of  the 
river  of  Galway.  near  Lough  Corrib.  From 
these  was  descended  O'llallor.an  the  historian. 

45.  The  O'Cai.i.anass  and  O'Canavaiis.  men- 
tioned by  O'Flaherty  as  hereditary  physicians 
In  G.ilway. 

4').  The  O'DuDiiTHAiGiw.  or  O'DufTeys,  fami- 
lies of  note  in  Galw.'iy  and  Uoscommon,  .and 
many  of  them  learned  men  and  emimiit  ecclesi- 
astics, sevenil  of  tlicm  liaving  been  archbishops 
oITuam,  and  bishops  in  Elphin. 


47.  The  O'BuiEMS,  a  branch  of  the  O'Uriens 
of  Thomond,  in  the  county  of  Clare,  and  lords 
of  the  Isles  of  Arran,  olt'  the  coast  of  Galway, 
which  they  held  from  the  thirteenth  to  a  late 
period  in  the  sixteenth  century,  and,  as  captains 
of  the  sea  coast,  kept  a  large  maritime  force. 

48.  Mac  Csaimuin,  or  .N.ac  Ncvin,  according 
to  the  book  of  Leacan,  chiefs  of  a  district  called 
Crannog  Mac  Cn;iimhin,  or  Crannagh  Mac 
Nevin,  in  the  parish  of  Tynagh,  barony  of 
Leitriin,  and  county  of  Oalway.  There  are 
still  some  families  of  the  Mae  Nevins  in  the 
county  of  Gahvay. 

40.  Mac  Eochaidh,  or  Mac  Keogh,  a  br.^nch 
of  the  O'Kellys,  chiefs  of  Omhanach,  now  Onagh, 
in  the  parish  of  Taghmacounell,  in  the  barony 
of  Athlone,  county  of  Roscommon.  There  are 
still  many  famifies  of  the  Mac  Keoghs,  or 
Keoghs,  in  Connaught 

50.  Mac  Gilladi-uíii,  or  Mac  Gilduffs,  some- 
times rendered  Kildull's,  chiefs  in  Caladh,  alon;.- 
with  the  O'Leahys,  in  the  barony  of  Killconnell, 
county  of  Galway. 

^\.  The  O'LoRCAiNS,  or  O'Larkins;  the  O- 
Gebenaighs,  or  O'Gevennys;  the  O'Aireach- 
tains,  anglicised  to  Harrington  ;  the  O'Fahys,  or 
O'Fays;  O'Laidins,  or  O'Lanes,  and  the  O'- 
Horan.s,  all  clans  in  Ui  Mani,  in  the  county  of 
Galway. 

62.  O'ConnTHAiGH,  or  O'Coffeys,  a  branch  of 
the  O'Kellys,  princes  of  Ui  Mani.  The  OCof- 
fiiys  possessed  a  large  district  in  the  barony  of 
Clonmocnoon,  county  of  Galway,  and  had  their 
principal  residence  at  a  place  called  Tuam  Catli- 
raigh.  There  are  several  families  of  the  name 
in  the  counties  of  G.alway  and  Uoscommon. 

:t-i.  The  Mac  Manlsks,  M.ac  Keons,  O'Com- 
iiiins,  and  O'Eonans,  clans  in  Roscommon. 

Shortly  after  the  English  invasion,  AVilliam 
dc  Buriio,  and  other  Anglo-Norman  leader?,  led 
their  forces  into  Connaught,  and  after  fierce 
contests  with  the  O'Connors  and  other  chiefs, 
got  possession  of  a  considerable  portion  of  the 
country.  From  Richard,  or  Rickard  de  Burgo, 
a  gie.at  part  of  tlie  county  of  Galway  got  the 
name  of  Clanrickard,  whicli  comprLsod,  accord- 
ing to  Ware,  the  baronies  of  Clare,  Dunkellin, 
Lougliaea,  Kiltartan,  Athenry  and  Leitrim. 
The  de  Burgos  became  in  time  the  most  power- 
ful family  in  Connaught,  and  were  its  chief 
governors  under  the  kings  of  England.  They 
were  styled  Lords  of  Connauiiht,  and  also  be- 
came Earls  of  Ulster  ;  but  on  the  death  of  Wil- 
liam de  Burgo,  Earl  of  Ulster,  in  the  thirteentli 
century,  and  the  marriage  of  liis  daughter, 
Elizabeth,  to  Lionel,  Duke  of  Clarence,  son  of 
King  Edward  III.,  ins  titles  passed  into  the 
royal  family  of  England,  by  whom  they  are  still 
held.  In  the  beginning  of  the  fourteenth 
century,  the  heads  of  the  two  princip.al  branches 
of  tlie  Burkes  took  the  Irish  name  of  .Mac 
William,  and  adopted  the  Iri.sh  lanuuage  and 
customs.  Sir  AVilliam,  or  Ulick  Biirlie.  the 
progenitor  of  the  E.arlsof  Clanrickard,  had  groat 
po.sse.ssions  in  Galway  and  Roscommon,  and 
took  the  name  M.ae  William  Eighter,  and  Sir 
Edm\ind  Burke,  called  Albanach,  took  the 
name  Mac  William  Oughter,  had  large  posses- 
sions in  Mayo,  and  was  ancestor  of  the  Earls  of 
Mayo. 

In  the  twelfth  and  thirteenth  centuries  seve- 
ral English  and  Welsh  families  settled  in  the 
town  of  Galway.  and  other  parts  of  the  county, 
the  iirincliial  of  whom  were  the  Athys,  Ber- 
minghams.  15l.ake<i,  Bodkins,  Brownes,  Blundcls, 
I)>-aiies,  Dillons,  D.arcys,  Frenches.  Joyces,  Klr- 
wan^i.  Lynches,  Lawiesses,  Morrisses,  Martins, 
Whites,  &c.    It  is  to  bo  observed  that  the  O'- 


TOPOG  HAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


739 


Loinsighs,  who  are  also  called  Lynch  in  Eng- 
lish, are  also  an  Irish  clan.  The  O'Ki-rovaus 
are  also  an  Irish  clan,  and  tho  name  luis  been 
anglicised  to  Kirwan.  Tho  Mac  Dorchys,  or 
O'Dorchys,  Avere  chiel's  in  I'artry,  in  the  county 
of  Mayo,  and  also  in  Galway,  and  in:iny  of  them 
anglicised  the  name  to  D'Aroy,  and  were  con- 
sidered to  be  of  English  descent.  The  Martins 
of  Galway  were  considered  by  O'Brien.  Val- 
lancey  and  others,  to  be  of  Firbolg  origin,  de- 
scended from  the  old  race  of  the  Fir  Doiiinians, 
so  frequently  mentioned  in  the  old  annalists 
under  the  name  of  Mairtinigh,  anglicised  Mar- 
tineans.  Tlie  Joyces,  or  de  Jorses,  came  from 
Wales  to  Galway  in  the  reign  of  Edward  I.,  and 
having  formed  alliances  with  the  O'Flahertys, 
chiefs  of  West  Connaught,  got  large  possessions 
in  Connemarra,  in  the  barony  of  Koss,  and 
towards  the  borders  of  Mayo,  a  large  territory, 
which  is  still  called  Joyces'  Country,  where 
they  are  very  numerous  to  the  present  day, 
and  many  of  them  remarkable  for  ioimense 
strength  of  body  and  gigantic  stature. 

FOREIGN    BACES  THAT    TOOK  GAELIC  SURNAMES. 

Many  of  the  Danish  settlers  are  considered  to 
have  taken  Irish  surnames,  and  prefixed  Mac  to 
their  names,  as  did  many  of  the  Anglo-Norman 
and  English  families  in  early  times ;  but  it  does 
not  appear  that  any  of  those  settlers  adopted  the 
prefix  O,  as  that  was  confined  chiefly  to  the 
Milesian  families  of  the  highest  rank.  The  fol- 
lowing Anglo-Norman  or  English  families 
adopted  Irish  surnames :  The  de  Burgos,  or 
Burkes,  of  Conn.aught,  took  the  name  of  Mac 
"William,  and  some  of  them  that  of  M  ic  Philip  ; 
the  de  Angulos,  or  Nangles,  of  Meath  and  Ma}'0, 
chansred  the  name  to  Mae  Costello;  the  de 
Exeters  of  Mayo  to  Mac  Jordan  ;  tho  Barretts 
of  Mayo,  to  Mac  Wattin  ;  the  Stauntons  of  Mayo, 
to  Mac  Aveeley,  in  Irish  Mac-an-Mhilidh.  signi- 
fying the  Son  of  the  Knight;  the  de  Bermfug 
hams  of  Connaught  and  otlier  places,  to  Mac 


Feorais,  or  Peorais,  signifying  the  son  of  Pierce, 
from  one  of  their  chiefs;  the  Fitzsimons  of  tho 
King's  County,  to  Mac  Kuddcry,  signifying  the 
son  of  tho  Knight,  from  llidirú,  a  knight;  the 
I'oers  of  Kilkinny  and  "W.aterl'ord,  to  Mac 
Shere;  the  Butlers,  to  Mac  Pierce;  the  Fitz- 
geralds  lo  Mac  Thomas  and  Mac  Maurace ;  tlio 
de  Courcys  of  Cork,  to  Mac  Patrick  ;  the  Barrys 
of  Cork,  to  Mac  Ailam,  and  many  others  in  like 
manner.  Many  of  the  Milesian  Irish,  on  the 
other  hand,  anglicised  their  names,  of  which 
numerous  instances  have  been  given  in  tlie 
course  of  this  topographical  appendix,  and  many 
of  tliem  have  so  translated  and  twisted  their 
surnames,  that  it  is  extremely  dillicult  to  detcr- 
inini'  whctlur  those  families  are  of  Irish  or 
English  descent.  In  the  reigns  of  the  Ilonrys 
and  Edwards  many  penal  acts  of  parli:iment 
were  jjassed,  compelling  the  ancient  Irish  to 
adopt  English  surnames,  and  the  English  lan- 
guage, dress,  manners  an<l  customs,  and,  no 
doubt,  many  of  the  Milesian  Irish  took  English 
surnames  in  those  times,  to  protect  their  lives 
and  properties,  as  otherwise  they  forfeited  their 
goods,  and  were  liable  to  be  punished  as  Iri.«h 
enemies.  In  modern  times,  many  of  the  old 
Irish  families  omit  the  O  and  Mac  in  their 
surnames,  an  absurd  practice,  as  such  names 
lose  much  ot  their  euphonious  sound  by  the 
omission,  and  are  neither  English  nor  Irish ; 
and  It  may  be  observed  that  none  of  the 
Scotch  Macs  omit  that  national  designation,  or 
metamorphose  their  names  as  the  Irish  hava 
done.  Without  O  and  Mae,  the  Irish  have  no 
names,  according  to  the  old  verse  : 

"  Per  O,  atque  Sfac,  vei'os  cognoscis  Hibernos 
His  duobus  demptis,  niiUus  Hibernus  adest." 

"  By  ^lac  and  O.  yon'll  always  know, 
True  Irishmen,  they  say  : 
But  if  they  lack  both  O  and  Mac, 
No  Irishmen  are  they." 


Ar  na  clirlcliniigbadh  i  g-catbair  Briicluinne,  laimh  re  li- 
Eboracli  Nuadb,  le  Seagbau,  Mac  Dombnaill,  mbic  Thomas 
Oig  na  bb-Foradb  Ui  Mhagbtbambna,  o  Choill  Bbeitbne,  láimb 
re  SHabb  Grott  ris  a  raidbter  an  Gbaillte  Mbor  aniu,  ar  an 
t-ccbtinbadb  la  deg  de  mbi  luil,  is  au  m-bbadbaiu  d\cis  an 
Tigberna  1857 


INDEX. 


Aboo,  the  war-cry,  Preface  xl.  ? 

Ariamar, 

.      2.>S 

Adauian,  Saint,     . 

.  40  S,  482 

Aeilgar. 

.      39-! 

Á.edii  Kuadb, 

244 

"     MacAnmirech, 

.  445,453 

"     Slanni, . 

.      461 

"      Uaridnaeh,  . 

4GT 

"      Ollan,   . 

.      466 

•'     Oirnighe.     . 

489 

"     Fiiin-liath, 

.      rjl5 

"     Albanach,    . 

547  n 

"     OKeil, 

559 

"     Caenih, 

.      862  71 

Acdhs,  the  three, 

.      404 

Aengus,  OU-Buadach, 

.      227  n 

'•       Oll-Muoaidh, 

.      227,  2->S  n 

Ollauih, 

.      257 

"       Tuirmcch, 

257 

"       (driven  IVom  Muster  bi 

Eogau 

Mor,'      . 

.      809 

"       MacNadfraech,  (baptize 

d  by  St. 

Patrick,) 

4()T,  431  n 

Aeifl,  íEva,)  . 

.      2T:),  620  n 

Aei,  1  lona,)  the  Island  of. 

4-11  11,  444  n 

Agneis, 

.      410 

Aiicch-ncid, 

.    S3,  .'547 

Aircliinnacli,     . 

.      466 

Aileran,  Saint. 

477  n 

Alba,  (Scotland,) 

.      373 

•'    Iriih  invasion  of, 

877 

Albanactiis,    . 

12S,  874 

Alldor^'oid,  (killed  by  Ollanih  1" 

odia,)  .         231 

Altnhii,  or  Almhain,  (Finn's  for 

tress,)     .  346  n 

Alf'cd,  King,  pedigree  of,  Prcfa 

:e,  Ix-vii 

Anielanus,  the  Danish  chief, 

.512 

Aniirghin,     . 

177,  19.S 

Anscfm,  i^aint, 

393 

Andii,  isee  Usnacli.) 

Anmlri. 

.      4-14 

Arciibishops  of  Ireland,  list  of, 

93 

Arcch  Februadth,     . 

.      17S 

Ard  liigha, 

2114  ■» 

Ard-lemnacta,  battle  of, 

.       210 

Ardan,  i see  Usnach.) 

Ard-Nemidh,   (now   Great  Isl 

ind,  Cork 

harbor,» 

83,  119,809« 

Ard-Macha,  inow  Armagh,)  12.S 

496, 499,  51 6,  .518 

Armagh,  the  Book  of. 

412 

Art  I  in  lech, 

.      237 

"    the  Second,     . 

241 

"   Aeinfcr,  (the  Solitary.!   sor 

1  of  Conn 

of  the  llundred  Battles, 

213 

Argedmar,     . 

.      242 

Arinorli'a,  Preface  x.xiii.  n. 

Arthur,  King,  Preface  xxv. 

Asi^aroo, 

214  n 

Alh-cliatli,  (now  Dublin,)  S3,  3 

10,  508,  534,  MS, 

56i;,  5s4,  627  n 

Ath-diath  Mcdraide.  (now  Clor 

in"H  bridge, 

nt  iir  Galway,)    . 

,     88» 

Ath  BiiidheTlactga,  (Yellow  F 

ord,)  battle 

of,            ... 

.      587«. 

Athacli  Tuatha,         .           .  .           .291 

Ath  Boroinh.'»,  (at  Killaloe,)        .  .         44i 

Atli  Scnaid,  battle  of,            .  .            .  486  n 

Ath  -Hag,  battle  of,           .           .  .490 

Ath-luain,  (now  Athlone,)  .           .      562 

Attendants  of  Irish  Sovereigns,  .          354 

Baedan,  ....  44(5,444 

Baethin,  Saint,      ....  427,  478 
Banba,  ....     SU,  141,  193 

Beothach,  .  .  ...  S3 

Benn-Edar,  (now  Hill  of  llowth,)  .       116 

Benen,  Saint,  .   411,412  w,  419 

Berngal,         .  .  .  .  ,234 

Bcalcu-Brofni,       ....  274 

Becan,  Saint,  .  .  .  438, 554 

Bede,  the  Vevicrable,  Preface  xxis.  n  375 

Belach-Liicadi,  ( now  Lowhid,  Co.  Clare,)      441 
Belach-Fcli,  battle  of,      ...  486 

Belach  Datlii,  battle  of,  .  .   445  and  ra 

Belach  Munagh,  battle  of,  .  .  526 

Belach-Cro,  battle  of,  .  .  .  48Sn 

Bertus,       .•  ...  480 

Bcnnchor,  (now  Bangor,)    .  .  .  479  n 

Bladth, 191 

Blathnaid,      ....  282,284 

Bladnia,  i  now  Slieve  Bloom,  Kings  Co.,)       457 
Blathniac,       .  .  ,  .  .469 

Blethin  ap  Conan,  .  .  .  192 

Birra,  mow  Birr, '  battle  of,  .  .      443 

Boroinha,  Boroimhe,  Anglice  Boru,)  303  ?i,4Sl  M 
"         Brian,  (see  Brian  Boroimhe.) 
"         Laighen,   ....      416 
Borenn,     .  ...         4S7 

Bishops  of  Ireland,  list  of,     .  ,  94  ?( 

Bratha,       .  ,  .  ,  ,  179 

Braen,  .....      586 

]5rann-Duldi,         ....  892, 406 
Brendan,  >  or  Brainnon,)  Saint,      .  432,443 

Breogan,    .  .  .  .      177,  179,  191 

Breogan,  tower  of,   .  .  .  .      195 

Brelions,  Preface  xxxviii.  n,  Ixi.  n. 

Bresigh 237 

Brescal  Brcc,  ....      2."'5 

"       Bo-diliadh,  .  .  .         262 

"       Son  of  Diarmnifl,    .  .  .      4í>9 

Brian  Boronilia,  or  Boroimhe,  549,  563,  563,  575 

Britain,  ....  .88 

'■     Mael 127,  190 

Britjiin,  invasion  of,  by  the  Scots  and 

Picts,  .  .  .  ,     8S1 

Brighitt,  Saint,     .  .      42.'5,  444, 468 

Bniighin-da-Cogadh,  Ijattle  of  .  464 

Brigantes,      .  ...      191 

Brugh,  .  .  .  .  856  re 

J5uelianan,  ((pioted,)        .  .  .      877 

Buikedh  Brugh,         ...  330 

•  ^ 

Cambrcnsis,  Preface  xxiv.  v,  (quoted,)  di- 

vl.^ion  of  Ireland,  ...        84 

Camden,  (quoted,;  Preface  xxvl.,  xli. 
Cambria,       ....         128,874 


INDEX. 


741 


312 
476 
292 
3G0 
443 


215 


440 
508 


3T6 

.      35S 

122» 

432  and  n 

203  n 

2C3  n,  4T3 

2i)5  n 

45;)  ii. 

458  n 


Caelbacli,  ....  367 

Caeinhan,  Saint,       ....      4i5li 
Caein,  Inis,        ....  495 

Cainuecli,  .....  404 
Cainiin,  Saint,  ....  434, 4iO 
Cannice,  Saint,  (.see  Cainnech,) 
Coinncll,  ..... 
Cam  Oonaill,  battle  of  . 
Carbrl  Oat-Konn,  .... 
'•    Liticar, 

"     Crom,  .... 

Cath    Finn  Tragha,  (battle   of  Ventry,) 

Pi-elacc  xlvi. 
Cathluan,       ..... 
Cathaeir  Mor,  255,  303,  list  of  bis  sons 
Catbach,  (sec  St.  Finlan.) 
Carthacb,  ancestor  of  Mac  Carthaigh  of 

Desmond,  .  .  .  590  n 

Carthach,  Saint,  •  .  .    459, 473 

Carn-Fcradaig,  (now  Knockany,)  battle 

of, 

Casan  Linni,  (now  tbe  Lagan,)  battle  of, 

Caisel,  (now  Cashol,)     . — ; 

Oacilti  Preface,  iii. 
Csesar,  (quoted,) 
Cemeteries  of  the  Irish  kings, 
Cinibri,     . 

Cluan  Fert.a,  (now  Clonfort,) 
Claana  Degaidh,  . 
"    Kudraide, 
Clidna,  ^Glandore,) 
Clocbar  Desa,  (now  Cloghcr,) 
Clonard,  College  of, 
Cluain-ilac-ííois,  (Clonmacnois,)  94  n,  594, 590  n 
the  book  of,        .  412 

Clontarf,  battle  of,  .  .    500  and  582  ?i 

Coirr-chleirech,         .  .  .  452  n 

Coigi,        .....  84 

Coruiac  Cas,  ancestor  of  the  clans  O'Brien, 

Mac  Xamara,  and  Mac  Clanchy,  &;c.         816 
"      Mac  Art,        .  .  320, 350, 355 

"      Ul-Fad.a,  .  .   328,  329  to,  340 

"      Mac  Culinain,   Preface  x^ái.  7i,  519,  524 

527 

"      Conlinsas,      .  .  .       267, 278 

'•      Mac  earthy        .  .  .  005 

Corb  Ulum,      ....  292 

Couaiiig,    .....  125 

Beg  Eglach,  .  .  .240 

Collas.  the  three  ....   303,  306 

Uoucobar,  (Connor, ~i     207,  272,  277,  447,  49S,  515 

Abradh  Kuadh,     .  .  .289 

Corc.ach,  (Cork,   burned  by  the  Danes  .  5o4 

Corca  Duibni,  (now  C'>rc,iguiny,Co.Kerry,)  251  n 

Core,  ancestor  of  the  O'Connors  Curcom- 

roe,  and  OXochUns,  of  Barren,   Co. 

Clare,  .  .  .    269  »,  333,  370 

Corca-Lnigbe  .  .  ISO  ?;,  244  >i 

Conmac,  .....  209 

Conlaech,        .  .  .  .  .279 

Conari  Mor,  ancestor  of  the   Ernaans  of 

Munster,  .  .  .        280  n 

"     ancestor  of  the  Gaels  of  Alba,         .     313 
Conn  of  tlie  Hundred  Battles,  291,  308 ; 

his  partition  of  Ireland,  .  .     309 

Connaclit,  (Counaugbt,, I  division  of    .  88 

Conall,  kingof  the  Dal-Kiada,         .  .    444 

"    Clogach,  of  the  Bells,  .  454 

"    son  of  Suibni,  .  .  .    404 

"    Crcmthani,  .  .  .       420  n 

"    Collamracb,  .  .  .    2')0 

"    Kearnach,  .  .  274 

"    of  the  Swift  Steeds,  .  309  n 

Conmael,  first  king  of  the  race  of  Eber,      220''» 

Connla 255,  814,  342 

"    Cru.'.'idh-Ke!gach,      .  .  253 

Congal  Claringnech,         .  .  .        262 

"    Clnen,  .  .  .        463,471 


Congal  Kenn  Maghair, 

••    the  third, 
Comgal,  Saint, 
C'oiiuian,  Saint, 
Computation  of  time. 
Coluian,  Saint, 

"     kimidh, 

"    Beg, 
Cogaran,  . 
Columkillc,  Saint, 


483 
.    543 
424 
.    473 
,  errors  in.    Preface,  Ixviii 
413,  465 
407 
.     443 
570 
425,  439,  441  n,  4,51 
458  n,  616 
Craebh-Ruadh,  (Bed  Branch,)  see  Clanna 

lludraide. 

Cronan,  Saint,  ....    473 

Crom  Ciuach,  the  first  pagan  idol,        .       223  n 

Crom-Connaill,      ....         431 

Criinthanu  Sciathbell,  .  .  214« 

"  the  Vanquisher,        .  .         201 

Niadh  Nair,         .  .  289 

"  O'Cuinn,  see  Columkillo  and    45S  n 

Crinna,  battle  of,  .  .  324 

Cruithnigh,  (Picts,)    .  .        177  n,  190, 213 

"       invasion  of  the,  into  Britain,  .         331 

Cruifl 292 

Cruachain,  (now  Eath  Crogan,  Co.  Eos 
common,) 

"  Assembly  of,  . 
CuanaLaech  Liathmani, 
Cuan  Mara,  .... 

"    Moighi, 

"    Slebii,  .... 

Cuala,    . 
Cualgni, 
Cuchulainn, 
Cnmin  Fada,  Saint, 
Cumin,  or  Comaeini,  . 
Cuil-cael,  battle  of, 

"        Dremni,  battle  of, 


266  il 

418 

474  it 

245«, 


191 
.  191,  204 

.       279, 232 

484,  449,  473  n 

446 

464 

451 


Curigb, 
Ciirnun, 


llathain,!  now  Coleraine,)  battle  of,  4-52 

Feda,  battle  of,  .  .  452 

232 

451 


Cumasgacb, 


481,  489 


Daball, 278 

Dal-Araidhe,  ....         113,  505 
Dal  Kiada,  .  .  .113, 314,  343  n 

Settlementof  the,  in  Alba,    .  422 

Dal-g-Cais,  (Dalcassians,)    .  572  and  ii,  580 

Dal-Fiatach,  clau  of        .  .  .      203  n 

Dan!i,  .....  140 

Daniel,  Samuel,  (quoted,)  Preface  xxix. 
Dari  Barach,         .  .  .  .      SOS  n 

"   Dornmar,  ...  309 

Dalian  Forgail,  the  king  poet,  .  .  443,455 

Darini,  the  tribe  of,    .  .  .  317 

Dathi, 189,  394 

Derborgaill,  Preface  xxyiii. ;  her  elope 

meut,       ....  014 

Dela 84 

Derdri 267,270 

Dergthini,  the  tribe  of  .  .  .  317 

Degaidh,  clans  of,  (the  Dfgadians,)  whence 

sprung  Daniel  O'Connell,         .  234  n 

Delbna,  the  seven,  .  .  .       327  7i 

Deman,  king  of  Uladh,       .  .  .443 

Desics,  the  tribe  of.      .  .  314  n,  336 

Diarmaid,  king  of  Ireland, .  .  .      442 

the  liuthful.  .  4G9, 476  n 

"         Mac  Murcadha,  flight  of  to  Ilcnry 

II  .  .  .  .  .  .  614 

Disert  Diarmada,  now  Castle  Dermott,  Co. 

Kerry,  .  .  .  524,  529 

Domnall,      .  442,  4CS,  471,  487,  552,  602  n 

Donagan,  king  of  Lcinster,      .  .         535  n 

Donncadh,  .     400,  491  «,  ti'^A  n,  591  and  n 

Domnach    Padraig,    now   Donagh    Pat- 
rick, .....    551,557 


(42 


INDEX. 


Donn,  .  .  .  .  .178 

Droiii-Ketli,  convention  oC,      .  .    443, 44i> 

Droin-Sneotlia,  the  Book  of;  .       1C6,  147  n 

SruQ)  Kiaraiii.  battle  of,  .  .  4S5 

Drimi-(la-Maii,'lie,  in  Kings  Co^  battle  of,  514  n 
Druiils,    .       "  .  .  .  .         121  TO 

Duacb  Finn,  ....       2-JS 

"       Lagliraeh,  .  .  .  24-2 

"      Dalta  Uegaidh,         .  .      262,  263  n 

"      Tensumlia,         .  .  .  442 

Dubh-Eglafs,  (the  Black  Church,)  .      456 

Dubli-linn,  i Dublin,»     ...  504 

Dubti-Lochlanuaigh,  (the  Danes,)        512  and  « 
Dubtbacb  O  Lugair,       ...  410 

Dael-Cladh,  .  .263 

Dnmha  Achair,  the  battles  of,  .  .       442  n 

Dun-da-leth-'rlas,  now  Down,        .       4C2  n,  409 
Dnn-bdlg.  battle  of,        .  .  .  465 

Dun  Kethian,  battle  of,       .  .  .      4G'J 

Dun  Del^rair,  now  Dundalk.  battle  of,  541 

Dur-mhagii,  now  Darrow,  Kings  Co.,        459  7i 


EberScot,    . 

Eber, 

Eber  Finn,    . 

Ebleo,      . 

Ectach, 

Echtigherna, 

Edirs^col, 


.   167«. 

84,  lS-3,  204,  207  n,  and  212 

.      177 

191 

32S  and  n 

64:3 

.      285 


E!im  Olllinnecta,  .  .  .  236 

'•     Son  of  Conra,  .  .  293, 297 

Emhain  Maclia.  now  Navan  Foi-t,  Co.  Ar- 
magh, .  245,  216  w  309 
"           "      wife  of  Cronn, 
"           "      Assembly  of,         .  .      413 
Enna  Argthegh,  tlie  Deipoiler,            .  229 
"     Derg,  money  first  struck  oflf  in  Lis 

reign,     ....  229 

"     Aighncch,       .  .  .  .261 

Eochaidh-Abra  Knadh,  province  of    .  90 

"         O  Fliiinn.  his  account  of  the  sons 

ofMiledh,        .  .      196  and» 

"        Edgothach,     .  .  224 

"        Faebar-G!a.s        .  .  .      225 

"        Muiiiho,  (,Munster,j  .  227 

"         Apthagh,  .  .  .      237 

"         I'arkeas,         .  .  .  240 

"         Fiadmuini.  the  Iluntc-r,  .      24'J 

"         the  Kighth,     .  .  .  241 

"        Folt-lethan,         .  .       253  and » 

"        Fiedlech  (the  Pentarchy  restor- 
ed, .  204  and  n,  283  n 
"        Aremh,                 .  .  285  n. 
"        Aimkenn,                   .           .  *i4 

"         Finn 314 

"         son  of  Domn.'ill,         .  .  44^i 

"         king  of  Ulidia,     .  .  .       559 

"         Gimath,         .  .  .  36) 

"        Muigh-iiicdon,    .  .  .      S67 

"        king  oI'Leinster,       .  .  890 

Eogau,    chieftain    of    Ferntnaighe,  (Fcr 

moy;, ....    268,  270 

"        Mor,  ....      8()9 

Eoganachta,  (Eugcnians,)        .         495,520,571 

Er,    .  .  .  .  .        8;J 

Erl 80, 141  198 

Eric,  Preface,  liv. 

Erluihon,  (licrcmon,)  84,  1'.8,  200,  205,  207«.. 

212.217 
Emaans,  tribe  of  the,        •  286  n,  837  n 

Ethiar  the  Druid,        ...  2ol 

Ethrial,  i-onof  Irlal,  .  .         219  and  ;i 

Etharhi,  now  Aherlow,  .  .  .  324 

Ethni  Ollamda,      .  .  830, 851 

"     I'athach,  Preface  x.\iil.,  833  and  n. 

"     mother  of  St.  Coluuikille,       .  461 

Factna  Faihach,    ....        263 
FathadU  Airgthech,    ...  302 


Fathadh  Cairpthoch, 

302 

Falbi  Finn,      . 

.    539  and  n 

Ferann,       .            .            .            • 

S;} 

Fer-Bolgs, 

.        127,  12:t 

"          the  chiefs  of  the. 

.  127,  129 

Per  Galeon,     . 

13-, 

"    Doinuans, 

1:10 

"    More, 

25^ 

Ferna,  now  Ferns,  burned  by  the  Danes,       5  .^ 
Fergal.  .....  4--J 

Fert,  now  Belfast,  battle  of,        .  473  and  11 

Feigraidh,        ....  541  n 

Fergus  Dubh  dedach,      .  .  .  3J3 

"      Cas-tiaclach,  .  .  323 

"      Folt-lebar,  .  .  .  323 

"      the  Thinl,        ...  412 

"      the  Pott,  .  .  .410 

"      Korlamhail,     .  .  .  259 

"      Mor  Mac  Erca,  first  king  of  Scot 

land,  Preface  xxv. 
"      Mac  INiigli,  .  .  207,  275 

"      Fer-da-liach,  or  Maeil-Iethan,  ances- 
tor of  the   Ma^  C.irthy,  O  Sullivan,  O'- 
Kceffe.  and  O'Callaghan,  315,  340,  571 

Feradach  Finn-Fectuach,       .  .       291,  2.»4 

Fechin,  Saint,        .  .  .  475,  4TT  n 

Ffinh.'n,  battle  of,        .  .  .  443 

Feidliiiilidh  llectmar,  the  Lcg:J  .  3u7 

Fenius  Farsa,     .  .  .  147,  153,  150,  l-S 

FeisTemrach,        ....        414 

Feidlimid,         .  .  .      415, 502  and  71 

Feidlin,       .....        3;t2 

Fiann,  the  order  of;  Preface,  xlvi.      .  34;i 

Fiall,  .  .  .  .  .     201  TO 

Fiatach  Finn,  .  .  .  292 

Fiachaidh  Labranni,  .  .  .        227 

"        Finn  Sgothach,  of  the  Wine  Flow- 
ers, ...  230 
Fobric,  ....        255 

"  Fin-alcheas,  .  .         234  n 

Tolgrach,  .  .  .        241 

"         Fer-mara.    .  .  .  259 

"  Finufolaidh,      .  .  293,  295 

"  Finn,  .  .  .  204 

"  Suighdi,  .  .  .314 

"  son  of  Baedan,        .  .  443 

"  the  Seventh,     ;  .  .        8b2 

Fladh-mic-Aengusa,  Synod  of,  596  and  11 

File.lh.1,  iPoL-ts,i    .  .  .  446  454 

Filedhacht,  'the  Poetic  order.)  see  Filedha. 

Finghin    Mac    Carthaigh,     (^Floroace     Mac 

Carthy,)  ...         £83 

Finn  Mac  Cumhail,  (Fingal  of  MatPhor- 

son. )  Preface  xlv.       .  lUn,  3i^S 

"        son  ofBratha  .  .  213 

"        Lochlannaigh,  (Nora-eghans,  1  612  »< 

Finacta,  son  of  Ollamh  Fodla,  .  283 

Finnacta  Fleadach,  .  .  .      4S0 

Finnbar,  Saint,  .  .  ,      460.  4Í3 

Finnabair,  now  Fenor,      .  .  245  >i. 

Finnau,  Saint,     -  .  480 

Fintan,  or  Finnen,  Saint,       110  »,  452,  409  »fc  » 
the  Book  of.  412 

Fitzpatrick,  .  .MacGilla  Patrick,)  25.5,  .'>Si) 

Fitz  Kiistai'o,  race  of,        .  .  591 

Flanri  .'^liina,     .  ,  .  51S  533  n 

Flalhbcrla-h,        .  .  .  4S5.  .520 

Fochart,  battle  of,       .  .  .  435  n 

Fodia,        ....  SO.l  41 

Foinorlans,  .  116,  124._142 

Foras  Fea-^a  ar  Eirinn,        .  .  7;i  'i 

Forbaitlc,  .  .  .  273 

Fortola.  battle  of,  .  .447 

Fogartuch,       ....  484 

Foratian,     .  •  .  .  497  // 

Four  .Masters.  Their  account  of  transjic- 
tlons  between  the  Gaels  and  their 
Invaders,  to  lioderic  O'Connor's  reign   651  n 


INDEX. 


743 


Free  Clans  of  Thomotid,  (see  Saer  Claana.) 
Freuihain,  now  Frewin,  Co.  WestmoatU,        2S5 
Fruad,       ....  191, 2»4 

Fursa,  Saint,  ...  477 

Gabra,  the  battle  of,        .  .  .  861 

LiH,  battle  oi;  .  ,  .      442 

Gai^thlia,  •  .  .  .         17(ire 

Gactliluigh,  .  .  .  179  n 

Gacidil;;!  i  Uaelic'i  origin  of,        .  .         190 

"        five  dialects  of,      .  .  .      157 

Gacdal,  Preface  .wiii.  w,  150, 158,  162, 180, 1S4  Ji 
Gaelic,  (see  Gaeidilgi.) 

Gaedil,  (theOaels,!     .        150,167,107,173,507 
Galainli,  isee  Milcdli.) 

Gallia  Lugdensis,       .  .  .  .186 

Galimli,  (Ualway.)        ...  310 

Galloglasi,  Preface  li.  n. 

Ganianraidlie,   a  tribe  ofFer-bolgs,  266  and  ii 
Gaveliiind,  Preface  liv.  n. 

Gedlii  Oll-gotliach,  .  .  234 

Gesa,  (Vows  of  Chivalry,)  .         349  and  n 

Giallcaidh,        ....  237 

Gildas,  (quoted,)  Preface  xxix. 
Gilla-Comgaill,  ...  559 

"    Padraig,        .  .  .  580  n 

"    Mara    falsely  named  King  of  Ire- 
land,     Preface  xxv. 
Glen-da-loch,  the  Book  of,  456,  see  Preface  Ixiii. 
Glenmahain,  (now  Glanworth,  co.  Corlc,) 

Convention  of,         .  .  .  535 

Glen  Fais,  ^now  Glenofaush,  co.  Kerry,)       201 
"    Mama,  battle  of,        .  .  .        551 

Gort-an  oir,  (now  Gurtanore,  co.  Kerry,)       323 
Gothi,       .  .  .  .  .179» 

Good,  Master,  (quoted,)     Preface  li. 
Gradlia  G:iisiii,    degrees  of  chivalry,)  343  and  n 
Grellach-Doiaith,  battle  of,  .  .4^1 

Grilfin  ap  Conan,        ...  192 

Gud,  .  .  .  .  •  215 

Gurguntius,  King  of  Britain,       .  .        193 

Hanmer,  Dr.  his  false  statements.    Preface  xlvi. 

Hall  of  Mi  Cuarta,  .  .  333  and  » 

Harpers,  Order  of.  Preface  sxxviii.  n 

Harold,  King  of  England,  .  .  589 

Hengist,  the  8axon  Chief,    Preface  sxxvi. 

Heber,  see  Eber. 

Heremon,  see  Erimhon. 

Hlberr.ia,      .  .  ...        82 

Humphrey  of  Gloucester,  (quoted,)        .         1S5 

Hugo  de  Lacv,        .  .  .        642,  644  n 

Hymn  of  Columkille,  .  447, 450, 453 

larann  Gleú-fathach,        .  •  257  and  n 

larlathi,  Saint,  ...  420 

Ibath, 127 

Iinhar,  .  .  .  .533 

Inber  Slangi,  now  Wexford  Bay.        81, 130,  197 
"       Skeui,  now  Kcnmare  Elver,  115,  193 

Inis-Fail,  ....  SO 

"    Saimer,  ....        115 

"    Phadraig,  .  .  .  497  ra 

"    Fitha,  ....  493 

'•     Muredaigh,        .  .  .493 

'■    Cathaigh,  Pillage  of,        .  .  554 

"    Elga 80 

Innis  Clolhram,  .  •  .         276 

Ireland,  Invasions  of,  before  the  Flood,    105  &  n 

Colouizations  of,        .  .      11-3,  121 

"  First  Kings  of,  .  131   and  n 

"  Conquest  "of,  by  the  Tuatha-de- 

Dananns        .  .  .  135 

"         Five  Dialects  of  the  Language  of,     157 
"  Heathen  writers  of,  .        413 

"  Arrival  of  Henry  the  Second  in,       030 

"         Henry's  title  to,  .  .  684 


Ir,  .....        82 

Irin,  or  Iris,        ....  " 

Irial,  the  Prophet,  the  raths  he  built,  his 

battle.s,  SiC.        .  .  .  218, 36T 

Irreligion  of  the  Irish  disproved,        .  633 

Ith, 18!) 

lugani  Mor,      .  .  .         85,  109 

"  Division  of  Ireland  by,        .         243 

lubar-Kinn-tragha,  now  Newry,    .     ^3  and  ra 

Japhet, — the  Scotie  r,ice  traced  to  him,  .  147 

Johannes  Baronius,  (quoted,)      .           .  189 

Jonas  the  Abbot,  (quoted,)  .            .  .     875 

Juvcrnia,               ....  82 

Kadwallin,    .  .  ,  .  .192 

Kellach,  Saint,    ....       430  n 
Kellachan  of  Cashcl,  .  .  535, 543 

Kenannus,  now  Kells,    .  .    551,  553  n,  5s6 

Kenn-Coradh  (Kincora),  council  of,       569,  6i  9 
Kenneidi,  ....    534,  533 

Kenn  Berr.iide,        ....      273 
Kennfaeladh,      .  .  .         156,479,516 

Kenn-selach,  Enna,  .  .       863  and  n 

Kennghegan,      .  .  .  520, 52S  n 

Kenn-fuald,  battle  of,  .  .  .      534 

Kermad  Mil-beol,  three  sons  of,  .  1S2 

Kermna,        ,  .  .  .  85, 225 

Kerball, 531 

Keth, 278 

Kevin,  Saint,       ....  461 

Kiarnitt,       .  .  .  .  .350 

Ki.ar,  ancestor  of  the  O'Connors  Kefrv,         269 
Kiaran,  Saint,  .  .  .    424, 429, 463 

Kian,  ancestor  of  the  O'Meagher,  O'JIara, 

&c.,       ....  317,  .578 

Kiannachta  of  Glengiven,        .  444  7i;  5C3 

Kikal,  or  Cical,        ....      116 

Kill-Becain,  now  Killpeacon,  co.  Tipperary,  439 

Killdara,  iKildare, )  .  4s3,  501  7i,  613 

Kill  Cuilinn,  iKilcullen,)        .  .         547  ii 

Kill-da-liiath,'(Killaloe.)     .  .  .503 

Kill  Maighnen,  (KilLmainham,)  .         566  n 

Kinel  I  arbri,  .  .  .  479  n 

"      Eogain,    ....  565 

"       Fermaic,        .  .  .  572  w 

"       Conaill,  .  .  .    540, 565 

Kinaeth,        .  .  .  .  .      4s5 

0"Hartig.iin,    .  .  .      81,554 

Kine  Scuit,  (See  Alba.) 


Labraidh  Loingsech,    . 
Laegari  Lore,  the  Parricide, 

"        the  Victorious, 

"        sonofKiall, 
Lagenians, 


252,  253  n,  256 

.      250 

276 

401,  416 

254 


Lanfranc,  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  (quot- 
ed,)          393 

Laighen,  (Leinster,)  division  of,  .  89 

Lawrence  O'TooIe,  Saint,   .  .  .      626 

Leim  Conchullain,  now  Loophead,  .  441,  520 
Leim  Duachill,  defeat  of  the  Norwegians  at,  513 
Le  Poer,  Robert,  .  .  .         593 » 

Leth  Mogha,  .  .  .        405, 523  n 

Lia  Fail,  .  .  .  .    SI  jt,  ]87 

Liath  Manchain,  ....  477 
Liathain,  now  Barrymore,  Co.  Cork,  309 

Lis-mor  Lismore,  Co.  Waterford,  471,500 

Lochlainn,  Denmark,  Preface  xiii.  n. 
Lochlannaigh   (Scandinavians,  or  Danes,) 

first  arrival  of       .  .      492 

"  their  defeats  by  the  Gaels,  506,  510 

Lochlannach,  .  .  .  493  n 

Loch  n-Echach,  (Lough  Neagh,)     496,  508.  505 

546 

Loch  n  Lushmagh,  (Dundalk  Bay,)        496,  500 

"     Kibii,  (Lough  Kee,)  496,  5o5 


7U 


ESTDEX. 


Loch  Bricrcnn,  now  Louirlibrickland,  501 

"    Oirbien,  now  Lough  Corrib,  140,  546 

"    Garinan  (^W'^onl,^  see   Inber  Slan- 

gi  and  .  .  .         619  n 

"     Eri  t Lough  Erne),  .  .  .       516 

Loch  da-caecb,  battle  of^  .  .         533  n 

"     Gabar,  battle  of         .  .  .      479 

Loegrius,  .  .  .  .  1-á 

Lorcan  OTaathail,  (see  Lawrence  O'Toole.) 

Lugaidh  lardonn,    ....      233 

Lam-derg,       .  .  .  21i) 

La?hch,      ....  24.'  ;i 

"       Lothtinn,         .  .  .  2.« 

"        Liiaigni,    ....      2G'i 

EiabPi-n-Derg,  .  .  2>7 

LamfadiH  .  .  .  .301 

Ellathach         .  .  .  8lt9 

*       "        Mac  Conn,  .  .  .819 

La^a 324 

"        tlie  Fourth,  .  .  .421 

Luigni  and  Laigni,  sons  of  Erimhon,  217 

Luimncch,  now  Limerick,  .  543, 553 

Macnainaras,  preface,  xsxi.  n.. 
M.ac  -Murrogh,    .  .  .        26S  ii 

"    Giila  i'adraig,  (see  Fitzpatrick.) 
"    Coill,  ....  182 

"    Con, 319 

"    Clanchy,     ....        321 7i- 

"    Awly, 322 

"    Allnn  of  Alba,        .  .  .  322 

"    Csrthy,  .  .  .  .542 

"    Mahons.  Preface,  xxx.  n. 
"    Sweenies,     "         — 
"    Shceliies,     "         — 
Macha  Mong  Enadh,  (the  Eed  Tresses,)        245 
Maeiljrhenn  the  Bruid, .  .  .  Sol 

ilaon,  (sec  Labraidh  Loiogsech,)  2.)1 

Maclmorda,         .  .  .  429 «,  5i;9 

Maelcaba,      ....  448,  463 

Macdng,  or  Mogiic,  Saint,  founder  of  the 

bishoprick  of  Fern'*,    .  .      473 

Maelsechlainn,  ivul'jo  Malachy,)      503,  5  i8,  511 


jVfoin  Mor.  battle    .,      .  .  .  606 

Moiisou.  I^liineas,  calumnies  of.  Preface,    xlviii 
Moling,  f^aiiit,    ....  506 

'■        ihe  yellow  book  of,  412,  see  Pre- 
face, Ixiii. 
Molaga,  the  black  book  of,  412,  see  Pre- 
face, Ixiii. 
Molasi,  Saint,  .  .  .443  7i,  469 

Morna,  the  tribe  of,       .  .  .  862 

Morann,  the  collar  of,  .  .  .      296 

Miiic  Inis,  ....        197  n 

Muimni,  son  of  Kiimhon,   .  .  .      217 

Miiini  Breogan,  battle  of,  .  .  54S 

Muironu,       .....      475 
.^lullach  Mixsdenn,  now  MuUaghmast,  877 

Minister,       ....  91,  518 

Munemhon,  who  instituted  "The  Collar 

of  Gold,"  ....      23) 

Murtherani,        .  .  .  191 

Muredach  Bolgrach,  .  .  .239 

Tirech,  ...  865 

"         Maeil-k-than,      .  .  482« 

Murchadh,  ....    .505, 575 

Murkertach,  .  .  .  474, 547 

"  O'Loclilainn,         .  .  607 

Music,  Professors  of.  Preface,  xx.  xix. 

National  Eeeord.s — Book  of  Eights,  Book 

of  Armagh,  &c.,  Preface  Ix  and  n- 
Nar,   ......      190 

Neniedh,   ....      121,124,181 

Kiall  of  the  Nine  Hostages,    189,  872, 39;»,  893  n 
"    Frasach  (of  the  showers),   .  .  431,  4^9 

"    Calli 500,504 

"    Glundubh  (ancestor  of  the  O'Xoils 

of  Tyrone),  ...  688 

"    Seven  sons  of,   .  .  .  .  872  n 

Niadh  Segamhain  .  .  .      260  7i 

Niul  (son  of  FeniusFarsa),  .  .  159» 

Koah,  genealogy  of,  .  .  .  104 

Nuadath  Finn-Fall, .  .  .  .237 

"        Nect   (from    whom    Maynooth 

.285« 


Maelsechlainn  the  Second, 
Maelgiiala,     . 
Maelmacdog, 
Magh-L''na,  battle  of, 

"     Ailbi, 

"     Giiillidhe,  b.att!e  of,   . 
Itha, 


514 

60(;  ;i 

312  and  n 

52ti 

.  579  n 

116, 180 


255,  308 

821  M 

.      898 

398 

595,  003 


Sleet,  rthe  Pl.iin  of  Prostration,)       223  n 
Bolg.  now  Moybolguc,cos.  Meathand 

Cavan,  .  .  .       293  w. 

Tnredh,  battles  of;    .  .  .      139 

Fcmen,  now  Iffa  and  Offa  East,  142 


3G3 
110,  408,  409 
.      4T1 

4i2 


6)2 
307  ii 


4Gt  n 
477  n 


Adair,  the  (ree  of 

"     Bill,  now  MovlUc, 

"     Eath,  battle  of, 

"     Culim,  battle  of,  . 
Magonlus,    see  St.  Patrick.) 
Magnus,  I  Danish  chief,) 
MaT,    .  . 

Malachy,  (see  Ma«lsechlalnn.), 
Manainn,  (Isle  of  Man,; 
M.ancban.  Saint, 
Mains,  the  Seven,  (see  Medb.) 
Medb, 

Mida,  Saint, 

Midhe,  (Moath,)  dlvisli-iis  of, 
Mlledh  Esbaini, . 

"      branchings  of  his  children, 
MIlcslus,  ■  sec  Miledh.) 
Mochna,  Saint, 

Mochuda,  Saint,  (sec  Carthach.) 
Mochcllog,  Saint,  founder  of  Kllmallock,       477 
Mogh-Corb,  .  .  .   257, 7i  361  n 

"     Nuadath,  (see  Eogan  Mor.) 


took  Its  name),. 
5T4"sNnbrigensis  (quoted).  Preface  xxvi. 
555,  6.57,  581,  .98S 

O'Byrne  lO'Brinn),  Preface  xxxii. 

OBarii 

O'Briain,  Murtough, 

"         Turlough, 

"•        Murkertach  Mor, 

"        Donncadh  (his  treaty  with  Pope 

Urban  II.  .  .  .  034 

O'Cavanagh.  Preface  xxxii.,  .       25.5,  8GS  n 

O  Carroll,   .  .  .  .  317,521  n 

O'Casey,        ....  317,827 

O'Callaghan,         ....      5-12  n 
O  Concobair.    See  íordelbach,  and  Euaidri. 
O  Connor  Falghi,    .  .  .  2  5, 308 

"         of  Keenaght,  ...  817 

O'Connel,         ....  52a  n 

O  Cowhig,  or  Coffee        .  .  .         321 

O  Cullane,  (Collins,)  .  S21  n,  528  n 


265,  2C9,  27T 

432  re 

80  and  n 

175,  1S3,  194 

.      658 

4C9,  473 


OCnrneen, 
OcliJi,  battle  of, 
ODump-ey, 
O  Uonnell, 
C)I)((novan, 
ODonoghoo,  . 
ODea,       . 
O'Dowling, 
O  Dunn,  . 
O'Dwyer. 
O'Diiscoll, 
Odran.  Saint,  . 
Odba.  battle  of, 
O'Fahy, 
0"Flalierty, 
O'Flannerlcs,   . 


221 

420 

.  255,  808 

313  n 

.      321  n 

870,  416  «.,571  n 

539  n 

36S  n 

2.55,  308 

255,  808 

18 )  7i.,  821  fl 

428 

467 

Si4n 

604  n 

628  n 


INDEX. 


745 


O'FUnn,   . 

321 

O'Gara,  .... 

317,  827 

Ogygia,  Preface,  xli.  n.. 

83  n 

O'Hara, 

317,  827 

O'Heyncs, 

844  n 

Oisin,  (Ossian) 

802  n 

O'Koette, 

29  In,  536 

OKinsliellagh, 

868  n,  584 

Dlcobar,  . 

503  n,  513 

Olflun. 

.       546 

Ollarnh  Fodla,     . 

231 

Olild,  (supremacy  vrrested  from  the  race 

of  Ir,)    .  .  .  .  .234 

"        Finn,    ...  .241 

"       Ani,  .  .  .  .251 

"       Cas  Fiaclach,  (bent  teeth,)      .  258 

"    Mor,    ....  266,209 

"    Olum,        .  .  .      812, 815  n,  318 

"    Molt, 417 

"    Flann  Beg,  ...  842 

O'Leary,  ^OXnegari.)         .  .  .        321 

O'Lyons,  (O'Lialhain  or  O'Lehan,  see  Ui 

Liathian,) 
O'Maliony,  .         821  n,  370,  446  n,  571  n 

O'Mcagher,        ....  817 

O'.MiiHano,  .....        370 
O'Muipbv,        .  .  .  .  368  ?!. 

O'Neill,  ^see  Aedh,) 

O'Nolan,      ....        255, 314  n 
OEtilv,  of  Brcfni,       .  .  .449  71 

O'Kyan,        .  .  255,  368,  529  n.  585,  7i 

O'Kuairc,  of  Brcfni,  .  .         554»,  59) 

O'Shcehan,        .  .  .  294n,52S 

O'Slevin,     .....     559  n 
O'Shaughnessv,  .  .  .  344  » 

Osraide,  ( O.'^sory,)  .  .  449, 457 

OToole,  Preface  xxxii.  .  .   255,  529  n 


Palladius, 

Pancti,  battle  of    . 

Partholan, 

Patrick,  ?aint 
"    Mission  of, 
"    Death  of, 


402  n 

447 

83, 114, 120 

874,  387,  460 

401 

423 


"    Purgatory  of,  Preface  xliii  n, 
"    Eentof,  ...  499 

Patron  Saints,  of  the  Gaelic  tribes,   .  465  n 

Pembroke,  Earl  of,  (Strongbow,)  Arrival 

in  Ireland,  .  .  192,  616,  G25 

Physicians,  ancient.  Preface,  xxxviii.  7i, 
Picts,  (see  Cruithnigh,) 

Plunk  ett,  race  of,  .  .  .  591 

Polychronicon,  .  .  .  398 

Power,  race  of,    ....  591 

Primh-roik-g,  (see  Cemeteries,) 
Psalter  of  Tara,  (see  Saltair  Temrach.) 

Eaghallach,  king  of  Connanght,  .  .       474 

Kath  AeJa-iriic    Brie,    (now  Hathhugh) 

convention  of       .  .  513 

"       Beg,         ....        442 
"        Bresail,  synod  of    .  .  597 

"        Kenaid,  now  Eathkenny,        .        455 
Eathain,  monastery  of .  .  .        .    469 

Eavmond  le  Gms,  arrival  of,  in  Ireland,        622 
Eent  of  St.  Patrick,  i  see  Patrick,) 
Eftim  Eiogra,  i  Eoyal  EoU,)      .  .  898 

Eectaidh  Eigh-Berg,         .  .  .        243 

Eistard  Crat'bach    (Eichard  Creagh,   Pri- 
mate of  Ireland),         .  .  .  ISl  n 
Eonan,  Saint,  HI.,        .            .           .        477  n 
Eos  Cre.  now  Eoscrea,  battle  of,              .      .')46 
lius-na  Eigh,  now  Eossnar,  on  the  Boyne,    S57 
Eosa,             .           .           .           .           .410 
Kothectach,        ....  229 
"          the  Second,  (four  horse  chariots 
first  used  in  his  reign,)      .          .  286 


Eudraide  Mor,  iinccstor  of  the  Eed  Branch 
Knights,  (/<>;•  account  of  his  l/uttlea 
see  iiotn),     ....  261 

Eudraide  the  Second,  O'Concob.'iir,  .      612 

Euadan,  Saint,   ....       112  n 

Sadb, 315 

Saer  Clanna  (free  clans)  of  Thomond,        539  n 
Saint  Patrick,  (sec  Patrick.) 
Saltair  Temrach,  (.Psalter  of  Tara,)     302,  855  n 
Saran  Saebli-derc,     ....      466 
Saradh,  mother  of  the  three  Carbris,   .  314 

Scot  Beria  (Scotic  tongue),  .         122,130 

Scota,        ....       160, 177, 201 
Scots,  the,      •  ...         150 ,375 

"      inroad  of  into  Britain,    .           .  3S0 

Scythia,          ....  150  n 

Sechuasach,     .               ...  478 

Sedna, 239 

"      Innaraigh  of  the  "Wages,  .  233 

Sees,  Episcopal,       ....      597 
Senacli,  Saint,     ....  445 

Senchas  Mor,  .  ,  •  .      411 

Sen-Ghoill,   or    Anglo-Normans,  septs  de- 

ceuded  from  them,      .  .        650  and  n 

Sganlan  Mor,    ....  449  «.456 
Sbannachie,  ....   803«. 

Simeon  Brec,     .  .  .  .127  338 

Sinnach  Cro,  ....      434 

Sinainn  iriver  Shannon^  .  .  501 

Siorua  the  Long-lived,        .  .        234  235  n 

Siorlarah,  ....  239 

Sitric  the  Dane,       ...  534  564 

Skelg  Michel,  now  Skellig  Isles,  Kerry,  .      200 
Skothniamh,        ....  312 

Slanoll, 233«. 

Slangi,  Preface,  sxxlii. 

Slemliain,  battle  of,  ...      464 

Sliubh  Mis,  battle  of,      .  .  .  201 

Sliabh  Femhenn,  (Siieve-na-man,)      227  «,  844 
Slighe  Dala,  .  .  .  .  520 « 

Sligech,  battle  of,  .  .  .         428  n 

Sobarki,  son  of  Ebric,  .  .         85,  225 

Solinus,  (^quoted.)  Preface,  xxix. 

Spencer,  (^quoted,)  Preface,  xxix. 

Sru,    ......      160 

Stanihurst,  his  ignorance  of  Ireland,  Pre- 
face, xxxiii. 
Stronirbow,  ( see  Pembroke.) 
Succath,  I, see  St.  Patrick.) 
Sulchoid,  battle  of,  .  .  .  .543 

Tadg,  (Teigne,)  .  .  .     323, 546 

Talamonach,    king  of  Ui    Liathain,    now 

Lyons,    .....      477 

Talismans  of  the  Tuatha  de  Dananns,  137 

Talti,  battle  of,         .  .  .  .      204 

'•     palace  of,  ...  301 

"     fair  of,  ...       435  n,  518 

Tanlst,  Preface,  Ivil.  n. 

Tegasg  Eigh,  i  book  of  precepts  for  kings.)  332  n 
Temhair,  i  Tara,  i  convention  of,  called  by 


Oliamh  Fordla, 

231 

Temhair,  battle  of,  . 

.  555  n 

"         palaces  of. 

414 

"         Laegari's  convention  at. 

.       414 

"        Assembly  of. 

418 

Termon  lands.  Preface,  Ivi'..  n. 

Tcthor,    .... 

80 

Ti.actiia,  now  Ward  Hill,  co.  Meath 

.  299/1 

Tola,  now  TuUa,  battle  of, 

443 

Toniar,           .... 

.      557 

Tonn  Clidna, 

568 

Tordelbach  Mor  O'Concobair, 

.      603 

TibradiTirech,    . 

.  292,  309 

Tighernach, 

503 

Tighcrnmas,  (distinctions  of  dress) 

istab- 

liáhcd. 

.  223» 

746 


INDEX. 


Tir  ConaiU,  Csce  Kind  Cocaill.) 

Tuatha-de-Dananns,  80, 12T,  185, 140, 197 

"       "       •'        kings  of  the,  .      143 

"     Fidgi,    .  .  .  .215«. 

Tuathal,  ....  85,297,803 
"        Mael-garb,  .  .  427 

Tuaim  Greai,  .  .  .      553 

Turgesius,         .  .  .        492,505«  508 

Uar  the  Druid,         .  .  .  .201 

Ua  Congbala,  the  book  of,         .  .  413 

Ugani  Mor,  (see  lugani  Mor.) 
Uladh  (.Ulster),  division  of,    •  .  88 

"  "         origin  of  the  name,  279  n,  442 

Ultan,  Saint,     .  .  .  .       477  n 


Usnach,  the  sons  of,  .  .  .     36T 

Uisnech,  now  Usnagh  Hill,  Meath,  65,  30O 

L'i  Barchi,     .  .  .  .  529  J^ 

"  Bloid,  .  .  .  .         572  « 

"  Caisin,     .....  572  n 
"  Drona— (Sec  O'Ryan. 
"  Fidghenti,  now  O'Donovans  and  O'Cul- 

lanes,  &c.,  .  .  .369  n,  476  n 

"  Kennselaigh,  .  .  .  5S4 

"  Liathaiu,  now  Lyons,  co.  Cork,     124,  369  7!, 

477  ii, 
"  Muredaigh — See  O' Toole. 
"  Eathach  (Iveragh)  Kerry,  landing  of  the 
Danes  at,  .  .  .  .49^ 


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